by Stella Riley
Since Francis and William needed to be made as comfortable as possible and their prisoner had to be kept secure, it was agreed that Jem would drive the coach while Cyrano joined the others inside it. Ashley mounted Mr Cardale’s roan and rode alongside.
By the time they got as far as Louviers, Will was improving but Francis showed signs of incipient fever. This, as far as Ashley was concerned, dictated another night’s rest while they found an apothecary who could supply them with some Peruvian bark and also treat Francis’s wound more efficiently than they’d been able to do themselves.
Francis, inevitably, argued.
‘I’ll live,’ he insisted. ‘And, if we press on, we can be back in Paris by tonight.’
‘Another day won’t make any difference,’ said Ashley. ‘And having made Pauline a promise, I intend to do my best to keep it.’
And so they lingered in Louviers for a further night; the fifth that they’d been away. Cyrano and Jem played dice and Sir William watched Colonel Peverell meticulously avoiding any contact with the captive Major.
By dawn on the following day, Francis’s condition had improved and they took to the road again in high hopes of seeing Paris by mid-afternoon. While they stopped to change horses, Ashley issued his final instructions.
‘When we’re nearing the city, I’ll ride ahead and warn Hyde that we’re bringing the chief assassin in for questioning. Jem … take Francis home before you follow me to the Louvre. With luck, Pauline will be there to take care of him and he’ll be able to tell her that you and I will be back as soon as possible. Cyrano … blindfold the Major as soon as we enter Paris. I don’t want him knowing where we live.’ Finally, he looked at Sir William. ‘How you explain your involvement in all this to Hyde and the King is up to you. Unless it’s unavoidable, none of us will contradict you.’
‘Oh – I’ll make a clean breast of it,’ came the resigned reply. ‘In truth, there’s little alternative f I’m to continue working in the shadows.’ He paused and then added, ‘I don’t suppose I can persuade you to join me there? You would be so very good at it.’
‘Thank you. I already dislike myself quite enough without that. But I wish you luck. I imagine you’ll need it.’
* * *
In the Rue des Rosiers, Sunday – the sixth day of Francis and Ashley’s absence – dragged by on leaden feet. With neither rehearsal nor a performance to distract them, Pauline and Athenais wandered the house like lost souls, nerves churning with an anxiety that they were beyond discussing.
It was Pauline who saw the mud-spattered carriage draw to a halt outside the house. For a moment, she hardly dared hope … then Jem jumped down from the box and she knew.
Shouting, ‘Athenais! They’re here. Oh God, they’re finally here!’ she flew into the hall and threw open the door to the street. Then, virtually tumbling down the steps, she looked into Francis’s face and gave an involuntary sob of relief.
He smiled at her and stepped from the coach to catch her in his good arm.
‘Do you know,’ he murmured, ‘that I’m indescribably happy to see you, too?’
Athenais arrived on the scene, scanned the occupants of the carriage and then, ignoring even the stranger with a blindfold round his eyes, said urgently, ‘Francis – where’s Ashley?’
‘He went directly to the Louvre and will be home later, once Jem has joined him and delivered our … guest.’ He turned to Cyrano and said, ‘It may not have been undiluted pleasure – but it’s certainly been a privilege. Visit us when you have the time.’
‘I’ll do that.’ The Frenchman glanced briefly at Pauline, now clutching Francis’s coat as if she’d never let go and, with a grin, added, ‘But for now, you shouldn’t keep your lady waiting.’
As the coach rolled away, leaving Athenais staring after it, Pauline drew Francis into the house, saying tersely, ‘You’re hurt and you look terrible.’
‘I daresay. But it’s nothing that won’t mend.’
‘The Colonel said he’d send you home in one piece,’ she complained, steering him to the kitchen in order to determine what needed to be done.
‘And he has,’ said Francis, sitting down with a sigh of relief and trying to unlace his coat with one hand. ‘We took another nights’ rest because he didn’t consider me fit to travel. More to the point, he put his own body between me and that fellow you saw in the carriage. So --’
‘He did what?’ Athenais stood in the doorway, her face pale and set.
‘He’s all right,’ said Francis quickly. ‘A few cuts and bruises … and, like me, in dire need of a bath. But he’s perfectly fine and will be back soon so you can see for yourself.’ He didn’t add that, since that night on the quayside, a blanket of reserve had settled over Ashley or that he himself hadn’t tried to penetrate it. If Ashley came home still not comfortable in his own skin, Athenais would see it fast enough. So, abandoning his attempt to unfasten his coat, he turned to Pauline and said, ‘Give me a hand with this, will you? I caught a blade in the same place as at Worcester and it aches like the devil.’
Wordlessly, Pauline finished the task for him and helped him out of his coat. She didn’t know whether she wanted to pour vitriol over his head or smother him with kisses; but, because practicality was called for, she did neither. She merely moved on to his shirt and calmly set about removing it.
Finally realising that she was de trop, Athenais stopped hovering in the doorway and went back to watching the street from the parlour window. Something didn’t feel right. But until Ashley walked through the door, she wouldn’t know what it was.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Pauline unwrapped Francis’s arm and took stock of the damage. Then, keeping her tone perfectly matter-of-fact, she said, ‘This isn’t good.’
‘I know.’
‘There may be some injury to the muscle. And the scar’s going to be a lot worse than it was before.’
‘I know that too.’ Reaching up, he brushed away a tear he knew she was unaware of having shed. ‘Will you mind?’
‘What?’ She stared at him. Then, ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I won’t …’ She stopped, recognising the trap. ‘Oh. Very clever.’
‘Not particularly.’ He smiled and drew her down beside him in order to kiss her, slowly and thoroughly. ‘I’ve come back safe … and I’m more or less in one piece … so I account my promise fulfilled. How do we stand with regard to yours?’
Pauline drew an unsteady breath and laid her cheek against his so that she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes. ‘As I recall, there was some stipulation about you being of the same mind?’
‘There was – and I am. If anything, even more so than before.’ Francis slid away from her to drop on one knee at her feet. Taking both of her hands in his, he said softly, ‘Look at me.’ And when, with reluctance, she had done so, ‘I love you. And I believe that you love me.’
‘You know I do.’
‘Yes. I do know it. And so you’ll marry me.’ His smile gathered a hint of teasing laughter. ‘You’ll notice that I’m not asking this time. I think we’ve gone beyond that. You made me a promise … and I’m calling it in. But, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d very much like to hear you say the words.’
She shook her head helplessly. She couldn’t resist him in this mood and he knew she couldn’t. So, as evenly as she was able, she said, ‘Then yes, Francis. I’ll marry you.’
He bent to place a kiss in each of her palms and then rose to sweep her back into the curve of his good arm. ‘Thank you. I’ll do my damnedest to make sure you never regret it.’
* * *
The rest of the afternoon wore by still with no sign of Ashley or Jem. Since carrying water upstairs wasn’t feasible, Francis took a bath in the kitchen and, when he was finished, Athenais set more water to heat so that Ashley could do the same when he came home. If he came home. She was beginning to wonder whether the English King had found him some other labour to perform. In the end and purely for something to do, she retreated to her bedch
amber and changed into the new gown which had been delivered the previous day and at which she hadn’t so far even bothered to look.
It was of silver-grey brocade and it left her shoulders virtually bare. At any other time, she’d have enjoyed the feel of it against her skin and spent time admiring herself in the mirror. Now, she merely pinned up her hair, decided that the dress looked well enough and thought only of returning to her vantage point in the parlour.
She was half-way down the stairs when the front door opened and Ashley walked in, closely followed by Jem. Joy, relief and sheer love washed through her, flooding her heart and stopping her breath for a moment. Then, just as she was about to go skimming down the stairs and into his arms, something stopped her. The set of his shoulders spoke of weariness; the way he threw his hat at the table, of something else entirely. She froze, her fingers tightening hard on the bannister and waited. Jem said something she couldn’t hear and received a short, hard negative. She frowned a little, feeling suddenly uncertain and aware that, thanks to her grey gown blending into the shadows, he hadn’t yet seen her. Then, forcing herself not to hurry, she continued down the stairs.
Ashley turned and looked at her. She watched him straighten his back and summon a smile. A smile she felt fairly sure meant absolutely nothing. Then he said, ‘I don’t know whether to begin by apologising for my tardiness or by telling you how beautiful you look.’
Taking the final step into the hall, she heard herself say, ‘Or then again, you could begin by explaining why you found it necessary to lie to me?’
His jaw tightened. ‘I thought it was for the best.’
‘And of course you always know what that is?’
‘No. But it was well-intentioned.’ He swung round to face Jem. ‘Can you --?’
Mr Barker flung up one hand.
‘Don’t mind me,’ he said, half-way between caution and amusement. ‘I’m off to the Chien Rouge. That blasted Frenchman owes me a mug or two of ale and a fresh pair of dice.’
He disappeared back the way he had come, leaving Ashley and Athenais staring wordlessly at one another. Finally, Ashley said distantly, ‘I’m sorry I deceived you. But if you’ve anything further to say on the subject, do you think it might wait until I’ve bathed and changed?’
Athenais advanced to within two steps of him, thinking, It can wait forever, if you like. I don’t know why I said it at all when the only thing I really want to do is hold you very tight and tell you how glad I am you’re safe. But, sensing the invisible wall about him, she said, ‘The bath is in the kitchen. I’ve put water to heat and left towels and a clean shirt out for you. It’s Suzon’s day off, so you can be assured of privacy.’
‘Thank you.’ There was a moment of uncharacteristic hesitation before he said, ‘I’m sorry. I realise you must have been worried but I need … I just need a few minutes. If that would be acceptable?’
‘Perfectly.’ She gritted her teeth against both the pain in her chest and the urge to splinter his infernal courtesy so that he’d tell her what was wrong. ‘I’m happy to see you safe – so nothing else matters very much. But later, if you feel like talking, I’ll be in the parlour.’
And she walked away from him before he could reply.
~ * * ~ * * ~
SIXTEEN
Ashley reclined in a welcome tub of hot water and attempted to dispel the fury that was still raging inside him. He couldn’t believe what Hyde had asked him to do. Worse still, he couldn’t believe that the man had tried to force the issue, arguing with him until he’d finally lost his temper. At some point during the outburst that had followed, the King had walked into the room and asked what was going on. Briefly and without much attempt at civility, Ashley had told him. And then, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, realised that – although, unlike Hyde, Charles was prepared to take no for an answer – His Majesty clearly seemed to think he was the right man for the job. At which point, he’d walked out before he said something completely unforgivable.
Well, he’d refused and would go on refusing – though they’d be stupid if they asked again. Or would they? Perhaps what seemed so incredible to him was less so to other people. Francis, for example, had looked at him differently since Honfleur … because, just for a moment, Francis had thought him capable of killing an unconscious man. Well, in a sense, that had been the point, hadn’t it? Convincing the unconscious man’s brother he’d do it without a single qualm? He’d just never thought that Francis would swallow it too. And the fact that he had said that Ashley had come further down this road than he realised; that he’d become the kind of man Hyde would ask to – no. He shut the thought down. The matter was closed so there was no reason to think of it again. And he needed to let it go before he made an even bigger mess of his homecoming than he had so far.
He washed his hair, tipped jug after jug of water over his head and started to feel marginally better. Then he set about scrubbing away several days’ worth of sweat and dirt. By the time he had finished, the water had cooled and his temper along with it. He hauled himself from the bath, dried himself off and got dressed. He emptied the water away in the yard and replaced the bath on its hook in the scullery. Then, before he thought about food or drink, he went in search of Athenais.
She was sitting in the parlour, her back ramrod straight, studying a script but she looked up as he entered the room, her eyes wide and searching. Belatedly discovering that he had no idea what to say, Ashley made a small, indeterminate gesture with one hand and waited for her to speak first.
Athenais didn’t know what to say either. She only knew that he looked tense and uncertain; as if he thought anything he said might be wrong. And it was more than she could bear. Tossing the script away, she flew across the room to throw herself against his chest. His arms wrapped tight about her, he pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. For a moment or two, they held each other in silence, wanting nothing but the reality of being together. But eventually, Ashley said unevenly, ‘For the last two days I’ve thought about little except the prospect of coming back to you. Of seeing your smile and being able to put my arms around you, if only for a moment. I wanted it so badly … yet was still stupid enough to let other matters get in the way when the time came. I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be.’ Lifting her head to look up at him, Athenais stemmed the flow of words with a finger placed lightly against his lips. ‘You’re here now and may hold me for as long as you wish. You could even kiss me – though it’s dispiriting that I always have to ask.’
‘You don’t. I just didn’t want to … presume.’ And he possessed her mouth slowly and sweetly but with a hunger he couldn’t quite hide.
Athenais gave a long sigh and slid her fingers up into his still-damp hair. She melted into him, offering everything she had and rejoicing when he allowed the kiss to deepen into something hot and gloriously seductive. His hands stroked her back and anticipation stirred in her body. Then, with a tiny groan, he pulled back and said, ‘God, I’ve missed you.’
‘Good.’ She waited and when he showed no sign of continuing where he’d left off, drew him to sit beside her on the sofa. ‘Pauline told me the truth. Eventually. Was it very bad?’
‘Honfleur? No.’ He kept his arms around her and rested his chin on her hair. ‘It didn’t quite go as expected … but no. It wasn’t bad.’ None of us died. ‘Francis got the worst of it.’
‘He’ll be fine in a week or two. And Pauline has said she’ll marry him.’
‘Has she? It’s an ill-wind, then.’
‘Yes.’ Athenais turned her head so that she could look at him. ‘So if it’s not what happened at Honfleur … what is it?’
He moved then but she didn’t let him pull away. ‘What is what?’
‘What’s wrong? I know there’s something. I knew it as soon as I saw you. So tell me.’
He shook his head in instinctive denial. ‘I can’t.’
‘Can’t – or won’t? You’ve invited, encouraged and somet
imes pushed me into confiding in you … so take your own advice and trust me.’ She smiled again and stroked the hair back from his face. ‘Something happened at the Louvre, didn’t it? What?’
Ashley could feel himself drowning in those beautiful storm-grey eyes and tried to pull back. He didn’t want to tell her. He really didn’t. On the other hand, perhaps she had a right to know to what depths other men thought he had sunk. He said abruptly, ‘We sent a Commonwealth agent back from Louviers and brought the chief assassin with us from Honfleur. Hyde has them both under lock and key, pending interrogation. He’s learned precious little from the first man and is determined to do better with the second. So he wants me to conduct the … interrogation.’
For a moment Athenais looked faintly baffled. Then, her gaze widened and she said, ‘He wants … you’re saying he asked you to torture them?’
‘Oh – only if absolutely necessary,’ returned Ashley aridly. ‘He was very clear on that point. Unfortunately, he was equally clear about ‘making them talk by any means available’.’ He paused and looked away from her, as disgust welled up afresh. ‘He thinks because I’ve sometimes had to kill people – men who were always in a position to fight back – that I’m bloody Torquemada.’
‘I imagine you’ll have told him that you’re not.’
‘I tried. I said no. Several times and rather forcefully. But --’
‘But what? He can’t make you do it, can he?’
‘No.’
She could still see trouble clouding his eyes and said, ‘So what else is worrying you?’