Page 24 of A Noble Affair
The two women followed him, and as they crossed the intersection of stalls, she said in a voice louder than intended, “Ha. Thecurrentviscount.”
A gentleman in a black wool coat at a nearby stall turned his head slightly at her words. Though she lowered her voice, he caught the rest before the women were out of sight. “No surprise that he refuses to host a ball. Why should he lift a finger to do something nice for the townwhen he clearly has nothing personal to gain from it?”
11
Paltier absently rubbed a dusty bottle of champagne in the wine cellar. It was only six o’clock in the morning, but he had a train to catch in the direction of Montpellier, where he would be visiting his brother for the New Year’s celebration. He took his annual vacation this time of year but wouldn’t dream of leaving without having personally selected the wines for the viscount’s intimate dinner with Mlle Duprey.
He thought about how stark the house seemed when she was there as opposed to the lively warmth the viscount’s young wife had brought. She was nice, but not friendly—polite, but cold. It just wasn’t the same. Paltier carefully placed the champagne bottle in the leather bag he had carried down with him and set about searching for just the right wines that would accompany both the smoked salmon and the thinly-sliced roast beef.
Christmas had been a family affair. Paltier opened the door to the viscount’s niece as Isabelle barreled past him to give her uncle and cousin a hug. Adelaide followed more sedately and held out her hand to Paltier with a warm smile. She walked over to her brother and kissed both his cheeks, her eyes bright with mischief. “England has ruined Isabelle’s manners.”
Isabelle’s cheeks turned pink, and she turned to address Paltier with a charming, “How do you do?” She then kissed her uncle and cousin, murmuring, “How good it is to see you again.” Her exuberance could not be hushed for long, and she threw her arm around Louis. “Show me the speakers you got.”
Adelaide watchedthe pair of them run up the marble staircase and was reminded of how many times the same scene had unfolded before her, but with two sets of shorter, chubbier legs. She turned to follow Charles who headed up the other marble staircase towards a spacious room with wood floors. He strolled over to a table by the fireplace and took a cigar out of the drawer, which he lit.
“Ugh. The annual holiday cigar.” Adelaide wrinkled her nose. “That’s one habit from our father I wish you had not acquired.”
“At least it’s only once a year and not every evening,” he answered with a puff. He sat on one of the settees and gestured for her to do the same.
“Where’s Maman?” she asked suddenly.
“I believe they’ve run into traffic.”
His sister smoothed out her skirt and said with an air of innocence, “It’s too bad Eléonore and Raphael were otherwise engaged.”
Charles let out a quiet chuckle but then fell silent. Adelaide observed him shrewdly. “Okay Charles, what gives? You’re not one to share much of what’s going on in your life, but this is melancholic even for you.”
Charles considered her for a moment, then turned to the small round table by the settee and tapped ashes onto an ashtray. “The school suspects that Louis is using drugs.”
Her lack of reaction made him think that somehow she already knew, until he noticed her expression, which was stunned. After a short silence, she found her voice. “Have you spoken to him about it?”
“No.” He flicked some imaginary ash from his brown corduroy pants. Adelaide knew her brother well, so she waited in silence for him to continue. At length, he did. “My own son is like a stranger to me. He tells me nothing, and I find I don’t have it in me to pry. He knows I’m here for him. I think he’ll open up when he’s ready.”
Adelaide understood men enough to pause before uttering hasty words, which would only alienate her brother (and which threatened to include “idiot” among them). She spoke carefully. “Still, it would not be a bad idea to let him know what the school told you and remind him that you’re there for him. Teenagers can sometimes forget that.”
She could see her normally proud brother was not opposed to her advice, but that it would not do to push. “Shall we—” Her words were interrupted by the doorbell.
“Ah. Maman.” Charles stood. Paltier was already hurrying past him to welcome the dowager in from the cold.
“Good evening, Paltier.” His mother stood regally in the doorway. Her children walked over to the stairwell and descended the marble stairs to greet her.
“Merry Christmas, Maman.” They each kissed her dutifully. Charles took her arm, accompanying her back up the staircase.
“I see you decided to put your tree here this year,” his mother observed, immediately upon entering the room. Adelaide raised one eyebrow at her brother behind their mother’s back, her eyes twinkling. Charles clamped his lips shut and turned towards Paltier who was hovering discreetly near the entrance. “Let the children know their grandmother is here, please, and then you may bring in the appetizers.”
Paltier didn’t hearthe rest of the conversation. He hadn’t intended to hear what the viscount revealed concerning his son, but he had been sorting through the crystal in the adjoining room to be used during dinner. He would never discuss this with another soul, but in his own private council, he felt it would explain a lot about Louis’s behavior. He sincerely hoped the viscount would heed his sister’s advice.
When Paltier arrived at Louis’s door, he tapped lightly and announced their grandmother’s arrival. “Oh, I suppose we’ll have to go down,” he heard Louis say.
“Savage,” Isabelle teased. Paltier smiled to himself as he walked back down the stairs. Louis’s cousin was a good influence on him.
When Paltier brought the tray of champagne in, serving the dowager first, he witnessed Isabelle’s affectionate greeting and Louis’s more sullen one. Carrying the tray around to each family member, he was just in time to hear Isabelle squeezing her uncle’s arm, and saying in a low-pitched voice, “Thank you, Uncle Charles.” He gave her an answering smile.
When they had been seated at the table, and served, Paltier took his place in the back of the room to await the change of plates. Presently, the viscount spoke up with news that did not surprise Paltier, for they had already discussed it a few days earlier. “I’ve decided to hold a spring ball in the château this year.”
His mother’s fork did not exactly clatter on the plate, but she lost some of her poise. “Charles, I am astonished.”
The viscount, who must have been expecting opposition, was prepared. “The mayor has promised every available officer to be present the night of the gala. I don’t expect a second theft to occur.”
