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The Forgotten Year

Chapter 32: Troubles

Lord Douglas was beginning to grow anxious as Anne's stomach grew rounder. She, however, was not. She was beginning to grow sick with worry. She knew that her husband would be very displeased if it was a girl. She hoped for a son so that Lord Douglas would leave her be. Twenty thousand pounds were at stake for the delivery of a healthy baby boy and she knew things were bound to go wrong. She spent many a day with her sister near the end of her pregnancy.

"I have a feeling it will be a girl," Eve said one day. Anne laughed nervously and rubbed her stomach.

"So, father will be expecting more grandchildren when you and Jean marry," Anne quickly switched the subject.

"Jean wants children too but I'm afraid its the process of bringing the child into the world which frightens me," Eve said worriedly.

"Carrying the child is not so bad," Anne said truthfully, "but I am sure it will be painful to have it. I am frightened of that."

Eve tickled a few keys on the piano but looked back up at her little sister. Eve then decided to change the subject as her sister's face grew pale with fear at the thoughts that were running through her mind.

"Father is throwing a ball to celebrate my engagement," Eve said light heartedly. Anne's complexion lifted and she perked up.

"I love parties," Anne clapped, "you need a dress."

"Well-"

"Oh no, you're not planning on wearing one of your dresses," Anne chided, standing up slowly from the lounge chair and making her way over to where Eve was sitting. Anne's stomach was growing larger and her confinement was growing closer.

"I don't want a fuss being made of it, Anne," Eve replied, quickly standing up to help Anne, who decided to pull Eve out of the parlor.

"You're coming to town with me today," Anne said jovially, "you're going to have a dress."

Eve sighed and nodded. She didn't like going to the seamstress to get her dresses made but she had to since she had bigger things to worry about. The seamstress was already working on Eve's wedding gown. The woman had jumped on it the second Anne came to her with the news. Eve didn't even realize it until she visited to fabric shop a few days later. The woman jumped up when Eve walked into the door and clapped giddily, showing Eve the fabric she planned to use. Eve couldn't object to it because the second she put her hands on the silk, she felt excited. Anne had slowly been infecting Eve with a love for fine fabric and clothes since then. Eve, however, had a little more control than Anne, who had the means and the time to enjoy such things on a deeper level. It was also Anne's way of forgetting her horrible marriage for a few fleeting moments.

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Sarah tilted a chess piece as wobbled it back and forth as she thought. Adele sat across from her and tapped the table anxiously. They had barely spoken but a few words since sitting down but Adele desperately wanted nothing more than to ask how Sarah had been since she given up the children but she didn't have the courage to hear the answer. She knew Sarah dreaded her decision to give up her son, not knowing what plans were in effect for him. He would be getting a good education, Adele knew.

Sarah moved her chess piece and leaned back in her chair. Adele picked up her knight and then placed it down.

"So, how have you truly been since leaving England?" Adele asked forwardly.

Sarah played with her queen and shrugged, fighting back tears. She was regretting her decision since returning back to France. She had no family, no money, no connections. She thought that it would have been best to keep the children so she wouldn't be longing for them but she knew she had no way to support them.

"I've been better," Sarah sadly smiled.

Adele and Sarah perked up when Madame La Roque crept into the room with a tray of tea. Jean walked in happily and stopped when he saw Sarah. He looked a bit confused, wondering if Eve was with her but his question was answered when he heard the piano forte playing. He excused himself from the room, wondering why Sarah's eyes were red for a few moments but he dismissed it, not wishing to start a fight with her, which was usually what happened whenever he tire to get her to talk. As he made his way out of the room, he heard loud rapping on the door. A maid scurried out of the drawing room as the dogs began barking. Eve hit a false note and came rushing out of the room. The maid opened the door just as Eve made her way next to Jean but they did not like who they saw. The Marquise de Avigdor was paying yet another one of his failed visits to Adele. He had been trying to woo her but she was not interested in it. She knew that she couldn't marry him and that he knew that fact also. She did not wish to be a mistress, or, as she appropriately put it, "his prostitute".

Jean huffed and Eve rubbed his arm to keep him calm. He rolled his eyes as the Marquise flourishingly took off his hat and bowed to Eve. She did not return a curtsy. In fact, she had not seen the Marquise since she left for England with Sarah. She had no ill regard for him until he sent the letter to Sarah breaking the news to her.

The Marquise nodded, knowing why she did not pay her respects to him. Adele came of the room and turned on her heel to walk away and try to close the doors of the parlor before Sarah saw him, however, the Marquise had pushed his way into the room. Sarah stood up from her seat very slowly. The Marquise saw her and his knees nearly gave way. Sarah's face turned red with anger and she aggravatingly clenched her hands together to keep herself from losing her temper.

"Sarah-"

"You have no idea how much I've thought of what I would say to you. But, I have nothing ill mannered to say to you, sir, that will make anything you've done to me pale in comparison," Sarah tried to keep herself together. She spoke every word with great care and tried to keep her lip from trembling, "because of you, I have no family, I have lost my children and I have no money."

"I could not marry you," he said quietly, "you were not happy."

"I'm not happy now," Sarah hissed, trying to leave the room. He grabbed her arm and she instinctively punched him and ran out of the room. Eve stared quietly in shock and Jean rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was beginning to get a headache. There had been too much drama in the Villenueve household since his return from England.

The Marquise sat down as Sarah slammed the door behind her. Adele examined the split lip Sarah had given the Marquise as he sat on the settee. She lightly slapped his cheek.

"Oh, Anton, you will never learn," she nagged.

"I've never heard you call me by that name," he smiled. Adele looked down at him and shook her head, "I find it easier to say when I'm frustrated with you."

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