In Guards We Trust

by Siegfried Walther

  Chapter 32 – An enemy within

  Jason headed for the crypt on his own to allow him to open the secret passage without anyone seeing how he was able to do so. He then returned to the vestibule where some of the marines and royal guards were assembled. Jason led ten marines into the crypt and along the three quarter mile secret passage to the palace. Once they reached the palace end of the tunnel, Jason set off to open the door leading from the staircase above the subterranean passage into one of the quieter, less utilised palace foyers. He checked for any French guards along the passageways they intended to use, and on finding none, he returned to his men.

  ‘That staircase leads to the top floor. I want all of you to make your way there. Check for guards along the way and for any guards on the top floor. I doubt you will find many guards on the upper levels of the palace. If you find any and can eliminate them quietly, then do so. The prince’s art studios and some libraries are located on the top floor. Find a suitable place to hide yourselves and the others who will shortly follow. While you do that I will try to locate the Queen if I can. In twenty minutes or so I want one of you to wait for me at the palace end of the tunnel so that I can find out what you have learnt. One of you must then constantly remain at the palace end of the tunnel to direct the new arrivals from the tunnel to the top floor. Do not panic if there is a long interval between arrivals. From daybreak on, we will have to proceed with care and I expect the going to be slow. If you are discovered, and you cannot dispose of the enemy quietly, you must do your best to take control of the palace and, if possible, open the palace gates.’

  ‘When do you expect to launch the bid for control of the palace, your majesty?’ Captain Detoro inquired.

  ‘For now, the plan is to have a few of the cannons located in the fortifications in the forest moved out of the forest, through the lagoon and onto the beach. That will take a few hours. They will be aimed in the direction of Montuga. At noon, we will fire volley after volley in the direction of Montuga. We want Napoleon to think that the Montugan fleet is launching an invasion on the beach. With any luck, Napoleon will order some of his infantry and cavalry from the palace to the forest to assist his artillery to prevent such an invasion. Listen out for the cannon and wait to hear whether any French troop movements follow. As soon as the French cavalry or their infantry depart, and if we have sufficient numbers to deal with those who remain, that will be the time to make a bid for the control of the palace.’

  Jason made his way to the kitchen area at the back of the palace. He removed his jacket and hid it behind a large square flower pot located in the passage he was traversing. He hoped to find some kitchen apparel which might serve as a disguise if he was spotted. A lone chef was making preparations for breakfast in the kitchen. He gasped as he spotted the king.

  ‘Do you have another apron and a hat for me?’ the king asked.

  ‘Yes of course your majesty.’ The flabbergasted man rushed out of the kitchen into an adjoining room and returned with equal haste. ‘Put these on quickly your majesty. I expect one of the French soldiers to turn up at any minute. They watch me as I prepare the food in case I have any ideas of poisoning any of them.’

  ‘Do you know if the Queen is in the palace?’ Jason enquired as he donned the apron and headwear.

  ‘That’s perfect your majesty. I can’t imagine that anyone will expect to find a king in the kitchen dressed like that. As for the Queen, I understand that she was brought here under guard in a carriage last night. But I don’t know where they took her next. The French are wary of the palace staff. Our movements are restricted and they seem to be under orders not to speak about anything important in front of any member of staff. They have also let some of the staff go. A few staff functions have been taken over by soldiers.’ The chef stopped as the sound of two pairs of approaching boots grew louder. A French officer entered the kitchen followed by a soldier. Jason turned his back on them and proceeded with breakfast preparations while the chef engaged them.

  ‘Is there anything I can prepare for you Commander? A cup of tea or something to eat maybe? I have some tea brewing.’

  ‘We’ll both have tea and some porridge. We’re in a hurry so we will have it here.’ The officer’s voice sounded as familiar as his face appeared.

  ‘Who is that man?’ the officer enquired impatiently.

  ‘He is the junior chef, Commander. He returned to the palace yesterday afternoon after being granted leave to attend his father’s funeral.’

  ‘I was not informed that any staff member was permitted to enter the palace yesterday afternoon,’ Du Pont replied. ‘Turn around. What is your name?’ Jason turned to face Du Pont.

  ‘I am Jean-Pierre La Mercy,’ Jason replied in French. It was fortunate that his French had improved since his involvement with the royal family. Du Pont studied him carefully.

  ‘I seldom forget a face,’ he eventually declared. ‘Where do I know you from?’

  ‘I have worked here for five years. Have you been a guest at the palace before?’

  ‘No. I have not. I am sure I have seen you or met you somewhere before,’ Du Pont said slowly as his forehead creased. ‘It will come to me shortly. I am sure.’

  ‘Will our passenger be having anything sir?’

  Jason welcomed the soldier’s interruption of Du Pont’s train of thought.

  ‘No. She can eat when she gets there.’

  Jason could not help wondering whether this conversation possibly related to Renate.’

  ‘Forgive me, Commander. But she is pregnant. Should we not at least let her have some water?’

  It was Renate, Jason concluded. He tried to maintain his composure.

  ‘Have you taken a shine to her?’ Du Pont asked in a mocking tone of voice.

  ‘Not at all. She’s pregnant. I would not want anything to happen to her or to the child.’

  ‘She’s pregnant. Not ill. But if it bothers you so…,’ Du Pont did not complete his sentence. ‘You!’ he said to Jason. ‘Get a glass of water and a glass of milk and take both to the lady in the carriage standing at the bottom of the main stairs in front of the palace. Wait for her to choose what she wants and return when she is finished. You are not to speak to her!’ Jason did not need to be asked twice. He wasted no time in making his way down the central passage leading to the main entrance of the palace. One of the two main doors was ajar and he slipped through them and exited the palace. He tried not to drop the glasses as he made his way down the main stairs. He was dismayed to see that two mounted French soldiers were positioned in front of the carriage and another two were waiting behind the carriage. Jason informed the soldiers about Du Pont’s orders and they gestured that he could continue. Jason opened the carriage door. Renate was sitting in the far corner with her head against the side panel. She was staring into the distance. Her face looked tired and drawn.

  ‘Begging your pardon, majesty.’ Jason’s voice garnered an instant reaction from Renate. The brief look of joy on her face was replaced by one of fear.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Renate’s whisper did not disguise her concern. ‘You will be captured if you don’t leave.’ Jason stood on the step and handed the milk and the water to Renate. She drank a little of both.

  ‘I am in Montuga with the marines, some French royalists and we have been joined by some royal guards who managed to avoid the French since their arrival. We are going to sneak as many as possible into the palace so that we can re-take it.’

  ‘This is madness. The place is crawling with French soldiers. Is Ruan with you?’

  After Jason explained that Ruan was safely aboard the Phoenix he asked: ‘Do you know where they are taking you to?’

  ‘I overheard someone say that they wanted to take me to France on one of the merchant ships. I think they abandoned that idea when someone mentioned that the Montugan fleet may be preparing to block access to and from Monte Vista. I don’t know where they want to take me now. Maybe the female prison near the ha
rbour. There is a medical ward which can deliver the baby which is due soon.’

  ‘I wish I could grab you know and make a run for the tunnel. I doubt I’d be able to get too far, and even if I could, it would only serve to warn the French that we have arrived.’

  ‘First take back the kingdom. Come for me as soon afterwards as you can.’

  ‘I so want to kiss you,’ Jason mentioned.

  ‘Don’t even try to put your head in the carriage. They will shoot first and ask questions later if they think something untoward is happening.’ As she spoke Renate handed both glasses to Jason. Their hands touched momentarily. The sensation immediately reminded him of the first time he had touched her hand.

  ‘I remember it too!’ Renate whispered after she saw Jason’s wistful smile.

  ‘I love you,’ Jason responded.

  ‘I love you too darling. Hurry to me as soon as you can.’

  Jason reluctantly alighted from the stair and he closed the carriage door slowly. As the door was about to close Renate’s brave face began to give way to tears. Jason knew that he might not see his wife again and a similar realisation seemed to dawn on Renate.

  As Jason walked down the main passage of the palace with the two glasses he noticed Du Pont and the soldier at the other end of the passage. As the distance between them narrowed Jason detected something which threatened to prompt Du Pont’s memory and give him away. A recessed alcove along the passage contained a large painting of himself and the Queen. He readied himself to drop what remained of the milk on the carpet if he determined that a distraction was called for. They eventually passed each other right in front of the painting. Fortunately Du Pont focused squarely on Jason’s face in an apparently less than subtle last ditch attempt to jog his uncooperative memory. The soldier focused briefly on the contents of the two glasses. Seemingly satisfied, the latter turned to look directly ahead. Jason allowed himself a deep breath.

  Jason made his way back to the passage containing the flower pot. He traded the apron and the chef’s hat for the jacket he had hidden earlier. He then hurried down two flights of stairs which lead to the entrance to the tunnel. One of his men awaited his arrival. ‘The men are on the top floor of the palace. There are a few rooms which are not in use at present. We think we could hide about two hundred men or more men there. We did not encounter any soldiers,’ the soldier reported.

  ‘Good. Wait here for the next dozen or so to arrive. You know what to do when they get here.’ With that, Jason vanished into the tunnel. Along the way he kept a lookout for the ventilation shafts the duke had mentioned. Although he did not spot any shafts, he was encouraged to discover the slightest of drafts in three places along the passage. He concluded that the passage had been designed for only a few people at a time. The marines and the royal guards were sent down the passage at timed intervals to eliminate any risk of suffocation.

  The Bishops reported that some non-uniformed royal guards had begun to arrive in the gardens behind the Cathedral. As expected, none of them were armed.

  ‘Is you majesty aware that the building next door which used to house the Cathedral Guards has an armoury in its basement?’

  ‘No your reverence. Surely there cannot be many firearms there? There were only about two dozen or so cathedral guards.’

  ‘One would have thought so your majesty but the ways of the church can sometimes be nearly as mysterious as those of our good Lord. There are at least three hundred muskets there and no shortage of ammunition. We have reason to believe that the armed masked riders who came out in support of the protestors a few years ago were former Cathedral guards acting on the instruction of the Cardinal.’

  ‘That devious old man was capable of anything,’ Jason exclaimed. ‘I cannot say I am surprised. I remember the night he tried to assume control of the kingdom on the grounds that the treaty no longer applied. I formed the impression then that the cardinal would not be above mobilising an army of his own if he deemed that the circumstances required it. I am sure there was no shortage of republicans who would have answered any call to arms by the Cardinal.’ He changed the subject. ‘Is the Cathedral Guardhouse being used for anything at the moment?’

  ‘No your majesty. Shall we make it available to the non-uniformed royal guards as a temporary barracks?’

  ‘Yes. Make sure that the palace cannot observe any activity. Is there a rear entrance?’

  ‘There is a back entrance which leads to and from the Cathedral gardens. The palace will not see anything.’

  ‘Excellent. Whatever you do, do not tell any of these royal guards about the troops gathered in the High Cathedral. I do not know whether all the guards can be trusted. I want them to know as little as possible for now. Don’t forget to unlock the armoury once everyone is inside.’

  ‘It is already done, your majesty. I have also taken the liberty of placing a sign on the Cathedral doors which indicates that the Cathedral will be closed for three days to permit the Bishops to attend a conference in Rome. Since the invasion, a number of French patrols have stopped and entered the Cathedral at times. Some are curious. Others have come for confession and so on. The note will avoid any suspicion if the Cathedral doors remain closed.’

  Jason entered the rear entrance of the Cathedral Guardhouse soon after being told that the non-uniformed royal guards were now all gathered there.

  He entered a large mess hall in which over a hundred men had gathered. Some were seated whilst others were huddled in small groups. They were all so engaged in conversation that none of them noticed him. Various theories were advanced as to how the king might return to Montuga. One of the junior officers eventually noticed Jason. He did not acknowledge the king. Instead he turned to the men.

  ‘You are all wrong,’ the officer announced loudly. Silence descended upon the room. ‘The king will not enter the kingdom by any of the methods you are suggesting.’ All eyes in the room were on the officer.

  ‘Why is that, Captain?’ one asked.

  ‘Because the king is already here.’ The Captain turned to face Jason. ‘Your majesty,’ he said as he bowed. As the shocked men realised that the king was in their presence they bowed and then cheered in delight. The king raised his finger to his lips to silence everyone.

  ‘I thank you all for your warm welcome. However, I would ask that you remain as quiet as possible. We do not wish to alert any passing French patrols. Does anyone know how many of you there are?’

  ‘About two hundred and eighty at last count, your majesty,’ the officer responded. As he saw the disappointment in the king’s face he continued. ‘There are another five hundred royal guards spread throughout the kingdom. We only alerted those whose loyalty to your majesty is beyond question. I am sure that if push comes to shove, most of the others will choose to fight for your majesty rather than for the French.’

  ‘Excellent,’ replied Jason.

  ‘Of course, there is the matter of the oath we were all obliged to take, your majesty. Most of us will only fight for you once this is no longer France. An oath sworn with one hand on the bible is not something any of us take lightly.’

  ‘I understand and respect that,’ Jason said. He explained that each of the former guards would only be required to act after the Montugan royal ensign flew from the palace. He then briefed a few of the junior officers about the details of what the royal guards would be required to do. He was careful to say nothing about the role of the marines, the royalists or the small party of royal guards who were gathered in the Cathedral.

  Jason made a point of greeting as many of the men in person as he could. Although none of these guards had uniforms, most of them had been issued with muskets and supplies from the armoury in the basement. After Jason had provided the unarmed guards with their orders, he left Guardhouse and disappeared into the Cathedral’s gardens. He re-entered the Cathedral through a rear door not visible from the guardhouse. He did not want any royal guard whose loyalty had possibly shifted to have any idea about the
men gathered in the Church.

  The Marquis d’Artois pointed his telescope in the direction of the sea. He scanned the horizon to see if he could spot one of the Montugan warships in the distance. Nothing had been heard from the king and his fleet since they had departed for Toulon. A few rumours that the fleet had been spotted a few miles off the Montugan coast were in circulation. None could be confirmed. And yet, the rumours persisted. Napoleon joined the Marquis.

  ‘I take it that it is your son that you miss and not the Montugan navy,’ Napoleon inquired.

  ‘I was indeed thinking about my son. I wish that he were here and not on board the Phoenix.’

  ‘What will you do if your son leads an attack on this Palace?’

  ‘It is my wish that my oath to you and to France never comes into conflict with my love for my son.’

  ‘I understand that. But what if you are faced with such a choice,’ Napoleon enquired. The Marquis hesitated and looked away.

  ‘I would not be able to kill my son under any circumstances.’

  ‘I am surprised you find it so easy to be so honest about how you would break your oath to me.’

  ‘Maybe it is because I believe that loyalty cannot easily be detached from the truth. Sometimes loyalty demands that the truth be revealed.’

  Napoleon nodded without replying. The Marquis realised that Napoleon’s silences had an unpredictability about them which was unnerving. Napoleon’s words and his actions were usually unequivocal and certain. In contrast, his silences were much like a cloak behind which anything could be concealed. Despite this, the Marquis marvelled at the extent to which he was inexplicably drawn to this exceptional and charismatic man. Napoleon’s outright condemnation of the manner in which the Marquis and his family had been treated by the French republicans had deeply impressed him. The Marquis was surprised to realise that Napoleon was evidentlya far more capable and wise head of state than King Louis XVI had ever been.

  At half past eleven Jason received word through the tunnel that, despite one or two close calls, around three hundred and twenty armed soldiers had managed to enter the palace through the tunnel. They were now in waiting in different rooms on the palace’s third floor.

  At twelve o’clock the distinctive sound of distant but intense canon fire could be heard throughout Monte Vista and within the palace. The Marquis joined Napoleon and two senior cavalry officers on the palace balcony. Napoleon looked pleased with himself.

  ‘I knew that the king would attempt a landing on the beach at Montuga. That is why I insisted that our artillerymen captured the hidden fortifications the Montugans built in the forest. The last thing the king will expect is to be bombarded by his own hidden cannon emplacements.’ The canon fire continued. No one spoke for a while. ‘You seem deep in thought. What is on your mind?’ Napoleon stared intently at the Marquis.

  ‘Before I comment, may I ask whether your commanders ordered any changes to the positioning of the canons? Or is the plan to operate the cannon from the positions in which they were found?’

  ‘My officers left the canon as they were found of course. Why should this matter?’

  ‘One of the flanks of the beach is not covered by any of the canons.’

  ‘Which flank?’ A dark expression clouded Napoleon’s face.

  ‘The eastern flank.’

  ‘That is absurd,’ one of the cavalry officers countered. ‘Why would anyone do something so outrageous? An artillery advantage like that is not something one would wish to squander.’ Still the canon fire continued. Volley followed upon volley. The cavalry officer glanced at Napoleon expectantly.

  ‘Leaving a narrow corridor uncovered would serve to cater for a situation like the one we have now. A situation where one’s batteries fall into enemy hands,’ Napoleon explained. ‘Troops can be landed into a narrow corridor at night. Even if discovered, the corridor can be used to safely by-pass the artillery line before the cannons can be moved to cover the corridor. The entire line of artillery can then easily be neutralised by an attack from the rear or from the flanks.’

  ‘We have provided the fortifications with fifty additional men to cover their rear,’ the Cavalry officer assured Napoleon.

  ‘Fifty men would be adequate if you know where the channel is. However, there are six fortified positions along the length of the beach. I doubt that fifty men spread out to cover the rear of six spread out batteries is enough to prevent a concentrated advance through a safe corridor if the attackers move quickly.’ The two cavalry commanders looked at each other with concern. The persistent canon fire played havoc with their imagination. It sounded as if a major battle was under way.

  Jason emerged from the staircase leading up from the subterranean passage and he stepped into the palace foyer. Philippe and seven other royal guards followed Jason as he swiftly crossed the foyer and made his way up the rear staircase leading up to the top floor. Jason convened a snap meeting of his officers as he entered the library. As they took their seats, Jason walked over to a window overlooking the main courtyard. It was awash with frenetic activity. French cavalry and infantry were preparing to depart. Jason confirmed that each officer understood the role he had allocated to each company.

  The noise from the departing cavalry carried throughout the palace.

  ‘Excellent.’ Jason declared emphatically. ‘Napoleon believes that the cannon fire emanates from the French artillery. He thinks that his artillery are trying to fight off a considerable Montugan beach invasion. He may even think that invaders have captured one or two artillery positions and some cannon. It will be a while before his cavalry discover the truth and before they are able to return to Monte Vista.’

  ‘How many cavalry do you think Napoleon sent to the Forest?’ Philippe enquired.

  ‘Between seven hundred and seven hundred and fifty.’ Jason looked at Captain Detoro who nodded. ‘I estimate that Napoleon has around two hundred and fifty cavalry and about five hundred infantry left in Monte Vista. About one hundred and twenty five of these are divided between five cannon emplacements above the harbour and the remainder are still here at the palace.’

  ‘That would be about right,’ agreed Detoro. ‘I also don’t think anyone is guarding the French flag on the palace’s main tower. I have spotted a lookout with a telescope near the flag from time to time.’ Detoro opened one of the curtains in the library to reveal a view of the tower on which the French flag was flying. ‘I do not see anyone at the top of the tower at the moment.’

  ‘Good,’ Jason declared. ‘The time for the second diversion has arrived.’ The king nodded to Captain Detoro. ‘Carry on.’ Captain Detoro departed from the library with the royal Ensign of Montuga and five men. Everyone in the library watched the tower carefully. Eventually they noticed the French flag moving slowly down the flagpole. It took a further twenty seconds before the royal Ensign proudly returned to its rightful place.

  ‘This is the signal for the royalists to leave the Cathedral,’ Jason explained. ‘Their targets are the French troops at the five batteries above the harbour. Once they are eliminated, they must hold those batteries, the rest of the city and the harbour. This will allow the Montugan fleet to return to the harbour.’

  ‘How are we going to prevent the French troops on the perimeter wall from spotting the eight hundred royalists as they head down the road towards the city?’ asked Philippe.

  ‘I don’t wish to prevent any such thing. I am counting on their being spotted.’ Jason announced. ‘There, you can see the royalists leaving the Cathedral now.’ He paused expectantly. A French bugler on the perimeter wall sounded an alert.

  ‘Is the French flag up again?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Philippe.

  ‘Good. We do not wish to alert anyone to the fact that we in the palace until more of the French troops leave it. I am sure that Napoleon will order most of his infantry and his cavalry to launch an attack on the royalists as soon as he sees them heading for the city.

  The
sound of additional bugles in the courtyard and on the palace grounds was followed by a single cannon shot fired from the perimeter wall.

  ‘The cannon short is no doubt to warn the French soldiers in the five city batteries that they are about to come under attack. I am not overly concerned about that. The royalists outnumber the French troops in the city by three to one,’ Jason could see some activity in one or two of the emplacements which were clearly visible from the palace. The cannon would be of no use to the French since the royalists would be approaching from the rear and from slightly above each battery.

  ‘The cannon shot could also be a warning about those ships,’ Philippe announced. Seven Montugan warships were now visible in the bay. They were lowering their sails. For the time being, the vessels would have to remain outside the harbour until the cannon emplacements situated above the harbour returned to Montugan control. Gunfire from within the city indicated that the French royalists and the French soldiers had engaged each other in battle.

  ‘I hope the royalists remember your warning to them that they have to be ready to deal with reinforcements from the palace in addition to possible isolated attacks from Montugan republicans.’ As he spoke, Philippe moved a curtain of one the windows overlooking the courtyard slightly. ‘They are opening the palace gates again.’

  ‘Napoleon obviously realises that his troops in the city are outnumbered. He will have to employ all his cavalry. In addition, he does not know if we have any troops on board those seven vessels. He is not to know that we have hardly any marines on board at all.’ Jason paused as they watched the horsemen picking up speed as they neared the open palace gates. The cavalry were followed by at least four hundred French infantrymen who jogged out of the palace gates in an attempt to keep up with the cavalry as best they could. ‘They are closing the gates again.’

  ‘Your majesty, I estimate that Napoleon can have no more than about one hundred and twenty men inside the palace now,’ one of his officers reported. The increasing number of gunshots from the direction of the city revealed that the royalists and the French troops located there were now heavily engaged in battle in and around the streets of Monte Vista.

  ‘Gentlemen. It is time to recapture the palace,’ Jason announced. We have a numerical advantage of two and a half to one in addition to the element of surprise.

  ‘The French cavalry have now passed the Cathedral and the old Cathedral Guardhouse. Their infantry will be there shortly. Wait for it!’ The jogging Frenchmen also passed in front of the Cathedral and the Guardhouse. ‘Any moment now, six hundred marines and two hundred and eighty royal guards will emerge from those two buildings to surprise the French infantry from the rear.

  ‘It’s already happening,’ Philippe announced. A canon fired from the perimeter walls as the French soldiers tried to warn their infantry of the danger immediately behind them. The French soldiers on the perimeter wall were so engrossed by the events unfolding near the Cathedral and lower down in the city that none of them noticed that the tricolour been replaced by the royal Ensign of Montuga. The marines and royal guards in the palace then split into four unevenly sized groups as they carried out Jason’s plan to retake control of the palace.

  Jason and thirty men headed for the Chamber of Knights and the royal balcony where they hoped to capture Napoleon, some of his officers, and the eight French guards who were apparently seized with the task of protecting Napoleon’s person. Another company of marines headed for the barracks at the rear of the palace. The remainder of Jason’s men were divided into two groups. One group would attempt to cross the courtyard to reach the entrances to the stairwells leading to the top of the perimeter walls of the palace. The last group would charge the French troops guarding the palace gates.

  Jason’s men rushed down the passage towards the Great Hall. Four French soldiers who were standing guard in front of the large doors at the Hall’s entrance froze in disbelief as Jason and his men rushed towards them with daggers in one hand and pistols in the other. Their disbelief cost them their lives. Jason and his men set upon them before they could react. The Montugans drove their daggers into the hapless French guards. As they opened the doors to the great hall they encountered the remaining four bodyguards who were standing near the front of the hall. The distance between the guards and their proposed attackers afforded the Frenchmen time to realise that they were heavily outnumbered. They dropped their muskets and their swords to the ground and raised their hands. They were taken into custody by some of Jason’s men whilst the rest of the attackers proceeded onwards and entered the Chamber of Knights.

  One French officer at the round table stared in disbelief as Jason and his men entered the chamber through the main entrance and rushed past him towards the open doors leading to the balcony. Napoleon and one of his senior officers were the only Frenchmen on the balcony. They were both preoccupied with the events playing out in their telescopes. Neither of them was aware that Jason and most of his men had reached the balcony and that they were now standing right behind them. In the chamber the dumfounded French officer remained motionless as two marines with pistols asked him to get up.

  ‘Where the hell did they come from?’ Napoleon asked. ‘There must be at least a thousand of them.’

  ‘They are splitting into two groups now,’ the officer observed. ‘One group is heading here. I imagine the other group means to attack our infantry from the rear.’ Napoleon lowered his telescope and glanced in the direction of the gates. It was then that he noticed seventy of Jason’s men running at high speed over the courtyard as they tried to reach the entrances to the stairwells at the base of the perimeter wall before they could be fired upon by the French guards located on the walkways on the top of the wall.

  ‘I will kill you in an instant if you do anything to attract the attention of your men.’ Jason announced quietly. Both French officers turned around very slowly.

  ‘Good afternoon First Consul. How kind of you to come and visit me in my little kingdom. I apologise for my not being here to greet you in person when you arrived, but I trust that you and your men were made to feel at home nonetheless.’

  The shock on Napoleon’s face was short lived. It was replaced by an expression of dismay and then by a more neutral expression.

  ‘You must be awfully surprised to see me and my men here in Montuga.’ Napoleon managed a slight smirk. ‘In Lyon you said that it would be impossible for my army to enter Montuga without the assistance of France’s Mediterranean fleet. And yet, here we all are.’

  Jason could not help admiring Napoleon’s spirited response.

  ‘Yes. But not for long,’ Jason replied as shooting broke out at the far side of the courtyard. The French guards manning the gates had become engaged in a fierce struggle with the Montugans which Jason had sent to gain control of the palace gates. After the first volley of musket fire from each side, the protagonists switched to swords and bayonets. Jason was about to rush to the assistance of his men when their numerical advantage was pressed home. The French troops on the perimeter wall became increasingly indecisive and restless. It dawned on them that the Montugan force approaching the palace expected the gates to open imminently. The sound of gunfire emanating from the city grew louder as their countrymen came under attack from several directions. Clouds of smoke rose above the city as the battle there intensified. Some of the troops on the perimeter wall glanced expectantly in the direction of the royal balcony. Their faces fell as they saw that their brilliant general was surrounded by over two dozen armed Montugan guards. The return of the royal ensign to its place on the flagpole of the main tower served to underscore their deteriorating plight. A senior officer on the perimeter wall ordered his men to lay down their arms. Moments later, Montugan marines and a few royal guards emerged onto the walkway of the perimeter wall of the palace to the cheers of others in the courtyard.

  Jason did not join in the celebrations. He focused instead on the continuing sound of gunfire coming from the
city. He also noticed that the battle for the control of the gate to the palace had cost the lives of at least a dozen royal guards and marines. The list of seriously wounded would also not be a short one. Jason ordered that Napoleon be removed from the balcony and taken to one of the palace dungeons. As two guards started to comply with his order he stopped them and walked up to Napoleon.

  ‘What have you done with the Queen?’

  ‘Commander Du Pont has orders to remove the Queen from Montuga and to take her to France on the first available vessel. We fear that she may give birth to a son who will one day lay claim to the Montugan throne. We decided that it would be best if she were detained in France and if the child was anonymously delivered to a monastery for adoption.’

  ‘I pray for your sake that no harm has come to my wife or our child. Know that any hopes you harbour of one day leaving this palace alive will depend on their safe return to me.’

  ‘How soon you forget,’ Napoleon remarked. ‘I have recently taught you a lesson about the dangers of underestimating the French army and myself. And yet, you persist in the belief that you can threaten me.’

  ‘Remove him,’ Jason ordered. He was on the verge of issuing an order for the Montugans in the palace to join the fighting in the city when the sound of the gunfire there began to fade away and eventually it ceased. The French officers in the city must have become aware that the palace had fallen and that their supreme commander was now in Montugan hands. Although the French cavalry and infantry in and around the city had fought valiantly against increasingly superior numbers, it was clear that their cause had in any event become a lost one and they all surrendered. It was too late for them to be rescued by the return of any of the French cavalry and infantry which had earlier been ordered to defend the beach.