Beloved (70 page)

Consequently he was determined to control his excitement when he arrived at the Baron’s gate. He knew he must take care to underplay his suit and he had enough sense to know he might not have another chance. So he was more than a little annoyed when the guards insisted he be thoroughly searched before they allowed him to enter the townhouse. He was even more irritated when one of the guards obstinately accompanied him into the salon. This was not going at all as he had imagined!

He was pacing back and forth across the far end of the room under the watchful eyes of the guard when the door opened. He turned, offering Christina his most winning smile, but his expression changed when he realized it was Maryse, instead, who had entered the room. He recovered quickly. He recognized her. Though they had not been formally introduced, Guy had pointed her out on more than one occasion, mentioning her connection to Richard in less than flattering terms.

“Monsieur
?
”

“Madame…Chabannier, I believe?”

“Yes, Monsieur
,
but I don’t believe we’ve met?” Maryse thought she was prepared for a face to face inspection of Richard’s double, but she found herself momentarily unbalanced as he took her hand with a deferential bow. Now, clean shaven, his resemblance to Richard was even more unsettling.

“Stefano Ferro, Madame. Might I hope that my reputation has not preceded me?”

“Alas, Monsieur
,
you may not. I’m afraid that I’m fairly well acquainted with the situation between yourself and Madame Jonvaux.” Maryse was pleased to see that was enough to set Stefano back on his heels a bit. She recognized his type: a man who took his opportunities where he found them, no matter at whose expense.

“Well then, I’m sorry we were not able to meet under different circumstances.” He was still hoping to give her reason to be charmed. She was remarkably beautiful.

Maryse gestured for him to take a seat as she settled herself on the sofa. She studied his face a moment before she spoke.

“As you might imagine, Madame Jonvaux is unwilling to see you at this time, but she asked that I meet with you and see what it was you wanted with her. I will be happy to convey your message to her.”

This called for a rapid change of plans, but Stefano was not up to the task. For some reason, when he received Christina’s note in her own hand, he had not imagined any other possibility than that he would be seeing her.

“I’m sorry Madame, I didn’t realize…when I received her note…” Though he tried not to show it, Stefano was hard pressed for a solution. He
had
to see Christina!

Maryse was attuned to emotional subtleties and Stefano was more transparent than he might have imagined.

“I’m sure you expected her to meet you, but surely you see that is impossible? After the things that have passed between you…well…if you’ll forgive me Monsieur, you were not very kind to her.”

Stefano started to protest but he could see she was immune to his charm. In an uncharacteristic move he decided to drop all pretense and take his chances.

“You’re right, of course. And it plagues me, Madame. It plagues me!” Stefano got to his feet. When he did, the guard took a step toward that end of the room. Maryse waved the man off.

Pacing, Stefano tried to decide how best to convince Maryse that he was sincere.

“When I returned to Venice, it was because I realized how deep my feelings were for her. I came back for her and for our child. When I learned she’d lost the baby and that she was not in Venice, I realized the situation between herself and her husband must have worsened considerably. That’s why I returned to Arles with him. I wanted to see if he had been the cause of her losing our baby.”

“And what of your relationship with Monsieur Jonvaux?” Maryse was finding his argument quite surprising. Either she missed her guess or he was expressing some honest feeling, albeit colored, she realized, by his own perceptions.

Stefano waved the question away. “Necessity, Madame
,
as I’m sure you must understand.” He gave her a pointed look.

Maryse smiled.
Touché!
“What I understand, Monsieur, is that you are professing love for a woman you have abused and deceived in some very alarming ways. Forgive me if I find it hard to believe you really care for her.”

He sat down again and leaned toward her. “I know. Believe me, please, when I tell you that I regret it—all of it. When I asked her to come away with me I had nothing to offer her. I was hoping that the three of us might live together happily. Her husband cares more for me than he does for her and I thought it might give us the time we needed to make plans for ourselves. I was not aware then, how dangerous Monsieur Jonvaux could be. When I discovered the depth of his obsession, it was too late. After that, I did my best to protect her.”

“And how would you describe Monsieur Jonvaux’s ‘obsession?’” Maryse asked. She kept her tone even, but sensed an opportunity to get to the heart of the matter.

“What?” Stefano was trying to come up with something that would persuade this woman to find him worthy of seeing Christina. “Oh, Guy’s obsessed with Monsieur Magniet. It goes beyond simple attraction. There’s something between them that I don’t understand—perhaps from their childhood—I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s certainly afforded me a number of opportunities.” Stefano smiled sadly.

“So it would seem. But if Monsieur Jonvaux is obsessed with the Baron, then why is he so anxious to see him hang?”

“I don’t know. I think he’s wanted it for so long, and now that it’s happened, he can’t admit that it’s not really what he wants, afterall.”

“Yet he seems to be instrumental in the whole situation?”

“Yes. He was furious when he found his wife had run off and he was determined to have her back. Now it seems he will be without both of them. I’m not sure he’d considered that result.”

Maryse watched him but said nothing. She hoped to find out what Guy had done to exercise so much control over the events of recent days, but it seemed Stefano didn’t have the information.

“So Monsieur
,
perhaps we should turn to your reason for wanting to see Madame Jonvaux?”

“I love her, Madame! There, you have it. I love her and I want to tell her how very sorry I am for everything that’s happened.” Stefano was exasperated. When Maryse didn’t respond, he relaxed. “I want to beg her forgiveness and tell her that I will do anything—and I do not say that lightly—I will do
anything
that she asks to demonstrate the depth of my regret.”

There was a long pause before Maryse stood up, effectively ending the interview.

“Very well, Monsieur
.
I will pass that on to Madame Jonvaux. I must caution you not to get your hopes up. I doubt she will agree to see you.”

Stefano knew he was being dismissed and decided to make the best of it.

“Thank you, Madame
.
Any effort you choose to make on my behalf will be greatly appreciated.” With a deferential bow he turned and left the room.

“What news?” Richard asked when Robert came to see him early that same evening.

Due to Robert’s threat of the King’s displeasure, Richard was now confined more comfortably, as befitted his rank, on the second floor of the
Hôtel de Ville
. He had two rooms with his own furniture in the building that housed the city’s offices at ground level and above, and housed prisoners and criminals below. While hardly luxurious, his rooms were dry, comfortable and light—quite unlike the cell in the dungeon. Nonetheless, the windows were barred, a heavy wooden door had been installed and a guard was always on duty in the hall.

Robert shook his head. “Nothing yet.”

“Christina?”

“I stopped by the townhouse before coming here. She seems fine. Quite determined to find some solutions, though neither she nor I have any idea what they might be. She’s resting and taking care of herself and the baby, and of course is anxious to see you.” From the look on his brother’s face, it was obvious Richard was just as anxious to see her.

“Cybelle and Lauro have returned to the Château to wait for Raymond. They’ll send word the moment he returns.”

“Do you really believe he’ll be able to get the pardon?” Richard was not convinced that the King would take an interest in the situation.

“I have no doubt at all,” Robert said reassuringly. “Perhaps you’ve spent too much time away and have forgotten our father’s influence at court?”

“Our father is dead,” Richard reminded him.

“Just so. Therefore, you are the Baron and the King is not about to have his Barons being sentenced to hang by a court of provincials for crimes where there are no witnesses, much less any evidence.” Robert gently put his hand on Richard’s arm, gesturing to the chair. “Let’s have a look at that shoulder.”

The wound was healing cleanly. As Robert changed the bandage they talked of family business. There was still a great deal Richard must now manage as the Baron. He was beginning to believe that if he were in fact pardoned, he and Christina might live at Beauvu. His father had made it quite clear that a large number of people depended on them. Richard could run the shipping business from Arles and Christina and the baby would be safe at his family home. Of course both Richard and Robert knew Guy was the unknown factor in that equation.

“Have you heard anything of Guy?” Richard asked.

Robert shook his head. “Our best information tells us that he’s still at Madame Dijol’s…celebrating your conviction, it would seem. But something interesting happened: Christina received a note from Monsieur Ferro, begging for an interview.”

Richard was astonished. Surely Christina wouldn’t have agreed to meet with him?

“No,” said Robert, anticipating Richard’s question. “She did grant him an interview, but when he arrived he met with Maryse.”

“Robert, it’s not safe. Ferro is dangerous. He’s proved that on a number of occasions and when you consider what he’s done to Christina…”

“Yes, that was my reaction, exactly. But it seems Maryse and Christina believed they might be able to extract some information from him concerning Guy’s state of mind.”

“And?”

“Maryse learned very little. It seems Monsieur Ferro insists he’s seeking Christina’s forgiveness.”

“I doubt that’s all he wants.” Richard shook his head. “I don’t like it. Perhaps you should meet with him. You might prove more convincing than Maryse.”

“I think that’s the next step. I want to learn a bit more about him, what his background is and…”

“And if he might be our missing half-brother?”

“Yes. The resemblance is remarkable. But even if it proves true, it’s up to you as to whether or not he ever learns of it. That’s a decision only you can make.”

“It’s not likely to fall in his favor. How can I reward him by taking him into the family after what he’s done to Christina?”

“There’s no reason why you should. But we’re putting the cart before the horse. We don’t even know if it’s a possibility.”

Robert nodded toward the two tables that had been brought in and were serving Richard as a desk. They were covered with papers and a number of books.

“What are you working on?”

“Oddly enough, that Orphic material you were having me translate. It passes the time and there’s obviously little else I can do.”

“Ah, ha!” Robert said with more than a trace of good humor, “I knew there was a way to tie you down and get you to work!”

Richard smiled. He appreciated his brother’s attempt to lighten the mood.

“When do you think they’ll let Christina visit again? I know seeing me will be the only thing to put her mind at ease…as much as it can be in these circumstances.”

“You’re right, of course. I’m doing everything I can. With luck I’ll be able to obtain a pass for her by the end of the week.”

“Luck,” Richard said softly. “We haven’t had much of that lately, have we?”

“Where have you been?” Guy asked when Stefano returned. He was not feeling well and had expected Stefano would be there to soothe him when he came home. A hot bath, a simple supper. A change from the last two days. That’s what he wanted.

“You look terrible,” Stefano said with concern, neatly deflecting the question.

Guy noticed. “You, on the other hand, look exceptionally well turned out. So I ask again, where have you been?”

It was Stefano’s turn to be irritated. He had hoped for a quiet evening in which he could make a new plan to press his cause to Christina. He didn’t want to have to spend the night catering to Guy.

“I went to see Christina, actually.” He knew he was taking a chance, but he wanted to see what Guy’s reaction would be.

“Indeed? And what did my wife have to say?”

Guy was quite calm, his tone matter of fact, and it put Stefano immediately on his guard.

“Sadly, nothing. I wasn’t able to see her. Not much of a surprise really, but I thought it was worth a try.” He let a bit of irritation creep into his tone. “You seemed to be
occupied
and I thought someone should find out which way the wind was blowing now that her lover has been condemned to hang.”

Guy just stared at him, long enough for Stefano to wonder if he was completely engaged. Suddenly, he snapped back.

“Well, it was a waste of time. In that fortress we haven’t much hope of getting to her. I assume she’s guarded?”

“Oh yes, quite heavily.”

After a long pause, Guy got up.

“Come, André has a bath ready for me. And bring the brandy.”

Si nous pouvions, vis-à-vis, voir notre avenir,

A quoi bon le fait de vivre nos jours?

Si notre vie s’épandait visible devant nous,

Pourquoi donc nous intéresserions-nous à la lutte?

—Fayard

If the future we could see, what would the use of living be?

With all our life laid out before, what should we care to strive then for?

Février 1760

Bonifacio, Corsica

At the low spot in the path between the Citadel and the opposite ridge where the cottage sat, Arabella paused to rest, taking a seat on the stone wall that overlooked the turquoise water lapping at the short strip of sand below. The walk back from the cemetery was pleasant, for though it was winter, the day was sunny and the wind calm.