Page 8 of Only You

‘Good.’ Roulet seemed to hesitate before speaking again. ‘I hope you understand that while this is a favour for a good friend, I do worry about you.’

There was a softness in Roulet’s gaze that always made Damien uncomfortable. He had been unable to place it when he was younger, often flitting between the barracks and the general’s home. Now, he was well acquainted with the worry-prideful mix that lingered in Roulet’s eyes.

‘I am well,’ he reassured the man stiffly.

Roulet nodded before becoming his superior again. ‘You should go inform Sabine of the party arrangements. Perhaps she will be excited to make new friends.’

Sabine stopped herself from rubbing her face as her cheeks burned from all the smiling.

She was currently caught in a circle of lawmakers’ wives telling her about the latest opera they’d attended.

Sabine wondered if the retelling would be as long as the show Madame Roulet had taken her to last month.

While dreadful then, this was worse. Why must polite conversation go on for so long?

Despite it being her third party, her tolerance for them wasn’t getting any better.

She would usually feel a little better with her father around, but he was always commanding an audience of men in General Roulet’s study while she was forced to the drawing rooms for more appropriate conversations.

Although, no matter how the conversations went they always turned back to—

‘I must say, you have the loveliest necklace.’ Sabine gritted her teeth before smiling graciously at one of the ladies; she didn’t remember her name. She touched the three strand, beaded necklace as if she had just remembered she was wearing it.

‘Thank you. It was a gift from my father,’ she said, repeating the words she had said every time she wore it. ‘He had an artisan from home make it for me.’

‘And what material is it?’

‘Ivory.’

‘My, it’s beautiful,’ the woman said, a shine of greed in her eyes.

She reached out and touched the strand, running her fingers across the beads.

Sabine forced herself not to pull away, even though she clearly remembered the way the woman recoiled at the sight of her and her father when she first entered the house.

Sabine didn’t know this woman’s connections nor her husband’s position and the possibility of ruining business for her father was enough to keep her still.

‘Hopefully, there will be more where that came from.’

Sabine felt her shoulders relax once the woman removed her hand.

‘I’m sure there will be. My father knows value when he sees it,’ Sabine reassured her. ‘If you’ll excuse me for a moment.’

She needed fresh air now . She walked out of the room and down the hall, wandering aimlessly.

Or perhaps not, since she soon found herself at the door that led to the garden.

She only meant to crack the door open, but the cool breeze beckoned her outside.

Her eyes immediately went to the sky as she stepped foot on the grass.

The lights from the house made the stars hard to see, not that there were many to see in Paris, even on good days. She sighed as she closed her eyes. She had to give up the stars as well?

‘Careful, princess.’

Sabine jumped and spun around, finding Damien holding the door open.

‘You go missing too long, you worry guests.’

‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Right. I just needed a moment.’

‘I’m afraid that I can only give you a minute or two more,’ he teased.

Gratitude flooded Sabine and she stopped herself from flinging her arms around him in relief.

She clasped her hands together, looking at the stars, trying to see if there were any constellations she recognised.

There weren’t, of course, but she wondered what she was missing.

Perhaps Damien would tell her tomorrow. She asked him questions all the time now and he always answered, no matter how reluctantly.

She wanted to call him a friend, something she desperately needed. It may have been easier to ignore the desire for one if Damien wasn’t always around, if their backgrounds were different, and if he didn’t look so lonely. Was he lonely everywhere or just here?

Sabine winced at the idea of even uttering the words. She couldn’t ask him that. That question was inappropriate, and people knew who she was now. She had to start building her future, didn’t she? Running away was only a fantasy.

Stars were a much safer option.

‘All right, I’m… ready,’ she said, facing Damien once more.

He nodded and held the door open for her.

She stepped back inside the hallway, the sound of the party filtering back in, bringing back the tension in her shoulders.

She took a few steps back towards the drawing room when she remembered something.

‘Take this for me.’ She reached behind her head to take off the necklace. She huffed as she futilely tried to separate the clasp and chain.

‘Let me.’ Sabine froze as she felt Damien’s words caress the back of her neck.

His hands were warm but callous as they replaced hers, their fingers brushing.

She swallowed as a thrill ran down her spine.

He had never dared to get so close to her before.

His fingers continued to brush against her skin until the necklace loosened.

The cool beads slipped from around her neck before disappearing.

She cleared her throat and pressed her palms to her cheeks, hoping they weren’t red. ‘I’ll come back for it at the end of the night.’

She didn’t dare look at Damien, pushing the moment to the back of her mind as she re-entered the room. She did her best to focus on the conversation, jumping in with a titbit here and there to blend in. Still, the wife from before immediately noticed.

‘Oh, your necklace is gone.’

‘Yes, my father wanted to borrow it quickly,’ she lied. ‘It seemed one of the husbands was quite interested in the craftsmanship.’

The woman’s eyes lit up and she could already see the future unfolding.

The woman was sure to prattle about her love for the piece to her husband who would go to her father about acquiring ivory who would then go home to obtain more through whatever means necessary.

And another piece of her home would be gone to traders while she stayed here enabling it all and powerless to stop it.

It’s business , she thought. It didn’t stop the knot that formed in her stomach as she continued to chat all night, smiling through it.

Sabine watched her maid, Sandra, carefully take her hair out of its updo.

The feeling of pressure releasing was marvellous and she allowed herself to bask in it after such a long night.

The only miracle was that there would be no more parties this week and that the next event Madame Roulet would drag her to was another opera in three days’ time. She would finally get to rest.

She tensed when she heard a knock on the door.

‘Princess,’ Damien called through the door. ‘Are you decent?’

‘It’s mademoiselle and yes,’ she answered sternly. ‘You may retire, Sandra.’

Sandra gave a curious look over her shoulder, but said nothing as she stepped outside, Damien entering.

‘I believe you forgot this.’ He held out his hand, revealing her ivory necklace.

She gasped, hurrying to grab it. ‘Thank you.’ Placing it carefully in her jewellery box, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion. ‘I survived another day.’

‘Surely the party wasn’t that bad?’ Damien smirked. ‘I make great company.’

She looked at him from over her shoulder, serious despite the surge of gratitude that filled her chest. ‘Thank you for tonight. I realised I never thank you for anything.’

‘You never have to,’ he promised. ‘I’m here to protect you. I will not go back on my word.’

‘I guess you’re growing quite fond of me.

’ She sat on her bed, one leg tucked under her, the other dangling off the edge.

‘And before you worry, I shall not run off and ruin the fun by telling General Roulet. Although it would be amusing to watch him scold you like a child.’ A shadow seemed to pass over Damien’s face, and she faltered.

‘Perhaps… I am mistaken,’ she revised. ‘I shouldn’t joke about such things.

My humour could use some work. I’ll just—’

‘You’re not wrong,’ Damien cut in. ‘Truthfully, Roulet may have me scrub the latrines, if not demote me, for how close we have become.’

‘Surely, it can’t be that serious?’

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The silence built between them until it was uncomfortable. Eventually, he looked away. ‘I should let you rest,’ he said finally. ‘Goodnight, Mademoiselle.’

He quickly turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him. Sabine bit her lip and looked out the window.

What could he have possibly wanted to say, and why did her stomach burn with the need to know?

The manicured lawns of the Luxembourg Gardens stretched far and wide before them the next day.

Colourful flowers blooming alongside the paths.

Trees in neat lines supplied occasional shade as they visited the various statues and fountains.

Usually there were plenty of people walking or lounging in the grass.

Today there were only a few, due to the storm clouds above them.

When Damien suggested staying inside for the same reason, Sabine merely scoffed.

‘Why would I be scared of a little rain?’ she had asked, before throwing on her coat.

They walked along the paths quietly, Damien’s eyes on their surroundings while Sabine looked around curiously. Her eyes lit up at every new flower she spotted, before gently touching their petals. She would flit from one to the next while Damien watched her, fascinated by her excitement.

Sabine belonged outside. He had never thought that of a lady – or any woman before – but seeing her among the flowers, she looked like an extension of nature and her appreciation for fresh air and plants didn’t feel superficial. He wondered how often she had gone outside when she was young.