Chapter Thirteen: Mal Foie (Bad Faith)
Denis Crevet brought the news from Trois Rivières. Jean Bienamour had been arrested as a Huguenot. Mild-mannered, harmless Monsieur Bienamour. When Ginevre's father had heard this, he had set off for Trois Rivières immediately with Guillaume at his side.
She confided the news in Malfoy that night.
"The Huguenots are idiots," he replied. "So horribly stubborn about their beliefs. Why can't they just pretend to go along with the Church?"
"They're true to their faith," she began, but he interrupted her.
"What good will that be to Bienamour when he's sent to the galleys?" he demanded. "Life is precious, Ginevre. It shouldn't be thrown away for insubstantial things like faith or honour."
Ginevre frowned. "You haven't had a proper moral upbringing," she generously concluded at last. "It's not your fault."
His face broke into an amused grin. "Merci, Ginevre. You are too kind."
When Ginevre's father and brother returned, it was with bad news. They had not been able to free Bienamour. In fact, the governor himself had given the orders for his arrest, when he had passed through on his way to war. They had, however, been able to secure the release of Bienamour's daughter, Lunette, and had brought her back with them to Le Bureau.
Lunette had always been a good friend of Ginevre's, as well as Ronald's sweetheart. Ginevre was overjoyed to see her, however tragic the reason for her visit.
Lunette was a great deal calmer in the circumstances than Ginevre could have been. She lost no time in telling Ginevre the gossip of Trois Rivières. According to Lunette, the governor was not actually gone to fight the Iroquois, or even Le Sieur Sans Un Nom. Lunette was stubborn in the belief that there was a hidden city of gold up the northern rivers, and de Scrimmejeur had found clues to where it was.
"Are you worried about your father?" Ginevre asked her, uninterested in these speculations.
Lunette wrinkled her brow. "I suppose he is not in a very good situation, but God watches over him. I am praying very hard."
"You think your prayers will bring a miracle?"
"Would that be so strange, Ginevre? God has done much greater wonders than that." She paused. "And perhaps the governor only really wants him arrested so no one will find out about the city of gold from him. My father was the one who told me about it, you see."
Ginevre shook her head, but did not try to rob Lunette of this hope.
"Have you heard at all from Ronald?" asked Lunette.
"No. Not at all. Nor from Henri. But we did not expect to. They should still be in the wilderness."
"Ah…."
Ginevre was suddenly emboldened to ask, "Are you… do you love my brother, Lunette?"
Lunette sighed. "Yes," she said simply. "He asked me for my hand once," she continued. "But he would not agree that I keep my own faith. I have hoped he would change his mind. I cannot betray my God in that way."
Ginevre was surprised. She had not known Ronald had actually courted Lunette, only that they seemed attracted to each other.
"I did still let him kiss me when he left," Lunette said wistfully. "And promised him I would wait for him, if he ever changed his mind."
"He must," said Ginevre vehemently. "There is no one in the world I would rather have as a sister than you!" Then she remembered that she would soon be gone far away from her family, and shivered.
"I am glad to hear it," replied Lunette, a smile playing about her lips.
"Some time away from you, dreaming of your charms, should bring him to his senses," Ginevre assured her.
That night, Ginevre waited until the others were asleep before sneaking out of the house and to the cave where Malfoy was hid. She was surprised to find him not lying in his make-shift bed but packing.
"Are you making things ready for our departure already?" she asked him.
He jumped at the sound of her voice, then turning around, flashed his enchanting smile at her. "Certainly, Ginevre. Sit down on the bedding and I will tell you my plans."
She sat down, smiling back. She was not ready for what happened next, unable to react as Malfoy pushed her on her back and, taking a piece of rope, tied her hands.
"Jean, what are you doing?" she cried in fear.
"I'm binding your hands and feet so you cannot move," said Malfoy, in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "I thank you, Ginevre, for nursing me back to health and for your… company, but I must bid you Adieu now."
"But you…"
"Lied to you, Mademoiselle. Did you expect otherwise from Le Dragon? Did you really think I got that nickname by refraining from ruthlessness? I needed your aid. I needed you to keep quiet about me. I did what was necessary to obtain that."
"You said you would marry me!"
"Marry a Véslée? Mon dieu! I am of the noblesse. How naïve of you to think I would stoop to your level. When my Lord rules this colony, I will be at his right hand. I could have any fine lady I choose."
Ginevre had turned white. "You have destroyed me," she said, her voice broken. "How could you have done this to me, when I loved you?"
"I did what was necessary, silly girl. Also, I must admit the idea of seducing Potère's innocent young bride was very appealing. I've made him hurt for what he did to my father. Will he want you now, do you think?"
"But Jean, I think I am with child!"
Her agonized cry seemed to cut him. He flinched, and stared at her, as if uncertainty had suddenly touched him. But only for a moment.
"I don't think Potère will like that," he said, his smile returning.
"It'll be your child," she pleaded with him. "If you don't care for me, think of our child."
His lips curled in a laugh of derision. "I've no interest in your little bastard, Mademoiselle Véslée. And I am tired of your crying." Taking a piece of cloth, he gagged her mouth.
"There," he said, stepping back from where she lay in misery. "I would like to see your family's faces when they find you here. I wonder what you will tell them. But I must go, sweet Ginevre. My Lord awaits me."
Without a backward glance, he picked up his pack and left her there lying alone.
Author's notes: I am cruel to my characters. And this isn't a sappy D/G fic where Malfoy is redeemed overnight. He's a Death Eater after all. Ginevre was mad to trust him. And yet, their story is not over, whatever Malfoy may say or think now.
Next chapter will be about Hermioniah and the accusation of witchcraft against her.