Brilliance (10 page)

Yvonne was torn between admiration for such resolution and despair that her friend was being so headstrong. ‘I have to accept your explanation, but I still think you’ve turned your back on a man who’ll always love you.’

‘You believe that, do you?’

‘Yes, I do!’ Yvonne replied forcefully. Her glance flickered from Lisette’s cheap straw hat to her plain cotton dress. ‘I can see by your clothes you’re in desperate straits already, no matter what you say. I’m going to lend you some money.’ She would have dived into her purse, but Lisette gestured quickly to stop her.

‘No, Yvonne! I don’t need anything. My father provided a lifelong income for me. I’m dressed like this to be as inconspicuous as possible. I knew my stepmother would set private detectives on my trail.’

‘Well, she’s not done that, so you can stop looking like a dairymaid. She said she had other means with which to curb your flight, but what those can be I’ve no idea. But I’m certain Philippe will not give up so easily. If you could have seen how desperate he was you would know that he truly loves you.’

Lisette felt a knife-like twist of painful yearning, but reminded herself sharply that it could have been because he had lost a fortune because of his runaway bride. ‘It makes no difference.’

Yvonne sighed deeply. ‘You’ll live to regret it, but I can see that you won’t be persuaded. You must promise to write to me.’

‘I will when the time is right,’ Lisette replied.

‘Speaking of time—’ Yvonne looked hastily at her dainty fob watch and sprang to her feet. ‘I’ll have to go! I was supposed to meet Claude ten minutes ago. He’ll be frantic!’

Lisette also rose to her feet. ‘It’s wonderful to know you’re so happy with Claude. I hope all goes well for you both.’

‘You must come to our wedding. Claude has six horrible nieces I’m obliged to have as my attendants, or else I could have asked you.’ Yvonne embraced Lisette fondly. ‘We’re leaving Rouen today for two weeks with his parents at their château, so I can’t meet you again now. Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.
Au revoir
, my dear friend.’

She would have dashed away, but Lisette caught her hard by the wrist. ‘I trust you not to tell anyone you’ve seen me! Please, Yvonne! I need time to be by myself.’

Yvonne looked at her sadly. ‘Very well. But don’t be lonely. I know I would be.’

She darted out of the cafe. Lisette resumed her seat and poured another cup of coffee from the pot and stirred it absently as she thought over that unexpected meeting. It was kind of Yvonne to express a wish that she could be a bridesmaid and also wanting her to be at the wedding, but Yvonne’s parents would not allow it after the scandal she had created by running away. As for Philippe, it sounded as if he had been overcome by remorse, he and his mistress having divined why she had fled the château that night as she had done. Perhaps a questioned servant had glimpsed her re-entering the château or from a window had seen her wandering out in the moonlight. Remembering the look she had seen deep in Philippe’s eyes when he had first declared his feelings, she wondered if she would remain the love of his life. It was odd that Yvonne, who was not very bright, had come to that conclusion.

A
s one week followed another, Daniel became increasing concerned about Lisette. She had told him that she had met a schoolfriend by chance, but nothing more. Yet it was since then that she had become extremely tense and anxious again, more so than ever before. She was forever looking over her shoulder and kneading her hands nervously in her lap. In addition, she started making foolish mistakes with the sound effects, which she would never have done except under stress. He began to fear she was heading for some kind of breakdown and decided it was high time she unburdened her troubles instead of keeping them to herself.

He chose a time when they were between venues and picnicking well away from the road in leafy shade on the edge of a golden cornfield. It was a warm, sultry afternoon in mid July and they were having some leisure time before moving on to the next booking, which was not far away. She had eaten hardly anything when she began repacking the picnic basket. He was in his shirtsleeves, lying propped on one elbow, and he waited until she had closed the lid.

‘What did you learn from your schoolfriend that has put you into such a nervous state?’ he asked quietly, catching her by surprise. ‘I think you ought to tell me.’

For a few moments she was silent, her violet eyes holding a look of shock at his unexpected directness. Then she answered almost inaudibly.

‘I believe my former fiancé is looking for me.’ Her voice faltered and almost failed her. ‘I’m afraid if I see him again I’ll forget all the hurt and betrayal and be unable to resist going back to him. Yet I know it would destroy my life.’

She gulped in her throat and it was then that her tears, which she should have shed long before, broke forth in a gasping torrent that she could not control. Deeply moved, he went to sit by her side and put a comforting arm about her. He had never before heard such a devastating outpouring of torment and sorrow. Automatically she turned her face into his shoulder, soon soaking a patch on his shirt with her tears, and clinging to him as if she would never let go. He folded her into a close embrace, intensely aware of her whole body pressed against him. The fragrant bouquet of her filled his nostrils and desire for her, not for the first time, rose sharply in him. She must have sensed the change in him, for her arms closed about his neck with a vibrating eagerness that was an invitation in itself to abandon all restraint. As he tilted her chin upward her lips parted eagerly to meet his devouring mouth.

As their kiss continued she arched herself against him, driving her fingers into his thick hair, her kissing as passionate as his own. He began to unbutton her bodice and she made no protest, yearning towards him even more. An erotic shudder passed through her as his caressing hand found her breasts and her nipples rose hard against his palm. When he bent his head to continue his exploration with his lips she gave a soft moan of pleasure.

Knowing she was ripe for him he no longer expected opposition when he freed a hand to ease up her skirts and stroke at last the lovely curve of her thighs, higher and higher, until his fingers reached gloriously the most secret part of her. At first she uttered a little cry at his invasive fingertips, but lost herself almost at once in a renewed surge of ardour as his lovemaking turned to an even more intimate delight of which she had previously been entirely innocent. She was totally possessed by passion and when finally he took full and glorious possession of her she received him ardently.

For a long while afterwards they lay quietly, her head resting on his arm. Although no word passed between them, he stroked back tendrils of hair from her face and kissed her closed eyes and her temples. Neither of them spoke, almost as if to utter even a whisper would destroy the extraordinary golden happening that had overtaken them both. After a while he believed she slept and he kissed her soft, moist lips once more before he surrendered to sleep himself.

When he awoke it was late afternoon, the shadows had shifted and Lisette was no longer lying on his arm. He sat up and looked about him, but could not see her. Springing to his feet, he called her name.

‘Lisette! Where are you?’

There was no reply. Picking up the picnic basket and slinging his jacket over one shoulder, he returned to the cart, expecting to find her there or nearby, but she was nowhere to be seen. Neither were her valises still in the cart. Now he became worried and ran into the road to look both ways for her. Although it was straight and narrow in both directions as far as the eye could see there was no sign of her. Yet once again he shouted to her, this time on a note of desperation. She could not have gone far with those two heavy valises, which meant that she must have taken advantage of some vehicle that had come by.

Without hesitation, he ran to Prince and released him from his tether. For the next few hours he searched for her, riding bareback to cover the way they had come, for he guessed she would not make for the next venue in case he overtook her. Several times he asked passers-by and workers in the fields if they had seen her, even inquiring at wayside cottages and farmhouses, but without success. Then he wheeled Prince around and galloped back, hoping that she would have thought better of leaving and returned to the cart. His frantic hope proved to be in vain.

He felt devastated when hours later he drove away from the site where so much had happened between them. On the road ahead he would continue to make inquiries. His worst fears had come true. He had allowed himself to become emotionally involved, which was a mistake he had never intended to make in any circumstance. Without acknowledging it, he had been drawn to Lisette from the first moment of seeing her. He realized now that it was why he had taken her on board against all his better judgement. Whether he was in love with her or not was beside the point. He just knew that he would have no peace of mind until she was with him again. His hope was that he found her before her erstwhile fiancé discovered her whereabouts.

Two days later, Lisette left the widow’s cottage where she had taken refuge. It was not far from where she and Daniel had lain together, but she had realized that he would soon have discovered her if she had kept to the road. So she had told the widow truthfully that her former fiancé was pursuing her, not mentioning Daniel, and she bribed the woman not to give her away if he should come to the door. From the small upper window of her room she had watched him gallop past like a madman and much later she heard him ride back again. This time she did not look out. But when he hammered on the widow’s door she listened intently from the head of the stairs and heard him turned away.

It saddened her that she had parted from him so abruptly, but it was the only way, for they could never have recaptured the easy companionship that had previously existed between them. She hoped that with time he would understand and forgive her seemingly harsh departure.

After twenty-four hours she had walked back to the site and seen the flattened wheelmarks in the grass where the cart had stood, but did not return to where Daniel had made love to her. Yet it had been a revelation. He had given her such exquisite pleasure, sending sensations through her that she had never known existed. The reason why she had turned to him with such abandonment was that she had wanted him to drive Philippe from her heart and her mind and, during that ecstatic time, he had done it. In losing her virginity she had thrown off the past completely, her girlhood gone and everything appertaining to it. She felt wholly liberated and more than grateful to the tender, passionate man who had brought it about.

Nevertheless, she did not want to meet Daniel again. The ecstatic encounter between them had been a beginning and an end. He must have had many such amorous moments with other women and would soon forget it had ever happened. Yet she accepted that it would be a lasting memory for her, for she had heard it said that no woman ever forgot the first man that made love to her, and Daniel had been a lover beyond all her expectations.

Next morning the widow’s son drove Lisette in his gig to a nearby market town, which was not on Daniel’s route. She was wearing her green silk coat again and fashionable hat that she had worn for her escape. Her plans were made and she thought them over again on the way. From the market town she would travel by train to Lyon. There she would find an apartment and, after a few days, start to settle her career. She would enjoy looking for suitable premises for a little shop, preferably with accommodation above. The fact that Isabelle considered her banished for ever was a great relief and if Philippe should come looking for her there it would no longer be of any consequence, for Daniel had been instrumental in driving a wedge between them that could never be dislodged.

At the railway station she found a late afternoon train she could take to Lyon, changing in Paris. The widow’s son, whom she tipped generously, carried her valises to the left luggage office to await her departure. She then made her way to the branch of her Paris bank in order to withdraw money from her account. It would be for the first time since she had left home. Until now the wage she had received from Daniel had supplemented her funds. The bank clerk was very courteous and studied the draft she presented, then he asked her to wait a few moments. He disappeared into the manager’s office, but soon returned to show her in there.

‘Good morning, Mademoiselle Decourt,’ the manager greeted her. ‘Please sit down.’ Then he cleared his throat and regarded her steadily through his pince-nez from across his wide mahogany desk. ‘I regret having to tell you, but your account was closed some weeks ago.’

Lisette stared at him in disbelief. ‘But that’s impossible! My late father arranged matters for me to withdraw from it at any time.’

‘I cannot offer you any explanation since I only have the instruction circulated to all our branches, but – if you will pardon my observation – I believe you to be under twenty-one. Therefore anyone in authority over you has the right to govern your finances.’

He remained unmoved by her stricken expression, having seen many others in similar distress for a wide variety of financial anxieties.

‘It could only be my stepmother!’ Lisette exclaimed, thinking how cunningly Isabelle had used her power. ‘Surely something can be done to counteract her inexcusable interference in this matter!’

‘Not unless you get authorization from her yourself.’

‘That is impossible!’ Lisette rose to her feet immediately. ‘Good day, monsieur.’

Outside the bank again she was trembling with shock at the news she had received. How devious of Isabelle to use such a weapon against her! She went to sit on a bench among flowerbeds in a nearby park. There she checked with nervous hands the contents of her purse before sitting back and considering what her immediate plans should be. She had enough cash to see her through the next three weeks if she took cheaper lodgings than ever before, and she would not starve, but after that there would be nothing. She had a few little pieces of jewellery with her, but none of it was of any real value, except a string of pearls that her father had given her and that she would never sell. More valuable pieces, which she had inherited from her mother and grandmother, had only ever been worn on special occasions and were still in the safe in what had been her father’s study. She had given them no thought in her flight.