“What did they do?” I asked quickly.
“They were all looking at something on the bench, passing it between them.”
“The crown?”
“No. It sparkled but it wasn’t gold enough; a necklace perhaps.”
“Go on.”
“Princess Élisa’s scarf slipped off her arms and fell on the floor. The man with the frogged coat bent down and picked it up. He shook it and gave it back to her.”
“Where was the other equerry?”
“Beside the bench. They all talked and laughed together.”
“Did he stay still when the other man was picking up the scarf?”
“Yes…” The lad’s face suddenly changed and he frowned.
“What is it? What have you remembered?” Fournier asked.
“Someone moved.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I caught a flash out of the corner of my eye, but when I looked, nothing seemed to be different.”
“You may have imagined it,” I suggested and the boy nodded.
“I’m not certain.”
“Robart, let us go through this again. Where was the crown from the last time you held it in your hand?”
“It was on the bench when I went to fetch the key. I am sure it was there when the Princesses came into the room. I never looked at it when I brought the jewel cases to Christophe and after that, I am not sure...”
“And when you returned to the bench?” I prompted him.
“I was concentrating on what I was doing, trying to keep them all happy. I didn’t look. Oh how I wish I had!” The man’s voice was shaking with his distress.
“Did none of these three people mention the crown to you?”
“No one said a word, I swear it! That’s right isn’t it?” Robart swung round to his colleagues.
“Robart’s right, Citizen,” Christophe growled, “not one of them said anything about the crown and neither did we. We would have heard if they had.”
“Odd. If they had seen it, surely they would have mentioned it.”
“I agree but they did not.”
Fournier looked at me and I nodded. This was another point to be investigated later on, preferably with the men individually. I continued,
“At the end of the Princess’s visit, Robart, you locked their jewel cases in the safe?”
“I did. I took Princess Élisa’s and collected the other two from Christophe. I put them all away before I showed the party out. I remember making a little joke about it, saying that you could never be too careful about leaving things lying around.”
“But you did not lock the crown away?”
“I never thought about it, perhaps because I left it on the far end of the bench and I would have had to fetch its case from the safe. I should have, of course. I must be getting old and forgetful.”
“You fool Robart!” Margueritte muttered.
“A fool indeed, Monsieur, I admit, but who would ever imagine such a thing could happen with the Emperor’s sisters in the room.”
“When you had shown the party out, what did you do next?”
“I returned to the workshop to continue my work. That’s when I remembered the crown. I went to look for it, to lock it away, but the crown wasn’t there.”
“And then?”
“I asked Christophe and Jacques if they had moved it. They both said that they hadn’t. Then all three of us began to search. The crown isn’t small. It’s impossible for it to fall into a crack or roll under something, like an earring. We searched everywhere, but we found nothing and then the Patron returned.”
I looked enquiringly at Margueritte, who answered,
“I also searched. When it was obvious that the crown wasn’t here in the workshop, I asked everyone to strip off their garments which they did. The crown was not on their persons. At that point I went to the Police. With a theft of such importance, Monsieur Réal took me in to tell my tale to the minister himself.” The man’s hand twitched and I had a sudden humorous thought that he wanted to cross himself. I couldn’t say that I blamed him. Fouché has that effect on some people. It is as if they are confronting the Evil One himself.
“I would like to thank you all for your help,” I said.
“What happens next, Monsieur?”
“We must find the crown in time for the coronation. Don’t leave Paris. If you remember anything else, come and tell us. Monsieur Margueritte, for obvious reasons, I must send one of our agents to stay with you while this matter is under investigation. He will not know exactly why he is here, only that a theft has occurred. I would be grateful if none of you would enlighten him any further. Your premises and those of your employees will have to be searched again by our men. I regret the necessity but it cannot be helped. I’m sure you understand. In the meanwhile, I suggest that you get on with your work. I will return if I have any more questions to ask you. Perhaps I might even be in the happy position to be able to tell you that the crown has been found.”
“Please God; may it be the latter, Monsieur,” Margueritte said, to which I mentally added Amen.
Chapter 5
8 Frimaire, Year XIII
(Thursday, November 29, 1804)
Fournier and I went to the Rose as soon as we finished at Margueritte’s. I wanted an opportunity to discuss what we had found out and what we needed to do as a result. One of us would have to go back to the jeweller’s and question the women. None of them had been present when the crown went missing, but they might have seen something unusual either before or afterwards. We had not been talking very long when Lefebvre came in. We had a bottle of wine on the table in front of us but Fournier called for another as soon as he saw Lefebvre.
“Not enough left for three and I need it to help me put my thoughts in order,” he explained.
“Any luck?” I asked Lefebvre.
“Not the faintest hint of a whisper,” he replied. “I spoke to everyone I knew and found out absolutely nothing. I didn’t press too hard, of course, in case I gave the game away. The usual types don’t want to chance getting caught, with Paris in such ferment.”
“Someone was willing to take the risk, though,” Fournier said dryly. “Not like you to fail.”
“I haven’t yet. I’ve set it about that I’ll pay well for information if anything unusual comes on the market. If it does, then someone will tell me about it.”
“Sure of that?”
Lefebvre nodded. “What about you two?”
Fournier told him our story while I sat sipping my well-watered wine, deep in thought.
“What are you frowning about?” Lefebvre asked me.
“All the things that need to be done.”
“As I see it,” Fournier interjected, “there are several leads to be followed up.”
“And they are?”
Fournier grinned. When I was learning the trade of a Police agent, he was one of my mentors, along with Gilbert, my deceased father-in-law. Every night they used to grill me about the witnesses we had spoken to and what we had seen. Now I was using their own methods against him.
“Several odd things were mentioned,” he said, turning over his pages of notes. “Why did Madame de Herlay’s servant, Simon, ask Margueritte to visit his mistress when she did not want to see him? That’s suspicious for a start.”
I nodded. Fournier counted on his fingers.
“Two. Did the apprentice, Jacques, simply make a mistake or did he lie about Simon’s visit? Did Simon invent the whole thing and if so, why? Is there any connection between Simon and Jacques, outside their work?”
“Agreed. Those things must be checked.”
“Three. Jacques told us he spotted some movement around Robart’s workbench. He was the only one who did.”
“He said the Princess and the equerries were handling a piece of jewellery. A necklace he thought. Another thing to find out about.”
“Four. Christophe was definitely uneasy. I wonder why?”
“Perhaps h
e has secrets he does not want us to unearth.”
“Maybe he does, but at this moment we have no time for any minor peccadilloes.”
“Five. The equerries, Dupré and Saint Victor. Do we know anything about them?”
“I don’t,” I said.
“Dupré? Alexandre Dupré?” Lefebvre asked, looking up and setting down his beaker with a snap.
“Not sure of his Christian name. Do you know him?”
“If he’s the same man, he owes money to a couple of friends of mine.”
“Who are these friends?”
“Better for you not to know. Let’s just say they lend cash to men with gambling debts. Not men to take liberties with. They hurt their enemies.”
“So we need to find out if this is the same Dupré.”
“You will or Fournier. I don’t mix in such exalted circles. I’ll find out what I can about the apprentice and Madame de Herlay’s servant. You two stick to the aristos.”
“All the witnesses are potential suspects, to be questioned further.”
“Ah, but which of us gets to question the Princesses?” Fournier asked slyly. I had just taken a sip of wine and I choked. The wine went straight up my nose. It was some time before I could even breathe again, never mind speak. Both Lefebvre and Fournier enjoyed themselves thumping me on the back and there was nothing I could do about it.
“It has to be done,” Fournier pointed out when I had partly recovered, “and by you, Duval, rather than me. You’re young and not too bad to look at. You’ll have an easier time, especially with Pauline. She’ll take the pants off any young man as soon as talk to him or so they say.”
“I’m a happily married man,” I protested.
“So what?” Lefebvre laughed at me.
“You go, Lefebvre, you’re the only one of us not married.”
“I’d go like a shot,” Lefebvre replied, with a grin. “Pauline’s a pretty enough wench for a night or two, except she doesn’t treat people like me kindly any more. She’s gone up in the world, thanks to her brother. No more of the canaille for her. We don’t smell dainty enough. I’d never reach her. Once I opened my mouth her lackeys would show me the door.”
“Don’t be so stupid.”
“I’m not. You’ll get more out of that floozy than I will, that’s for sure.”
“The Princesses will all have to be questioned,” Fournier said, bringing us back to the subject at hand. “You can talk pretty enough when you want to, Alain. Not like Jean and me. Your accent isn’t from the slums of Paris. That’ll intrigue her, since she’s a foreigner herself. At the very least the sisters are witnesses to what happened and may remember something different from the workmen. For example, we must ask them about the incident with the scarf.”
“That might have been a diversion,” Lefebvre said slowly, “to distract people from what else was happening in the room.”
“Possibly,” I said thoughtfully. “Right, let’s divide the jobs up. Lefebvre will question Jacques and Simon. He will also find out more about this Dupré through his mysterious friends. Fournier, can you find out whether Robart has any debts?” I asked him.
“I’ll also question the equerries if you like,” Fournier offered. “They’re less exalted than the sisters, so they might talk to me. If not, you can try your boyish charm on them.”
I hooted at that then said, “Find out which of them wore the frogged coat that Jacques described. Afterwards go back and speak to the women at Margueritte’s. It is long odds, but they may have seen something and it has to be done.”
“We must also find out why Christophe and Jacques were so nervous. Lefebvre?”
“I’ll try. This lot will take a while though. Don’t expect the information instantly.”
“Do I ever? I realise how you work by now.”
“What are you going to do while we’re slaving, Soldier?” Lefebvre demanded. “Clench your teeth and brave the wrath of the imperial ladies?”
I nodded. “I am, since you two are fighting shy on me. First of all, though, I’m going home as I said before, to tell Eugénie not to expect me back for a few days. I need to pick up some different clothes too.”
“What’s wrong with the ones you’re wearing?”
“Not elegant enough for palaces or warm enough to walk the streets in this weather. People talk more freely if you wear the right sort of costume.” I patted my stomach which has been getting a bit bigger than it used to be. “Just hope I can still fit into my wedding coat. I’ve been eating too much of Eugénie’s cooking.”
My friends laughed and then Fournier said, “Get permission to question the Princesses first, Duval. They aren’t exactly our usual type of suspects.”
“I intend to. I’ll go back to the Ministry and see Fouché.”
“He’ll love that,” Lefebvre said. “Glad it’s you not me that has to face him.”
We left the tavern and hurried off to get started on our different tasks.
Eugénie was at home when I returned. She was sitting by the fire, working on her embroidery with the help of the flickering light of a branch of candles. She put it down when she saw me and rubbed her eyes.
“You will ruin your eyesight like that,” I said as I kissed her.
“It can’t be helped. This must be finished this afternoon, so it can be attached to the dress.”
“What is it?” I looked curiously at the band of heavy white satin covered with flowers and golden bees, the new imperial emblem.
“A sash for Princess Hortense. We all took sewing home and I can’t go to sleep until it’s finished.”
“I wish you didn’t have to work for Leroy. That man’s a slave driver.”
“Only when something important is happening. How many coronations will we see in our lifetime?”
“This is the last one I hope,” I said fervently.
Leroy is the finest dressmaker in Paris. All the court ladies buy their dresses from him. Eugénie has worked for him for years, although she rarely goes into the shop now, ever since our daughter, Marie-Aimée, was born. Most of her sewing is done at home, which she prefers and so do I, although it does not pay as well.
She smiled as she got up to serve my meal. “I agree with you, but it’s exciting for all that and I’m glad to play a small part in it, even though it’s exhausting.”
“Is the baby in bed?”
“Go and take a look at her while I get your lunch.”
I tiptoed into the bedroom and sat down by the cot. Aimée was cuddled up on her side, making soft snorting noises. She didn’t stir when I bent down and kissed her cheek.
“What have you both been doing today?” I asked Eugénie as I sat down at the table. “She looks tired out and so do you.”
“I took some work back to Leroy’s and then we went to see the workmen putting up the decorations in the streets this morning. We stayed out longer than we should have done, I suppose.”
Eugénie set a bowl of stew and some fresh bread in front of me. She sat down and picked up her sewing again. I ate silently for a while but, although Eugenie is a good cook, I had little appetite that night. I soon pushed it away. She looked surprised as well she might. It is rare for me to reject anything she has made.
“What’s the matter with you?” she asked. “Something’s worrying you. Tell me. You always do so in the end.”
“Fouché’s given me a new case. It’s important and time is very short.” I rose and went over to the wardrobe. I pulled out my best clothes, the black velvet jacket I got married in, a frilled shirt and breeches.
“Whatever do you want those for?” Eugenie asked.
“I’m going to visit the Emperor’s family. I might have more success questioning them if I dress for court.”
“Heavens. Who are you going to see?”
“The Emperor’s sisters.”
Eugénie stared at me then she took the coat out of my hands and began to brush it down.
“Those harpies. Be careful how you speak to th
em, Alain. They’re nervous and excitable women. They take offence easily, and misunderstand what you say, especially Caroline.”
“Do you know them then?”
“I met them often at Leroy’s when I was still working in the shop. Occasionally I modelled their dresses. I’m the same size as two of them, worse luck, so I couldn’t avoid it. Caroline’s tongue is sharp and Maman has a word to describe women like Pauline.”
“No need to tell me, I can guess. What about Élisa?”
“Not as pretty as the other two but far more intelligent. She’s like Napoléon in that. She might have risen high in her own right if she had been a man. I pity her.”
“Oh, why?”
“It must be galling to see others given interesting or important work just because they’re men. Especially if you would be able to do their jobs so much better than they can.”
“Do you like her?”
“I don’t like any of them, but Élisa’s the most civil to speak to. Watch out for Pauline, Alain.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you; I don’t trust her.” She brushed my hair away so she could kiss my forehead. “You’re rather handsome.”
“Only to you.”
“Rubbish. All the women make eyes at you but you never notice them, thank God.”
“Do they? I only ever look at you.” I caught her to me and gave her a hearty kiss. “I’ll be careful, I promise you.”
By this time, I had scrambled into my shirt and breeches. Eugénie helped me into my jacket, which seemed to have become a little tight under the arms, but not as badly as I feared. She smoothed the material over my shoulders. I forced my feet into my best shoes and Eugénie flicked them over with a duster.
“It’s possible I won’t be home for several days, Chérie. This case has to be finished before the coronation. Do you need any money?”
“I’ve enough.” She nodded to the small box where we kept what little we had left after the rent was taken out. I picked it up and shook it. Coins rattled. I looked at Eugénie. There seemed to be more than there should have been.
“Leroy paid me,” she explained. “He was afraid if he didn’t, we’d work slowly so none of the clothes would be ready on the big day.”
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