The Josephine B. Trilogy by Sandra Gulland Page A
Authors: Sandra Gulland
Tags: Fiction, Historical
Ads: Link
offer our blessings, Madame Longpré turned to me. “In the last two years I have had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of your fiancé, Chevalier Alexandre de Beauharnais, whom I assure you is the most charming young man one could ever hope to find.”
Father spit up into his kerchief.
I searched my mind for something to say. “A glass of wine perhaps?”
Madame Longpré smiled at me. She stood, taking up her pink parasol. “When the chevalier does arrive, would you please be so kind as to convey to him my warmest congratulations. Inform him that it would be my greatest pleasure to tell him so personally. ”
Immediately after Madame Longpré left, Father demanded a glass of brandy.
“Mother didn’t mention that Laure Longpré lived here,” I said.
“I doubt that she even knows. Your mother and I are none too fond of the Girardins—and they, I must say, are none too fond of us.”
“Madame Longpré seemed very friendly.”
“Like a rabid fox,” Father cursed, downing the glass.
October 23.
Madame showed me fashion “tricks” this afternoon. Mimi and I giggled, which Madame didn’t appreciate, but we couldn’t help it, especially when she showed us the false bottoms and bosoms. She showed me how to put a small cork ball in my cheek to fill it out where I’d had a tooth pulled. Madame does this herself, on the right side. (Now I understand why she’s a little hard to understand sometimes.) She also showed me how I could glue little patches on my face to cover up my pockmarks. She gave me two small ones made of thick blue wool: one in the shape of a diamond, the other an oval. Then she showed Mimi how to tighten my corset forme by bracing her feet against the bedstead and pulling. We got me all done up with a bottom and a bosom and a tiny, tiny waist. I looked beautiful, but I couldn’t breathe and I very nearly fainted!
October 26.
Aunt Désirée and Monsieur de Beauharnais will be arriving tomorrow! I fear I’m going to be sick.
In which I am introduced to my fiancé
October 27, 1779.
Mimi and I spent the morning in my room fussing over my make-up, my clothes and hair. Every few minutes we would go to the window. At around eleven, I heard Madame’s man-of-all-work talking loudly in the street. I looked out and saw a large woman being helped from a conveyance, but no sign of a young man—so I knew it wasn’t them.
Then suddenly there was a woman at my door. It was my Aunt Désirée! I last saw her when I was only three or four, so I had no recollection of her, although I’d imagined her: my “beautiful Aunt Désirée,” the tall woman with golden hair who had bewitched a wealthy marquis. And now here she was—stout, cross and bossy.
“So.” She looked me up and down with a bit of a frown—“you must be Rose.” She was wearing a red- and white-striped taffeta gown and a hat quivering with red feathers. She thrust me into a hug. I choked on the powder in her wig.
She wanted to know where Father was. “That brother of mine—is he dead yet?” she barked.
I opened the sash doors to Father’s room, hoping she wouldn’t detect the scent of spirits.
“Joseph,” Aunt Désirée commanded, from the door, “you’re not to die!”
“I’m not trying to die, Désirée,” my father said, sitting up in bed with some evidence of discomfort, made the more so by his sister’s vigorous greeting. I helped adjust the pillows behind his back. “Where’s the young chevalier?” he asked, a question that was foremost in my mind as well.
“I sent him on an errand.” Aunt Désirée helped herself to a cordial from the case near the bed. She looked me over. “Are you going to hold your tongue, young lady? Your mother warned me you’ve got a bit of a tongue.”
I had to hold my tongue just then.
“Désirée, don’t you be…Grand Dieu! I’d forgotten what a—”
“If I were you, I’d keep quiet, Joseph. I’ve already been attacked by Madame downstairs for the
Father spit up into his kerchief.
I searched my mind for something to say. “A glass of wine perhaps?”
Madame Longpré smiled at me. She stood, taking up her pink parasol. “When the chevalier does arrive, would you please be so kind as to convey to him my warmest congratulations. Inform him that it would be my greatest pleasure to tell him so personally. ”
Immediately after Madame Longpré left, Father demanded a glass of brandy.
“Mother didn’t mention that Laure Longpré lived here,” I said.
“I doubt that she even knows. Your mother and I are none too fond of the Girardins—and they, I must say, are none too fond of us.”
“Madame Longpré seemed very friendly.”
“Like a rabid fox,” Father cursed, downing the glass.
October 23.
Madame showed me fashion “tricks” this afternoon. Mimi and I giggled, which Madame didn’t appreciate, but we couldn’t help it, especially when she showed us the false bottoms and bosoms. She showed me how to put a small cork ball in my cheek to fill it out where I’d had a tooth pulled. Madame does this herself, on the right side. (Now I understand why she’s a little hard to understand sometimes.) She also showed me how I could glue little patches on my face to cover up my pockmarks. She gave me two small ones made of thick blue wool: one in the shape of a diamond, the other an oval. Then she showed Mimi how to tighten my corset forme by bracing her feet against the bedstead and pulling. We got me all done up with a bottom and a bosom and a tiny, tiny waist. I looked beautiful, but I couldn’t breathe and I very nearly fainted!
October 26.
Aunt Désirée and Monsieur de Beauharnais will be arriving tomorrow! I fear I’m going to be sick.
In which I am introduced to my fiancé
October 27, 1779.
Mimi and I spent the morning in my room fussing over my make-up, my clothes and hair. Every few minutes we would go to the window. At around eleven, I heard Madame’s man-of-all-work talking loudly in the street. I looked out and saw a large woman being helped from a conveyance, but no sign of a young man—so I knew it wasn’t them.
Then suddenly there was a woman at my door. It was my Aunt Désirée! I last saw her when I was only three or four, so I had no recollection of her, although I’d imagined her: my “beautiful Aunt Désirée,” the tall woman with golden hair who had bewitched a wealthy marquis. And now here she was—stout, cross and bossy.
“So.” She looked me up and down with a bit of a frown—“you must be Rose.” She was wearing a red- and white-striped taffeta gown and a hat quivering with red feathers. She thrust me into a hug. I choked on the powder in her wig.
She wanted to know where Father was. “That brother of mine—is he dead yet?” she barked.
I opened the sash doors to Father’s room, hoping she wouldn’t detect the scent of spirits.
“Joseph,” Aunt Désirée commanded, from the door, “you’re not to die!”
“I’m not trying to die, Désirée,” my father said, sitting up in bed with some evidence of discomfort, made the more so by his sister’s vigorous greeting. I helped adjust the pillows behind his back. “Where’s the young chevalier?” he asked, a question that was foremost in my mind as well.
“I sent him on an errand.” Aunt Désirée helped herself to a cordial from the case near the bed. She looked me over. “Are you going to hold your tongue, young lady? Your mother warned me you’ve got a bit of a tongue.”
I had to hold my tongue just then.
“Désirée, don’t you be…Grand Dieu! I’d forgotten what a—”
“If I were you, I’d keep quiet, Joseph. I’ve already been attacked by Madame downstairs for the
Similar Books
