Captive mistress. English-language novels

– Excuse me, Mademoiselle. I just thought. You wanted something?

– Mistress, You’re the only person I can trust entirely. Please tell me what’s going on? What is this commotion in broad daylight?

The woman frowned. She, stooping to the ear of Mademoiselle de FRASE, whispered: – And You do not know, my poor child? «Arabella didn’t understand why the housekeeper called her so. But the woman’s voice sounded sad tone and on the face flashed a shadow of confusion.

– What do You miss the Wake? I don’t know anything.

– Oh, my girl, I’m so sorry You and Your young, broken heart. But… to keep silent I dare not. Tomorrow morning the Palace will come to Her Majesty Anne of Austria.

Arabella turned pale. Shrinking back, she grabbed the hand carved chest: – tomorrow? – her question was stifled and quiet: – no problem. I will survive all these attacks. My heart already broke into pieces. And this pain that suffocates me, will soon become dull. I’m going to feel it, but…get used to it, – Adele hugged the mistress of the king and, wiping her tears, gently said: «On m Your beautiful face will still Shine bright smile, and Anna, may God punish her for what she became Your rival, sooner or later you will feel all what You feel now.

– Amen! – in the girl’s voice sounded sarcastic and spiteful touch: «I have to go, suddenly Arabella found it hard to breathe, chest tight. She wanted to get some fresh air.

Quick step, up the marble steps, the girl, passing through the Central corridor, climbed to the tower. It was dark and damp. Huge, the fireplace wall, hung a wolf pelt kept out the cold. On marble slabs lying fur. The young woman hid her face in the palm of your hand. The cold pierced through the girl’s body. But in the cold it was easier for her to breathe. Wrapped in a shawl, daughter of the Duke walked over to the railing, looking out.

The weather was terrible. The storm destroyed everything in its path, broke branches and bushes. But in a Blizzard the mistress wanted to ride.

Wearing warm coat with fur and hat, Belle hurried to the stables. The grooms were horrified to learn that her ladyship decided to jump on the Mare in this weather. But Mademoiselle insisted on horseback. Riding his horse Hurricane, docile and intelligent horse, Arabella, leaping into the saddle, rushed to the field. It was covering her eyes, frost bound the body, but the girl was not afraid to fall from a horse, knowing that is a smart rider. The daughter of the Duke rode past the long avenues and thickets. Arabella looked back. Frost softened a bit, the wind died down. The hurricane began to ride slower and safer. The king’s mistress, tied the animal to a tree trunk, jumped to the ground. She came to the river Seine, which is now covered with a crust of ice. The woman sat down on the snow, touching the hand on ice water. Madam closed her eyes, listening to the peaceful flow of the river.

Over the city were doing the sunset. The gray sky covered with red clouds, through which could be seen the dim rays of the sun. The water became purple-blue. It swam away shards of ice. The young woman did not notice, as held on the Bank a lot of time. Twilight, like a dark veil, crowned with a bygone day. The girl was about to leave, but heard a strange rustle. Behind the bushes flashed someone’s silhouettes. Mademoiselle de FRASE felt the danger approaching. Her hand, clad in a white glove, lay on the Golden hilt of a dagger, ornamented with precious stones. The French girl came closer to the cliff, climbed up, turned on the plain. Hiding behind branches, aristocrat saw two peasants. Old men slung over his shoulders firewood homeward. Arabella heard their conversation: «did You hear about what happens at court?

– I have enough of his Affairs. But our king and his Palace do not interest me, "said another.

– Even though we the commoners, but their owners must be judged. After all, we are old, many are told in his life, and the young gentlemen, how many bugs do. And the ruler of our…

What do you mean?

– I heard that the Spanish Infanta Anna, daughter of Philip III, is to marry Louis XIII. Is this right?! As a Catholic, bears the title of defender of Habsburg, who can become Queen of the Huguenots and Protestants. This is unacceptable! Wife of Lord should be someone from the dynasty.

– What can we do, brother? Our duty is to serve the monarch. We cannot forbid the king to marry the Princess. May the Lord himself will decide who will be the Queen of Bourbon.

Arabella smiled. She was glad that the people against the marriage of Louis with Anne of Austria. All felt it was a religious misunderstanding. Perhaps the Lord will listen to the words of his subjects, and not married with a Spaniard. And I dreamed of the lady? If the Princess will not marry the Lord, then there is another…

Sad and depressed, my lady returned to the Palace. Know already rested in his chambers. Only the servants worked, decorating the house and preparing festive dishes for tomorrow’s celebration.

Arabella saw Jesse. The maid, clutching to his blanket, slept in the alcove of the window. Usually the mistress insisted that the maid spent the night in her chambers. But today a young woman wanted to be alone, alone with my thoughts, pain and tears. Bowing, the maid left. The girl, having thrown off a dress, settled on the bed. Night has already covered the earth with its possessions, but the Duke’s daughter did not want to sleep. Sad thoughts, like arrows, pierced the mind of a young woman.

The room was dark. Only the dim light of the moon illuminated the ceiling. Arabella watched in the darkness, as if looking for there is something precious and valuable. Tomorrow will forever put an end to love Mademoiselle de Frase. Anna…this Spanish girl, forever you part the Frenchwoman and her lover. Such was the fate of… First gives hope, and then mercilessly takes away, leaving a deep scar in his heart and emptiness in his soul. The young woman threw back his head and cried. Bitter tears ran down her cheeks as the salty spray.

All night Arabella sobbed. From her lips involuntarily pulled out the words" My beloved king, do not abandon your unfortunate slave, which is sinking in the ocean of unrequited love.»

Dawn… Frost began to recede, the snow had stopped. With first light came the joyful cries of the people. The people, following the decorum, shouted that now comes Anne of Austria, the flower of the Spanish Kingdom, a beautiful and mysterious Princess.

Arabella, like all the ladies of the court, was to come into the throne room to greet the bride of the French king. But, before obediently to return to the hall, she first decided to look at the Spanish flu, about whose beauty and modest demeanour was legendary throughout Europe.

Rising to the floor above, she went into the Secret garden. It was an open gallery enclosed by glass doors. With glove snow, a young woman sat on a marble bench and stared at the alley, which must pass by the carriage of the bride of the monarch. In a few minutes we heard the sounds of a musical instrument. The guards solemnly opened the gate. Into the garden entered Berlin gold, made of pure gold, decorated with the coat of arms of Habsburg and precious stones. The carriage was accompanied by armed horsemen with swords. They rode on their white horses. About the coaches gathered the people. Commoners were just crazy with curiosity and interest.

Arabella drew attention to one of the guards. He went ahead of Berlin. His proud posture was struck by its grace. He was dressed in a tunic embroidered with gold, silver belt could be seen the hilt of the sword. And only having looked narrowly, she learned this young man. It was Heraldo, Myung – Buso, Norman, whose family was of ancient Saxon dynasty. This glorious soldier, smart and strong, perfectly practised with sword and saber, irresistible metal knives and shooting arrows.

Chapter 8

But behind this humble and courageous man hiding cocky, greedy, cynical rogue and a schemer. He always helped her mistress to build intrigues against those who tried to stop her. The young Princess, brought up in the harsh austerity, she could not to stand up for themselves, because of excessive obedience and meekness in the way in life. And her father, who owned his own States, could not give a different raise a daughter. Heraldo, was for my lady not only the servants, but and support.

View Arabella instantly rushed to the woman in front of which Norman sat down on one knee, and by hand, helped to alight. How was this beautiful stranger! Her brown hair was visible from under a large hat, decorated with rubies and sapphires. Luxurious decoration struck by its elegance. A fur coat was a tight fit Golden belt embroidered with silver, the sleeves touched the ground. On her wrists jingled a variety of precious bracelets, the neck was decorated with luxurious pendants. This young lady was slender as a cypress, soft as the petal of a spring rose, as proud as the goddess Aphrodite and beautiful as the night star.

Looking at this dressed in purple and gold girl, the Frenchwoman felt like my heart breaks into small pieces. How would Mademoiselle didn’t object to it, the reality of change was impossible. Of course, that this lady is Anne of Austria…

The Duke’s daughter bit her lip, trying not to scream in frustration. She could not think that the bride of her beloved would be such a gorgeous beauty. Of course, the king’s mistress was irresistible, and with her could not be matched by no one. But she remembered the words of the Lord" do Not think that you’re the only one in this world. Even though you are beautiful, intelligent and graceful, still there is another. And this «another» has. My future wife is not worse than you.» Unfortunately, these horrible words were true.

The woman stood up. Spreading the folds of her dress, she walked to the front beam of the terrace. Suddenly a gust of wind shook the girl. Fur Cape fell from her shoulders and hair disheveled. As if through a veil Mademoiselle de Frase looked at Anna, hear her laugh, watched her majestic movements. How much was it pride and arrogance. Of course, the Spaniard was delighted with his position. Not every Princess has the good fortune to become the wife of the monarch of the whole of France. The French saw the coach standing near Capitalino de Lucia. She was a lady-in-waiting to the Infanta, but was known as a slut. All were known shameless novels Horvath. The first man became Viscount Balonarski, then Senor Tomaso and Marquis-kun. But not one of these noblemen did not want to take marriage with Milady de Lucia. But even this shamelessness could not match with the fact that once Kapitalina lured into his web the lovers of Marie de Medici. For this, the Queen kicked her out of his Suite. But it soon appeared that the Croat pregnant. Having connections with almost all men in France the girl could not understand, whose baby had. And Regent of Louis XIII declared that «the Croatian shameless» dares to carry the baby of her own favorite! For this the Queen ordered the execution of the maid of honor. Kapitalina was ready to go to the scaffold, but then she was saved by Anna…

Being then twelve-year-old Princess, Infanta Austrian came with his father to France, to his future mother-in-law. It was then that the head of the Croatian had to fly from his shoulders. When it Kapitalina was raised in the area of Punishment, the Spanish girl ran to the dais and ordered the executioner to stop, turned to the crowd of people, saying that no one has the right to decide the life of a pregnant woman without special circumstances.

Of course, Marie de Medici full cursed future daughter-in-law, Philip III and daughter locked in the room. After this unpleasant incident, Anne took Milady de Lucia to Spain, and was soon introduced to his retinue of ladies-in-waiting. The king did not approve the decision of the Princess. In the last months of pregnancy Kapitalina began to feel a sharp pain and nausea. Midwife said that the baby is malformed and could be disabled. I went into labor prematurely. Three days Mademoiselle de Lucia suffered, but on the fourth… were able to give birth to a stillborn child. It turned out that the fetus was not viable from the beginning. The death threatened, and to the Croat. For a week the woman was recovering, slowly burn in a fever. Physician lady… insisted that she could die. But after a few days my lady could get on his feet. But even after the death of the infant, the maid has not ceased communication with notable aristocrats. So much so, that the Spanish court lady became known as a courtesan. In those days it was considered a terrible shame. The woman who received this «title», could not appear in district. Knowing that in his own Palace lives a dishonest girl who received a scandalous reputation, Philip ordered to beat her with a whip, and lock him in the dungeon. And again he was saved by Anne of Austria.

Arabella did not take my gaze from the new arrivals. People crowded around the gate. All were crying with joy, welcoming lady. Anne, as if felt something, threw his head up. Seeing a closer look, the Frenchwoman shuddered. The king’s daughter looked at her surprised, but angry eyes. The Princess had expected the mysterious stranger humbly bow down in reverence. But Arabella was not going to be humiliated in front of the Spaniard. The Deputy of Habsburg whispered something to the dark-skinned woman, dressed in a long tunic. Her head was a tight fit headband embroidered with gold. Mademoiselle de Frase first time I saw this lady. But her toilet was a mixture of men’s, military clothing and bright, women’s jewelry