Page 61 of Love Set Apart
Emilie was taken to Abbey Port-Royal Des Champs by Marie de Medici’s guards. The journey had been uncomfortable for Emilie as the carriage she was in bounced along the roadway, hurrying to get to the convent. Once there, the men were relieved of their duties by the Abbess Arnould, who took over care of Emilie.
Seated in her office, the abbess read the note she’d received from Marie de Medici. She shook her head as she read and looked at Emilie with what was a mixture of pity and disapproval.
“It seems you have ruined yourself in the eyes of the Queen Mother and she wishes you to stay here and repent for your sins.” She gazed at Emilie over the top of the note.
“I have not sinned,” Emilie said. “The Queen Mother is mistaken.”
“The Queen Mother is never mistaken. You must know that. It is disrespectful to think otherwise.”
Emilie would have normally bowed her head and done as she was told, but this wasn’t one of those times. “You must let me leave. I have to find the man I am to marry.”
“The man you were to marry didn’t want you. That is why you are here. It says so in the note.” The abbess placed the note on her desk and gazed at Emilie.
“There is another man. A man I love with all my heart. We wish to be together.” Emilie knew she must sound frantic, because she was. She had to get to Robert before they sent him away from her for good.
“Perhaps you should have thought of that before you gave yourself to him.” There was much disapproval showing on the face of the abbess. She wrinkled her nose as if she had just smelled something foul.
“But I haven’t. Will no one listen to me?” Emilie was distraught and could see she was getting nowhere with the abbess. There was no point in arguing. “How long must I stay here?”
“That will be determined by your behavior. You have made mistakes and that is why you are here. Your father is dead, you have no money, no family and now you are a fallen woman. There is every possibility you will want to stay with us even when you are allowed to leave.”
Emilie couldn’t imagine that ever happening. She was already planning her escape. It was a long way back to Paris and an even longer way to Scotland, but she would find Robert if it was the last thing she ever did.
“I will show you to your room.” The abbess placed her hands on her desk, pushing herself up to stand. Emilie followed her outside and then up a set of stairs that led to a main hall. From there another set of stairs took them to the room Emilie would reside in. It was tiny with just enough room for a small bed, side table and window. A single candle was set on the table.
“Use it wisely,” the abbess said of the candle. “It is meant to last you three days before it is replaced.”
Emilie could see she’d be spending a lot of time in the dark.
“Each morning as the sun rises, the bells will ring, calling you to matins. You will be expected to be there.”
“And if I’m not?” Emilie asked.
“You will be punished. There is no reason for you to miss it. Chores are done immediately after and then we have a simple breakfast. The rest of the morning will be spent in contemplation.”
Emilie didn’t respond. She didn’t care what the abbess was saying because as soon as she could, she would run away. If there was a way out, she would find it. She was determined not to let these circumstances prevent her from having the life she wanted. The life she’d been expecting to have with Robert.
“May I explore the grounds?” Emilie asked.
“Of course. You will find the gates are locked to keep unwanted guests out and those who’d choose to leave locked in.”
“Do people try to get in or out often?” Emilie asked, trying to sound more concerned than curious.
“It has happened. Don’t worry. You are well-protected while you are here.”
“Thank you.” There was no benefit in being difficult with the abbess. Emilie thought it would be better to have the Abbess on her side and so she vowed she would not give any cause for suspicion.
“I will leave you. If you have any questions, you know where to find me.” As the abbess began to close the door behind her, she looked Emilie over from head to toe. “We’ll see to your clothing once you have settled in.”
Emilie sat on the bed. The mattress was thin and covered with one wool blanket to keep her warm. It was hard to believe that she’d gone from the privileged life of a lady-in-waiting to a nunnery where she was being treated like a criminal. How life had changed in just one day.
She stood to gaze out the small window her room had been afforded. Emilie’s thoughts of climbing out were dashed. First of all, the window itself was too narrow and secondly, it was on an upper floor. Still, it gave her a vantage point of the world outside of the convent, which was set in the countryside and surrounded by trees and fields of green. It was breathtakingly beautiful, but Emilie did not feel she would be enjoying the view much longer.
Heading for the door, she looked around the room one more time before leaving to explore the grounds of the convent. The abbess said that everything was locked, so Emilie felt she would need to be clever to find a way out of this prison. At the bottom of the stairs, she decided to head away from the office where she’d met the abbess and walk the path that wound its way along the side of the building. Several women, all dressed in matching drab dresses, walked along nearby. Some looked at her with curiosity and others with pity. None of them seemed capable of returning the smile Emilie bestowed upon them. She wondered if she’d be forced to wear the same dull gray clothing she was seeing on everyone she passed. The long shapeless tunic covered them from neck to feet. Their hair was covered by a matching veil, leaving their faces exposed.
Looking down at her pretty blue gown, Emilie dreaded the thought of losing it only to be replaced by what she’d seen. Once in conversation with the women at the palace, they’d laughed as they discussed the nuns clothing and that their hair had to be cut short. Emilie touched her hair, which was quite long, but always worn up except at night when it was plaited for sleep. She shuddered at the thought of losing her beautiful hair.
As Emilie wandered further from the front of the abbey, she came upon one of the gates that would lead to the exterior. She moved closer, examining the lock which was securely set in place. She would need a key to unlock it.
