His only instruction, wear orange, not her favorite color, but Colette would wear dresses of burlap if doing so captured Theodore’s heart. Our Colette spent many francs, she wouldn’t divulge the number, on pearls to decorate the crown of her auburn hair. Another unknown sum purchased a dram of rose-scented oil to draw her lover to the hollow just below her ear. His lips met the mark. Oh, what pleasure.
Theodore’s Colette, now heavy with child, wears stained cotton shifts and oversized shoes. The mistress of the house watches Colette slip in snow while fingering pearls gifted by her husband.
Up From the Ashes 
Seems that a similar fate occurred to her mother, Fantine. A good write on an awful, age-old story.
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Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Poignant study.
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Thank you
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I’m not sure whether you intended this, but I interpreted it as Theodore having stolen her pearls as well as her virtue. But that depends on whose wife is Theodore’s
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Yes, you read it correctly. Her “mistress” is Theodore’s wife and he stole Colette’s virtue as well as her pearls.
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Ah yes, the honeymoon never lasts forever. Beautiful flair in this!
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Thanks so much for reading and commenting
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I found this a little tricky to follow but the comments helped. I thought at first that Collette might have dementia and be thinking she’s a long time ago, but I get it now. Poor Colette, she should take a lesson from my protagonist this week!
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Thanks, Elmo. My husband found it tricky too, but he’d just woken up, so perhaps it is just a bit convoluted. I appreciate your input.
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A tragic air to this romance. I suspect no one ends up happy.
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No one. Thanks, Iain.
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I had to read that a few times to figure out what was going on and glad I did. The plot of many a historical romance. I mowed through them like a bowl of popcorn. Always entertaining but always so devastating for the Colettes of the world 😦 Good storytelling!
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Thank you for your input. I’m glad you reread it but am sorry for the confusion. I went back and restructured the last sentence. Can you let me know if it works? I feel like I’m cheating, but I hate to have people have to work to figure out what the heck I’m trying to say. Thanks.
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Alicia, I didn’t mean to say I was confused by it, only that because it’s intricate I had to read it a few times. No need to apologize. It’s a good story!
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Thanks so much.
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You’re very welcome.
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Dear Lish,
I had no trouble following the story line. Poor Collette. Not doubt her mistress knows exactly what happened. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you. I cheated and rewrote the last line to make the story more clear.
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That’s not cheating, Lish. It’s editing. 😉
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You are kind.
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Ah, the blindness of youth, and … perhaps … the narrow choices or their illusion. Well done.
And, I don’t like that man.
So, there. He can go wear orange.
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Thanks! And your comment made me laugh. Thank you for that.
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🙂 Laughter is always a good bonus 🙂
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This was a wonderful read, Lish! What a cad! My heart breaks for Colette… so good.
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Thank you! And thanks for the cool photo! I think I remember when you posted this on Facebook
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My pleasure. And my pleasure! 😉 Yes… I did post it there and Rochelle “stole” it 😉
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A tragic tale indeed.
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The tale will never end.
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Sounds like a situation set up by Theodore and his wife to get a child – and the pearls.
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Oh! Interesting take. Thank you
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Sad story. We are so gullible when we fall in love, aren’t we?. I liked “but Colette would wear dresses of burlap if doing so captured Theodore’s heart.” It sums up her total surrender to the allure of romantic love.
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Thank you.
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Oh, that’s cold! Excellent writing.
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Thanks very much
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Oh dear, I guess it was never going to end well for her.
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Nope! Love is blind.
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There’s more to this than the price of pearls, the price of broken hearts. Well told.
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Indeed! Thank you.
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that’s sad. it looks like she’ll be in for a long winter.
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I think she’s in for a long, not so wonderful life.
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Beautifully written, thank you for sharing!
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Thank YOU for reading.
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Every great plan has a flaw, emotion is a poor master.
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True!
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I love where you went with this photo, Alicia.
Nicely crafted and beautiful descriptive beginning.
Have a wonderful weekend … Be Safe 😷
Isadora 😎
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Thanks, Izzy! You stay safe as well.
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Brutal and superb, Alicia.
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Thank you. Stay safe.
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The irony that she would wear burlap for him if he wanted. Beautiful telling of the harsh, perennial story.
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Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
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Ooooo what an end. Poor thing didn’t quite get what she wanted. Fleeting romance while he stays in the big house with his wife I’m guessing? Well done.
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Yes, you got it right. Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe!
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Poor Colette fell victim to Theodore’s charms and is left out in the cold when he’s finished with her. Happens too often. The wife seems to possess a streak of cruelty as does her husband. Well written tale of woe.
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Thank you, Brenda.
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This is good. What we don’t do for love, eh?
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So true!
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A story that is full of life,
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Thank you
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Oh dear, another poor girl taken advantage of. Life is so cruel in many ways.
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Yep!
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