The Blessing
Page 26
Sigi ran off and Charles-Edouard followed the Customs man into a back office.
When Sigi got on to the ship he made no effort to find cabin 1 or the Ambassador. Since he had time to get rid of, and did not want to run into his burglar, he made his way to the ladies’ room, where, as he knew he would, he found Nanny lying down with her skirt off and occupying the entire attention of the stewardess, who stood over her with a bottle of sea-sick tablets. ‘Not as bad as all that,’ the stewardess was saying, ‘bumpier this side. You go right off to sleep, dear, that’ll be the best.’
‘And what about the little monkey?’
‘I’ll be all right,’ said Sigi. ‘I’m just waiting for the boat to start and then I’ll go and find Mummy. I’ve got some very interesting news for Mummy, but only when we’ve started.’
‘Won’t be long now,’ said the stewardess, looking at her watch.
Meanwhile the Ambassador’s servant had arrived in his cabin, saying, ‘M. le Marquis de Valhubert is in trouble with the Customs and it doesn’t look as if they will allow him to travel.’
The Ambassador did not hesitate. He had a word with the ship’s captain and immediately went on shore again, accompanied by an officer who took him straight to the room where Charles-Edouard was talking with several Customs men.
‘What is all this about?’ said the Ambassador, in English.
Charles-Edouard said furiously, ‘My child, who seems to be a member of the criminal classes, has planted a case full of gold coins on me. Don’t ask me how he got them. I’m in a very awkward position indeed.’
The Ambassador said to the senior official, ‘It’s absolutely out of the question that M. de Valhubert should be smuggling gold. You need not consider it even as a possibility. There must be a mistake.’
‘Yes, sir, we feel sure there is. But we must find out where all this gold comes from. Where is the little boy?’
‘He went off to find you,’ Charles-Edouard said to the Ambassador.
‘I haven’t seen him. My valet told me you’d been delayed, that’s why I came.’
‘It was most good of you, mon cher, I’m exceedingly grateful.’
‘I could do no less.’
Another official now put his head round the door.
‘Mr Porter, please, one moment.’
Mr Porter, went out, and was back again almost at once.
‘I think we’ve got to the bottom of it,’ he said. ‘A man has just been arrested on board. If I might have your name and address, sir, you’ve time to catch the boat, I’m very glad to say.’
Charles-Edouard gave him his card and hurried on board with the Ambassador.
Sigi’s timing had gone a little bit wrong, and he had arrived in his mother’s cabin rather before he meant to. Charles-Edouard, from outside, heard a well-known voice piping, ‘He has always been wrapped up in Madame Novembre – it doesn’t surprise me in the least. They’re made for each other, and now they’ve gone off together – oh yes, Mummy, I saw them, I tell you, in her Cadillac.’
Charles-Edouard burst open the door, saying, in a voice which neither Sigi nor Grace had ever heard, and which turned Sigi to stone with terror, ‘Sigismond’. This was followed by a tremendous box on the ears. The three of them stood looking at each other for a moment. Then Charles-Edouard, mastering his temper, said, ‘What you need, my child, is a family of little brothers and sisters, and we must try to see that you get them. And now, please run along and find Nanny.’