Chapter 538: It Turns Out I Really Am His Royal Highness's Chief Mistress
Joseph was on his way to the banquet hall, and he couldn't shake the feeling that while the nobles still bowed respectfully, their smiles held a deeper, more knowing meaning.
He turned to Louis XVI and asked, "Father, do I have something on my face?"
"Oh, no, my dear, I'm sure of it."
Louis XVI paused, then suddenly winked at his son and whispered, "About the night before last, those two young ladies, hmm, did they really get into a fight at your place?"
Joseph immediately clasped his forehead. 'No wonder their gazes were so strange; so it was about this?'
'This damned Versailles, no one cares about serious matters, but gossip spreads incredibly fast...'
"Ahem! Actually, they were just..."
Joseph's expression was strained, 'How on earth should I explain this? Should I say that the Catwoman thought she owed me a lot of money, came to repay it, didn't use the front door but the window instead, and ended up beating up the maid who was "disassembling" me, mistaking her for an assassin?'
Louis XVI immediately adopted an understanding expression, smiling, "Ah, you don't need to explain, my dear. You're old enough now; it's time you had an adult life."
On the second floor of Versailles, Miss Sorel, the "Catwoman" the father and son had been discussing, was nervously looking at Baron Candide.
"So, Mademoiselle Delvaux's new dress is your creation?"
The latter flourished a handkerchief and nodded proudly.
"Indeed, it's a piece I'm very proud of."
"May I be so bold as to ask," Sorel inquired, lowering her head awkwardly, "how much does it cost to make such a fashionable outfit?"
Baron Candide raised a hand and made a "two" gesture. "Mademoiselle Delvaux paid me 2,300 Francs. If you like it, I can design an even more suitable one for you."
Sorel felt the world spin upon hearing this. 'Good heavens! How could that dress be so expensive?! If I'd known, I shouldn't have refused His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's generosity and taken back those 5,000 Francs.'
'I had planned to rest for a while, but it seems I'll have to keep earning money now. After all, over 2,000 Francs is no small sum...'
Yes, that night when she kicked Camelia out, the latter's dress was torn.
In Versailles, mending a dress was never an option; the noblewomen would consider it a joke. So, a torn dress had only one fate: the trash.
She would have to compensate Camelia for the dress, pay for the medical treatment of her injuries, and add a "token of apology." She would probably need 3,000 Francs to cover it all.
Sorel felt the entire world overcast with gloom. She dejectedly bid farewell to Baron Candide and once again embarked on her quest to earn money.
Meanwhile, Queen Mary, who was attending the ball, pulled her "designated" daughter-in-law aside and earnestly "comforted" her.
"Sasha, you know, a gentleman Joseph's age, and such an accomplished one, will always have young ladies around him. But please, trust me, he's not easily swayed. I guarantee it."
Eight-year-old Alexandra blinked her beautiful blue eyes and nodded blankly. 'Anyway, whatever Her Majesty the Queen says, nodding is always the right answer. And she mentioned His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is excellent, which is definitely true!'
After Joseph finished dinner, he chose not to "work overtime." He had been genuinely exhausted lately, mentally and physically.
When he returned to his chambers, he was surprised to see Perna standing at the entrance to the reception hall. The doctor had changed into a white... what appeared to be the lab coat he had given her, but it had clearly been altered, cinched at the waist and with the neckline widened to the chest. She didn't seem to be wearing a corset today, allowing the lab coat to accentuate her curves beautifully.
She had also let down her long, slightly curly hair, allowing it to fall softly behind her shoulders. On her head wasn't her usual tricorn hat, but the small, swallowtail cap he had designed for nurses.
In short, it was a youthful, beautiful maiden's style combined with a hint of uniform allure...
Joseph quickly halted his thoughts and greeted Perna with a smile.
"When did you return? Madame Lamarck's birthday banquet must have been lively, wasn't it? I've been far too busy, otherwise, I should have gone to congratulate her myself."
Madame Lamarck was Perna's mother.
Perna seemed very nervous. She quickly curtsied, then said,
"My mother would be overjoyed if she knew you were willing to celebrate her birthday."
Seeing her still standing there, Joseph asked, puzzled,
"Do you have something to tell me?"
"Ah, yes, Your Royal Highness." Perna hurriedly retrieved an exquisite box from behind her back and presented it to Joseph with both hands. "Madame Lavoisier asked me to deliver this to you."
Joseph took it and opened it, revealing a golden, openwork sword-mouth adorned with over a dozen rubies. This was an ornamental piece for a scabbard, meant to be fitted at its opening.
"She sent me something this expensive?"
"Ah, Madame Lavoisier said it was custom-made for 230,000 Francs."
Perna, in her brand-new professional attire, seemed somewhat flustered. She suddenly realized that she was quite unsuited to being an advocate; her awkwardness was like a child entering an examination hall without having studied properly.
She gritted her teeth and decided to be direct.
"Your Royal Highness, I wish to beg you to pardon Baron Lavoisier. He has expressed deep remorse and is willing to pay the fine. Please, don't let him go to prison. He truly is a good man, and he holds a very high reputation in the French Academy of Sciences."
"If it's possible, please, for my sake..."
Joseph clapped a hand to his forehead. He had only just remembered that one of his reasons for returning to Versailles was to get a pardon for Lavoisier from his father. He had been so preoccupied with the rifle project that he had completely forgotten.
If he delayed any longer, by the time the High Court's procedures were complete, Lavoisier might actually end up spending a few days in prison.
Since Perna had brought it up, he might as well grant her this favor. So he immediately smiled and said,
"Very well, since you've put it that way, I'll request a pardon from my father. Please tell Baron Lavoisier not to worry about this matter any longer."
Perna froze, surprised. She had expected to plead with the Crown Prince for at least two or three hours, yet he had agreed after only a few words!
This... Her heart suddenly warmed. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was showing her such consideration; no, it was practically... favoritism!
Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest, and she had long forgotten what she was going to say. All she could think about was how His Royal Highness had, for her sake, unhesitatingly pardoned Monsieur Lavoisier from a 15-year prison sentence.
Countless Tax Farmers had been beheaded in Louvre Square or were facing many years in prison. Yet, among all of them, only Monsieur Lavoisier had been pardoned—and it was His Royal Highness who had granted the pardon for her sake!
'It turns out, His Royal Highness has always held me in his heart!'
'No wonder Marie-Anne said I was His Royal Highness's "Chief..."' Her face instantly flushed scarlet again, and she couldn't even bring herself to utter the word in her mind.
'It turns out, I was the only foolish one who didn't know His Royal Highness's true feelings. I'm so clumsy!'
Whoosh—
In an instant, she felt as if her entire world had lit up!
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