Barbaric

                   “It’s only a little bit tighter, Mademoiselle, I promise…” A small, large-eyed maid tugged at the strings of Louise Amandine Lefevre’s corset, earning her a grunt from Louise and a disgruntled, “Must you?”

         “Mademoiselle, my orders were to tighten the corset as much as I could without inflicting harm upon yourself—if I recall correctly, the orders were given from you?” The maid tied the corset and Louise tried to sigh, finding it rather difficult.

         “Yes, yes, well, hurry on with the rest of it—I’m going to be late.” Louise tucked a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. As the petticoats were set in place and the crimson ball gown fell around her small figure, made smaller by days and days of hardly eating nothing and not eating so much as a drop of chocolate. Her maid helped her to put on her jewels, and her dancing shoes.

         Louise’s face needed little powdering, and she despite her determination to look stunning at the ball this evening she refused to let the maid put anything more on her face. “That should be all, Mademoiselle.” The maid said, handing her a small jaded mirror. Louise gazed into the mirror, looking into her own clear blue eyes, and sighed in relief. She wasn’t too horribly hideous, and perhaps if she were able to apply a bit of grace, someone could mistake her for pretty. She needed to be pretty. Tonight was too important to be anything less.

         When Louise was a small girl, her father had been killed by a small group of criminals for money. They took almost everything from them, and Madam Lefevre was left alone, with only enough money to pay for a nanny for Louise and get a job tutoring. Eventually, Louise was sent off to live with the Bessettes, a rich family who wanted to raise a daughter as their own. Louise was able to send money to her mother every year, and finally, now, at the age of sixteen, she had the opportunity to marry, and marry rich, to Philip Laroche, who she was arranged to marry almost as soon as she arrived at the Bessettes. Tonight was the night that she finally met him, and she would not appear to him less than beautiful.

         An escort arrived to take her to the ball, and before she knew it, she was standing amidst a cloud of perfume, skirts, and tailcoats. Taking a half-decent breath and gagging due to the smell, Louise did her best to focus and find who she was looking for: Philip Laroche.

         “Mademoiselle Louise.” She heard behind her, and she was surprised to see him standing behind her. She curtsied, happy with herself because she didn’t mess up and clank her knees together. “Monsieur Laroche, a pleasure.”

         “Please, Mademoiselle.” Laroche smiled charmingly, and she returned the smile. “Just address me by Philip.”

         “If you like, Philip.” Louise laughed as lightly as she could with the limited oxygen she was able to take in.

         “Would you like to go to a place more private to continue our conversation?” Philip asked, glancing around nervously.

         “Is there something bothering you?” Louise asked, furrowing her eyebrows. “No, no, just follow me, please, Mademoiselle.” Philip smiled again, and Louise decided to forget about the odd behavior. He led them off to a quiet room in the Estate, probably the parlor. Louise remained standing until he sat, and then he said, “Mademoiselle, I must know, as I have wanted to know for immeasurable amounts of time now… I must know of your affections for me.”

         Louise blushed and ducked her head. “W-Well, Philip… I’m afraid I fancy you quite a deal.”

         Philip exhaled, and Louise envied his unlimited air supply. “We are to marry, are we not?”

         “Yes, we are.” Louise nodded. “You… Of course, Philip, you return the affections?”

         Philip looked at her as though he was trying to look at her as long as he was able to stand it. “Oh… Ah, yes, I suppose.”

         “Is something the matter, Philip?” Louise asked. She felt as though he wished he weren’t here.

         “No, of course not.” Philip shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced out of the window.

         Louise frowned, and thought for a moment. He didn’t want to be around people, and now he won’t even look at me… He doesn’t want people to see us together! He’s ashamed to be with me! “You’re ashamed just to be here, aren’t you?” She exclaimed.

         “Well, Mademoiselle, your mother was a widow, and you frankly don’t have any money in your background…” Philip trailed off, seeing Louise seething with anger.

         “You are a barbarian!” She exploded. Philip turned up his nose, and Louise snickered. “I’m not going to look up it, if that’s what you’re after.”

         He was caught off-guard by that remark, and he adjusted his coat. “You should be careful, Louise. It’s not easy to find a man as wealthy as I am.”

         “I’d take any man in the world other than you, as long as he had a better taste in coats and weren’t so unbearably sweaty!” Louise snapped.

         “Really, Mademoiselle! You’re behavior is quite barbaric!” Philip countered.

         Louise stood up abruptly. “I would regret if it weren’t!” She turned and walked towards the door.

         “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all…” Philip said behind her sarcastically.

         “It is better to have loved and lost than to have to live with the pathetic shell of man for the rest of your life.” Louise returned, and closed the door behind her.