Page 66 of The Assassin and the Libertine
“I will ensure that your name is cleared of any charges within The Order,” she said brusquely.
“You think they’ll believe you?”
She shrugged. “I will present my case to them and request another assignment. I only hope that I can use my position to do what's right for Paris. I believe I have the power to affect some change for the better, even if it is small.”
“Eradicating the vampire menace?” I said, a smile breaking through my melancholy.
She laughed. “More like…rethinking where the threats lie, seeking truth before administering justice, finding a cure for the plague and the grain blight, convincing the king to cease alienating the vampires and the bourgeoisie.”
“Careful, Duchesse, lest the aristocracy hear your liberal words,” I teased.
She beamed at me, eyes darting to my lips, and I would have faced a thousand demons to kiss her then. A muffled groan came from the bundle that was Philippe and I growled and kicked him.A low rumble echoed in the alley before us, heralding the arrival of the carriage. I hauled him up and slung him over my shoulder, then made a mad dash for the safety of its dark interior.
I threw Philippe on the floor and sat across from Father Clarence. Charlotte took the seat to my left and Daphne climbed in last.
“So,” Charlotte said brightly. “Are we all going to recover atChâteau de Champs-sur-Marne?”
Daphne blushed. “Certainly, you are all most welcome if you wish to stay with me.”
Father Clarence inclined his head. “Thank you, Madame, but I must decline. I have a congregation to attend to and a mass to prepare for. If you’d be so kind as to convey me back to theBasilique Saint-Denis, I would be most grateful.”
Charlotte’s piercing gaze bored into me. I shifted uncomfortably.
“Thank you, but I must also decline. My home is better suited to my uncommon needs.”
“But the bed in the wine cellar!” Charlotte protested. Daphne elbowed her and glared.
“Hush, Charlotte!”
I cocked a brow. “You’ve kept the bed in the wine cellar?”
“I haven’t had time to move it,” Daphne defended. “I’ll get around to it eventually.”
My resolution to give her up wavered slightly.Was there a reason she hadn’t moved the bed?I watched her cautiously, warming at the stubborn blush that stained her cheeks. She studiously avoided looking at me.
Quiet descended on the carriage until we reached the abbey. Father Clarence made the sign of the cross over Charlotte and Daphne, and kissed their hands. He eyed me warily, then smiled and shook my hand.
“May the Lord bless and keep you,” he said as he stepped out. “Do remember me to The Order, Madame!”
Daphne promised to do so, and the carriage trundled on in silence, Daphne refusing to meet my gaze and Charlotte staring at me like a bug in a bell jar. When we neared my château, I coughed awkwardly.
“I dread the thought of leaving Philippe in your hands, Duchesse, as capable as they are. Would you permit me to hold him in custody at my own home until The Order can be informed? I assure you he will come to no other harm in my care.”
Daphne’s brow furrowed. “But in the daylight…”
“I have a very secure room and a number of able servants to stand guard. I would feel much better if you ladies were allowed to rest knowing that he was not under the same roof, at least until he stands before The Order.”
Charlotte frowned at the unconscious man tied before us. Then, she hauled off and kicked him in the stomach again.
Seeing this, Daphne winced. “Yes, you’re right, Étienne. He’d probably be safer in your care, anyway.”
The carriage came to a full stop outside my home. A footman and my butler came out and helped me carry Philippe inside, taking care to avoid the early morning sunlight. As desperate as I was for Daphne, I did not spare a backward glance when I entered the hall.
I locked Philippe in a small, empty storage room in the lower level of the house. To ensure his confinement, I hefted a large bookcase in front of the door and instructed three men to stand guard at all times.
Finally able to be alone with my thoughts, I went to my room, stripped naked, and fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep.
When I awoke the next evening, it was to an exaggerated pounding on my door.
