7

December 19th, 1804

Cosette left me in my room the rest of the morning. She didn't say much on the way back to the townhouse. Diana lead me downstairs to afternoon tea a little after one.

I was already full from all of the rich food.

It was just me and a few of the other visitors. They kept the meal short then I retreated to my room again to waste the hours away. I wondered what everyone else was doing to keep busy.

Shortly after five, Diana got me ready for dinner.

The family gathered in the sitting room.

Cosette called for attention once everyone was present. Henri, who had been engaged in conversation with Edmund, turned to listen to his sister. My eyes had been on him ever since he entered the room but he had yet to come over and greet me.

"I'd like to formally invite you all to my Christmas Eve ball," she said with a charming smile. Henri let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Where do you think you are going to be having this ball?" he asked.

"Here of course," Cosette said. "It's the second annual."

"That was Mother's ball," Henri said. Tension suddenly filled the air.

"And now it's my tradition," Cosette challenged.

"I would have appreciated a notification," Henri said, "or you could have asked."

"Quit bickering," their aunt chided.

"Cosette can have her ball," Uncle Desmond said.

"Thank you all for consulting me on the matter," Henri said.

"This is a private conversation for later," the uncle said. His piercing gaze silenced both of the siblings. Cosette sat down and began talking with a girl who had been introduced to me as a family friend.

Henri walked over to me and sat beside me on the couch.

"You are very fortunate that you never had to deal with your siblings, Miss Sophie," he said. He sounded exhausted.

"How are you?" I asked. I tried to sounds genuine. Another one of Cosette's tips.

"I am very tired."

"I can hear it in your voice," I said.

He sighed. Edmund rang a bell.

"That is our cue," he said. He stood up, offering me a hand. "Please sit by me. It will be a horrible evening if both Gabriel and Cosette sit next to me."

I nodded. He escorted me into the next room and we all took our seats.

Dinner was unlike any of the other meals I had participated in. Servants placed plates of elegant meals in front of us and seemed to everything but chew our food for us.

I couldn't even pour a glass of water without assistance.

Gabriel did sit next to Henri but he ate silently, leaving as soon as he was done.

"I'm afraid there's no post-meal entertainment tonight," Henri said, as the meal finished up. I could barely finish the courses as they presented themselves. I was still on the meat, pheasant, as everyone polished their dessert of creme pastry. "I would invite you to converse in the sitting room."

But everyone seemed tired as they left. Henri and I were the last ones in the dining room. He stood as the servant took my last plate. I stood with him, incredibly full.

"That was a lot of food," I said.

"Well, you don't have to eat it all," he said. His green eyes seemed to be taking me in.

I smiled.

"You don't talk much do you?" Henri asked. I shook my head.

"That's alright," he assured. "But are you a good listener?"

"I think so," I said.

"Would you mind if I vented to you? Just a few minutes of your time. Maybe you'll have a solution," Henri said.

"Of course," I said.

"Let's move into the study."

We walked in there, the large doors creaking open then shutting.

"I've got money problems," Henri said, sitting behind the desk. He sorted through piles of papers, looking for something. I sat in a leather chair in front of it.

"That's not terribly uncommon," I said.

"I have to decide," he said, continuing on. His scanned the papers before him. "Let two staff members go or reduce everyone's wages by almost half."

"Half?" I asked. That seemed extreme.

"Yes," he said. "We're in terrible debt. We can't even afford a ball. Cosette is insane. Of course, she has no idea about our money problems. I'll put a stop to that tomorrow but-"

"Why? I think the house could use some cheering up," I said. I realized too late that I had spoken out. Henri looked up at me. I couldn't tell if he was mad or surprised.

"I know," he said, face softening. "But we simply can't afford it."

"Keep it small," I said. "Light snacks. No dinner. Have a small band."

"I just don't know, Sophie," he said.

"How many employees do you currently have?" I asked.

"Ten," he said. "One butler. Two lady's maids. One chef. Two scullery maids. Two footmen. One man servant. One groundskeeper."

"You can't afford to lose any of them," I said. The groundskeeper probably maintained the exterior of the house and the horses I had heard existed in the stables around back.

"I know," he said.

"Can you spare expenses somewhere else?"

"No, I've maxed out-"

"Do you really need mid-morning tea? How many suits do you own? How many shoes? How many horses? Do you need fresh flowers?"

His face looked a mix of confusion and realization.

"I suppose," he said. He scribbled on the papers, crossing off numbers.

"Keep the staff. They need the income and jobs. They have families at home," I said. "Families that struggle."

He looked up at me.

"You know what you're talking about, don't you?"

"I went hungry for most of one winter. My mother had died and the bakery was failing. My father couldn't afford food and the funeral. He married my step mother for her dowry to save the bakery. To save me," I said. Guilt filled me. He had never chosen to have me. I was forced upon him; just another mouth to feed.

Henri looked down at the pages.

"You must hate us; sitting here in this house while your neighbors freeze and starve to death."

I didn't respond to that.

While I didn't enjoy most of the things here, they were part of centuries of traditions. There was the aristocrats and the peasants. That was the way society was.

"I should make you do this," he said, not unkindly.

"I can't do arithmetic," I said.

"Most of it is just logic," he said. "Problem solving."

"Fine, then," I said, knowing he would never hand me such important documents.

He winked at me.

"Let's do something."

"What?" I asked, somewhat hesitant. Henri had already proved himself as bold; pushing social limits by even allowing me into his house. He stood up and walked around to the front of the desk. He offered me a hand and I stood up, taking it.

His hand let go of mine and came to rest on my shoulder. His fingers played with my hair with Diana had attempted to curl this morning. It was beginning to flatten.

"You're beautiful," Henri said.

"Henri, I-" I didn't know what to say. I owed him so much. He was handsome. "-I don't want to start any problems."

"No one has to know," he said, like a promise. His other hand rested on my shoulder. My arms hung awkwardly and limply at my sides. But I put my hands on his strong chest and summoned all the courage I had in me. I leaned in towards him, raising up on my toes, inside their velvety slippers.

I kissed him. My hands found the collar of his suit and grabbed it to pull him closer.

I stumbled back a bit, but Henri moved with me.

He pulled away after a moment, both of us breathing heavily.

"You're quite scandalous, Miss Sophie."