The Caged Countess

‘I’m truly grateful for what you did in there, but this is where we part.’

For answer he resumed his grip on her arm. ‘You’ll do as you’re told, my girl. We’re not out of this yet, not by a long way.’

There was no way of knowing how far away the police were, and, without making the kind of scene that might attract unwelcome attention, Claudine had no choice now but to go along with Duval. They set off down the street, she almost running to keep pace with his longer strides. Neither one spoke. Once she tested his hold but it was like a vice. The physical contact was also a tangible reminder of what had passed. Every part of her being resonated to it and filled her with conflicting emotions. She pushed them away ruthlessly. What was past could not be altered. Just now she needed to focus all her attention on removing herself from the sphere of his unwelcome presence as soon as possible.

As they neared the end of the street she saw the waiting carriage. There was no way she was going any further.

‘Please, you must listen to me …’

He might have been stone deaf. She was bundled unceremoniously into the waiting vehicle and pushed on to a seat. She heard him speak to the driver before climbing in and taking the place opposite hers. The carriage moved away. Claudine glared at her companion.

‘How dare you do this?’

‘You appear incapable of rational thought,’ he replied, ‘so I’m doing the thinking for both of us.’

‘I don’t need you or anyone else to think for me. I told you I had my own plans.’

‘Well, now you’re going to follow mine instead.’

The cool arrogance of this assertion was breathtaking. It was on the tip of her tongue to deliver a blistering reply but she bit it back. The words would roll off him like water from a duck’s feathers. Instead she met his gaze.

‘Where are we going?’

‘St Malo,’ he replied.

‘St Malo! But that’s days away.’

As if he hadn’t heard the interjection he continued, ‘From there I will arrange a passage to Jersey and thence to England.’

She knew that the Channel Islands were a favoured route into France for the British intelligence services. Even so, the thought of being shut up for the best part of a week with this man was beyond bearing.

‘I’ll be safe enough once we are out of Paris. I can …’

‘You’re coming with me. Get used to the idea.’

The tone was implacable, forbidding. Further argument would be fruitless since he was clearly impervious to reason, so Claudine lapsed into fuming silence, directing her attention to the window instead, watching the blur of streets and buildings as they sped past.

‘Don’t try giving me slip either,’ he continued. ‘I would find you very quickly and you wouldn’t enjoy the consequences.’

She lifted her chin. ‘No, but I’m sure you would. However, I have to tell you that you’re doomed to disappointment there.’

‘It’s reassuring to know you have that much sense anyway.’

‘I’m glad to have set your mind at rest.’

He surveyed her curiously. ‘By the way, what did Madame Renaud mean when she said she was right?’

A wave of warmth flushed her neck and cheeks. ‘I … it was nothing. A private joke.’

‘Yet she said you would tell me.’

‘Well, I’m not going to.’

Her gaze returned to the window and she missed the smile that flickered across his face.

A short time later the carriage began to slow. Glancing out of the window again Claudine’s horrified gaze took in the flaring links and armed uniformed figures by the barrier at the city gate. Her stomach lurched. In the excitement of recent events she had temporarily forgotten about the routine security inspections governing travellers. Appalled, she looked at Duval.

‘I have no documents. They are back in my apartment.’

‘I have the necessary paperwork,’ he replied. ‘All you have to do is stay calm and keep your mouth shut. No doubt it will be a novelty for you.’

Claudine stared at him in impotent and dumbfounded silence. The carriage stopped and she saw him lower the window and hand the requisite documentation to the waiting official. The latter perused the sheet and glanced up. Claudine’s heart thumped. Then he turned back to Duval.

‘Your wife?’

‘That’s correct.’

‘This is all in order, monsieur. You may pass.’

He handed the papers back and Duval returned them to the inner pocket of his coat. The officer touched his hat to Claudine and then called to his colleague. A moment later the barrier was raised and the carriage moved forward again. As it did so she let out the breath she had unconsciously been holding.

‘I don’t understand. How did you …’

Duval leaned back surveying her steadily. ‘I called in a favour. Do you think I’d have attempted to conduct a rescue without some kind of forward planning?’

‘No, I don’t suppose you would.’ She hesitated. ‘Those papers describe me as your wife?’

‘It was the most credible scenario I could think of, and the least likely to be challenged.’

‘Yes, I can see that.’ It was a detail that had other implications too, implications that caused a strange sensation in her stomach. She tried to see his expression but the dimly-lit interior made that difficult.

‘I’m glad.’ He paused. ‘By the way, what were those contingency plans you mentioned earlier?’

Her face burned. As if her stupid oversight wasn’t bad enough, it had just vindicated all his actions. How much he must be enjoying that.

‘It hardly matters now, does it?’

‘I’m just curious.’

‘You’re just gloating.’

She sensed rather saw him grin, and looked quickly away. The man was insufferable which made it doubly hard to be beholden to him. It would be pointless now to say that she’d never slipped up before today. One mistake was all it took and they both knew it. Her papers were in another reticule; she’d forgotten to transfer them before she left that evening and, after what had occurred, there would have been no possibility of going back for them. It was an elementary error but a potentially fatal one, and she could have kicked herself. No doubt it only served to reinforce his opinion that a woman alone couldn’t cope.

Realising she wasn’t going to be drawn further, he let it go. ‘It will be a while before we stop so you should try and get some sleep, my dear. I mean to do the same.’

Claudine watched him settle back in his seat and then summoned her self-possession. ‘Duval?’

‘Well?’