Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (top rated books of all time txt) 📗

So it proved, and although weary from the needfor both speed and stealth and the added burden of the wooden chest,Danielle arrived at the cure's humble abode little the worse for wear.A tentative tap at the firmly closed back door brought no response. Sherisked a louder knock. There were sounds of movement inside, but herfriend and mentor showed no inclination to open up. She slipped aroundthe house, peering through the grimy windows for a sign of life. Therewas an eerie silence in the village, even the animals seemed unwillingto make their usual barnyard noises. It occurred to her that the entirepopulation was probably rampaging around the chateau at this moment andon that basis decided to risk a heavier knock and a fairly loudidentifying,

"C'est moi, mon pere;c'est Danielle"

Heavy bolts creaked in their rusted well-worn hinges and the door swungopen the tiniest crack.

"Thank God you are safe. Inside, child, quickly!" A hand seized herarm, pulling her into the sparsely furnished single room of the cottage.

Danielle remembered little of the remainder of that night. The cureshared his scanty supper of vegetable broth enhanced by a lump of saltpork and a crust of black bread, agreed to take charge of the chestand, with trembling fingers, reached under the mattress for a piece ofcloth which, when unwrapped, revealed a small hoard of silver coins—allof the money Louise had managed to pay him in recompense for theeducation of her daughter. He offered the whole to Danielle, but sherefused with an adamant headshake, accepting out of sheerest necessityonly four of the smaller coins.

"Keep

Maman's

jewels,

mon pere

, and I will return toclaim them. Then you shall be well rewarded for your kindness, Ipromise." She did not refuse, out of the same necessity, the small loafof bread and the half bottle of wine, and set off in the very earlydawn on foot toward Paris.

Danielle did not elaborate on the privations of that journey as sherecounted her tale to Justin, Earl of Linton, and was unaware that thequiet, expressionless individual opposite had filled in the gaps forhimself without difficulty. He was astounded at the fortitude of thisdiminutive scrap and filled with a sick horror at her story. But,unlike many of his peers, he was hot surprised. The tidal wave of bloodand destruction that would soon sweep through France had just begun inthe isolated parts of the country, not yet recognized for what it was—avast rebellion of an entire population against the cruelties andinjustices of generations of tyranny perpetrated by the few on the many.

"One question, Danielle." He broke the silence that followed what sheclearly considered to be the end

of the story.

"You say you have been in Paris now for four days?" The earl selected apear from the fruit bowl and began to peel it with carefuldeliberation. He received a short assenting nod as answer.

"Who stands godfather to you?"

"The Vicomte de St. Just." The brown eyes darted suspiciously at himthrough the long eyelashes.

The earl sliced the pear into symmetrical quarters and leaning overplaced the fruit on the child's dessert plate. She had eaten nothingduring her narrative but now bit deep into the juicy flesh with aneagerness that revealed all too clearly the deprivations of the pasttwo months.

"Then why,

mon enfant

, haveyou not sought his protection?"

For a second there was silence and then to his utter amazement an impof mischief sparkled in those previously haunted eyes. "Why, milord,"the soft voice proclaimed innocently, "I had no desire to be floggedfrom his scullery door."

The Earl of Iinton grinned. There was no other way to describe thesheer delight that curved the well-shaped lips and had any of hisfriends or acquaintances seen the expression they would have doubtedthe evidence of their eyes.

"Your point is well taken, brat." A walnut cracked between the pressureof his long fingers, was peeled deftly, and placed beside the remainsof the pear.

"However, I am certain that the disadvantages of your . . . uh . . .earlier disreputable costume can now be remedied. St. Just shallreceive you in the morning."

"No!" The flat negative hung in the air and the earl's eyebrowsdisappeared into his scalp.

"I beg your pardon?" he inquired gently, too gently, and a slight flushmantled the girl's ivory complexion.

"You do not understand, milord."

"Clearly not and since you were correct when you informed me of thatfact earlier this evening I await your explanation."

His reminder of that embarrassing confrontation deepened her flush buthis lordship had already decided that this indomitable creature'smanners required mending and he ruthlessly quieted his conscience.

"I have not the intention of remaining in France, milord. I shall makemy way to Calais and from there to England. My mother's family are inCornwall. I visited once with

Maman

—they were very kind to me." The soft voice sank slightly and Lintonagain forced himself to push the softer emotions aside.

"And just how, pray, do you intend to cross the Channel?"

"I shall work my way on a

paquet

."Danielle declared, her small chin tilting in angry defiance at thisrude catechism.

"Idiot child!" the earl exclaimed. "Your disguise would be penetratedimmediately and the only way you would work your passage would be onyour back!"

This brutal declaration produced none of the maidenly horror to beexpected of a well-bred virgin. Danielle merely nodded.

"In that case I shall stow away."

"You will be discovered and the consequences the same."

"Nevertheless, Lord Linton, I shall take my chance as I have done inrecent weeks. You cannot stop me and, indeed, have no right to do so."

The earl raised his gold quizzing glass and examined the small,determined face. "No?" he inquired with interest.

"No," Danielle stated definitely. "You are not my guardian, sir."

"This may come as something of a surprise to you, brat, but in theabsence of any other, I assumed that role, albeit unwillingly, sometime ago."