VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, [7], 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:03:22 10/28/08 Tue
Author: Hannah
Author Host/IP: port189.dialup.bfree.on.ca / 66.207.116.189
Subject: Northern Woods, Chapter 160 *The REAL One
In reply to: Hannah 's message, "Northern Woods, Chapter 160" on 21:00:37 10/28/08 Tue

Chapter 160

Gabrielle wandered back into the ballroom after her conversation with Chuck and silently sat down next to Robert.

“Where have you been?” he inquired quietly. “You’ve missed all the excitement.”

“If by ‘excitement’ you mean Madame Samuelle being assaulted, then yes I missed the main event, but I saw the aftermath.” Gabrielle replied cryptically.

“Aftermath?” Robert echoed in confusion.

“I was coming back into the room when Madame Samuelle left after she was attacked.” Gabrielle clarified. “I followed her to the restroom and talked to her for a few minutes.”

“You did?” an agog Robert replied as he stared at his date in amazement. ‘Trust Gabrielle to somehow acquire an exclusive without even trying! I just hope she didn’t do.. or say the wrong thing!’

“Yeah.” Gabrielle responded softly. “I was wrong about her Robert. She’s not a gold-digging Anglais social climber.”

“And how did you come to that conclusion?” Robert replied as he tried to suppress an amused smile.

“Her reactions. People will let out what they really are under stress, won’t they?” Gabrielle realized out loud.

“Yes, I suppose they will. I hadn’t ever really thought about it before.” Robert admitted as he considered the idea. “What did she say?”

“It’s more like what she didn’t say. She didn’t say one word about that lovely red dress being ruined. Not one! Most women would have, Robert! It’s a designer dress! I’d *freak* if I had a dress like that and someone threw wine all over it.” Gabrielle said quietly. “In fact, she brushed off it’s destruction as inconsequential.”

“Really?” Robert said with a smile. ‘I knew it! I was right about her!’

“Oui.” Gabrielle reluctantly admitted. “She said she liked the dress, but she loved her husband and all she worried about was if he’d be disappointed if this ends the party. She really loves him… it’s so obvious. I’m ashamed of my earlier assumptions. You were right. I was being unfair *and* unprofessional.”

“I see.” Robert commented. “So she was calm, was she?”

“No, she cried.” Gabrielle reluctantly revealed. “and I hugged her.”

“She cried?” he inquired. “Why?”

“She was upset because she thinks all the plans he made for tonight have been ruined.”

“What else did she say?” Robert prodded gently.

“She thought the women who attacked her were really showing how little they thought of him and she thought when he realized that, he’d be hurt. She didn’t seem to think what happened to her mattered.” Gabrielle explained.

Robert’s brow rose and his grin widened. ‘I was right… she is a nice lady! She’s not like the rest of the tramps here!’ “So you hugged her?”

“I couldn’t help it; she seemed so vulnerable, you know?” Gabrielle said defensively, as if admitting to feelings of tenderness was a crime. “She was trying so hard not to cry and I realized she was just a young girl in a fancy dress.”

Robert valiantly suppressed his grin and gently inquired further. “And did she go to change?”

“Yes, but she went to her friend’s room with her.” Gabrielle replied.

“Her friend?” Robert inquired curiously. “She has a friend here?”

“Oui. You must have noticed her Robert. She’s a gorgeous black lady and she’s wearing a stunning green dress.” Gabrielle replied.

“Now that you mention it, I did notice her.” Robert replied, quietly encouraging his date to continue with her story.

“Nikita… Madame Samuelle refused to go to their room to change because she thought his five year old son would be upset by what happened to her.” Gabrielle continued.

“I see.” Robert replied. ‘Oh Gabrielle… it’s good to see you *humbled* for once. I so dislike your *arrogant* side! What *is* it with reporters anyway? They think of their stories as *art*… *not* as words that affect other people! I’m glad you’ve had a some-what eye opening experience Gabrielle… otherwise you might have written something that would have hurt that lady. The thing is… you’d never get it if you had… and regretting something like that after the fact is never good enough. Words are a powerful thing… and they hurt. I hope you’ll never learn that first hand!’

“She’s been attacked and all she thought about was her family… not herself. I don’t know if I could do that, you know?”

Robert grinned. Everything he was learning about this lady tended to support his earlier assumptions. He was pleased that Gabrielle was finally learning what he’d instinctively known was the truth as soon as he’d seen Monsieur Samuelle’s bride.

“So you think she’s okay now, do you?” Robert asked as his grin grew.

“I’m not sure yet… but I think she’s a lot better than most of the snobs here tonight.” Gabrielle conceded. “You were right earlier Robert.”

“About what specifically?” Robert inquired. ‘It sounds to me that I was right about a lot of things I said to Gabrielle earlier, but I’d better not point that out right now.’

His date’s next response surprised him.

“Everything… all of it. Do you remember asking me how I would feel if I married an Anglais and moved to Toronto?” Gabrielle answered.

“I remember.” Robert said quietly. ‘Incredible! She’s changed her entire outlook about Madame Samuelle after talking to her just once! That must have been *some* conversation!’

“I wouldn’t want to be treated the way she was, and I’d certainly be scared if I received *this* kind of treatment… and couldn’t speak any English. I have no doubt that any thinking citizen of Montreal will feel the same too. That’s going to be the basis of my story, and I don’t care if Louis thinks it’s maudlin or not.”

“I think it’s going to be a very good story.” Robert replied quietly, impressed with her determination.

‘Finally… she’s talking like a decent person and not a hardened member of the press!’ Robert thought in relief. ‘I can’t stand writers when they get that cynical! I like her a lot more like this.’

“I hope so.” Gabrielle replied quietly.

“I know it will.” Robert replied.

“Merci Robert.” Gabrielle responded quietly.

“You’re welcome.” The photographer responded quietly. “May I ask one favour when you’re finished?”

“Sure.” Gabrielle replied.

“I’d like the honour of reading what you’re going to submit to Louis before you do.” Robert explained.

“Why?” a surprised Gabrielle asked.

“Humour me, okay?” Robert replied mysteriously.

“Sure, why not?” Gabrielle retorted. “It’s possible that you could be the *only* one to read what I write. Louis might put anything I write in the same place he put my *last* story!”

“Gabrielle, did you see the officer over there?” Robert inquired, attempting to quell what he saw as impending melancholy over her story with a distraction. He couldn’t fault her fears that Louis would respond to it in the same way he had to her last journalistic endeavour. It was possible.

“So…” Gabrielle replied, perking up considerably as she observed the handsome man in blue who was quietly interviewing various couples, “Michel Samuelle is having that redheaded witch arrested?”

“It seems so.” Robert replied as he readied his camera for what he knew would be an onslaught of great shots. “I’m just not sure she’s aware of that yet. The fireworks when she does should be interesting, don’t you agree?”

“Oh yeah.” Gabrielle breathed excitedly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gabrielle was still grinning from ear to ear when the dark-suited security man tapped her gently on the shoulder.

“Mademoiselle Langlois?” a quiet male voice inquired from behind.

“Oui?” Gabrielle replied as she looked up at the handsome man standing slightly behind her right shoulder.

“I’m with security Mademoiselle. Monsieur Samuelle would like to speak to you privately.” the man in the black suit replied quietly.

“He would?” she asked, delighted at this turn of events.

“Oui.” Joseph Gagne softly replied. “Follow me s’il vous plait.”

“Of course.” Gabrielle replied, winking at Robert, who grinned back at his date appreciatively.

‘She’s getting an exclusive handed to her!’ he thought; impressed at his date’s good fortune. ‘Louis won’t be able to say she pushed the issue either because it was Samuelle’s idea!’

“I’ll be back soon Robert.”

“Of course.” Robert said. “Take your time.”

Ten minutes earlier a delighted Gabrielle had watched as Claire was arrested and led out of the room by the attractive police officer. Her accompanying protests and those of her family were drowned out by the rest of the designer clad assemblage applauding politely. It was a rare moment of irony when ‘society’ turned on itself and Gabrielle savoured it in revenge on the beautiful blonde’s behalf. She also observed Michel’s security men escort the blustering Veronique Dansereau off the premises, and no one else, not even her parents had protested.

As soon as Gabrielle left their table, Robert quickly positioned himself in the thick of things, snapping shots not only of the departing women, but the reactions of their contemporaries as well.

As he captured the dismayed, vehemently protesting faces of the haughty socialites The Express’ photographer’s delight solidified with the realization that tomorrow’s newspapers would be read with trepidation and well deserved embarrassment.

‘What’s that old saying?’ Robert thought as he immersed himself in his assignment. ‘*What comes around, goes around?* How many of these witches delighted in publicly embarrassing people at social occasions in the past just for the sport of it? Too many that *I* witnessed! I’m sorry, but I do *not* feel sorry for people like that! They’re getting what they deserve and they only have themselves to blame! If they’d treated Madame Samuelle with the respect she deserves earlier, none of this would be happening!’

After the two women departed, Chuck appealed to the stunned assemblage to quietly take their seats and partake in a beverage. Michel, he promised, would be back soon.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.