David had not shown her these rooms on her tour of the house because the shutters were closed in the Duchesse’s room and he was too nervous to take her into his uncle’s.
Now Arletta found that the rooms were more beautiful than anything she could imagine in her dreams.
What was more, her room was decorated with white flowers, which, in contrast to the pale blue brocade walls, made a perfect background for the colourful Fragonard pictures, which were appropriately of lovers and cupids.
There was a huge canopied bed carved with gilded cupids under a ceiling depicting Venus rising from the foam.
“I shall not feel – real in such a beautiful room,” Arletta said in an awe-stricken little voice.
“Come and look at mine,” the Duc suggested.
He opened a communicating door and she found that hi
