Lady Therese De Beauharnais of Roche

29 September, Year 32 of King Frederick V of Monrique's reign

Eden Gardens, Roche

Monrique

"I am in love with you, my Lady."

Lord Andre Weygand, Earl of Baden, was on his knees before me. His brown eyes were glinting with fanatic adoration, as he kept them fixed on me. He proceeded to take my gloved hands in his own, and lifted them up to his lips.

I tried not to shudder with disgust.

The Manor staff and some of my mother's closest friends were watching us from the Manor windows above and below, with no respect whatsoever for our privacy. They released soft sighs of emotion at that moment, very much in awe of the touching performance that Lord Andre was putting up for them.

The quiet, peaceful gardens. The brilliant, orange glow that the sun was simply blazing with, as it slowly disappeared beneath the horizon. The cool, gentle breeze playing with our hair. The faint, sweet sounds of a few songbirds chirping. A very infatuated suitor kneeling before me.

A typical setting for a fairy-tale romance.

It was no wonder why I hated these very gardens I grew up in.

In the meanwhile, Lord Andre was still reciting his proposal speech. "...before I met you, I never wanted to get married," he confessed, "I used to believe that marriage and all its trappings were a complete waste of my time, and that they were nothing but trouble. However, you single-handedly changed all that..."

I raised an eyebrow wryly. Did I now?

"...truly, you are the most beautiful woman I have had the fortune to set my eyes upon," he rambled on, "your hair is the blinding hue of the sun at sunrise, and your eyes are a deep ocean I could spend all eternity drowning in. Indeed, nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you..."

I remained still, impatient and unimpressed.

"...will you do me the honour and marry me, my Lady?" his voice dropped an octave.

A good number of our unwelcome audience swooned at that, as I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. His smile was adoring. His stance was eager. His words sounded genuine.

But his gaze gave him away.

I observed him in silence. The burning desire to take control of my beauty and wealth for himself by marriage, and the certainty that I would yield unknowingly and readily to him and his supposed charms and fulfil that desire, were blatantly clear in his eyes.

It did not surprise me. I had seen the same in so many other suitors before him. Still, judging by his confidence, I gathered that he viewed himself different from the rest.

At that thought, I almost burst out laughing. These men, they were all the same. Lord, they were even the same in thinking that they were each different from the other.

In any case, what was he expecting when he decided to ask for my hand in marriage today? For me to simper and accept his proposal like the other Ladies of the Society merely because of a few flattering words? Did he think me that desperate for a marriage?

Certainly, he was the Earl of Baden. Certainly, he had a sizeable inheritance with which, combined with my staggering own, he could support me for life. Certainly, he had a good position at the royal court. Certainly, he was a virile young man who could easily sire a battalion of my children, if the rumours flying around the country were to be believed.

But he was not the only one.

My eyes roamed around the peaceful gardens around us, before I spotted a pair of ocean blue eyes, an exact copy of mine, gazing straight at me from behind a tree, observing, analysing, scheming as usual.

Mama.

What are you waiting for? She now mouthed to me with a scowl on her face, smile now, for God's sake, and accept his hand in marriage! You will not receive a better opportunity.

I raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Her Grace Lady Rosanna De Beauharnais, Duchess Consort of Roche, had also been watching every move Lord Andre and I made, and listening to every word that had left his lips for the past quarter an hour.

But she had more reason to do so than her friends.

My countenance remained void of all emotions, as I stared back at her, non-committal. I knew what she was hoping for every time a nobleman courted me. I knew what she wanted to hear every time she hid in an obscure corner of wherever my suitors brought me to propose marriage to me. I knew how furious she felt every time I rejected every one of them.

And I did not care a whit.

My suitors only sought to gain control over two things when they proposed marriage to me: my body, and my money. And I had no wish to give up either of them.

I turned to Lord Andre now, fixing a sweet smile on my face. "Do you wish to wed me, my Lord?" my voice was deceptively soft, "warm your bed? Manage your household? Bear your heirs? Serve you and obey you the way a wife should her husband, in the eyes of the society? Become a Duke Consort when my father passes down his title to me?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw my mother's countenance fill with fanatical hope.

In the meanwhile, Lord Andre's eyes darkened with desire. "Aye, my Lady," he answered fervently, "more than anything - "

"Sister-mine!"

Startled by the interruption, I glanced at the Manor kitchen door. My younger sister, Lady Clarisse of Roche, was running towards me, heedless of all the starry-eyed women standing in her way, and even of Lord Andre kneeling in front of me.

"Clara?" my forehead creased, "what – "

"You - You had better come quick, Sister-mine," she was blubbering in her anxiety, "'tis Papa, he - "

I stiffened. "What happened?"

"He coughed out blood again, and he experienced a few moments of breathlessness. I gave him some of the concoction you made this morning, but he vomited it all out - " Her voice broke.

I pursed my lips. Papa's health had been deteriorating for the past two years, and drastically so in these few months alone. Although I had been administering herbal concoctions to him that made him feel better for short periods of time, his illness never truly left his body and caused him to grow weaker by the day. None of the physicians who had examined him thus far was ever able to concretely tell us what it was that ailed him.

On the other hand, I had a slight inkling as to what could be wrong, the smallest of hypotheses, that was shrouded in uncertainty - and this uncertainty drove me to insanity at times like this, when I was utterly helpless to aid him.

"Sister-mine, please come," Clara pleaded again, tugging at my arm, "he went down to Adrianbourg today to meet the people, and the cold has only worsened his condition - "

I went still. "He went down to Adrianbourg? In this cold?" I scowled, "why did you not stop him?"

Clara sighed. "He gave me the slip," she muttered, "he told me to fetch him some water, and boarded the carriage in my absence."

I closed my eyes, exasperated. Lord, that man -

"All right, let us go," I decided, and stood up to follow her.

Before I could take another step forward, Lord Andre pulled me back by my hand he was holding. "Wait, you still have not answered, my Lady," he frowned at me, "will you marry me?"

How could he expect an answer from me at a time like this?

Suppressing a scowl of annoyance, I endeavoured to be polite. "Well, I am afraid I am not interested, my Lord," I tugged my hand away from his, "but thank you for offering. It has been a pleasure speaking with you this evening."

Whispers and gasps arose from the watching women, and once more, I controlled the urge to roll my eyes. Why did this still manage to scandalise them, despite the number of men I had turned down right in front of them?

I turned to walk away, when Lord Andre caught my hand once more, much rougher this time. "I beg your pardon?" disbelief coloured his tone, "mayhap I misunderstood you, but did you reject my proposal?"

It would appear that I needed to further waste my precious time to force this fool out of his delusions.

I turned to Clara. "I will join you in a moment," I murmured, "in the meanwhile, prepare a glass of warm water for Papa."

She nodded tersely, and scampered away.

Taking a deep breath, I faced an annoyed Lord Andre once more. "Aye, my Lord, I do believe that I did," I raised an eyebrow, "because I do not wish to marry you."

More gasps. This time, I could distinctly make out Mama's screech of frustration among them.

It served her right.

In the meanwhile, Lord Andre's countenance swiftly turned nasty at this jab at his ego. "Have you any idea how fortunate you are to receive a proposal at your age?" his voice was bitter, "and that too, from a member of the peerage like me?" His face was turning an alarming shade of red.

At my age? Lord, I was only four and twenty.

Gone were the sweet words, then. I was seeing his true colours.

I snatched my hand from his with a decisive tug. "You may find a pretty whore to hang on your arm at social events, warm your bed and bear your heirs. You may find a common-born matron to manage your household. You may even become a Duke, should the King choose to reward you for your loyalty with some of the lands confiscated for treason a couple of years ago," I snapped, "but you may not marry me to achieve any of these."

His eyes narrowed, in barely suppressed anger, as he drew himself to his full height. "The rumours must be true, then."

My gaze cooled. "What rumours?"

"That you are so enamoured of Lord Testalt that you refuse all other men, in the hopes that he will one day propose marriage to you," he sneered, full of malice, "'tis not a bad match, you and Lord Testalt. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible, is it?"

Indeed, it was not, and now, it would never be.

My former friend, Lord Raymond Fourier, Earl of Testalt - the only man, apart from my Papa, whom I had ever truly cared for more than myself, and who had once understood me better than anyone else - and I were no longer on speaking terms. The destruction of that said friendship was none's fault but my own and I was well aware, as he was, that no number of apologies could ever fix it, or heal the wounds I had so thoughtlessly inflicted upon him.

He was recently betrothed to the Earl of Warwick's only sister, Lady Evangeline Hale. In all ways a respectable match arranged by their parents, society was abuzz with the news, owing to the fact that Lord Testalt was one of the royal court's favourites, and was in possession of a grand fortune and a famously striking physique.

The couple's engagement ceremony was to be held in Bordeux Castle next month, and their wedding next year.

Before I could fall into the same state of bewildering misery I had when I first heard this news some weeks ago, I mentally shook my head clear of all thoughts pertaining to him.

This was ridiculous. Lord Testalt meant nothing to me. Nothing.

Not anymore, that was.

Lord Andre was merely trying to get a rise out of me at the moment, and I would not give him the satisfaction of succeeding.

With that thought, I gazed at him now, breaking into a slow smile. "You may assume whatever you like," I shrugged, "enamoured or nay, anyone with eyes in this country can tell you that Lord Testalt is hundred times the man that you can ever be. Enamoured or nay, I would rather remain a spinster in this lifetime than wed the likes of you." My tone was downright disdainful.

His eyes bulged, as he raised a hand towards me. "You insolent wench - "

I caught his hand by the wrist swiftly before it can strike my face. "How easily you forget, Lord Andre. You are speaking to the heiress presumptive to the dukedom of Roche," my nails dug hard into his pale skin, "and while you stand on my land, and attempt to cause me bodily harm, I can have you imprisoned in our dungeons." My voice was dangerously quiet, as I released his hand none too gently.

He quickly raised his wrist to the sunlight, to find four, deep crescent marks on them that were clearly bleeding. His eyes then turned to me, wide with indignant rage, and for the first time since we had begun conversing, a healthy amount of fear.

"If I see your revolting shadow in Roche after tonight," I warned him, "make no mistake, I will have my army officers drag you to our dungeons for a lengthy rendezvous." Throwing him one last look of cold disgust, I brushed past him towards the Manor.

"You will never be married, Therese De Beauharnais!" he shouted behind me threateningly, his voice reverberating throughout the quiet gardens, "you will die an old maid, shunned and ridiculed by Society."

I snorted under my breath. "If you believe in that sentiment so strongly, please do me a favour and convince my mother of it on your way out, will you?" I threw over my shoulder, "she is resting behind the tree you see in front of you."

"You - "

I walked on, uncaring, with only the thought of Papa on my mind.

***

"For the last time, little one, I am perfectly well."

My father, Lord Thomas De Beauharnais, Duke of Roche, lay exhausted on his bed, pale white and drawn. His sapphire eyes were deep set within his sallow countenance, and surrounded by purplish-black circles.

Still, they persistently searched for mine in an attempt to make eye contact with me, and convince me further of his claim.

However, I focused instead on the herbal concoction I was preparing. "Clara, go to the kitchens, and cook Papa some rice porridge for dinner, please," I requested, "he must retire for the night very soon."

Clara nodded, wary of my dark mood, before she hurried swiftly out of the chamber.

Papa watched her leave, before he tried again. "Tess, truly, I am - "

"Breaking out in cold sweat during a winter evening, coughing out blood countless times during the day, and struggling to breathe just as often are not signs of a healthy person. Rather, they hint at sickness, and a complete lack of care of oneself," I cut him off, "how many times have I told you not strain yourself until you recover, Papa?"

This time, Papa wisely remained silent.

"What was the need for you to travel to Adrianbourg today in this cold, and further damage your health?" I scowled, "could you not have told me? You know that I would have done it for you." I stirred the herbal concoction in the wine glass with extra force to emphasise my disapproval.

A long silence reigned, before I heard him sigh behind me. "You already do too much for me, Tess," he admitted tiredly, "I do not wish to trouble you further."

"It is no trouble, Papa."

"Of course it is," he argued, rising up on his pillows, "you have taken over all my ducal duties, in addition to running the household in your mother's stead - "

I ceased stirring. "The Manor Staff aid me extensively - "

" - visiting the Earls and their people in each of the eleven earldoms of Roche every fortnight to gather their petitions, solve their problems and make sure they are doing well - "

"Well, that is my duty - "

" - helping out at the apothecary on your own accord - "

I shrugged. "Dame Natasha is running low on staff, and there is an alarming number of people who are falling ill this winter time - "

" - entertaining that peculiar Lord Andre whom your Mama is trying to marry you off to - "

A fierce scowl twisted my features. "I have severed all ties with that abominable man-child - "

" - and above all that, you and Clara still find time to take care of me all day as if I were an invalid - "

I finished adding the last of the ingredients to the concoction, and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Clara and I take care of you because we want to. Nay, that is quite enough, Papa," I remarked quietly when he opened his mouth again, "nary a word more."

"But - "

"But nothing," I cut him off sternly, "if you are truly bothered that this long list of tasks supposedly places a burden on me, then you should take better care of yourself and help to decrease that hypothetical burden."

Papa raised his eyes to the heavens above in a gesture of surrender. "I give up."

"Good," I ceased frowning for the first time that evening, "now please drink this." With that, I gently lifted his head, and supported it by his neck, before I tipped the glass of herbal concoction through his chapped lips with caution.

The moment the first drop touched his tongue, he shuddered. "This tastes even more disgusting than the one you gave me this morning," he croaked in childish dismay, "what in the world do you mix in your concoctions?"

An amused smile played at my lips. "You are better off not knowing, Papa."

He threw me a disgruntled frown, before taking the glass from my hands. I tried my best not to laugh, as he plugged his nose, and gulped down the rest of its contents, his already wrinkled face further scrunched up.

At that moment, three knocks sounded on the oak door.

"Come in!"

A petite figure skipped into the chamber. "Sister-mine, I have Papa's porridge here, piping hot," Clara sauntered towards us cheerfully, humming a tune, "has he finished his concoction, or is he giving you trouble as usual?"

Papa and I stared at her with eyebrows raised, noting her clearly glowing cheeks and her sparkling irises, as she set down the bowl of porridge on the bedside table. I could have sworn the tune she was humming under her breath was our national anthem.

She frowned at us, self-conscious. "What?"

I crossed my arms. "You left this chamber in all haste, quaking in fear of me, less than ten minutes ago," I narrowed my eyes at her, "such a drastic change in mood seems hardly possible, and I am compelled to ask: Why are you so happy all of a sudden?"

Clara drew herself up, affronted, not unlike my mother. "I was not quaking in fear of you, Sister-mine," she denied vehemently, "and surely I am allowed to be happy whenever I want to be?" With that profound statement, she sat next to me, and proceeded to feed Papa some porridge.

Papa pretended to ponder hard, as he swallowed the first spoonful. "I may be wrong," he drawled, "but I would wager a guess that Robert has taken a short leave from the army, and returned to Roche this evening to enjoy our hospitality - and you have received him into our home mere moments ago."

I suppressed a chuckle, watching Clara blush bright red.

Captain Robert Everard of the Monriquan Armed Forces was my sister's suitor, and he had been courting her for the last two years. Clara did not have much trouble with convincing Papa to give them his blessing, for Robert had quite impressed him with his honesty, and his clear regard and affection for her.

As he was a Captain in the army, and was training new recruits in Bordeux, he only spent two or three days of his leave in a month courting her here in Roche, in the presence of a chaperone, before he returned to his job.

However, even through these short visits in the last two years, he had fast become an indispensable part of our family, and I regarded him as the older brother I never had.

Papa and I, more than my mother, were hoping that the couple would soon tie the knot.

Clara, in the meanwhile, was stammering. "I - well - aye, you are correct, Papa," she admitted, "but he is not here to visit me this time. He has come for Sister-mine." She cast me an amused glance.

I was confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"He has orders from Her Honour Lady Helene to escort you back to Bordeux," she explained, chuckling, "apparently, she is most displeased that you have been away for so long, and commands that you resume your studies and prepare for your final examinations as soon as possible."

My answer was on my lips at once. "I am not leaving Roche."

Two years ago, I had taken up residence at the royal court in Bordeux Castle, so that I could study law at the nearby Court of the Lady Justice and train to become a Lady Justice, under the tutelage of my mentor, Lady Helene. My studies had been nearing completion, when a letter from Clara informing me that Papa was gravely ill had reached me two months ago. I had ceased all that I had been doing at once, and rushed home to Roche, where I had been nursing him ever since.

How had time flown by so fast?

Clara's smile faded. "Sister-mine - "

"This is not open for negotiation, Clara," I stated, "please send Robert back to Bordeux. Ask him to tell Her Honour that Papa is no better in health than when I first arrived, and that I will stay here and help you take care of him until he recovers."

Papa cleared his throat. "Absolutely not," his voice was weak, but firm, "I will not allow you to discontinue your studies on my account. You will leave with Robert tonight to Bordeux."

I frowned. "Papa – "

He shook his head. "You have already missed two months' worth of your studies because of me, my dear," he added quietly, "and it is high time you resumed them. Do you not want to excel in your upcoming examinations, and become a Lady Justice at the earliest opportunity?"

I gazed at him, solemn. "You are more important to me, Papa."

"You are not answering my question, little one."

"Of course I want to," I sighed, "but – "

"But nothing," he smiled gently, reaching out to squeeze my hand, "you are so close to achieving your dreams. It would be foolhardy of you to throw away all your hard work at this point, when you are so near the end. And I know that my daughter is not a fool."

"Papa – "

"Sister-mine, it is only a matter of one more month," Clara intervened hastily, "after you complete your examinations in October, you can return to Roche to stay with Papa. I will make sure he will be all right at least till then, and he will ensure that he takes better care of himself and abstain from working. Will you not, Papa?"

Papa grinned. "Absolutely. You have my word."

I looked between the either of them, torn. I had no heart to leave him in such a state, but I also saw sense in his words and those of my sister's. After a long while of deliberating, I sighed heavily.

"Do you mean it, Papa? You will obey Clara in all that she tells you to do for your speedy recovery, and take good care of yourself?"

He nodded. "I solemnly swear so to do."

I released an uneasy breath. "All right, I will leave," I agreed reluctantly, "but I shall hurry back the moment my examinations end, and no one shall dare stop me." I stated with conviction.

Papa laughed softly. "You will be most welcome," he reached out to touch my head in blessings, "good luck, little one, and do your very best. May God go with you."

I leaned against his hand, closing my eyes. "And also with you."

***

A/N:  This is the actress I envision Tess to resemble the most, but as always, you can imagine whoever you want to in her place.