He had woken up once that night, with his shirt twisted and tight around the middle. So he had tossed most of his clothing onto the floor. The knock jerked him awake around one in the afternoon, and Armand sat up too fast, making his head spin. "Qui est-ce... I mean, who is it?" He called, frantically trying to get up and get some clothes on. Of course, he forgot about his leg and put his full weight on it. Tears sprang to the kid's face as he desperately tried not to cry out too loudly. He limped pathetically to his closet to pull on the bare minimum-shirt, breeches, stockings... stockings? How was he going to get them on? The last thing he wanted to do was limp back to the bed to sit down!
Hearing his harried tone and the cry that followed a handful of moments
later, Helene began to have reservations about disturbing her friend so soon
after his return. "It's Helene," she answered. "Should I--come back
later?"
"I... uh, well... no, just... could you wait a moment... stupid me, I slipped
and fell..." He called, buttoning his shirt and pulling up the straps of his
suspenders. Cringing, he was glad the stiches on his leg were covered by his
breeches. He buttoned the stockings to the garters of his breeches and moved
gingerly for the door. Except for the unmade bed, the room was in good order.
He opened the door. "Salut, chéri..." He said, hugging his friend. Inconspicuously, he stood on one foot.
"Salut..." answered Helene warmly, returning his embrace. "How are you?
Did the trip go well?"
"As well as any trip with Percy can go." Armand stepped aside to let Helene
enter. "A little rough at some times, but I think it turned out all right.
Did you miss me?"
"Of course I missed you," she answered, a teasing tone in her voice. "It's
been way too quiet around here." She smiled at him, but the smile was
accompanied by a brief, evaluating look. "So your trip turned out okay?"
she continued nonchalantly. "Is Paris still as bad as when I left?"
He nodded sadly. "Unfortunately... More and more people go to the guillotine every day. It's ludicrous, Hélène..." Armand shook his head. He had to sit down. Visibly grimacing, he crossed to his bed and sat down on the mattress.
She was right! So they *had* gone to France. Her suspicions thus
confirmed, Helene's thoughts were so concentrated on this sudden revelation
that her friend's grimace of pain barely registered for the moment. It was
only later that she would recall it.
"It's nice to know someone missed me. My sister hasn't been in to talk to me
yet. I'm actually rather surprised. It's not like Marguerite."
Marguerite. Helene took a deep breath. "Speaking of Marguerite--I'm worried about her, Armand. She seems ill, and I suggested she go see a doctor, but she won't. I've barely seen her eat a thing since I've arrived here. Something seems to be bothering her, but she won't talk to me about it." She shook her head concernedly, helplessly. "I didn't know quite what to do. I thought perhaps when you came home you could talk to her; she seemed so upset that you and Sir Percy were away..." She trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
Damn! He had TOLD her to go to the doctor before... why was it that nobody
ever listened to him until it was close to being too late. Giving a small
sigh, Armand stood. Or tried to.
"I ought to go see her..." He grimaced. "Hélène, could you...? I seem to
have twisted my ankle or something... hurt my leg riding. And that slip
earlier didn't help..." He got to his feet.
"Of course!" She hurried to support him. Come to think of it, it didn't
seem to be only his ankle that was troubling him, but his whole leg. "You
hurt yourself riding? What happened?" she asked, concerned.
"So where might my lovely sister be this time of day?"
"A while ago a servant came down asking Sir Percy to see her in her
rooms," Helene answered with a brief frown. "Do you think we should disturb
them?"
He avoided her first question, not sure if he should say that he got thrown
off. "I think Margot would like it if I were the one to call. If she's busy with Percy--" He laughed, shaking his head "--then she can come see me later. But I'd like to go and try to see her."
She noticed that he avoided her first question, and began to wonder if he was telling the whole truth about his leg. But she let it pass for now. "All right," she answered, and helped him out of him room and down the hall toward Marguerite's suite.