Page 15 of The Rogue and the Jewel
Trust between smugglers was a golden rule. Unlike pirates, it was expected that you took a man at his word. Opening crates and checking the cargo was tantamount to calling a man a liar and a thief. And while smugglers were clearly both these things, you just didn’t remind them of that fact. Not unless you wanted to have a short career in the business, followed by a long swim in the sea.
There was something in his tone which set Gus’s nerves on edge. “No. Should I?”
He was handed a bottle of brandy. Or at least what should have been brandy. Instead of the usual golden liquid floating inside, it was black.
“Is that?” he asked.
“Yes. Gunpowder. All the crates are full of it. Armand hasn’t taken any brandy from the warehouse in the past month. What we have been doing, however, is filling bottles with powder and sending it by cart over land.”
“How many loads have you sent?”
“At least five. I am not happy with having that much explosive stored here. It’s too dangerous. I dread to think where Armand is keeping it at the château.”
And what he intends to do with it.
“Thank you for telling me this,mon ami. It could well save lives.”
Captain Grey appeared at the door of the building and approached. A worried look sat on his face. “We have a problem,” he said.
Gus looked from the captain to the store man. “Are you referring to the contents of the bottles?”
Captain Grey nodded. “Gunpowder. The crew complained about how heavy the crates were in comparison to the usual ones. I know I was breaking the code, but I decided to take a look.”
Gus wasn’t going to chastise the yacht’s captain. He might be theNight Wind’sowner, but while it was at sea, Captain Grey was the man calling the shots. He was well within his rights to make sure nothing noxious or dangerous was on board.
“Apparently Armand has been collecting bottles of gunpowder for some time,” replied Gus.
The question which now sat front and center of his mind—why would Armand be moving gunpowder in such a way? Small bottles would take time to empty, and then the powder would have to be stored once more.
But what if he wasn’t taking it out of the bottles . . . Oh merde!
They had just picked up a shipment of ready-made explosives.
He had to find out where the rest of the gunpowder was being stored at the château. If Armand was foolish enough to be hiding it in the main house, behind locked doors, then Château-de-La-Roche could be sitting right on top of an unexploded bomb. One of monumental proportions.
Something else suddenly dropped into his thoughts, and Gus turned to the store man. “So, what you are saying is that Armand has never sent any of this cargo by sea before today?”
“Yes. That is why I thought it strange that you suddenly arrived this morning.”
We weren’t expected. Which means we didn’t need to go up the coast to Binic today. Not unless Armand wanted me out of the way. Oh no.
Gus’s blood turned to ice. He would bet a thousand francs that Vincent Marec and Armand were meeting today. The final confrontation taking place while he was conveniently out of the way.
“Tell the crew to abandon loading the boat. We have to get back to the château as fast as possible.”
Armand, you fool, you wanted to keep Evangeline safe, but your pride will get her killed.
Chapter Ten
One of the estate laborers came racing at breakneck speed into the kitchen of Château-de-La-Roche. Baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables went flying.
“Marec and his men are coming up the road from the valley. They are carrying lances and guns!” he cried.
The wheel of cheese Evangeline had been holding dropped with a thud onto the table, and she bolted for the door. Running around to the front of the château, she came to a skittering halt. There was a heavily armed horde bearing down on her family home.
Vincent Marec, mounted on his black steed, rode at the head of a small army. He looked for all the world like a general come to sack and plunder. This was not the usual small gang of villains he had in his employ. This was an invasion.
For a moment, she stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.
