‘Have I told you I love you, my duchess?’
‘Je t’aime aussi, mon chéri.’
He took the flowers and pins from her hair and, tangling his hands in her tresses, pulled her face to his. He kissed her mouth and then led her to the bed.
Afterwards, as she lay with her head on his shoulder, she said: ‘La petite mort. I know why it is called that now. I thought for a moment I would die of bliss.’
Argyle was amused. ‘Where did you hear that? I thought proper young ladies did not discuss such things.’
Marguerite laughed. ‘You would be surprised, nay, shocked, by what girls talk about. We are always in search of information,since our mothers tell us nothing.’
‘But where do you get it from? I really am curious.’
‘Books, if we are allowed to browse the library…Our maids…And brothers, for those who have them. If one is very lucky, perhaps a young married aunt, or godmother…’
‘Well, I suppose it is a good thing. I never thought about it before.’
‘You would not, would you? You are a man. But think how cruel, to be married not knowing what to expect at all.’
‘Yes, you are right—still, it was a revelation to me to find out you were not as ignorant as I have heard some debutantes can be.’
‘Was it? Don’t forget I was raised in France—perhaps people there are more open about these things.’
‘But still, I was amazed that you trusted me—didn’t you fear that you could be with child? Or were you ignorant about that side of things?’
‘I did not think about it—I was in love with you by then, and you wanted to marry me, after all. Perhaps subconsciously I wanted to be forced to make a decision. Or else I was just bird-witted!’
‘You certainly were. Someone else might have ruined you.’
She raised herself on one elbow and looked in his eyes. ‘There could never have been someone else. Only you.’
‘Oh—Marguerite.’ His voice was rough.
She kissed him and then she said, ‘Enfin,I will admit that when I thought about that night later, I realised I must have been mad. What if someone had tried to come in, and found me there with you?’
‘Then there would have been a scandal, and you would have been obliged to marry me, which is what I wanted in the first place. But nobody would have come. Servants know to disappear after lights out at house parties—because there are always plenty of people creeping around the corridors.’
‘You mean they…visit people in other rooms?’ She sounded so shocked, he had to laugh.
‘Did you think you were the only libertine there?’
‘I am not a libertine!’
‘Yes, I know. You only came down to get a book. You have told me before.’ He kissed her before she could reply.
Later he rose from the bed and went to the door. Marguerite asked, ‘What are you doing?’
‘Locking the door. I have no wish to be woken at dawn by your maid with a cup of chocolate, in case you need sustenance.’
‘At least she will have no reason to scold me, this time!’
They laughed at the memory, and he said, ‘I can still hardly believe I have got my wish to have you naked in my bed forever after. Let me make love to you.’
‘Again? I am quite spent.’
‘Do you not want to?’ He sat on the bed and put his hand on her leg. ‘Liar.’
‘You are so annoying.’ She rolled her eyes at him.
