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

first glass of ratafia,considered the only fit drink for young ladies. He must endeavor to beon hand when it happened, he decided— her reaction, if not forestalled,would inevitably be less than polite.

"I wonder what your household must think of all this disturbance andsecrecy," Danielle remarked suddenly, taking an appreciative sip of herclaret.

"I do not pay my staff to think," His Lordship replied dismissively."Neither do I pay them to speculate

on my activities."

"I am sure you do not," she retorted sharply, "but I cannot imaginethat that will prevent them."

"Not so sharp, Danny, if you please," he warned mildly. "Your point iswell taken, but it could have been made with more courtesy."

"You were a little sharp yourself, sir."

"My humble apologies, ma'am. If you have finished your dinner, I thinkwe should leave."

The earl managed to get himself and his charge installed in the lighttown carriage bearing the Linton arms on its panels with only thesmallest difficulty—Danielle having taken an inordinate dislike to thethickly veiled straw bonnet provided by Madame Lutece. For a moment ithad looked as if their earlier accord was in jeopardy until HisLordship had had the happynotion of concealing the offending hat under the capacious hood of theheavy velvet cloak. He refused to be budged on the subject of the veil,however, and eventually, with a martyred sigh, Danielle hadcapitulated, recognizing the common sense behind the need for secrecywhilst bemoaning the fact that, shrouded as she was, no one could seeher finery. This small flash of vanity had pleased rather than annoyedher guardian, giving him grounds for hope that his urchin might acceptwith pleasure the eventual permanent resumption of her female role.

William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, now in his thirtieth yearand his firstterm as prime minister after six years of steering his nation through atroubled sea of domestic strife, political reform, and overseasconquest, received them in his bookroom in the tall house nearWestminster. He bowed the veiled figure to a chair beside the hearthbefore turning with raised eyebrows to her companion. "So, Linton, whatnews do you bring?"

"Depressing, sir," the earl replied, accepting a glass of port with asmile of thanks. "You will find Mademoiselle a more accurate informantthan I, however. Her English is quite fluent, but I have asked her tospeak only French. There is a need for discretion, sir. Her situationis somewhat delicate."

The prime minister bowed. "I am most grateful to you, mademoiselle, forallowing me this opportunity to talk with you. May I offer you somerefreshment?"

"Since, sir, I must put up my veil in order to take it and I am notpermitted to do so, I am afraid I must decline your kind offer."

A pained look crossed the Earl of Linton's face at this and Pitt's eyeswidened in astonishment, but he said only, "Quite so, ma'am. It was athoughtless suggestion."

"Oh dear," the soft voice murmured contritely. "It was not at allthoughtless but most kind in you, sir. I have a lamentable tongue whenI am out of humor and milord is now looking very annoyed. If you willask me your questions I will attempt to redeem myself for, I can assureyou, sir, that it can be most uncomfortable when milord is cross withone." This disingenuous statement brought a choke of laughter to thelips of William Pittand caused the earl to wish most fervently that he were alone with hisbrat. He was, however, obliged to hold his tongue and temper in checkunder the interested gaze of the prime minister.

"Would you tell me, mademoiselle, what you know of the StatesGeneral?"

"Do you mean its structure, sir, its purpose, or how its efficacy isviewed by the people?"

"The structure as I understand it, mademoiselle, is made up of thethree estates—the nobility, the clergy, and the commons. The first twooutvote the third two to one?"

"That is correct, sir. Also, the commons must elect deputies torepresent their interests and therefore vote indirectly, whereas thenobility and the clergy may vote directly. As to its purpose— The kingis responding to a crisis in the old way by summoning parliament.Unfortunately there is some confusion. It has been over one hundred andfifty years since this body has been called into use and the system isnot well understood by those presently responsible."

"And the people of France, mademoiselle. How do they react?"

"As far as I could gather, sir, with mixed feelings. There is a senseof hope—more so in the villages than in the towns. The townspeople areperhaps a little more cynical?"

Pitt nodded, his almost colorless eyes resting thoughtfully on thesmall, straight-backed figure. "You said feelings were mixed?" heprompted into the short silence.

"Oh, yes." Danielle recollected herself hastily. This interrogation wasproving more difficult than she had imagined. Too many buried memorieswere being forced to the surface. "There is a degree of hope, but alsoof hopelessness and great anger—an anger born of desperation; the mostdangerous kind, I fear, Milord Chatham." She glanced through her veilat the prime minister whose erect, concentrated posture was curiouslyat odds with his somewhat slovenly, negligent appearance. Receiving ashort, affirmative nod she continued.

"At the moment the people still appear to trust their king and torevere him. But for the Austrian there is only hate! She is seenas the author of all their misfortunes and the corruptor of theirmonarch."

"Do you also view Marie Antoinette in this light, mademoiselle?"

'"Toinette is a very foolish woman. She has no understanding of theresponsibilities of her position, only of its advantages. While thepeople of France starve, their queen creates playgrounds for herselfand her favorites, squandering the nation's bankrupt resources in fullview of those who must choose between their own starvation or that oftheir children. Whilst Marie Antoinette plays milkmaid in the PetitTrianon, France weeps under a burden of tyranny and poverty that onlythe blood of its perpetrators will assuage." Danielle's voice remainedevenly pitched throughout this speech, but the passion and emotionunderlying