‘You may speak freely before my maid,’ said Sophie, haughtier than ever.
‘But of course, if you wish it, mademoiselle. I … er … I regret to inform you that your uncle has left a number of debts behind him. Considerable debts. I am afraid that he had been living beyond his means for some time.’
Living beyond his means? Sophie listened intently as the notaire went on:
‘Fortunately, it seems that your uncle had a significant amount of cash, in bank notes, at his apartment. Together with the proceeds from the sale of his property, it will be enough to cover his debts. But of course that means unfortunately there will be nothing left for you to inherit, mademoiselle.’ He coughed delicately. ‘Then there is also the small matter of our own account, which will need to be settled …’
‘I see,’ said Sophie. Of course it didn’t matter to her whether Miss Blaxland inherited any money or not, and in fact it probably didn’t matter much to the real Miss Blaxland either, since she was already so very well-off. But this discovery was certainly a rather interesting one. The Professor came from a wealthy family; he must have earned a good salary at the university; and he would also have been paid well for his work for the Secret Service Bureau. However had he managed to get himself into such financial difficulties?
‘Of course, your bill will be taken care of,’ she said graciously. ‘May I ask if there was anything particular which caused these debts?’
But the solicitor just shrugged. ‘I really could not say, mademoiselle.’
Sophie eyed him sceptically. She was certain he knew far more than he was admitting, but she doubted she would get much more from him on the subject. ‘I would be very grateful indeed for any more information you could give me about exactly what happened to my uncle,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘All I know is that his apartment was burgled, and that he disturbed the thieves.’
Now M. Dupont looked alarmed. ‘What happened to Professor Blaxland was a most terrible tragedy! A young lady such as yourself ought not … that is, I would not wish to upset or to offend your most delicate …’ He gulped and muttered something about ‘Such unpleasantness!’
‘But what was stolen from him? Was it valuables? If there was a sum of money found at his apartment, then I suppose the burglars did not take everything?’ Sophie pressed.
‘No – his cash-box was left in his desk. It is possible the thieves were scared away before they found it. But the police have said that his safe was left open – and empty – though what he kept inside it I am afraid I do not know.’
‘And the police are investigating?’
‘Oh, but assuredly, mademoiselle,’ M. Dupont was quick to tell her. ‘The Préfecture de Police have been most helpful and attentive. Rest assured that your uncle’s apartment is being examined thoroughly and every effort is being made to catch the culprits. If they did get away with any valuables, you may be confident the police will do their utmost to see them restored to you.’
‘Well, I should very much like to see his apartment for myself. Would you be able to arrange for me to visit?’
The solicitor gaped at her. ‘Oh no, that will not be possible, not at present. The apartment is still being studied by the police – it is the scene of a most disturbing crime.’
Sophie felt annoyance rising in her chest. ‘But what about my uncle’s personal belongings – his papers and letters and so on?’
‘You do not need to trouble yourself with such matters, mademoiselle. We will of course ensure that all personal items are safely packed and sent to your home once the police have completed their work. You may count on my full assistance in this.’
‘So you mean to say that … there is nothing for me to do?’ she asked at last.
M. Dupont looked relieved. ‘That is exactly it, mademoiselle. There is nothing for you to do! You may rest easy. Do not trouble yourself about any arrangements. If you will be kind enough to settle our account, our firm will be delighted to take care of everything. You can take your mind off these matters so unpleasant and enjoy the city. Maybe a little shopping at the Galeries Lafayette, or a promenade in the Bois de Boulogne?’
Sophie battled to keep her expression neutral. There was no sense in arguing or showing her frustration, she told herself: it was perfectly obvious that M. Dupont was not going to help her to examine the Professor’s apartment. But there was one more thing she might try.
‘What about the Sorbonne: might I see my uncle’s office there?’ Thinking of what Lil might have done, she introduced a tiny quiver into her voice. Since a businesslike approach was not working, it was time to try a different tack. ‘I should so dearly like to see where he worked, you see,’ she added, taking out a lacy handkerchief and trying an experimental little sniff. ‘Or perhaps to meet some of his colleagues?’
Now Monsieur Dupont beamed at her kindly. ‘But of course. I am sure that his colleagues would be most happy to receive you.’ He handed over a card with the address on it and made his farewells. Sophie sensed he was glad to be rid of them.
Out on the street, it was hot and bright and dusty. The road jostled with traffic: rough horse-drawn carts mingling with motor cars and carriages and omnibuses that somehow did not look at all like English ones, bearing the names of unknown places like ‘Place St Michel’ or ‘Avenue de Clichy’.
‘Well!’ said Tilly reflectively as they climbed once more into their waiting motor car. ‘That wasn’t quite what I was expecting.’
Sophie nodded. ‘I know. There wasn’t a word about the Professor’s debts in the dossier. He must have kept them a secret. If only I could have got some more information out of that infuriating man – I’m certain he knew more than he was letting on.’
‘But you can’t really blame him,’ said Tilly rationally. ‘I don’t expect he’s used to young ladies coming to his office and demanding to know about finances and the gory details of murders.’
That was true enough, but Sophie still felt spiky and cross. The leather cushions of the motor were sticky and uncomfortable, and her skin prickled under Miss Blaxland’s embellished gown, her petticoats and gloves. She felt stifled in the tight bodice and fashionably narrow ‘hobble’ skirt which only allowed her to take small, mincing steps. Being Celia Blaxland felt like it was hobbling her completely. ‘I do wonder why the Chief thought this would work,’ she mused aloud. Surely someone else could have got more out of a man like Dupont. He just isn’t going to say anything useful to a girl like Miss Blaxland.’
Tilly looked thoughtful. ‘Well, he must havehad his reasons. He obviously thought it would be the best approach. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here, would we?’
Sophie frowned. For a moment she found herself thinking of something Mr Sinclair had said to her once – it felt like a very long time ago now – on a cold January day with snow falling against the windows of Sinclair’s: ‘You showed me very clearly, Miss Taylor, that you and your friends could see things and do things that I could not.’
Perhaps that was why the Chief had sent her. Perhaps he thought Miss Blaxland would be able to find out different kinds of information – to go to different places and find out things that might otherwise be difficult to learn. Whilst the notaire had not been very helpful, perhaps there were other avenues to explore. She looked down at the card she was still holding between her fingertips:
‘Let’s try this,’ she said. Leaning forward she pushed back the partition that separated them from the driver. ‘La Sorbonne, s’il vous plâit.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
Wilderstein Castle, Arnovia
‘Quickly, Anna!’ The governess was a silhouette, standing over her in the dark. ‘We’ll pretend we’re playing a game. It will help Alex not to be frightened. It will make all this seem normal.’
‘Normal?’ Anna managed to gasp. Then the words came in a rush, so quickly that they caught in her throat. ‘How could this possibly seem normal ? You’re a spy! You’re plotting against us – working for the enemy!’ She struggled a
way, untangling herself from the bedclothes, opening her mouth to scream for help, but the governess was as fast as a snake. Before Anna had the chance to make a sound, she had pounced and pressed a hand firmly over her mouth. ‘Hush! They’ll hear us! You don’t understand. You’re in danger! Not from me – I’m here to protect you.’
She was lying. Anna knew exactly what she had seen. Panic flooded through her; she struggled and fought; but Miss Carter was too strong. In wild desperation, she bit down hard on the governess’s fingers. Miss Carter let out a cry of pain, and in that moment, Anna seized her chance to wriggle free. She made a mad dash for the door, but again the governess was too fast: she caught her and dragged her back, holding her so tightly that she couldn’t move.
‘You little beast!’ she panted. But there was something almost like admiration in her voice as she said: ‘Gosh! I’d never have thought you had it in you. You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you? Look, I’m awfully sorry but I don’t have time to explain. The longer we take the more danger you’ll be in. They’re coming for you both tonight. We have to go!’
Still holding Anna, with one hand pressed over her mouth, Miss Carter thrust the bedroom door open with an elbow, and pushed her out into the passageway. Anna kept on struggling, but Miss Carter was tall and strong, much taller and stronger than Anna. As they stumbled together along the darkened hall, she could hear Miss Carter murmuring in her ear in a low voice: ‘You’ve got this all muddled. I’m sorry I had to lock you in your room, but it simply couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t risk you giving away the whole show. Besides, I knew you’d be safe in there, as long as I had the key. If only I hadn’t been so jolly stupid! I ought to have realised it was her idea all along. She’s dragged the Count into it too of course, but I don’t think he understands the half of it.’ As Anna struggled against her still harder, she whispered: ‘I’m not a spy, Anna. Well actually, I suppose I am, but not in the way you think. I’m a British agent. I’m here to protect you.’
Anna knew that she was lying. She struggled harder, but all at once, Miss Carter stopped dragging her along, and froze. ‘They’re coming!’ she hissed, and dragged her around a corner, behind the same rusting suit of armour that Anna had hidden behind not many nights before.
It was a warm night, but Anna was shivering. Miss Carter was holding her so tightly that she couldn’t move or make a sound; the governess’s fingers were gripping into her arms like irons. In the distance, she could hear footsteps along the stone passage and the echoing sound of the Countess’s voice. She too was out of bed, in the middle of the night! Had she and the Count discovered what Miss Carter was up to? Would they be able to save her?
Then she heard the Count’s voice, a little louder: ‘But Maria, are you sure? Is this really the right thing –’
‘Of course it’s the right thing. Right for us, and more importantly, right for Arnovia,’ cut in the Countess. ‘Leopold’s a fool if he thinks he can hold out against them for much longer. Do you really want to risk throwing your lot in with the losing side? We could lose everything!’
‘Of course not, but –’
‘Besides, if Leopold has his way, you’ll be marooned here for the rest of your life – away from the Court, away from everything. Do you really want to be stuck here forever, collecting butterflies and tinkering with the workings of aeroplanes? If we do this, then you ’ll be in charge. Once Leopold steps down, they’ll make you King, Rudolf, or as good as! They’ve promised us that. Then you can govern Arnovia the way it ought to be governed. And all we have to do is hand over the children tonight.’ She paused and issued a sharp order to someone, her voice as strict and precise as when she was correcting Anna’s deportment: ‘Fetch the prince and put him in the motor. Restrain him if you must.’
‘Yes, Your Ladyship!’ came the swift reply. Anna knew that voice. It was the new footman – the one who had been standing outside her bedroom door.
‘But –’ said the Count again.
‘Oh, for pity’s sake, Rudolf ! Have some backbone. Are a couple of children really more important than the fate of your country? Sometimes I find it difficult to imagine how you ever won any of those medals.’
The Count gave a mournful yelp, rather like the noise Würstchen made when he got under someone’s feet by mistake. But the Countess had already moved on: ‘Lock the governess’s door,’ she instructed in the same curt voice. ‘I don’t want any unnecessary difficulties tonight.’
Anna heard the clunk of Miss Carter’s door being locked. She could feel the governess’s breaths, warm against her ear, a piece of her hair tickling her cheek. Then their footsteps and voices disappeared along the corridor and Anna let out a little strangled sob.
She had got it all upside down. Miss Carter had been telling the truth. She wasn’t the one plotting against Grandfather. It was the Countess who was planning to hand over Alex and Anna to his enemies, and now she was headed straight for Alex’s room in the middle of the night.
‘I’m sorry, Anna,’ whispered Miss Carter in her ear.
‘Alex!’ she managed to choke out.
‘It’s all right. He’s not there. He’s in the schoolroom waiting for us. But we should hurry.’
The schoolroom was in darkness, but Anna could see Alex straight away, looking very small and white-faced in his outdoor coat. She could hear immediately that he was struggling to breathe. ‘What’s happening?’ he managed to choke out between wheezing breaths, whilst Anna rushed over to him and rubbed his back, wishing she could do something more to help him. ‘It’s part of the plot, isn’t it?’ he demanded.
Miss Carter let out a sigh, and with it seemed to give up any notion of games and pretence. ‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘They were heading to your room. They’ll know any moment that you’re gone.’ She paced over to the window and glanced quickly out, into the darkened grounds. ‘We have to get away, but they have their people everywhere. There must be at least a dozen men out there, and they’re armed. We need a way out of the castle without being seen.’
Alex turned paler than ever, but the solution flashed into Anna’s mind at once. ‘I think I know how we can go!’ she exclaimed. ‘There’s a way through the castle cellars – a kind of secret passage that leads out into the grounds. Hardly anyone knows about it. Then we could go through the secret door in the wall on to the mountainside.’
What would happen to them after that she hadn’t the least idea, but there was no time to wonder about that now. Miss Carter nodded at once. ‘Let’s go. We’ll have to be quick, and stay very quiet. Anna, you lead the way.’
She grabbed her little attaché case, and put an arm round Alex. Then, almost before Anna could take in what was happening, the three of them were sneaking out of the schoolroom together, and hurrying through the darkened castle.
But it was a different castle now. Not the place they knew, but somewhere menacing, where voices and feet thrummed on the stone floors. In the distance, Anna heard Würstchen barking and then, much closer, something that sounded horribly like the rattle of a sword. With every moment that passed, she expected to see weapons flashing in the dark, to hear voices yelling: ‘We’ve got them! They’re trying to get away!’ Behind her, she could hear that Alex was struggling to keep quiet, his wheezing growing louder and louder. Once he paused to try and get his breath back, but Miss Carter urged him onwards at once. ‘I’m sorry, Alex. We can’t risk stopping even for a moment,’ Anna heard her whisper.
Then: ‘Anna, wait!’ came Miss Carter’s voice again, more urgently this time. ‘I can hear something.’
For a moment they all froze in the shadows outside the ballroom. Now, Anna could hear it too: the sound of soft footsteps approaching. Someone was coming closer and closer towards them. Her mouth felt horribly dry; she could hear Alex doing his best to muffle his breaths, but however hard he tried, the sound of his wheezing was loud in the dark.
‘Who’s there?’ came a tense voice.
A light flashed over them s
uddenly: Anna cringed back, expecting a cry of discovery. But instead there was silence. Karl was standing in front of them, holding up a light: Miss Carter stepped forward boldly, as though to shield them from its brightness. Karl stared at her for a long moment, in which there was no sound but Alex’s rough breaths.
‘What’s happening? What are you doing?’ Karl demanded at last.
‘I’m doing what has to be done,’ Miss Carter said. She spoke bravely, but Anna could hear a tremble in her voice. She doesn’t know if we can trust him, Anna realised with a lurch of fear. ‘I’m getting Alex and Anna safely away from here.’
Karl just stared back at her. Anna’s knees felt weak. But then Alex stepped forward and managed to wheeze out: ‘Karl, you’ll help us, won’t you?’
Karl glanced quickly behind him. Then he turned out the lamp he was carrying, plunging the passage back into darkness. ‘Your Highness, I’ll always help you,’ he said hoarsely.
‘Thank you!’ whispered Miss Carter, sounding almost as giddy with relief as Anna felt herself.
‘How will you get out?’
‘Anna says there’s a way through the cellar.’
‘The secret passage – through the trapdoor,’ Anna managed to whisper. ‘Then we’ll go out into the grounds and through the door on to the mountainside.’
‘But what then?’ asked Karl. ‘Even if you make it on to the road, they’ve got men, and motor cars. They’ll soon catch up with you.’
‘I’m not taking them on the road. I’m going over the mountain,’ said Miss Carter at once. ‘We’ll walk over the pass, and across the border to Switzerland.’
‘But Princess Anna can’t walk over the mountains, not dressed like this!’ objected Karl. ‘It’ll be cold – she doesn’t even have a coat!’
Miss Carter gaped. ‘We don’t have time to fetch coats !’ she exclaimed. ‘In case you haven’t noticed, these children are about to be kidnapped.’
Peril in Paris (Taylor and Rose Secret Agents) Page 8