-------15 August 1748---------
After discovering the affair, it took a week to stop the rumors;
And ,fortunately for me, the press had amplified the thing all over the state.
The scandal was on everyone's lips.
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"HOW THE HELL DID YOU THINK OF DOING WHAT YOU DID?!!": Duke Lèandre d'Albéric
"How many times I have to repeat it to you... it was stronger than me.This is all fault of that witch, Layla".: Alexandre
"We are always at the usual!.... I DON'T NEED HER "HELP" TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF BEAST YOU ARE, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WOMEN; Always together with that slut of Count Davout's daughter": Duca Lèandre
"Look WHO's talking! you too have had lovers and perhaps you still have them": Alexandre
"THANKS TO YOUR BRAVADO, THIS MARRIAGE HAS BECOME A LOOSE MATTER ; YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT THIS UNION OUR FAMILY WILL SOONER OR LATER BECOME A DISTANT MEMORY;I managed to get this deal from the king with so many sacrifices; THEN YOU ARRIVE AND YOU FUCK EVERYTHING UP!!": Lèandre
"Forgive me father.... but you know that I love her! ;
... Why do you want to deprive me of this happiness!!."
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT YOU CAN'T MARRY HER!!!?"
.
"Once ,I followed my heart and what came out of it didn't benefit me at all.":Lèandre
....
...
"YOU WILL MARRY THE MARQUIS' DAUGHTER, THE MATTER IS CLOSED!!! So... make use of your pretty face and a few sweet words to win her back!!"
_______
What the Duke was alluding at was a fact that happened a long time ago.
23 years ago he fell in love with a maid, just only a month away from marrying the duke's daughter.
Exactly! , the title of Duke was not hereditary, but rather, with his good looks he had managed to win the heart of the daughter of the Duke d'Alberic.
Then ... nine months later, Madeleine reappeared in his life, the same woman who he told a year before he loved her.
But it doesn't end here , because with her there was an another human .
The infant she was carrying in her arms was Alexandre;
The wife being very much in love with Lèandre, closed an eye and took with her the child; she would have raised him as if he had been hers;
But she had never agreed to let the husband marry a second wife.
Madelaine feeling betrayed; from desperation she hanged herself.
If had it not been for the mercy of Camille, her spouse,now he would be living on the streets .
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The following day, on is father's orders and with the support of the king, Alexandre invited the de Leroy family to stay at the villa for 2 days; the time, even if little, to change the outcome.
The de Leroy family could not refuse.
--------10:18 a.m. ;17 August 1748-------------
For two days we will be together with the Duke and his family; to try to save the unsalvageable.
I could have used this opportunity to my own benefit.
I just needed an ally, so I had to "make friends" with someone who knew the family very well.
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Upon our arrival they had prepared everything: rooms and the welcoming were ready.
All of this would have changed the final result? "would it be positive or negative?" ,it was up to the Marquis Ludwig to decide.
"Welcome! it's a pleasure to have you here, please follow me, I'll show you the villa !": Butler of the d'Albéric family.
To the Marquis, everything he was shown, he couldn't care less.
From departure until arrival, he had not changed facial expression:
Serious ,cold and apathetic.
-------12:48 a.m.-------
Taking advantage of the butler's absence;
Finally my father could voice his thoughts:
"They want us to reconsider this marriage by showing us their goods and wealth; SUCH BEHAVIOR IS A DISRESPECT; You'll see Layla , today your father will cut ties with them ONCE AND FOR ALL!": Marquis
His was confident; on the contrary , I was doubtful because this union had been ordered by the king, for this reason, there was need of a miracle to annull it definitively.
-----10 minutes later-----------
The butler finally returned.
He informed us that lunch was ready and guided us to the dining room.
It was finally time to eat.
--------13:15 p.m.--------
Although the luxury mansion was large, the dining room was not very far , it took about ten minutes to get there.
Opened the doors, in front of us there was a long table full of food:
Roasted pheasant , hare stew , mashed potatoes, goose liver pate etc...; of meat there was in abundance, of vegetables , instead, a smaller amount.
It was nothing new for the marquis, indeed, this demonstration of fine and very expensive dishes, weighed on his pride and dignity.
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"I apologize immensely, for not coming personally to welcome you, but ...I did not expect that the sale of the diamonds of my mines had earned so much": Lèandre
If in apologizing (a difficult thing for a noble) he was trying to improve the situation, the motivation of such missing had further worsened my father's impression.
--------14:55 p.m.--------
After about 3 hours lunch ended.
"Layla! wait.. don't go, let me at least explain":Alexandre
"Talk! what do you want?"
"That day, you know...I mean. the day of the wedding, the chocolates you gave me ...well...did you put something strang-?": Alex
"ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT WHAT HAPPENED ...IS MY FAULT!?!!?"
"No no! ; That's not what i m-":Alex
"YOU'RE ALWAYS THE SAME!!;YOU ALWAYS THINK BADLY OF ME; EVEN WHEN I TRIED TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT THE THINGS HAPPENED IN THE PAST....YOU NEVER BELIEVED ME!!!"
"Wait...please! don't go away!": Alex
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Leaving the dining room, I took refuge in my room; it was time to act.
Taking advantage of the leave of the d'Albéric family for business reasons,
I called a maid;that even if she didn't show it, deep in her heart, she truly hated that family.
Babette even if she had worked for them for 12 years, she hold a grudge against them.
I wouldn't blame her , the only and last member of her family she had ever loved had committed suicide, because of the duke.
Babette was nothing less, Madelaine's cousin, and 12 years ago she managed to get hired there for one and only purpose:...
Avenge the beloved cousin.
---
And how could I not take advantage of this opportunity!?
Based on a principle very well known to me, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" I paid Babette to provide me with the key to duke Lèandre's office.
--------15:35 p.m.--------
I had to hurry up.
"If memory serves me right, there should be an important book in here somewhere".
This book was the most significant evidence I could have in my possession; its discovery or not would influence the fate of the d'Albéric family.
----16:30 p.m.-------
"Found it!"
After an hour I finally managed on found it, but I couldn't take it; the important thing was to know where it was;
It was hidden in a secret compartment in the desk.
In less than a minute i fled the scene.
After, i gave back the key to Babette so she could put it back.
-----16:40 p.m.-------
The ducal family had returned.
I, for once, was satisfied with what I had achieved.
Thanks to this, I was one step closer to my second revenge.