Let Them Have Cake (17 page)

             
Anna had to get to the basket first, before he emptied it. She didn’t want him to find the clothing and ask her about it before she had a chance to think of a good explanation. And, she had a feeling the gown and robe would somehow be needed in order for her to return to the 21st century.

             
“I don’t need it right away. Could you please do another favor for me?”

             
“Anything, my dear. Anything.”

             
“Please take these rugs out so I can shake the dirt from them. I have other areas where I want to put them, so just bring
them back in here. I must go to the barn and collect the eggs my wayward hens have laid. I’ll return soon and will do the rugs then.”

             
The barn was located a short distance from the huntsman’s cottage. Anna hurried down the path that led there. She hoped the barn would be empty when she arrived. The door squeaked as she pushed it open and stepped inside. The cow she had named Bessie raised her head and turned her big brown eyes towards Anna. She mooed a greeting.

             
“Hello to you, too, Bessie. I’m sorry I don’t have time to talk, but I’m on a mission. I have to find my nightgown and robe

before someone else does, and I may need them if I ever figure out how to get away from here.”

             
Anna located the basket just where Geoffroi said it would be. She was relieved to find that her clothing was still at the bottom of the basket. She pulled the wrinkled garments out and inspected them. They had been damp when she put them into the basket, but luckily had dried without mildewing. Fortunately, the basket had been close to the fireplace so the garments had been able to dry quickly. She rolled them into tight rolls, and stuffed them into the egg basket. There weren’t any stray eggs in the usual spots, so Anna covered the basket with a towel and left the barn.

             
Geoffroi was outside shaking rugs. “Hello, Geoffroi. I’m
back. Why are you doing the rugs? I said I would do them.”

             
“I wanted to help you. They are too heavy for you to do.”

             
“You are truly a gallant, modern man?”

             
“What do you mean, modern man?”

             
“Nothing, Geoffroi, really. I’ll go back inside to my cleaning.”

             
“Did you not find eggs for the household?”

             
“No eggs today. I guess the chickens are staying in the coop. I’ll go check there later.”

             
Anna got out the laundry tub and started water boiling on the wood stove. She found some French milled soap that Monique had given her, and put her robe and nightgown in the tub. The washable silk fabric was robin’s egg blue, and was her favorite night wear. She had missed wearing it and began working on a story to tell Geoffroi as to where she had obtained the clothing.

             
Geoffroi arrived just as Anna was shaking out the wrinkles she had squeezed into the gown during rinsing.

             
“Anne-Marie! What is that?”

             
“Uh...it’s a nightgown. I didn’t want you to see it yet.”

             
“It doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before. It looks like something one of the Parisian ladies of the evening would wear.”

             
“Perhaps it is. The Queen’s friend, Madame Lamballe,
brought it to her from
Paris
. It is a new fashion. The Queen didn’t care for it and offered it to me. What do you think?”

             
“I like it very much. When will you wear it for me?”

             
Geoffroi had an amorous look in his eyes as he crossed the room to Anna.

             
“Certainly not now. It is too wet. I must hang it out to dry.”

             
“Not outside, please. I would not want the rest of the men in the hamlet to have the same ideas I am having now as I look at you and the gown.”

             
Geoffroi located a rope and tied it between two nails that were in opposite walls of the small kitchen. He stood back as Anna hung first the gown, and then the robe.

             
“There. They should be dry in no time.”

             
“Let’s not wait for that to happen.” Geoffroi caught Anna and swept her up into his arms. He cradled her close to his chest as he carried her to the bedroom.

             
Anna wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. She pressed her forehead into his neck and closed her eyes. Had he carried Anne-Marie to bed in this same manner? Had they made love as passionately as she and Geoffroi did? Anna pushed all thoughts of Anne-Marie out of her mind, but began thinking about Jeff. He was so much like Geoffroi; in the way he kissed her, the way he made love to her. Perhaps they
were the same person. Maybe Jeff was the reincarnation of Geoffroi. She didn’t really believe in reincarnation, but it made her feel less like a wanton woman to think that Jeff and Geoffroi were one and the same. Besides, just because humans define one lifetime as one physical lifetime doesn’t mean that’s how God defines it. Maybe one lifetime in God’s plan means a spiritual lifetime and not physical.

All thoughts other than what Geoffroi was now doing to her body were swept away with his tongue encircling her nipples. He had removed her clothing so quickly that she hadn’t even realized he’d done it. He changed his concentration from her nipples to her navel. She was glad she’d had the presence of mind to remove the pierced ring from her navel upon arriving at the hamlet. He flicked his tongue from side to side as he moved lower.

“What are you doing? Oh my God, where did you learn to do that?” Anna asked breathlessly.

Geoffroi lifted his head momentarily in order to respond. “I am French. Why do you ask where I learned it? The French invented it. Do you approve of my new technique?”

“Oh, I approve,” Anna said as she convulsed in pleasure.

***

             
“Anne-Marie. Please stand still. We will never get your dress made in time for your wedding if you don’t.” Genevieve
begged as she basted the hem on Anne-Marie’s wedding dress.

             
“I’m sorry. I’m tired of standing and Jacques is waiting for Geoffroi and me to sit for the final touches on our engagement picture.”

             
“Just a moment longer. Monique and I are almost finished with the hem.”

             
Anna stood perfectly still for what seemed like hours longer. She was tired, and the dress was quite heavy with all its layers. She carefully bent her head to look at the beautiful fabric of her wedding dress. The dress was a mint green silk trimmed in yards of French lace. Apparently, there wasn’t the tradition of wearing an all white wedding gown yet in
France
. This dress was actually much lovelier with its multiple petticoats underneath and its low cut neckline and beads sewn onto the lace.

             
“We’re finished. There, I told you it wouldn’t be much longer. Let’s go into the bedroom and get you changed into the gown for your picture.” Genevieve offered her hand to Anna to help her down from the stool she had been standing on.

Genevieve looked around for Monique, who had stopped working on the hem of the dress and was now standing as close to Jacques as she possibly could get. “Monique, please pull yourself away from Jacques for a bit and come help Anne-Marie dress.”

             
In the bedroom, Genevieve helped Anna remove the wedding dress and carefully carried it back to her chair and sewing basket. Monique brought the emerald green gown that Marie Antoinette had given Anna and assisted her on with it. She brought a hairbrush and arranged Anna’s hair in the same style she had been wearing it in while posing for Jacques.

             
“You look so lovely. I am envious. I wish I were getting married,” Monique said wistfully.

             
Anna placed her hand gently on Monique’s cheek and said, “I have every faith that you will be the next one to marry. I see the way Jacques looks at you. He adores you.”

             
“Really? Do you really think so?”

             
“I know so. I’ve seen that look in men’s eyes before, and I know when they are smitten.”

             
“Oh, Anne-Marie. Thank you. Come. Jacques is ready and Geoffroi is waiting as well.”

             
They returned to the warm and cozy common room. Anna sat in the velvet chair they had been using for the painting, and Monique arranged her clothing around her using the unfinished painting as a guide.

             
When all was arranged to her liking, Monique said, “Anne-Marie. You are going to love this engagement painting. It is going to be very beautiful when it is complete.”

             
“When can we see it, Jacques?” Geoffroi asked.

             
“Soon, very soon, but not until I, the artist, am satisfied that it is perfect.”

             
Anna sat quietly with Geoffroi standing behind her and a little to the right, his hand resting on her right shoulder. She could hear him take a deep breath now and then and reposition his feet. He was so patient, so considerate. His only show of anger had been the day she’d gone riding with Jacques without telling him or asking him if it would be all right. Maybe she shouldn’t think about trying to leave. Maybe she should be content with the strange turn her life had taken. But in just a few short years this way of life would change completely and
Versailles
would not be a safe place to be. She was a fool to think that this could go on forever.

             
Finally, the long awaited words were spoken. “It is complete. Please, come see.”

             
Anna rose from her chair and walked around the canvas to stand next to Jacques. Geoffroi joined her. The couple in the painting were unsmiling, but happiness radiated from their eyes. The man looked exactly like Geoffroi. Jacques had captured the radiant red highlights in Geoffroi’s brown hair. His muscular physique was visible under the white huntsman’s shirt and leather vest. The woman was beautiful in her emerald dress. She resembled Anna, but did not look exactly like her. She looked older than Anna, and had a distant look in her eyes. There was a
sadness about her, very unlike Anna who was usually positive about life. The odd part was the painting looked familiar. Anna couldn’t place where she had seen it, but she was certain that she had.

Pierre
’s voice broke through her daydream. “Please join us in the dining room. The Queen will not be dining with us tonight. She was called back to the castle for some official business. Come before the soufflé cools and falls.”

             
The household members and their guests seated themselves around the long, roughhewn table in the dining room. They were much more relaxed than when the Queen dined with them. They were always on their best behavior when she was present, even though she encouraged them to be at ease with her. The rules of the hamlet were simple but complex at the same time, and frequently changed with the whims of the Queen. The hamlet was her playground and her fantasy world, and she manipulated it at will.

             
Tonight, though, Anna was going to relax with all of her new friends. The evening meal was simple and consisted of puffy cheese soufflés, fresh vegetables and fruits, and an abundance of wine. Anna could feel herself becoming a bit tipsy and was feeling quite nostalgic as well. She knew she shouldn’t speak, but couldn’t manage to keep her mouth shut.

             
She stood and raised her wine glass in a toast. “I love all
you guys so much. You’re some of the best friends I’ve ever had. I wish I could take you back with me. I’d like to propose a toast to our new friendships.” She wobbled a little, and tipped the glass to her lips, spilling a bit down her chin.

             
“Anne-Marie. Sit down. You need to eat some more.” Geoffroi gently helped Anna into her chair, took her wine glass from her and spooned more soufflé onto her plate.

             
“Thank you, Jeff. I’m sorry.”

             
“It’s all right. Just eat.”

             
Anna ate the soufflé and worried that she had said too much this time. How was she ever going to explain away those comments?

             
The others were looking at her strangely, and were whispering among each other. Anna could occasionally hear them ask each other why Anne-Marie would say they were new friends.

             
Geoffroi eyed her warily as she stood up once again.

             
“I’m sorry. I see that I’ve confused all of you. I’d been thinking about the time I was away from here, and if I ever have to leave again I’ll miss you all so much. I was away so long before that it has now seemed as if we are making new friendships, that’s all. I hope you understand.”