His Forbidden Liaison. Joanna Maitland

no. I am afraid your friend has sunk back into insensibility. It may be some hours yet before he truly awakes.’

      ‘Then I will tend to him.’

      No! He must not! ‘I…er…There is no need, sir. Since the weather prevents my travelling onwards, I am more than happy to nurse Herr Benn. I fancy—’ she smiled at him, trying to assume the image of a simple, well-meaning female of the kind who could never be dissuaded when she knew she was doing her duty ‘—that I have rather more experience of such things than you do.’ She raised an eyebrow at him and was rewarded with a long sigh of resignation. ‘While you were out earlier, I had Guillaume bring up my things,’ she continued quickly, giving him no chance to change his mind. ‘I shall sleep here on the chaise longue where I can tend to Herr Benn if he needs me. I must tell you that I am used to such duties. I often nurse my invalid mother. And—’

      ‘Spare me the details, ma’am,’ he said gruffly. He took a step back from the bed and made her a tiny bow. ‘It is not the sort of service that I would ever have expected a stranger—even one as well trained as yourself—to provide, but since you offer so generously, I shall accept. On behalf of Herr Benn.’

      ‘It will be my pleasure to tend him,’she said simply. For it was true.

      ‘But is there nothing I can do? Have you eaten? I could watch over him while you went down to the coffee room for a meal.’

      ‘Oh, no, you—’

      ‘I may be only a mere male, ma’am, but I am quite capable of bathing a man’s brow, or calling for help if his case should be beyond my powers.’

      He was baiting her now. She must be careful not to go too far. ‘Guillaume brought up some food while you were out. He will do so again later. I shall do very well, I assure you.’

      He was trying not to smile. They both knew good manners prevented him from contradicting her. ‘I imagine that you do very well in everything you undertake, ma’am,’ he said at last.

      ‘Oh. Oh, thank you.’ She had a feeling that his compliment was sincere, even if it was double-edged. What mattered here was that she had won. Soon he would leave, and she could relax, alone to defend Herr Benn.

      He started for the door, but stopped midway, as if remembering something. He spun round. ‘But I have not had a chance to tell you what I learned in Rognac. It is not yet totally certain, but it seems that the Emperor has indeed kept his word to France, and is returning to liberate us. Wonderful news, do you not agree?’

      Marguerite was caught like a bird in lime. What was she to do, to say? He was challenging her directly now. He was openly admitting that he was a supporter of Bonaparte and challenging her to do the same, to make common cause with him. ‘Are you sure, sir?’ Her voice cracked a little on the words. When he nodded, she swallowed hard and forced herself to speak in a bright, enthusiastic voice. ‘Why, that is the most wonderful news. I had dreamed…All France had dreamed, but we never dared to hope that the day would come. The Emperor! The Emperor himself is to return to us! There will be rejoicing indeed.’

      ‘Vive l’Empereur!’ His voice was flat, but strong.

      What choice did she have? She had to protect Herr Benn. ‘Vive l’Empereur!’ she echoed.

       Chapter Five

      ‘Mr Jacques!’The hammering on the door grew louder. ‘Mr Jacques!’ It sounded like the landlord’s voice. It must be something important, for it was only just beginning to get light.

      Jack threw himself out of bed and dragged on his shirt. It had hung all night by the dying fire and was dry at last. He did not dare to risk appearing naked, in case Miss Grolier were outside in the corridor. He flung open the door. ‘What on earth is the matter?’

      ‘Great news, sir! It is true. The Emperor landed three days since and is already on his way north.’

      ‘By Jove, that is wonderful news.’ The lie came out without a moment’s pause. ‘But are you sure, landlord? Might it not be just another rumour?’

      ‘No, sir. Not this time. I had it from the telegraph man himself. It’s certain, sir.’ The landlord’s grin was so wide that it was almost splitting his face.

      Jack beamed back. ‘Every able man will flock to his standard, I am sure. But do we know where he is? Is he taking the coast road from Toulon?’

      The landlord tapped the side of his nose and winked. ‘Not he. Far too wily to be caught in that trap. He landed well away from Toulon. And he’s taken his men inland, across the mountains, where fat Louis’s army would never think to look for him. He’s outgas them all.’

      Jack could readily believe that. ‘So he’s already moving north?’

      ‘Aye. And fast. Paris will send troops against him, of course, but by the time he reaches Grenoble, he’ll have thousands more besides the Imperial Guard. Fat Louis won’t stop him now.’ The landlord nodded in satisfaction. Then he narrowed his eyes and said, ‘You’ll be wanting to join him yourself, sir?’

      ‘Yes, of course,’ Jack replied at once, his mind whirling, ‘but I must see my friend safely bestowed first.’He paused and scratched his head, trying to look as if he were wrestling with a knotty problem. ‘Grenoble, you say? With a sick companion, I don’t think I can—No, Lyons. That’s the answer. The Emperor is bound to make for Lyons after Grenoble. I’ll join him there.’

      ‘Well said, sir. I’ve a mind to travel with you and do the same.’

      Jack gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. ‘You are a brave soldier, landlord, but I suggest you leave it to the younger men. You are needed here.’

      The landlord frowned. There was a look of yearning in his eyes, but it soon faded. ‘Aye, you’re right, sir. I’m too old to be chasing after glory now.’

      Jack hoped he did not appear too relieved. ‘Send up some hot water, would you? If my friend is well enough, we’ll be able to make a start within the hour.’

      ‘But you’ll make much better time without an invalid to slow you down,’ the landlord protested. He was now investing all his enthusiasm in ensuring that Jack joined the colours as quickly as possible.

      ‘I cannot do that,’ Jack said flatly. ‘I must deliver Herr Benn to Lyons. But fear not, landlord. We shall travel with all speed. Every second counts now. My shaving water, if you please, and be so good as to order breakfast at once.’

      The landlord hesitated for a moment, but then the good sense of Jack’s words seemed to get through to him.

      Jack stood in his doorway until the man had disappeared down the staircase. Then he took a deep breath, closed the bedroom door and leant against it, trying to force his riotous thoughts into order. Bonaparte was on his way to Paris. He might even be near Grenoble already, though that was unlikely, given the difficult terrain he had chosen to cross. He would get there soon enough, though. And then, from Grenoble, it was an open road to Lyons and Paris. But King Louis would send his army, surely? Even if Bonaparte managed to reach Lyons, he was bound to be stopped there. In spite of all the landlord’s fervent hopes, Bonaparte’s troops would be poorly equipped and would certainly be outnumbered by the royalists. No, he would be stopped, though perhaps not before Lyons.

      That made it all the more important for Jack and Ben to travel there by the quickest possible route. Luckily, the road north from Rognac, through Avignon and Valence, was a good one. With reasonable horses, a coach could cover it in three days, or even less. He and Ben had intended to remain as inconspicuous as possible, and to travel to Paris by diligence, but that would be too slow now.A chaise would not do, either, for it would not provide enough space for Ben to lie flat. Jack would have to hire a carriage and a team. That would raise eyebrows. The landlord would be surprised to learn that a man who was planning to enlist as an common soldier was wealthy enough to travel in such luxury.

      Jack pondered