Petals in the Storm fa-2

by Mary Jo Putney

  Art had become a major point of contention during the treaty negotiations. The conquered nations understandably wanted their paintings and sculptures back, while the French royalists and Bonapartists were united in their desire to retain the fruits of conquest. The issue was still unresolved, though the Allies were bound to win in the end; the only sovereign who favored letting the French keep their spoils was the Russian tsar, who had lost no art himself.

  When the two couples stopped in front of a magnificent Titian, Roussaye made an oblique reference to the ongoing dispute, saying, "We must admire these while we can. Never has such a collection been seen before, and perhaps the world will never see its equal again."

  They were regarding the superb canvas respectfully when an unexpected voice came from behind them. "You are quite correct, General Rosssaye. This museum is one of the finest fruits of the empire."

  The dark, whispery voice made the hair on Maggie's neck prickle. She turned to see the Count de Varenne.

  Michel Roussaye said coolly, "I am surprised to hear a royalist approve any of Bonaparte's acts."

  The count smiled. "I am a royalist, not a fool, General Roussaye. The emperor was the colossus of our age, and only a fool would attempt to deny that."

  His words produced a noticeable thawing in the general's expression.

  Varenne continued, "Like you, I am here to say good-bye to some of my favorite paintings."

  The words were hardly out of his mouth when a commotion sounded farther down the gallery. Amid French shouts, the stamp of marching feet heralded the entrance of a company of soldiers. Maggie recognized the uniforms as Prussian. As museumgoers watched in disbelief, the soldiers started unhooking paintings from the wall.

  General Roussaye swiftly crossed to the Prussians and demanded furiously, "By what authority do you do this?"

  The Prussian commander turned, and Maggie recognized Colonel von Fehrenbach. Expression coldly satisfied, the colonel said, "By the authority of ownership. Since the negotiators are no closer to a just settlement now than they were in July, Prussia takes what is hers."

  Intent on observing every word and nuance of the confrontation, Maggie started to follow Roussaye across the gallery. Rafe stopped her in her tracks by clamping his hand around her wrist.

  "Keep out of it," he said in a voice that allowed no argument.

  Maggie considered defying him on general principles, but common sense made her concede the point and stay at his side.

  Count de Varenne had gone to stand by his countryman. Though his tone was less fierce, he sounded equally hostile when he said, "The Congress of Vienna allowed France to keep her treasures, and it is by no means certain that that decision will be reversed. What you are doing is theft."

  The tall Prussian was unmoved, "Say what you will,I am here by my king's orders. We have both might and right on our side, and will brook no interference."

  The soldiers began packing paintings in wooden cases that they had brought. A crowd of sullen-faced French citizens had gathered around the disputing men. Briefly Maggie wondered if they might rush the soldiers, but the moment passed and the bystanders remained passive.

  Varenne's sibilant voice said, "Do not be so righteous, Colonel. Many of the artworks that the Allies are so virtuously reclaiming were stolen in the first place. The bronze horses of St. Mark's, for example, which the Venetians plundered from Constantinople."

  Von Fehrenbach looked cynically amused. "I don't deny it, but the nature of loot defies easy moralizing."

  Roussaye said tightly, "All nations may be looters, but only France has made such beauty available to all. Even the poorest of the poor can come here to glory in the sight."

  "Quite right, the French are the most efficient thieves in history," the colonel agreed. "You studied guidebooks and sent artists to ensure that you missed none of the best pieces. The emperor even made the Vatican pay the cost of shipping his spoils to Paris. But don't forget what Wellington himself said-loot is what you can get your bloody hands on and keep."

  Von Fehrenbach turned back to his men, but said over his shoulder, "And France bloody well can't keep these."

  It was fortunate that the colonel had brought such a sizable troop of soldiers, because his words caused a rumble of impotent rage to rise from the watchers.

  After a frozen moment, General Roussaye spun on his heel and returned to his companions. "I think it best that we leave now." He took his wife's arm, leading her down the gallery away from the soldiers as Maggie, Rafe, and Varenne silently followed.

  Word of the assault on the Louvre had spread quickly, and outside a crowd was gathering in the Place du Carrousel. Under the shadow of the great victory arch that carried the bronze horses of St. Mark's, Maggie and her companions were privileged to see the Venus de Medici being carried out feet first, followed by the Apollo Belvedere.

  Nearby, a young man in a paint-smudged smock gave a howl of anguish. "Oh, if only Wellington had ordered the removal to take place at night, so we should be spared the horror of seeing them torn away from us!"

  Though the artist's anguish was vivid, Maggie could not help thinking tartly that the Venetians and Prussians and other victims of Napoleon's greed had felt equal pain.

  Behind her, Rafe said softly, "Wellington is being blamed for this, more's the pity. His popularity with the French will vanish quickly."

  Roussaye turned to face them, his wife clinging to his arm with distress in her huge black eyes. "I fear that I will not be good company for some time," the general said with admirable composure. "Pray forgive us for taking our leave now."

  Ever urbane, Rafe said, "Of course, General Roussaye, Cousin Filomena. Perhaps we can meet again for a less controversial engagement."

  The general smiled humorlessly. "Nothing in France is without controversy."

  Varenne spoke up for the first time since they had left the Prussians. "All France shares your outrage, General."

  As she saw the two dangerous, capable Frenchmen share a sympathetic glance, Maggie had the disquieting thought that France would again be the most dangerous country in Europe if the royalists and Bonapartists ever united. Thank God that there was too much hatred between the factions for that to happen any time soon.

  After the Roussayes departed, Varenne said to Maggie and Rafe, "I'm sorry you were subjected to such a scene. I had heard rumors that the Prussians were growing restive over the pace of the negotiations, but no one expected them to move so quickly."

  "I'm afraid that matters will be worse before they get better," Rafe said. "The art controversy is becoming a symbol of all the conflicts of the peace conference."

  "The situation is very volatile," Varenne agreed. "As I'm sure you know, the king's government is in disarray, and I fear that Richelieu is not strong enough to maintain order." Putting aside his dark mood, he smiled at Maggie. "I should not talk of such things before a lady."

  Maggie supposed he meant that she was too much of a lackwit to understand politics. Still, the less intelligent he thought her, the better. Fluttering her eyelashes, she cooed, "It's all so dreadful. Since the wars are over, one would think there would be no more problems."

  "I'm afraid matters aren't quite so simple," Varenne said, a satiric glint in his dark eyes. "I look forward to the day when I can retire to my estate and concentrate on my own affairs, but it will not be soon."

  "Is your estate near Paris?" Maggie asked, though she knew the answer from her research.

  "Yes, not far from the emperor's house at Malmaison. Chantueil is perhaps the finest medieval chateau in France."

  "It sounds wonderfully romantic."

  "It is." Varenne gave her a smile that would have been charming were it not for the calculation in his eyes. "I would be delighted to show it to you. Perhaps next week?"

  Maggie's answer was forestalled when Rafe put his arm around her waist. "Perhaps later. The countess and I are much engaged for the near future."

  Seeming amused by Rafe's show of possessivene
ss, Varenne took Maggie's hand and sketched a kiss above it. "You and the enchanting countess would be welcome at Chantueil at any time, Monsieur le Duc."

  Then he disappeared into the seething mass of angry Parisians. Maggie watched his broad back retreat with disquiet. The count had behaved flirtatiously, yet she sensed that he wasn't really interested in her.

  Before she could analyze her unease, Rafe said brusquely, 'Time to leave, Countess. This crowd could turn ugly."

  His words made her aware of the angry mutterings, and she felt the clenching fear that crowds always produced in her. As people fell away from Rafe, she was grateful for his presence. Anyone would think twice or thrice before accosting the Duke of Candover, not only because of his obvious wealth, but because of his air of gentlemanly menace.

  When they were free of the crowd, Rafe summoned a cab to take them to the Boulevard des Capucines. In the privacy of the cab, he remarked, "It was interesting to see all three suspects together, but I can't say that I have any better idea of who is guilty of what. Do you have any thoughts on the subject?"

  She frowned as she reviewed her impressions of the confrontation in the museum. "The same thoughts I had before, only more so. Colonel von Fehrenbach despises the French and enjoys their humiliation. While I still don't see him masterminding a plot, it's possible that he could be used by someone of more devious temperament."

  "And General Roussaye?"

  "He behaved with unusual restraint," she said slowly. "He was so furious with the invasion of the Louvre that I wouldn't have been surprised if he had rallied the French mob to attack the Prussians."

  "Surely he wouldn't have risked that with his wife there."

  "I'm sure that was a factor," she agreed. "Also, he's an intelligent man and must realize that driving the Prussians out would do no real good. But he is a warrior, and I had the feeling that it was very difficult for him not to fight back. Remember that I suspected that he might be involved in something secret? Perhaps he left rather than act in a way that might jeopardize another project. I would go long odds that some parts of his life wouldn't bear the light of day."

  "What about Varenne and his so-romantic chateau?" Rafe inquired, a sardonic note in his voice.

  She smiled a little. "I wouldn't trust that man further than I could throw his drawbridge. I suspect that he is so devious by nature that it would be impossible to determine if he is conspiring, or merely obfuscating on general principles."

  Not responding to her light tone, Rafe said somberly, "I feel the way one does before a storm, when the clouds are gathering. I wish to God that I knew from which direction the winds will come."

  Speaking from her own hard-won wisdom, she said, "Knowledge is not what saves one in a storm, but flexibility. It is those who won't bend who are broken."

  His dark brows lifted. "Is that an oblique comment on rigid souls like me? Remember that flowers bend before a storm, yet still they are torn apart, their petals scattered to the four winds."

  "Don't push the analogy too far, your grace," she said dryly. "I may look like an overblown rose, but I have survived fiercer storms than you will ever know of."

  The cab pulled up in front of Maggie's house and they alighted. Since the premature end to the expedition had gotten them back hours early, he followed her inside.

  Rafe's mood seemed odd, so she suggested, "We haven't played chess lately. Shall we finish our current game?"

  He agreed, but both of them were so abstracted that it was an open question who played more carelessly. Maggie scarcely noticed what moves she made until he said, "Check."

  Seeing that a black bishop was threatening her king, she moved a white knight into the bishop's path. Rafe could capture her knight, but then Maggie would be able to take his bishop, restoring the balance of power as well as saving her king.

  "I like knights," she said idly. "They move in such a deceptive manner."

  "Like you do, Countess?"

  Surprised by the sharp edge to Rafe's voice, she said, "I suppose so. Spying is the art of deception, after all."

  "Will the white queen sacrifice herself for the white king?"

  Rafe's gray eyes bored into her, and she realized that he was no longer talking about chess. The lean planes of his face were hard, and his whole body radiated tension.

  Her mouth tightened. She had suspected that at some point he would become difficult, and apparently the time had arrived. "Rafe, what are you trying to say?"

  Instead of answering, he swept his black king across the board to capture the white queen.

  "You know perfectly well that that isn't a legitimate move," she said with exasperation. "What obscure point are you trying to make?"

  Rafe scooped up the white queen and the black king and lifted them from the board. "Only this, Maggie-I won't let you sacrifice yourself for the white king. With or without your consent, I am going to take you out of the game."

  Chapter 13

  Maggie stared at Rafe, wondering what idiocy was possessing him. '"Take me out of the game?'" she said coldly. "You'll have to speak a good deal more clearly."

  With a furious sweep of his arm, Rafe knocked the antique chess pieces from the board. The enameled figures fell to the Oriental carpet and bounced in all directions, thudding and clicking against each other.

  "We're talking about Robert Anderson," he snapped. "Your lover, who is a spy and a traitor."

  Maggie stood so abruptly that her chair skidded backward. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

  Rafe stood also, towering over her. The urbane, un-involved man of the world was gone, and he blazed with angry emotion. "Oh, yes, I do, my lady trollop. I know that he comes here late at night, even though Lucien told you not to communicate with anyone in the British delegation."

  Refusing to turn away from his scorching gaze, Maggie said softly, "I have been playing dangerous games far longer than you have, your grace. I work with those I trust."

  "Even if they are traitors? Your lover has been seen surreptitiously meeting General Roussaye. I myself saw him meeting Henri Lemercier at the Cafe Mazarin, perhaps planning the attempt on Castlereagh's life."

  For the first time she felt apprehension, but she said stubbornly, "That proves nothing. Spies must talk to everyone, not only respectable citizens."

  Rafe stepped around the table until he was only inches away from Maggie. "You admit that he's a spy?"

  "Of course he is! We've worked together for years."

  "So you've been his mistress for years," Rafe repeated, his eyes like ice. "Do you know who he works for?"

  "The British, of course. Robin is as English as I am."

  "Even if that's true, nationality means nothing to a mercenary. He probably sells to the highest bidder, and has been using you as a dupe." Rafe's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that he is English?"

  Maggie exploded. "You ignorant fool! Your accusations are absurd, and I won't listen to them."

  She spun away, but Rafe grabbed her by the arm. "Absurd? Where does your money come from? Who pays for the silk gowns and the carriage and the town house?"

  She jerked her arm free. "I do, with what I earn from the British government."

  "Are you paid directly?"

  After a pause, Maggie said, "The money comes through Robin."

  It was exactly as Rafe expected. "I wrote Lucien and asked how much the government has paid you over the last dozen years. It came to about five thousand pounds, not enough to keep you for a year in the style you live in."

  Her eyes widened, but she refused to back down. "Perhaps that is all Lord Strathmore has paid, but there must be other British agencies that need information. Robin probably deals with several of them."

  Though her words were defiant, he saw that she was shaken by what he had revealed. Pressing his advantage, he said, "I admire your loyalty. Nonetheless, the odds are that Anderson is the spy within the British delegation, and that he is almost certainly involved in the conspiracy against Castlereagh. The only qu
estion is, are you his knowing accomplice, or his pawn?"

  "I won't believe it!" she said furiously. "Robin is the best friend I've ever had, and if I must choose between believing him and believing you, I choose him. Get out of here!"

  Until now Rafe had restricted himself to telling his suspicions of Anderson's loyalty, but Maggie's refusal to believe ill of her lover shattered his control. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he demanded, "Why him, Margot-why him and not me? Is he a matchless bed-mate? Do you think you love him, or is it because he has supported you in such elegance?" His fingers tightened on her arms. "If it's money you want, I'll pay your price, no matter how high it is. If it's sex, give me one night, then decide who is better."

  He drew in a raw, unsteady breath. "And if you're defending him from blind loyalty, think hard about whether a traitor is worthy of such allegiance."

  She laughed in his face. "You dare ask why I prefer Robin? It was he who saved my life and gave me a reason to go on living. As God is my witness, I'd rather be the pawn of a traitor than the mistress of a man who accused and judged me without proof, a man whose insane jealousy drove my father to take me away from England."

  Her voice dropped, and he saw bone-chilling rage in her face. "My father would not have been murdered by the French if it hadn't been for what you did, Rafe. For that alone, I can never forgive you.

  "As for your vain, masculine egotism-I don't care if you've learned your skills in the bed of every slut in Europe. I'd never give myself to a man without love,and you're incapable of loving anyone. You're a selfish, arrogant, conceited rakehell, and I don't ever want to see you again. Now let go of me!"

  She raised her arms and tried to break his grip, but Rafe was too strong for her. He slid one hand behind her head and turned her face up to his. Hoarsely he said, "Oh, God, Margot, don't fight me. I just want to keep you safe."

  He kissed her fiercely, hoping that passion would dissolve her opposition. As always when they embraced, heat flared between them, swift and impossible to deny.