The Silver Blade Read Free Page B

concern—’

    ‘This is ridiculous,’ interrupted the Duke. ‘I have wasted precious time waiting for - what? For you two?’ His hands were shaking. He stopped in mid-stride and by the light of the fire they could see that he was not a well man.

    ‘Have you brought the papers?’

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘Then we must leave without delay.’ He moved to ring a bell.

    Yann reached it before him.

    ‘No.’

    ‘What the—?’ The Duke turned on him. ‘I have given an order!’

    ‘No,’ repeated Yann calmly, ‘you are not in a position to give me orders. You will do what you are told; otherwise I will not be taking any of you. Do you understand me?’

    ‘I don’t want your help! I didn’t pay Cordell all that money to be insulted. Oh, mon dieu , mon dieu !’ He stopped, throwing his hands up in despair. ‘Time is of the essence. Give me the papers, sir.’

    Yann stayed where he was.

    ‘You are dismissed. I shall not require your assistance.’

    ‘It’s tempting,’ said Didier, ‘very tempting indeed.’

    ‘I will not be spoken to like this,’ said the Duke, sweat glimmering on his forehead. ‘You will respect what I say, do you hear me?’

    Yann laughed. ‘Do you think the Bluecoats will respect you when they come to arrest you? That they will bow three times and call you by your full title? No, you’ll be treated worse than a farm animal. Without our help, I can promise you, you will not make it to England.’

    ‘Are you threatening me?’

    ‘No,’ said Yann.

    ‘Cordell gave me his word that he would send only his best man to help us, a gentleman. You, sir, are no gentleman.’ The Duke stopped, overcome by a fit of coughing.

    The door of the antechamber opened and the Duchess came in with her two children. She was still a young woman, elegant in bearing and solemn in appearance. Once, no doubt, she possessed beauty; the remnants of it remained in her steady grey eyes. Cool in her troubled face, they shone with an iron will.

    Both the children had the same solemn expression as their mother. The younger, Louis, had just turned five. He had a mop of blond curls and large brown eyes, while his brother, Hugo, looked like a miniature version of the Duke.

    ‘I beg you, Raoul, calm yourself. This is going to make you ill again,’ said the Duchess, leading her husband to a sofa. Defeated, he sat next to his wife. She took his hand gently in hers. Hugo sat beside his mother while Louis leaned back on his papa’s legs, sucking his thumb.

    To break the awkward silence, Didier said, ‘If you don’t mind me saying, there’s a lot of furniture in this room.’

    ‘There are looters who steal treasures and have them smuggled to England, so we have taken the precaution of keeping our valuables up here with us,’ replied the Duchess.

    ‘We’ve been informed that the Bluecoats are in on it. There’s a certain Sergeant Berigot who runs the operation with the help of an Englishman. Anyway, what does any of it matter? It’s too late. We’ll never escape, not now,’ said the Duke miserably.

    ‘Please, young man,’ said the Duchess, turning towards Yann, ‘don’t be offended or think us ungracious. My husband has been very ill. So many terrible things have happened. Friends of ours have been arrested, their homes destroyed. Some have been executed.’

    ‘I can assure you that Monsieur Cordell knew what he was doing when he sent us. We will leave in the morning once the storm has subsided. I advise you, sir, get some rest. You are all going to need it.’

    ‘I think I should inform you that I shall not be travelling with you,’ said the Duchess.

    ‘That’s madness!’ said Didier. ‘Monsieur Cordell told us the whole family would be leaving.’

    ‘I know that’s what we said,’ replied the Duke. ‘But after a great deal of anguish we have made a decision. My wife is going to stay here and divorce me. It’s the only way we have of saving the estate.’

    Yann stood dumbfounded.