* * *
We soon parted ways, Prince Louis successfully guiding us to Labyrinth’s exit. He had an outing planned with Severine right after.
I chose to be vague when he asked me questions about what she was like now, having not interacted with her again beyond that first day. He was taking her to the Menagerie; he would find out what she was like soon enough.
To avoid encountering them, I decided to wander across the parterres for a little while. All the girls had to be back at the palace by late afternoon for an announcement about the next courtship event, but I wanted to take a look around.
When I was sure that enough time had passed, I made my way back to the palace. It was in the Salon of War, just as I was about to pass through the archway into the Hall of Mirrors, that I smacked right into someone coming through from the other side.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, then looked up to see that I’d bumped into Auguste. “Oh, it’s you.” My heart caught a little at seeing him again. “This is the second time we’ve literally run into each other here. I wonder if it’s becoming a tradition.”
What I’d said wasn’t particularly funny, but I expected Auguste to smile at least a little. But he just frowned and stepped around me without a word. Without thinking, I grabbed on to his arm to stop him from leaving. “Auguste, is something wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing, nothing’s wrong,” he said, but he wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
“Tell me, please,” I begged. “You look troubled.” I had tried not to think about Auguste since my name was called for the courtship competition, but I had to face it now.
Auguste finally turned around to look at me. His eyes were bleak. I tried to reach for him again, but he pulled away from me.
“Why are you so upset?”
“I’m not,” he said. “Truly, I’m just having a bad day.”
I knew he was lying. “Please, we’re friends, aren’t we?” I wanted to believe we were still friends. “May I help?”
He laughed a hollow laugh. “No, sadly, you may not.” Then he looked at me once more, with so much feeling, that something inside me ached.
“Is it about the competition for your brother’s hand?” I asked, unsure still of what had come over him. “To see that the court is obsessed with his choice of bride?”
Auguste shook his head vehemently. “No, I don’t care about the court. I only care about . . .” Then he pulled away from me once more.
“Auguste!” I called, but he was already gone, disappearing into the state apartments without a backward glance.
I stood frozen in the salon, my heart breaking.
“Cendrillon, you’re back!”
Diane was waving at me from a window embrasure in the Hall of Mirrors. I waved and entered the gallery, but my heart was in my throat, and I felt as if I had hurt my dearest friend.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“That’s so romantic,” Diane said dreamily after I finished telling her an edited version of my outing with the dauphin. “I wish he had taken me on a secluded stroll through the Labyrinth. All we did was walk around the Grand Canal. There were people everywhere. We didn’t get even a moment alone.”
“If it makes you feel any better, it wasn’t that romantic. I was hopelessly lost for most of it and just wandered aimlessly on my own, because he left me behind. He didn’t even notice I wasn’t following him. The fountains were pretty, though.”
Diane gave me a skeptical look.
“I’m being honest! I can see why it’s so popular with the court, but it just wasn’t for me.”
“As if the Labyrinth was the most important part of your walk together. Are you really telling me that you didn’t have a good time? The dauphin was so excited when he saw you earlier. That has to mean something, right?”
“Maybe.” I sighed and poked a stray lock of hair back into my bouffant.
“Honestly, Cendrillon, if I didn’t know better, I would think that you didn’t even want to marry the dauphin.”
“Oh! That’s . . .” I was about to say that’s not true, but that wasn’t true. I was still thinking of how upset Auguste had looked when I bumped into him and had almost forgotten about my walk with the dauphin.
Before I could finish my sentence, Prince Louis and Severine emerged from the Salon of Peace. Severine headed straight for Alexandre while he climbed up on the dais.
“Aren’t they back a little soon?” Diane asked. “They were supposed to be going to the Menagerie. Looking at all the animals takes at least an hour. Has it even been forty minutes?”
“I don’t think so. Something must have happened. Look at Severine. She seems upset.”
Severine seemed quite a bit more than upset. Her face was ashen, and there was a bit of dirt smeared on her cheek. She was gesticulating wildly while Alexandre just stood there with her shoulders slumped.
We overheard a few words like dirt and stupid monkey. It would be horribly rude to laugh at Severine’s obviously failed outing with the dauphin in front of Diane, so I kept my face perfectly composed and promised to giggle about it later with Elodie.
“Mesdemoiselles, can I have your attention, please?” the dauphin said, his voice booming through the Hall of Mirrors. “I have news both pleasant and unfortunate to share with you. First, the pleasant news. I would like to announce the next courtship event. I’m looking forward to this one.”
The dauphin paused for dramatic affect. He really did love doing that. I wondered how long it took for his mannerisms to feel annoying instead of charming.
“A select few of you will accompany me on a royal hunt!”
Gasps of excitement filled the air. The royal hunt was a significant event at Versailles. The king allowed only his most favored courtiers to join him on his own hunts. Papa had been on one once, but he never really liked horseback riding and declined the king’s future offers. The girls the dauphin chose to accompany him would have to be his most favored.
The anticipation was nearly tangible, and Louis knew it. He looked so smug up there on the dais, basking in the attention and desire. I liked him a little less than I had earlier in the Labyrinth. With arms spread wide, he said, “The maidens who will be joining me on the hunt are Lady Anna de Medici, Princesse Henrietta, Duchesse Maria Anna Victoria, Lady Diane, and Lady Cendrillon.”
Diane squealed and grabbed my arm. Even though our outing had gone well, the announcement came as a surprise. I couldn’t believe that he picked me over so many more impressive girls here.