“No, I’ll walk. Reaching the top will take some time.” With a deep breath, she steeled herself for the ordeal.
Scarily thin and gaunt, Cosette stood tall and hid the strain it took to climb the steps and make her way to her box. Once, she could have run up these steps, danced with abandon, leaped, and jumped across the stage. Now navigating a simple flight of stairs challenged her.
Tired, she paused briefly at the top of the second set of stairs, held her head high. Avery scooped her into his arms and took her the rest of the way.
“There’s no need for you to carry me.” Her head lolled against his chest. She just needed to catch her breath.
“I wouldn’t be your gallant knight if I didn’t.” He nudged the box door open with his foot and set her in her chair.
The box hadn’t changed. There were two rows, each with two seats. A small table with a decanter of wine and a pitcher of water sat to one side. A folded blanket hung on the back of an empty chair tucked into the far corner.
She looked about. “I can imagine Queen Marie and Madame Camargo sitting with us. It’s been so many years since I first entered this theatre.” The words were a whisper, more to herself than to Avery.
“I remember that day as if it were yesterday.” Avery looked down at the stage.
Her hand rested comfortably in his. “I auditioned. You danced with me. You and Claude were searching for more dancers to fill the village scene. The day is clear in my mind, too.”
“Le devin du village, the Village Soothsayer. Rousseau staged the piece with more dancers than we had in the corps de ballet. The queen asked for this particular ballet for a birthday celebration. I needed eight more dancers for the one performance. Her Majesty told me to pick my villagers from her staff and gave me a room at the palace for auditions. How could I say no?”
“And all these years I thought you were clever, using Rousseau’s ballet as a ruse to meet me.” Cosette coyly smiled at him, aware that was not the truth. He had never seen her until she walked into the dance studio. “Even then you were late because of your papers. I waited in the empty room to audition for you. I listened to the orchestra rehearsing in the next room and danced while I waited my turn. I didn’t want to be stiff. The music carried me away.”
“I didn’t have the heart to tell you.” For an instant, a hint of nostalgia stole into his expression. “I had already hired all the dancers I needed. I thought you were the clever one, dancing for me without the others. You performed every step of the choreography better than most of the dancers in the company. I had only seen one woman leap as high and as gracefully as you, Marie Camargo. I was so moved by your ability not only to dance, but the emotion you put into the character, when the orchestra played the pas de deux, I had to dance with you.”
“It was a fairy tale. I can still feel the magic dancing with you. I did a series of glissades and cabrioles across the room and—”
“And you danced right into my arms.” He knelt next to her, his arm around her back.
She looked into hazel eyes that were clear, beautiful, and held the same passion she saw fourteen years ago. There were touches of gray in his jet-black hair, distinguished for his position, but he hadn’t aged.
“We continued our duet until the last note.” The tender kiss he placed on her cheek sent shivers down her neck and goose flesh down her arms. “Somewhere in the middle of that dance, I fell in love with you. Before you even hired me. At first, I was ecstatic to be dancing in the company and in the special performance honoring Madame Marie Camargo.
“I watched her perform whenever she was at the palace and decided I wanted to learn ballet. It was thrilling performing for her, but even more inspiring on those rare occasions Madame, in her red dancing slippers, came to our company to teach us.” Cosette let out a big yawn. “All that was wonderful, but I quickly realized you were more important to me than anything else. I have no regrets the way things worked out.”
“Ah, her magic little red slippers.” Avery grabbed the blanket from the back of the chair, tucked it around her legs, and kissed her forehead. “Get some rest. I must go backstage and make sure everything is ready.”
“Go. Inspire our dancers.” She waved him away.
“I’ll be back before the curtain goes up.” He kissed her again and left.
Cosette looked about the theatre. The red damask walls and upholstered chairs were striking. The gilded trim and white marble floor were the perfect finishing touches. The music was enriched by the frescoed vaulted ceiling. The artwork and statuary had changed over time, but it all made for an elegant theater, fitting for the ballet.
“Fourteen years. It wasn’t so long ago...”
TWO
Fourteen Years Earlier
Cosette sat sewing with the queen’s dressmaker, Madame Vinier, working on a new yellow silk gown for her majesty. “The Paris Opera Ballet Company is searching for dancers for a special performance,” Madame Vinier said.
Cosette nearly dropped the sewing.
The dressmaker glanced at her and smiled. The woman was aware of her dance dreams. The ballet company performed in the theater at the north end of the palace. With Madame Vinier’s encouragement, Cosette often stole away to watch the dancers rehearse on stage.
“The audition is later today at the dance studio. I know you have your dance shoes with you. You’re never without them. I can spare you if you like. But you’ll have to make up your work.” The woman finally looked at her. “Mind you.”
It was difficult for her to contain her excitement. Her heart danced as her thoughts filled with imaginings of pirouettes, glissades, and leaps. Her mind elsewhere, she pricked her finger and dropped the garment from her hand. She slipped her finger into her mouth.
“Take care.” Madame Vinier pulled the dress from Cosette’s lap. “I shouldn’t have told you about the audition until you finished your work. Go. I’ll give you more time to practice, before you ruin the queen’s dress. Go.”