Malmaison, August 1799 - Passion & Betrayal

----------------------- outside Paris, Malmaison, August 1799 -------

Adeláire was bored to death. Joséphine had not engaged with her since the soiree, leaving it to her "girls" to take care of the newcomer. There was a great coming and going of messengers, sometimes with gifts, sometimes only with letters. But it was impossible to catch even a small shred of it before it got right into Joséphine's hands. Slowly Adeláire wondered if her plan would ever be crowned with success. Two weeks had passed and so far she, Arno and Verne had not dared to exchange ideas with each other. So she did not even begin to suspect if her brothers might be more successful in their mission.

Paris, August 1799 - Joséphine

----------------------- outside Paris, Malmaison, August 1799 -------

Adeláire sat alone in the carriage that the Marquis had lent her for her journey to Joséphine’s country estate, and already she was very uncomfortable. As usual, when she became nervous, she wrapped her arms around her upper body and tried to breathe with closed eyes. This, however, meant that the night before danced with vivid images before her eyes. Pictures of a togetherness almost filled with greedy despair. As if it could be the last time she would share that with Arno, to explore each other.