The Nymph of Versailles

Chapter 22

Athénaïs led Scarron and her children to the gardens, following the perfectly manicured paths. By the time they reached the orangery, the trees' scent filled the air with a refreshing citrus tang that made her mouth water. Out of all the different areas of the Versailles' gardens, she loved the oranges the most due to their sweet scent. She'd shared more stolen kisses than she could count with her Louis in the orangery.

The children ran to their father as Colbert darted out of their way. Athénaïs beamed at the sight of her family together. This was a moment she'd waited too long for and she basked in it. Louise stepped away from the shouting children with a pained expression as they hugged their father. The king scooped his daughter into his arms and patted his son on the head.

"I guess it's time for me to leave," Louise grumbled as she trudged past Athénaïs. "I should have stayed at the convent."

"Do my children bother you?"

Louise stopped and gave Athénaïs a look of pity. "You shouldn't be proud of them. They are living embodiments of your sin."

She narrowed her eyes. "Is that why you never visit your children?"

Louise lifted her head high. "My children don't need me. I wish to walk a pure path, and that means giving up my sins."

"Being pure and being the king's mistress don't fit together. Giving up your children isn't enough. I pity them for having an unloving mother who only cares about herself."

Louise's face reddened and she shuffled her feet. "At least I didn't embrace my sin the way you do. It's shameful. If we were still true friends I'd tell you to keep an eye on your governess. We're both proof the king tends to chase after women close to his mistress. It's become a habit of his."

"She isn't his type."

"But when I leave and he begins to miss me he'll go looking for a replacement. You alone aren't enough for him." The corners of her mouth tugged up into a half smile, as though the insult pleased her.

Athénaïs didn't notice the smile, too hung up on her words. "Leave? What do you mean? You returned from the convent. Do you plan to leave for good next time?" Hope bloomed in her chest.

"It's none of your business." Louise shook her head and marched off with heavy steps. The joyous squeals of Athénaïs's son followed after her.

"I see your learned woman is still a bluestocking," the king commented as he gestured toward Scarron with a teasing grin. Scarron sat on a bench with a book in her lap. She looked as drab as ever in her black dress.

"We are all learned women in our own ways. We just hide it to keep from intimidating the men."

"But you don't need all the books. Leave that to the men to look after you. Being a mother and companion is time consuming enough without adding books to the mix."

She reached up to touch an orange blossom, eager to change the subject. She didn't agree with him on women having no reason to educate themselves, but she knew she couldn't change his mind. "Will there be a good orange harvest this year?"

"My gardener thinks so. Better than last year. We'll feast on oranges for months."

"Orange, orange!" Their son called out as he reached toward the tree branches.

The king picked him up, hoisting him toward the branches to let him touch the leaves. "Don't pluck the blossoms or there won't be any oranges. We wouldn't want that, would we?"

"No!"

"He might have a gardener in him yet," Athénaïs said. Behind her Louise-François chased a monarch butterfly. Scarron watched over the top of her book with her ever present expression of disagreement.