The Secret of Flirting One Dieppe, France October 1830 Monique Servais sat alone in her dressing room, reapplying face paint between acts. Once again, the Dieppe theater was performing Le mariage de Figaro, but this time she was playing the Countess and not Suzanne. She grimaced. Of course she was playing the older woman these days. Some ingénue had the role of Suzanne now that Monique had reached the advanced age of twenty-four. No, that wasn''t fair. It was her peaked appearance and her lapses in remembering her lines that had relegated her to the lesser role. She got little sleep anymore, with her grandmother Solange wandering outside the apartment at all hours.
So it was just as well that Monique had an easier part. She would soon have to hire a servant to keep watch even at night. And how was she to pay for that? It wasn''t as if the theater would give her more money, especially in her current state. A knock came at the door, and Mr. Duval poked his head inside. "There is a gentleman who wishes to meet you after the performance." "Another?" She waved her hand dismissively. "You know I don''t do that.
" "I think you may want to speak to this particular man, my dear. He says--" "I don''t care what he says or how much he pays you." She swiveled on her chair to look at Mr. Duval. "I can''t linger after the performance these days--you know that. Grand-maman is getting worse. Besides, I hate all those leering fellows. There was that merchant who thought he could convince me to become his mistress by giving me a fur tippet.
And that . that vile Dutchman who wanted to suck my toes." So far she''d avoided taking a protector. But if Grand-maman got worse, she might have no choice. She shuddered. "Not to mention the baker with the admittedly delicious cakes who also stank of fish. Even you said it wasn''t worth the money he paid you for an audience with me." "And let''s not forget that British lord, the one who annoyed you so thoroughly.
" Gregory Vyse, Baron Fulkham. Even after three years, she remembered his name. And his faintly accented French and the way the room had seemed to shrink to fit him when he walked in. Not to mention his eyes, so starkly blue in his handsome face, and his wealth of wavy hair, black as a starless night. Curse him. Turning back to her mirror, she resumed touching up her face paint. "British lord?" she said with forced nonchalance. "I don''t remember any British lord.
" Mr. Duval chuckled. "You rage about him every time anyone mentions the virtues of tragedy over comedy." "He was arrogant and insufferable in his opinions," she snapped. "Of course I rage about him." "So you do remember him," Mr. Duval said smugly. She glared at Mr.
Duval in the mirror. "I remember that you forced the man on me and that I regretted it. Just as, no doubt, I will regret the one you are trying to make me see tonight." "This one is different." "You always say that," she muttered. "He''s from Chanay." She paused with her powder brush in midair. Grand-maman was also from Chanay, in Belgium.
"What''s his name?" "The Count de Beaumonde. He says he''s your great-uncle. Your grandmother''s brother-in-law." She recognized the name. Grand-maman had spoken of the count many times, and with great affection, too. Monique''s hand began to shake so much she dropped the brush. "He''s here. In the theater.
" "Yes." "Who''s with him?" "Only a servant. But the count says he traveled from Calais today to speak with you and your grandmother." She could scarcely believe it. After all these years of Grand-maman''s exile from her family, one of them had finally come to see her. Before this, not a single person from the Chanay branch had bothered. What was she to think? What did it mean? "Did he say why he''d come?" "No. But he said it was most important.
Shall I tell him he can meet with you?" She had to say yes. These days Grand-maman spoke of nothing but her childhood in Chanay. The count might be able to cheer her. Besides, Monique was curious to meet one of the relatives her grandmother had seemed so amazingly fond of. "Set it up," she said, "but not here. At the apartment. Tell him to come at eleven." That would give her an hour after the play to make herself presentable.
To make Grand-maman presentable and prepare her for seeing her long-lost relation. They must both make a good impression. Monique didn''t know why the man was here or what he wanted, but she was not going to let him see her looking like an overpainted harlot in this cramped dressing room. Or pitying Grand-maman for having such a granddaughter. After all, it wasn''t every day that one got an audience with a member of the royal family of Chanay. Unable to sit still, Monique paced the small parlor of their comfy apartment as her grandmother sat on the sofa doing embroidery. Ever since Grand-maman''s mind had begun to fail her, she''d reverted to old habits from her girlhood--embroidering reticules, speaking like a royal, and expecting luxuries that Monique could never afford. "Who is this visitor we are expecting?" Grand-maman asked.
Having already answered the question twice, Monique said, a trifle impatiently, "Your brother-in-law, the count. You remember." Her grandmother lit up, just as she had twice before. "Oh yes! A lovely man. How kind of him to visit! I shall be very happy to see him." She rose. "Shall I call for wine?" Monique hastened to her side. "No need.
" Especially since their one servant had left long ago. She gestured to the bottle of red Burgundy sitting on the tea table with three glasses and a little pile of petits fours. "We are all ready for him." "Good, good. He must have the best." A knock came at the door. Wiping her clammy hands on the skirt of her best gown, Monique stiffened her spine and walked calmly to the door. She opened it to find a white-haired gentleman who looked even older than her sixty-five-year-old grandmother.
Dressed in a costly opera cloak of black satin, a suit of black silk, an ivory cravat, and a subtly patterned waistcoat, the darkly attractive fellow was the very picture of discreet elegance. Oddly enough, he reminded her of her late grandfather, who was of no relation to him whatsoever. The servant behind him was elderly, too, but he wore a soft smile that seemed to say he was glad to be there. Not the count, who nodded to her with great formality. "Miss Servais, I presume?" Sketching a curtsy, she said, "Good evening, sir." She refused to show him more deference than that. The family had ignored her and Grand-maman for decades, after all. "You''re right, my lord," the count''s servant murmured to him.
"She could easily be the princess''s sister." Which princess? she wanted to ask, but before she could, Grand-maman rose to eye the count uncertainly. "Who is this ancient fellow, Monique?" she asked with the bluntness she''d developed of late. Ignoring the way the man flinched, Monique said, "This is the Count de Beaumonde. Your eldest sister''s husband." "It cannot be." Grand-maman peered at him as she came near. "He is much too old.
" The count bristled and scowled at Monique. "Did you not tell her I was coming to visit this evening?" "I did," Monique said in a low voice. "But she doesn''t remember. In her mind, you are still as young as when she last saw you." As he took her meaning, his features softened profoundly. "Ah." He stepped into the room to approach Grand-maman. "Princess Solange, it is a great pleasure to meet with you again.
You''re looking very well." Her grandmother preened. "Oh, Count, you always were such a flatterer." The rare moment of remembrance made Monique feel momentarily grateful to the man. Until she reminded herself that he and the rest of the family had exiled Grand-maman from Chanay for eloping with a common actor without her father''s permission. Monique tamped down her anger. Grand-maman felt no resentment and never had. She''d always said she''d made her choice while fully knowing and accepting the consequences.
That she would do it again, given the chance. A thickness formed in Monique''s throat. Her grandparents had been very much in love. Still, Grand-maman''s choice had cost her time and again. Monique had learned from her example never to be so foolish as to choose romantic love over one''s family. The servant followed his master into the room. "Do you remember me, Princess?" the man said hopefully to Solange. "You used to call me Chanceux, because of my luck at cards.
We had some merry times when you were a girl." Grand-maman''s blank look showed that her rare moment of clarity was gone. "I--I . yes . of course. Chanceux." Abruptly she turned to Monique. "I''m very tired.
It is late for visiting, no?" "It is, Grand-maman." The lump in Monique''s throat thickened even more. The old Solange would have exulted to have the royal family and retinue call on her after all these years. The new Solange barely knew who they were. "Would you like to retire now?" "Yes." Grand-maman flashed the two men a vague smile. "Forgive me, sirs, but I am not so young anymore, you know." What looked like regret crossed the count''s features.
"Of course.