Chapter 9: The Journey Home

The final day of school at L'École des Jeunes Dames was a whirlwind of farewells and excitement. Charlotte, her heart brimming with anticipation, couldn't wait to reunite with Louis and begin their journey back to the Château de la Lumière. As the bell rang for the last time, she gathered her belongings and met Louis at the school gates.

Louis smiled warmly, taking her hand. "Ready to go home, Charlotte?"

"More than ever," she replied, her eyes shining with joy.

They walked to the village station, where the train awaited to take them on their journey. As they boarded, Charlotte's happiness was momentarily dampened when she saw Rosalie Lambert, accompanied by her maid, stepping onto the train as well.

Rosalie's eyes lit up when she spotted Louis. "Oh, Louis! What a surprise to see you here," she exclaimed, making her way towards them.

Louis, ever courteous, nodded. "Hello, Rosalie. It's good to see you."

Charlotte forced a smile, feeling a pang of irritation. "Rosalie," she acknowledged, her tone polite but cool.

The train began to move, and Charlotte settled into her seat beside Louis. Rosalie, however, seemed determined to stay close, finding every opportunity to engage Louis in conversation. She leaned in, her hand brushing his arm as she spoke, her laughter ringing out at his every word.

"Louis, you simply must tell me more about your time in Sweden," Rosalie cooed, her eyes fixed on him.

Louis, polite as ever, responded with patience. "It was quite an experience, Rosalie. The landscapes are breathtaking, and the culture is fascinating."

Charlotte's patience wore thin as she watched Rosalie's blatant attempts to monopolize her brother's attention. Determined to address the situation, Charlotte stood up.

"Rosalie, could I speak with you for a moment? Outside?" she asked, her voice steady.

Rosalie looked surprised but nodded, following Charlotte out of the compartment and into the narrow hallway of the train.

"What is it, Charlotte?" Rosalie asked, her tone cautious.

Charlotte took a deep breath. "I need to know what you want with my brother."

Rosalie's expression softened, and she looked down, her cheeks flushing. "Charlotte, I'm in love with Louis. I can't help it. I just want to be near him."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed. "And you think I should just let you take up all his time? He's here to spend the summer with me."

Rosalie's eyes pleaded. "Please, Charlotte. Can't we both spend time with him? I promise I won't get in the way."

Anger flared within Charlotte. "This summer is supposed to be special for Louis and me. I won't let you ruin it."

The tension between the two girls escalated. In their heated exchange, neither noticed the swaying of the train until it was too late. The train lurched, and both girls lost their balance. With a startled cry, they tumbled out of the open door, rolling down a grassy embankment as the train sped away.

They lay still on the grass, unconscious, their dresses torn and dirtied from the fall.

Back on the train, Louis grew increasingly worried when he noticed Charlotte and Rosalie's prolonged absence. However, he stayed on the train, unaware of the accident.

On the grass, Charlotte slowly regained consciousness, groaning softly as she opened her eyes. She saw Rosalie nearby, also beginning to stir.

"Rosalie," Charlotte called weakly, crawling over to her.

Rosalie blinked, her eyes focusing on Charlotte. "What... what happened?"

"We fell off the train," Charlotte replied, wincing as she sat up. "Are you okay?"

Rosalie's expression darkened as she stood up, brushing dirt from her dress. "This is all your fault, Charlotte! If you hadn't dragged me out here, we wouldn't have fallen!"

Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise. "My fault? You were the one clinging to my brother the entire time!"

Rosalie's face flushed with anger. "I have every right to talk to Louis! You were the one who got jealous and dragged me out here!"

The two girls glared at each other, the tension between them boiling over. Despite the argument, they both knew they had to find their way back. Reluctantly, they began their trek towards the train tracks, their shared ordeal creating a temporary truce out of necessity.

As they walked, Charlotte couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and frustration. She had only wanted to protect her time with Louis, but now, it seemed she had only made things worse. The summer ahead promised to be anything but dull, and as they trudged along the tracks, they both silently hoped Louis would find them soon.

For now, their priority was to reunite with Louis and make their way back to the Château de la Lumière, hoping the rest of the journey would be less eventful than this tumultuous start.