Marie stared at the garments. “Such fine fabric…But mademoiselle, this chemise has lace on it.”
“Has it? I suppose so.” Most of her underclothes were trimmed with lace.
“Never have I ever worn real lace.”
Zoë smiled. “Good. There’s a first time for everything. Put these on, please, and pass me your clothes.”
With a bemused expression, Marie took off her dress. When it came to her chemise, she hesitated and shook her head. “It’s not fitting, mademoiselle.”
Seeing the garment, Zoë understood. It was clean enough, but worn thin and so often mended it was almost entirely made of patches. It reminded Zoë of the underclothes she’d worn in the years before Clarissa Studley had found and claimed her as a sister. Zoë’s life had changed dramatically as a result, but she would never forget the life she’d had before.
“It’s perfect,” she said briskly. “Exactly what I want. Now, help me off with this gown.”
Marie unhooked Zoë’s evening dress and folded it away, then the two young women exchanged clothes. Zoë examined herself in the cheval mirror and grinned. “I don’t look like a fine lady now, do I?”
“No, mademoiselle, not at all,” Marie agreed worriedly.
Zoë laughed. “Excellent.” She glanced around the room. “Now, I’ll need something to cover my head. My usual hats aren’t at all suitable. Do you have one?”
“I usually wear a headscarf, mademoiselle. I have several downstairs with my things.”
“Good. Run and fetch your things. You are not going out into the night! You can stay here with me, and we’ll both leave early tomorrow morning.”
“Both of us, mademoiselle?”
“Yes, both of us.” She grinned. “I gave MonsieurEtienne a taste of his own medicine earlier this evening.” She jerked her knee up in explanation.
Marie’s eyes widened. “You didn’t!”
“I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I won’t stay here after that.”
“No, of course not. Oh, mademoiselle, you are so brave.”
Zoë sobered. “No, you are the brave one, Marie. The despicable poltroon can’t do anything to me, but you risked everything by resisting his nasty ways. And I won’t allow you to be punished any further for it. Now, go and fetch your belongings.”
Marie smoothed down her dress. “I will make sure nobody sees me in these clothes, mademoiselle.”
While Marie hurried off to fetch her things, Zoë sat down and added a postscript to Madame DuPlessis’s note, adding that she was not to worry, that she was taking a maid with her so it would all be quiteconvenable.
Then she wrote a longer letter, this one to Lucy and Gerald in Paris. In it she briefly explained Marie’s predicament and asked them to take care of the girl until she returned from the house party.
Dreadful though poor Marie’s situation was, it could turn out providential for both of them.
They left the château at dawn the next morning. Zoë, dressed in Marie’s drab clothes and wearing a headscarf, carried the cloth bundle into which Marie had fitted all her worldly belongings. It now contained everything Zoë thought she would need for the next few days. The maid’s pathetically meager collection was now stored in Zoë’s smallest portmanteau, which Marie carried. In Zoë’s clothes and wearing a smart dark green velvet hat she looked quite elegant—apart from the scab and the dark bruise on her swollen face.
She had been almost wholly silent all morning, but asthey approached the village, she said, “Mademoiselle, what do we do here?”
“You will catch thediligenceto Paris, and—”
“I? To Paris?” She stopped dead and put the portmanteau down in the dust. “But I have never been to Paris! I have never been anywhere! I went from the orphan house to the Château Treffier when I was twelve.”
Zoë smiled. “Well, now you will go to Paris.”
Marie didn’t move. “And you will be with me?”
“No,” Zoë said gently. The girl’s reaction had surprised her, but she supposed so much had already happened to Marie that she wasn’t ready for further adventures. “Now, don’t worry, Marie, you will be perfectly all right. I gave you the letter for my friend Lady Thornton—remember?—and the address is written on the front. Thediligencewill take you to Paris—and here is some money to buy food and whatever else you might need on the way.” She handed Marie a small leather purse. “Keep it safe. There are thieves and pickpockets everywhere.”
Nodding, Marie clutched the purse tightly. For herself, Zoë had fashioned a simple money belt that she wore around her waist, next to her skin.
