It was set on a large street that offered ample room for carriages to drop off their passengers and return at the end of the evening to retrieve them. In 1782, the theater was opened by Queen Marie Antoinette and in 1784, The Marriage of Figaro by Beaumarchais was premiered before the queen and court.
The theater room included an orchestra pit, benches for the audience and several tiers for the spectators, decorated in plush red and gold with a circular ceiling above them.
Jean Pierre was a great lover of music who had begun taking Sophie to concerts as a small child, and she had developed an equal love of it. There were many great composers that he admired and Handel was one of them. Water Music was being played with all three suites so it promised to be an interesting evening.
Immediately Jean Pierre excused himself to speak to several of his colleagues while Eugenie joined an older couple that she was familiar with. Sophie was joined by Lizette.
“Sophie, that gown is absolutely stunning,” Lizette said sincerely. The candlelight reflected the copper hue of the dress and Sophie’s hair seemed to be a flame in the light.
Lizette wore a cream and pink silk gown that complemented her complexion and showed much of her bosom. Her brown eyes danced as she looked about the room. She unfurled the fan that was tied at her wrist and waved it in front of her face.
“Thank you, Lizette. That color suits you very well,” Sophie complimented her friend. “Pink is absolutely your color.”
“Merci,” Lizette sighed. “Let us get some champagne. The crush of people has made it so hot in here.”
There was a heavy throng of people as the two women moved towards the refreshment table for a glass of champagne. Sophie looked for Madame Necker and her daughter as she thought they might attend the evening’s entertainment, but did not see them. Madame Necker seemed refined and educated and would surely enjoy the finest music of the day.
She was pushed lightly against one elderly gentleman in the press of people and apologized to him. Seeing the beauty before him he smiled back and the line progressed. A minute ticked by and the line moved slowly. She saw Lizette making her way more quickly to the front of another line and was glad of it. She was pressed again into the gentleman and again apologized to him, almost embarrassed.
“There is such a crush here,” she said over her shoulder smiling to him but not seeing him.
“Yes, Mademoiselle Sophie. There is.” The man spoke intimately to her, his lips almost brushing her ear before she whirled around on him.
“Monsieur Fairfax.” She spat the words out more than said them.
Sebastian had been tasked with getting champagne for his friends. When he had stepped in line he was delighted to spot Sophie ahead of him and was transfixed with her loveliness. The copper gown suited her perfectly and the scooped neckline was maddening. He would give much to run his fingers along that neckline and even lower.
He watched Sophie’s face and hazel eyes as she spoke and could tell she wanted nothing to do with him. That was such a shame, he felt. He had already decided he wanted her.
The line surged forward and pressed Sebastian into Sophie. She bit her lip in angry retort. It wasn’t his fault, but his closeness was disconcerting.
“Mademoiselle. Excuse me,” he said, apologizing while smiling. His hands had reached out to steady himself, touching her arms.
“Sophie, I have our drinks.” Lizette spoke, several people away from them. She had been successful in achieving their desired goal.
“Thank god!” Sophie muttered and tried to extricate herself from Sebastian’s hands. “Please release me.”
“I wasn’t holding you,” he leaned forward and whispered to her. But this time his tongue touched the outer shell of her ear and it caused little goose pimples down her arms.
Sophie moved back, outraged. Her mouth opened a little and Sebastian seriously contemplated pulling her into his arms for one moment and tasting those lush lips again. After that, he would pull down all that gorgeous auburn hair and bury his face in it.
He could tell she was outraged by the way her breasts moved above the neckline and the blush that crept over her lovely cheeks. This wasn’t one of Juliette’s girls who would do what he asked for the right coin. She was an innocent, well-bred woman; however, none of that made any difference. She would be his.
Sophie pulled away from Sebastian and caught up with Lizette, who was holding two glasses of champagne. She took her glass from Lizette and downed the bubbly drink in one gulp.
When she turned around, she saw Sebastian smiling at her. Bastard, she thought.
“Who was that?” Lizette asked as they walked to their private box.