InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I R BADGER"

Jacques Belmont (jacques_belmont) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-05-17 00:20:00

Entry tags:

jacques_belmont, josephine_molyneux

Subject: This isn't the bookshop....
Where: Joséphine's Hat Shop
Who: Jacques Belmont
Warnings: None
Open to: Joséphine Molyneux

Jacques dashed around the corner, trying to keep his hat on and keep hold of his list of schoolbooks at the same time. Professors who assigned books after the first day of classes in the expectation that one would somehow get said books before class the next day and use said books to finish the essay also due the next day ought to be fired. In he name of the Supreme Being, how utterly ridiculous....

Tripping over the uneven cobblestones, Jacques stumbled into what he assumed was the bookshop. He cleared his throat and adjusted his clothes so that he looked at least somewhat like the respectable law student he considered himself to be. "Ah, excuse me?"

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a_kept_woman
2008-05-17 04:45 am UTC (link)

Joséphine cursed softly as she pricked her thumb with her sewing needle. She hated doing the brims of hats. She always stuck her fingers. It wasn't that she was poor at sewing, as a matter of fact, she prided herself on being quite good with a thread and needle, but she had such clumsy fingers sometimes, and doing the brims of hats without a thimble was a daunting task.

When someone stumbled into the shop, she almost dropped the hat she was working on in shock.

"Bonsoir, monsieur," Joséphine demurred, getting to her feet to make a quick curtsy. "Are you here for yourself or for a lady friend?"

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	jacques_belmont 2008-05-17 01:05 pm UTC (link)
	"I am... ah...." Jacques glanced around and suddenly realized that bookshops tended to have more books. And fewer hats. He flushed and ruffled his hair in embarrassment. "This... is not the bookshop." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_kept_woman
2008-05-17 05:00 pm UTC (link)

It took great strength not to laugh at the poor, flustered young man in the front of her shop. Joséphine bit the inside of her lower lip to keep from smiling too brightly at his mistake. It wasn't often someone mistook her shop for another, but she would gladly make the most of this.

"Non, monsieur," she agreed, "This is not a bookshop. Perhaps I may be of some assistance otherwise?"

Joséphine sauntered closer to her potential customers. Her fingers grazed along the tops of hats as she moved, and her expression was perfectly courteous if you ignored her eyes.

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	jacques_belmont 2008-05-17 10:16 pm UTC (link)
	Jacques ruffled his hair again, almost mortified. "I must apologize citoyenne. I was... I don't know how I managed to be in so much of a hurry I forgot where the bookshop was, but I... did somehow." He glanced down at his list. "I, ah... I am very deeply sorry for bothering you." Should he buy a hat as an apology? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_kept_woman
2008-05-18 05:29 pm UTC (link)

Joséphine shook her head. Her little bun came loose, sending a few tendrils of curly red hair down around her face. She wanted to reassure him that she was as far from offended as she could possibly be. With the political atmosphere what it was, her usual clients had been seeking safer refuges and hoarding their money. Joséphine had to admit, she was moving toward a stage of desperation she had not seen in three years.

"It is not a problem, monsieur." She smiled for him. "If it should please you, I could accompany you to the bookshop."

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	jacques_belmont 2008-05-19 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	Oh thank the Supreme Being. Jacques grinned in relief. "Oh thank you citoyenne. I must confess that I, ah... have no idea where the bookshelf is." He looked around the shop. If inanimate objects could laugh, the hats would be clutching their sides and rolling on the floor, he was sure of it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 02:21 am UTC (link)

Joséphine chuckled and then clucked her tongue, taking him by the elbow as she moved toward the door of her shop. She felt he was being awfully obtuse, and the notion that he might not be aware of her other profession gave her immense satisfaction.

She would have to work for the young gentleman. And she wanted this one. It was not often she found a young man of some wealth who seemed utterly lost in all ways. "Joséphine, monsieur, je m'appelle Joséphine."

Grinning, she slipped past him out of the shop onto the cobbled road.

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 02:35 am UTC (link)

"Euh... citoyenne Joséphine," Jacques said, with a short bow as he trailed after her, "it is a pleasure."

And... that just about exausted Jacques's store of small talk. He rather wished they had taught that in school. He could translate a page of Latin into French almost on sight, but when stuck in the company of a pretty woman he didn't know, Jacques felt compeltely blank. "Euh... have you... been working in Paris long?"

Good job Jacques. Your mother would be so proud.

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a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 02:49 am UTC (link)

Joséphine arranged her hat on her head, tucking in those loose strands of hair, before taking his arm. She could work herself and give her reputation a bit of a boost while she was out. Certainly, she wasn't wearing her best apparel, oh no, those were saved for the parties, but she was dressed far better than most shop girls in the area, and she wasn't beyond flaunting the fact.

Tilting her head to the side, she observed her new prospect and had to admit, he was a rather handsome fellow.

"Oui, I was born here. I started working in that shop when I was very young." And it certainly didn't hurt her to lie a little about her age. "Et vous? How long have you been in Paris?"

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:02 am UTC (link)

"Oh, I've lived in Paris all my life," Jacques replied, smiling. "I went to Louis-le-Grand as soon as I could read and write, and then just moved on up into the Sorbonne to study law."

He had liked Louis-le-Grand immensely. It always made him feel much happier when he thought of his old lycée. Jacques relaxed a little. "I've never been farther than Lyons, actually. Have you, ah, traveled much?" There! Smalltalk wasn't so hard!

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a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 03:10 am UTC (link)

Joséphine nodded as she listened to him speak. He was so sweet and was trying very hard to treat her like a lady, which only cemented the notion that he had no idea of her more lucrative profession. She couldn't blame him. It wasn't like she was making it too obtrusive, yet.

"A little. I have frequented Marseilles a few times as well as traveled the distance to London. I had no head for the weather there."

She leaned against his side, pressing her breasts against his arm to push them up a little more.

"Do you wish to travel more?" she asked, as if pressing her breasts against his arm was a completely common place action on the street.

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:22 am UTC (link)

Jacques glanced down at Joséphine and then suddenly into her cleavage. As nice as the view was, Jacques immediately blushed and became incredibly flustered. For all he knew, it could be perfectly normal for necklines to be that low and corsets to be that supportive. His interactions with women tended to center around his mother's friends and the women who listened to speeches at the Jacobin Club, neither of own dressed particularly conventionally.

"I, euh, it...." Words, Jacques! Use words! "I suppose. I would like to- to see England's constitutional monarchy for myself. It- I have heard food things about England from one of my schoolmates. He's in England now and he likes it. Though it- it is very cold and it rains continually, so, euh, yes, the weather isn't... very good...."

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a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 03:29 am UTC (link)

Joséphine shook her head and tutted in agreement. She pulled back a ways when his face went red, and for a brief moment, she felt horrible about the fact that they'd passed the bookshop already. He truly had no idea. Joséphine knew that, fairly well before, but to have it confirmed as it just was exhilarated her and forced her to take her next steps under careful consideration.

What she did know was she had to keep him talking.

"And what is it that you are studying, monsieur?"

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	jacques_belmont 2008-05-20 03:33 am UTC (link)
	Why was she making him speak? He had all the eloquence of a diseased ferret at the moment. However, one could not be impolite. Jacques struggled on. "Law. I study law. I, ah... taking the bar soon. I mean, I am. Taking the bar soon." Deep breaths. He glanced around. "It appears I really was lost. The bookshop wasn't even on the same street as your hatshop." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_kept_woman 2008-05-20 03:39 am UTC (link)
	Joséphine's laughter took on an airy quality as she took them into a stand still. She moved in front of him to grasp the lapels of his jacket, fingering the good quality material it was made of before grinning. "Pardon, monsieur," she demurred, trying for contrite, "But I feel I may have led you astray." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-20 03:41 am UTC (link)
	Jacques had no idea what was going on. No idea what-so-ever, and it bewildered and flustered him even more than he had been before. "Astray?" What did she mean by that? Jacques hazarded a guess. "So you... don't know where the bookshop is either?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 03:44 am UTC (link)

"Non, I--" She licked her lips and bowed her head. "I am sorry, monsieur, I was certain I knew the way. I am usually so much better at these things!"

Joséphine fidgeted, never letting go of his jacket. She would fight for him, even if it meant having to pull out all stops. He intrigued her in a way few gentlemen had in the past few months, and she was in need of a good hobby. Getting this young man to stop blushing at the sight of perfectly healthy breasts was a good start.

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:53 am UTC (link)

"Please don't feel distressed, citoyenne Joséphine," Jacques said, feeling extremely awkward. Perhaps there had been negative side-effects of being stuck in an all-male environment focused on academics from the time he was five to until he was twenty? He hoped Joséphine wouldn't cry. He didn't know how to react to tears.

Jacques, personally stumped, patted her on the hand. "It- it's an easy mistake to make."

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	a_kept_woman 2008-05-20 04:00 am UTC (link)
	"Non, non, this is not an easy mistake I--I--" She sucked in a sharp breath. Oh how easy it was to tug a man's heartstrings. Joséphine pushed herself to think of the last thing that made her cry and held onto it as she felt her eyes begin to water in distress. Tipping up her chin, Joséphine sniffled and worried her lips. "Please do not take offense, monsieur!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 04:04 am UTC (link)

"Very easy mistake," Jacques protested weakly. Oh dear. None of the women at the Jacobin Club ever cried, except to weep in joy at the vast strides made in the name of liberty. "I, euh... here."

He plunged a hand into his waistcoat pocket and, feeling horrifically awkward, dabbed at Joséphine's cheeks. He had seen that bit of staging in a tragedy of Racine's last week at the Comedie-Francaise. Jacques had to admit that it looked significantly less awkward on stage then it felt to do. "I am not offended in the slightest."

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	a_kept_woman 2008-05-20 04:07 am UTC (link)
	Joséphine nodded pitifully, leaning into the touches on her cheeks. She hoped she wouldn't need to faint for her to get him to take her home. That would be really unfortunate since it took her nearly a week to finish the hat on her head. "Perhaps...Could you take me home, monsieur? It is just down the road." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-20 04:09 am UTC (link)
	"Of course!" Jacques said, extremely relieved. Thank the Supreme Being! A sepcific clue as to how he ought to act and behave! "I am sorry to have distressed you to this point." He offered her his arm again. "Which way, citoyenne?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_kept_woman
2008-05-20 04:13 am UTC (link)

"It is not you, monsieur, I promise. I seem to have lost myself in our conversation." Joséphine nearly winced at the lie, but she had to keep him believing what he was doing was correct. It wasn't his fault, after all, that he'd mistaken her shop for the book shop instead. "We shall be following this road to its end," she instructed, sighing heavily as she rested her fingers along his forearm.

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jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 04:23 am UTC (link)

"Oh," said Jacques, quite relieved. He knew the feeling. He had once walked to the opposite end of Paris while debating over slavery with a Feuillant friend and, once they'd reached the friend's apartment, Jacques realized he had no idea where he was, or how he had gotten there.

"Never mind, citoyenne. It happens." Jacques tried to think of something else to say. "It... is a compliment to your conversational skills that we got so... absorbed we couldn't find the bookshop." He racked his brains and lamented his inability to come up with relevant small talk. "Oh, is that the building?"

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	a_kept_woman 2008-05-20 07:02 am UTC (link)
	Joséphine smirked a little at his flustered excuse to back her own. She wished idly that she could keep him around for a long while. He did make a refreshing change, and it helped that he was easy on the eyes. Nodding at his question, she slipped her hand into his. "Oui, that is the one." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-20 03:16 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh, good," Jacques said. They walked over to the building and Jacques held open the door for her. "I am sorry, citoyenne, for taking you out of your way." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_kept_woman 2008-05-22 07:35 am UTC (link)
	"I was getting ready to leave at any rate, monsieur, it is not a problem." Joséphine stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek lightly. "But I am so sorry we could not find you, your bookshop. Perhaps...I would like it very much if you would accompany me upstairs for a quick drink." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-23 02:10 pm UTC (link)
	Jacques flushed at the kiss. "Ah... that is quite alright, citoyenne. I do not drink, but, ah, thank you for it. Are you feeling well enough to get up the stairs on your own?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_kept_woman 2008-05-24 12:08 am UTC (link)
	"We shall see, won't we?" Joséphine murmured, curtsying low to the ground before stepping through the door. She debated back and forth with herself about how to keep him here, and she wasn't beyond tripping up the first step. "I do hope you find your books, monsieur." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jacques_belmont 2008-05-25 12:22 am UTC (link)
	Jacques bowed. "Thank you very much, citoyenne." He started to walk off. (Reply to this) (Parent)