Chapter 5
The last chapter ended with Maria thinking she was the Beast and Anatole was the Beauty would see past her exterior, truly love her, and be rewarded with her fortune. Meanwhile, her poor French companion, Mademoiselle Amelie Bourienne thought she was in Cinderella and Anatole was the handsome prince who would recognise that she was so much more lovely and deserving than a rich Russian heiress and pluck her from obscurity. Meanwhile, Anatole was thinking about marrying Maria and having an affair with Amelie. He falls asleep immediately, happy with his world, while everyone else lies awake.
Maria is thinking of how kind Anatole is, in awe of the idea that he will be her husband. She gets spooked, becomes convince that a devil in sitting in the corner and calls for a maid to sleep in her room. Amelie is walking up and down the conservatory, practicing imaginary conversations. Lise - Prince Andrew's wife - is finding her bed uncomfortable, which might have something to do with her pregnancy, and definitely has something to do with being reminded of when she was young and light and free and not growing a new person while her husband plays soldiers. Meanwhile, Prince Nicholas is angrily pacing up and down, feeling insulted on his daughter's behalf. He's mad that she was so eager to leave him that she dressed herself up and acted in a way unlike herself, especially when Anatole was clearly making eyes at Amelie. He's going to get rid of her. I hope he also gets rid of Anatole. He thinks his daughter has no pride, and is offended that she doesn't at least have pride on his behalf.
The next day, Maria goes to her father's study as usual, and Anatole and Amelie meet in the conservatory, being in unspoken agreement as far as the first act of their romance (but not the part where he marries someone else for money). Prince Nicholas tells Maria of Anatole's proposal. He starts off trying to be nice but quickly loses his temper, and, to be far, I don't think he's ever held it for more than a minute at a time before. Maria knows that her father doesn't approve, but also realises that this is a moment to decide her fate. She begins to explain that she wishes to follow her father's will, but if she did express her own desire....Prince Nicholas predicts her answer, and spells Anatole's plan out to her - that he will marry Maria for money, but keep Amelie as his lover. He takes it back when he sees she's close to tears and tells her he was only joking, and she has the right to choose since her life's happiness rests on the decision. He knows she'll pray over it, but he hopes she'll think as well. He gives her an hour.
Maria wanders off, glad that she can choose to marry Anatole, but still hurt by her father's claims about Amelie. She wanders into the conservatory, and is only roused from her own thoughts when she hears Amelie's voice. She turns a corner and catches them embracing. Amelie screams, presumably in embarrassment, and runs away. When Tikhon - basically the butler - goes to fetch Maria for her answer, he finds her comforting Amelie, who is sobbing and apologising. Maria tells her that she loves Amelie more than ever and that she understands. I really hope she's about to tell Anatole to fuck off.
Both Prince Vasili and Prince Nicholas are waiting for her answer. Prince Vasili repeats the proposal, with lots of flowery compliments. Prince Nicholas demands a yes or no answer, and also shouts that he reserves the right to state his own opinion.
SHE SAYS HER DESIRE IS TO NEVER LEAVE HER FATHER OR MARRY!
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I do type these posts in real time as I read. Sometimes I'll scroll back up and edit, if I realise I've mixed two characters up or spelt a name wrong, but otherwise it's just a stream of real-time consciousness.
Prince Vasili begs for just a little bit of hope, and Maria insists that she will never be Anatole's wife. I like her so much more now. Prince Nicholas announces that he is pleased to have seen Vasili and embraces him, which is perhaps the most diplomatic thing I've seen him do in the whole book. He wants this money-grubbing man out of his house.
Maria keeps talking, and says she will do everything she can to arrange Amelie's happiness, since she's accepted her own fate as the ugly spinster daughter. She outright states that if Anatole is not rich she will make him so and for god's sake Maria, shut the fuck up.
The chapter ends there, before we can see Vasili's reaction.
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