Chapter 7: Adventures of Danielle and Catherine!

After breakfast, Renée, Catherine, and Danielle went shopping. Renée was going to have the proprietor of a dress shop bring gowns, material and seamstresses to her quarters, but Catherine didn’t want to wait and insisted on taking Danielle to some shops where the choices would not be so limited.

For several hours, they went to a number of shops where Danielle tried on gown after gown, shoes, moderately priced jewelry, and other items. Catherine enjoyed selecting clothes for Danielle, so Renée let the ecstatic Catherine make most of the choices. They selected a couple of gowns that already fit, and the others would be ready in a couple of days. Including new evening gowns for both Catherine and Danielle, Renée spent several times the amount of gold francs she received from the Queen but felt amply rewarded by the results and the true gratitude and excitement of Danielle.

It was almost noon when they completed their shopping, so Renée took Catherine and Danielle, dressed in a new gown and shoes, to an exclusive café for lunch. After lunch, Renée decided to let the Queen see the success of her efforts in turning the shabby commoner into a strikingly beautiful lady. Most courtiers would hesitate to see the Queen without an appointment but Renée de Vaudémont, duchesse de Lorraine et de Bar was no ordinary courtier.

As a page led Renée, Catherine, and Danielle to the royal gardens where Queen Marie had just finished tea with a couple of courtiers, Danielle asked Catherine, “Do I curtsy or bow to the Queen?”

“You should curtsy, just do what I do,” she replied. Catherine enjoyed coaching Danielle in etiquette and decorum.

Making a slight curtsy, Renée said, “Your Majesty, may I present Mademoiselle Danielle de Barbarac, and of course you know my daughter Catherine?” Both Danielle and Catherine curtsied to the Queen.

“Please, have a seat and join me for tea.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, but just for a few minutes. We really do need to be getting back. Catherine and Danielle have plans for this afternoon.

“How are you, Catherine?”

“I’m fine, Your Majesty.”

“Danielle, you look lovely. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Renée, I knew I could depend on you but I believe you have outdone yourself. I am absolutely amazed at how much you have been able to improve Danielle’s appearance.”

“Oh! It’s nothing, Your Majesty. I am glad I could help. Danielle just needed a new gown, and she has been an absolute delight. Also, she has been wonderful company for Catherine.”

Realizing that teenage girls would have other interests, Queen Marie, after a few minutes, excused Danielle and Catherine. Then, wishing Renée’s input regarding Rodmilla and Marguerite said, “Renée, if you don’t mind staying a few minutes, I would like your opinion regarding a certain matter.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

After leaving the Queen, Catherine was anxious to introduce Danielle to her new friends at Hautefort. Catherine was used to being the center of attention, but with Danielle in tow the attention increased several fold. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to meet the girl at the masque.

At the urging of Catherine and due to the numerous questions by the teenagers, Danielle told about her experiences of the past week for nearly two hours. The teenagers, plus a few pre-teens, were thrilled with Danielle’s stories about Prince Henry, especially the apples, the gypsies, and Amboise. They listened in near mute horror as Danielle described her experiences with le Pieu.

Raymon, a popular nineteen-year-old and the youngest son of le duc et la dame de Montaigne, was quite taken with Danielle. After Danielle described her trip across the forest and near escape from le Pieu, he said, “We hunt in that forest. There are wolves, wild boars and a few bears. They seem to avoid people, but still, I wouldn’t want to walk across that forest alone at night.”

“It is probably good that I didn’t think about the wild animals. I was already scared out of my wits,” Danielle replied.

“Danielle, on the eve of the Feast of Saint Raphael (Monday, October 23), my parents are giving a ball around 7:00 in our castle, and I want you to come. As the ball is in three days, I know Catherine and her mother have already received invitations so you might wish to come with them. But I will be happy to send a carriage if you need transportation,” Raymon said.

“Danielle can ride with us,” Catherine replied.

Jehane, already jealous of Raymon’s attention to Danielle, asked Danielle if she knew one of the new and more complex dances. “No, I haven’t had any lessons except for a few by my father years ago,” she replied.

“Don’t you think it would be better if you didn’t go the ball? I wouldn’t want you feel out of place,” Jehane said.

“I can teach Danielle any of the dances she needs to know,” Catherine replied, irritated at Jehane’s suggestion. “And I know Raymon will help,” she added, knowing how that would rile Jehane.

“It just doesn’t seem appropriate for commoners to attend a ball,” Jehane replied, still hoping to deflect Raymon’s interest in Danielle.

Her eyes blazing, Catherine said, “Danielle is my friend and a guest of the Queen. Further, I am sure Raymon does not need you telling him whom he can and cannot invite. If you don’t like the company, I suggest you don’t attend.”

“Well I...,” Jehane said hesitantly. “Raymon, I didn’t say you couldn’t invite Danielle. I just don’t want Danielle to be placed in a situation where she might make an embarrassing mistake,” Jehane replied, after looking around and seeing that no one was going to give her any support.

“Jehane, I know you mean well. However, I am sure Danielle will be fine,” Raymon said, striving to prevent even more sparks from flying.

“Oh, she is just jealous!” someone replied before Jehane walked off, mumbling something under her breath.

Danielle was relieved that Catherine and Raymon were willing to defend her and that she didn’t have to fight that battle herself.

As soon as things simmered down, Raymon offered to teach Danielle some of the dances. For well over an hour Danielle watched demonstrations and received instruction in the simpler dances. Danielle was able to practice with a number of the young men who volunteered to be her partners.

Bondias, the seventeen year old son of Comte Francis de Sales, was quite taken with Catherine and suggested that they all meet tomorrow afternoon for more lessons. He offered to bring a small band so they could practice to music. After a little discussion, it was agreed that they would meet about 2:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, back at the Manoir de Barbarac, Jacqueline had spoken to a courtier who knew about Danielle’s arrival at Hautefort, and who had even seen her in a dress shop with Renée and Catherine.

“Did you hear? Danielle was escorted to Hautefort by the royal guard,” Jacqueline asked excitedly.

“What else did you hear,” Rodmilla demanded.

“Just that she was in a dress shop this morning with Renée de Vaudémont and her daughter Catherine, and that Danielle was trying on a gown.”

“I want to know what that meddling woman is doing with Danielle. She must have a hundred servants. Why would she want another one?” Rodmilla wondered out loud.

“Maybe Catherine wants a live doll to play with,” Marguerite scoffed.

“That still doesn’t explain why the Queen had wanted to see her or why le Pieu would have parted with her,” Rodmilla stated. Then, fearing the worst, she asked, “Jacqueline, was there any mention of seeing Danielle with the Prince?”

“I didn’t hear a word about the Prince,” Jacqueline replied.

“I should have buried Danielle with her father,” Rodmilla said with a snarl. “Marguerite, first thing tomorrow morning, you and I will go to Hautefort and find out just what is going on.”

At Catherine’s insistence, Danielle agreed to have dinner with Renée and Catherine and to sleep over. After dinner, Catherine led Danielle through some stretching and dance exercises and taught her some basic dance steps that when put together would make up many of the dances. Catherine, who had had ballet lessons since she was six, was an outstanding dancer and a good teacher.

During breakfast, Danielle told Renée and Catherine about her discussion with Queen Marie regarding her cataloging project for the library. Catherine, excited about working on such an important project, volunteered to help and Renée, seeing it as a valuable educational experience for her daughter, readily agreed.

After breakfast, Danielle took Catherine to visit Leonardo. Leonardo explained the concept of catalog cards and described a simple alphabetical system which could be used. He promised to draw a sketch for the catalog card cabinets and to meet them at the library Monday morning to direct their efforts. Both girls were very excited about having the responsibility for such an important project. Danielle wrote a letter to Queen Marie telling about her conversations with Leonardo, his planned sketch, and their planned meeting on Monday. In the letter Danielle explained that she hoped the Queen could have the cabinets made after Leonardo completed his sketch.

After giving the letter to a page for delivery to the Queen, Danielle and Catherine saw Henry at a distance. At Danielle’s urging, they avoided the Prince by turning and going the opposite direction.

“Did you say, relieved of his duties?” a shocked Rodmilla asked.

“Yes, suspicion of crimes. There may be an investigation but no one seems to know any details, and apparently the page isn’t talking about it,” Celeste replied.

“What have you heard about Danielle?” Rodmilla asked.

“She is staying at the castle as a guest of the Queen.”

“Isn’t she one of Renée de Vaudémont’s servants?”

“No, the Queen asked Renée to look after her and now, it seems, Danielle and Catherine are inseparable. This afternoon some of the young people are meeting to give her dance lessons.”

Marguerite snorted. “Cinderella, dancing? With whom, the pigs?”

“Raymon invited her to the ball that le duc et la dame de Montaigne are giving Monday night,” Celeste replied.

“A commoner, invited to the ball?” Rodmilla shook her head. “What is the world coming to? Frankly, I have a mind not to show up.”

“Some of us are going just to watch her make a ghastly mistake and be an embarrassment to Renée.” Celeste said, disparagingly.

“That will be a sight to see. I would like to see Renée taken down a notch or two. That woman acts likes she is better than the rest of us,” Rodmilla replied with a scoff.

By bedtime, Danielle was very tired and found sore muscles she didn’t know she had. In addition to the 3:00 pm dance lessons, after dinner Catherine again led Danielle in dance exercises and practice. Still, it was worth the effort, for Danielle had learned many of the dances. Sunday afternoon, after church and lunch, Catherine would lead Danielle through another session of dance exercises and practice.