The Throne of Broken Hearts

CHAPTER SIX

ELOISE

“M…My lady”. The first words I heard as I was awoken from a dreamless sleep that I had tried so hard to get. I looked grimly towards the maid who was shaking for reasons best known to her, I sighed “ Speak and please I'm not going to eat you up for just waking me up” I said while trying to fix my sulking face.

“ I deeply apologise to my lady, but the court calls for you”, I blanched at the idea of returning down after the wedding. I turned to face the servants who seemed to want to disappear into the stone ground.

“ What do you mean by that?!”I inquired, moving to stand before the vanity, where an ivory gown lay atop it. I took time to admire the combination of ivory and cream on the dress despite myself.

“Shh!, don't scream at them ma chere, who taught you that?” I turned to meet Mama strutting into the chambers with a sickening smile of approval. I had not met her since the wedding service at the chapel, she dismissed the servants and locked the doors behind her.

“ You are supposed to be downstairs with your new husband greeting the guests and familiarising yourself with the court, but here you are all cooped up in here and why is your gown on the ground, Eloise!!, You are a woman for Christ’s sake. I ignored her ranting and returned my gaze to the dress on the vanity

“ Mama what is this for, it should be about midnight, the guests are supposed to be retired to their rooms” I asked and turned around to face Mama who promptly abandoned her cleaning and joined me in assessing the dress. “ It's for the Bedding ceremony silly” she spoke, giggling while I struggled to understand what was the cause for her joy.

“ Hold on Mama, what do you mean by that”, I snapped “ I'm not spending the night with him, no no, that's absurd, We barely even know each other”. Mama evaded my look and continued to stare at the dress.

She took a deep breath, her voice firm “You would put on the dress Eloise, you would go down there and be on your best behaviour, and during the Bedding process you would give yourself wholly to your new husband. You are married Eloise for God's sake, don't continue to embarrass our family”. She finished and walked out the door slamming it behind her.

Before I could gather my thoughts, the maids had sauntered back into the room, expectations clear in their eyes. I sighed and picked up the dress the silk fabric cool against my palm. I decided I would speak to the count when I arrived at the ballroom. I allowed the maids to work while my thoughts drifted.

“ My lady it's done”. I looked at myself through the mirror,the heavy, suffocating layers of the wedding gown were finally gone, replaced by a cascading robe of cream silk that felt dangerously light. Without the rigid boning of the corset, I felt like I could finally draw a full breath.

The sleeves were wide and lined with soft silver lace that caught the amber glow of the hearth. It was loose, not completely informal, and altogether too human. When I stepped toward the massive four-poster bed, the silk rustled softly against the floor—not with the loud, aggressive snap of my wedding train, but with a quiet, easy whisper.

I walked through the passageway towards the ballroom where the lights still shone bright, a sharp contrast to the dark sky outside. I met Mama and Annie waiting at the door with scented candles on their palms. “ You've got a handsome prince Sœur ( sister),” Annie said nudging me to the ribs. “ Stop it you two”, Mama whispered in hushed voice acting like she hadn't spoken some hurtful words a while back.

We walked into the ballroom amidst cheers, violins and flutes. Mama and Annie rejoined with Papa who was speaking with The Count, leaving me under the shadows at the entrance of the room. I looked around for a minute, administering to the change of linen and drapes in the hall decorations, frowning I turned to the count walking towards me, I frowned.

“ Greetings my lord”. He merely hummed in response, his brown eyes staring flittingly at mine.

“ I'm sorry if I pass off as obtuse or blunt but I had received permission to retire to my chambers for tonight only to be awakened for the Bedding ceremony. My lord are we participating in this?”, I asked with narrowed eyes and a small smile while dreading his answer. He mirrored my look and moved closer to me till I could feel the outline of his brass buttons against the pit of my stomach.

“ I detest this practice more than you could ever feel and imagine, but we don't have a choice now my lady, do we?” He spoke, his head tilted to the side, annoyance lacing his voice.

I moved away from him, my voice lower than a whisper but oddly fierce “ I don't care, do something about it!”. “ There is nothing we can do …” he started but frowned at the tears pooling in my eyes and sighed” Alright, just follow my lead and drop the honorifics you'll make them suspect”.

We walked towards my parents and exchanged small words with other members of the court right before the ceremony began. I regretted not attending Annie's marriage as I would have been informed of this affair.

With the sound of the chapel bells off in the distance, the light in the hall went off leaving only the flickering of the candles and the smooth notes from the cello and the violins. The procession started up the stairs with loud cheers and cheerful interactions up to the master bedroom.

“ According to rites we would tuck the newlyweds and promptly undertake the noble undressing” the priest said. We were guided to the four-poster bed and I waited in fear at what would happen next and when ‘my husband’ would do something.

Apparently, the time for action had not yet come because the women in court had begun tugging at the outer layer of my dress in the quest to take it off, my eyes widened and I turned towards the count who bore his chore with stiff precision. A swallowed a breath and allowed them to continue.

A cheer signaled the end of this horrible experience, I would rather join the missionaries on their trips across the seas than do this, I felt ashamed as I looked down at the sheer simplicity of my inner gown.

The Count stood up.

“ Ladies and gentlemen, my lady and I would like to beg that you oversee the verification of the consummation from beyond the doors, the lady is shy and would rather this be done in private.

Whispers swept through the crowd, some of surprise and others of anger I looked up to meet Mama staring at me with sharp eyes and I looked away.

“ It's alright”, the priest interrupted. “ As long as the consummation is done. I believe you know the severity of the situation at hand. I'll put my trust in you Count Henri de Montreval, Son of Duke, House of Montreval.” He spoke walking out the door.

The count motioned to the guards standing at the door who began escorting the ‘witnesses’ out. Mama's face had twisted into anger and a little something like shame and I felt my heart settle at the pit of my stomach.

The Count closed the door and looked at me with a relaxed expression “Should I be honoured that you fear me that much, look at you shivering in your boots” he grinned and walked to the table. “ And also from today, you can call me by my title only when we are outside”, he said with a meaningful expression crossing his face, looking like he should have thought of that previously, he continued. “ Call me Henri when we are alone, oh and make sure the servants hear it. Goodbye, Lady Eloise”. He walked into the inner room.

I looked around me, examining the contents of his chambers while I put on my outer dress. I could imagine the entourage at the door listening for noises they would never hear. I settled into one side of the bed, wrapping myself in the heavy velvet quilt and finally drifting off into the dreamless sleep I had prayed to complete.