Catherine’s eyes widened in horror. “You think I should not obey her?”
“Of course, you should not o—” Juliette stopped as she met Catherine’s gaze. The girl’s fragility reminded her of one of the Chinese vases in the queen’s cabinet, and if Claire was anything like Marguerite…Juliette decided to temper her words. “Perhaps you should fight her only on important matters.” She frowned. “But you must not let her bind you again.”
“I shouldn’t have been so vain. I’m sure she didn’t mean to cause me distress.”
“No?” Juliette tried to keep the skepticism from her voice. Perhaps this Claire wasn’t a gargoyle like Marguerite but she was obviously not overly intelligent. “Then you must make sure she knows when you’re in distress. Do you understand?”
“I’m not a fool,” Catherine said with dignity. “I know I should have told Jean Marc the corset was too tight.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
Bright scarlet flowed once again under Catherine’s fair skin. “Philippe…”
Juliette started to laugh. “You’re besotted with that handsome peacock.”
Catherine rounded on her fiercely. “He’s not a peacock. He’s kind and manly and—”
Juliette held up her hand to stop the passionate flow. “I meant no disrespect. It’s just my way. Tell me, have you lain with him yet?”
Catherine frowned in puzzlement. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Juliette gestured impatiently. “Has he tried to bed you?”
Catherine stiffened in shock. “Do you mean fornication?”
She was truly horrified, Juliette realized. “He’s not attempted you, then?”
“No, of course not. He’d never…” She swallowed hard before she could continue. “He’s a gentleman, and gentlemen do not do those things. Even if I were a woman grown, he would not—”
“You jest.”
Catherine shook her head emphatically and then asked curiously, “Have you ever—” She stopped, obviously shocked at the question she had been about to broach. “Of course, you haven’t.”
Juliette nodded. “You’re right. I’ve never fornicated with any man. Nor shall I.” She smiled fiercely. “The Duc de Gramont slipped beneath the covers of my bed and tried to caress me one night a few months ago, but I kicked him in his private parts and then ran away and hid in the garden.”
“Perhaps he was just being affectionate.”
Juliette gazed at her incredulously. “All the court knows he’s fond of young girls.”
“Well, there you are,” Catherine said triumphantly. “He was merely being kind.”
“You don’t understand. He has a taste for…” Juliette smiled in genuine amusement even as she felt a surge of pity that the girl was so ignorant.
“If you were frightened, you should have called your nurse and she would have explained there was nothing to fear.”
“Marguerite wouldn’t have come.”
“Why not?”
“Because the duke is one of my mother’s protectors and she wouldn’t dare offend him.”
“Your mother’s protector?”
“Her lover,” Juliette said in exasperation. “She lets him fornicate with her and then he gives her jewels and money. Don’t you know anything?”
Catherine straightened, her chin rising. “I think you must be mistaken. People of honor do not behave in that fashion, and I’m sure noblemen and ladies would not. You’re very lucky to have a mother alive and well and you shouldn’t malign her.”
“Malign her? My mothersentHis Grace to my bed. He told me so.”
