The Twisted Sword (20 page)

But she could see how the Trevethans would feel. A young man, son of one of the most respected of the packet captains -- though at one time there had been ugly stories about him - a young man in the service but suddenly giving it up for a less esteemed position as master of a tramp schooner - with some reputation in the town for drunkenness and debt. Not quite the best catch for the only daughter of a well-to-do middle-class family with social ambitions. Clowance did not very much care for George Trevethan who, she thought, rather sucked up to the Warleggans and laughed at everything he said himself as if there were a hidden joke. Thomasine she only remembered as small and fair and rather pretty, with a retrousse nose.

But she must work on Stephen. Andrew would be away at least a month; lovely if something better could be arranged for his return. She made herself another cup of tea, nibbled a biscuit and read the Cornwall Gazette. But it was getting late, and she was tired after a long day. The candle flickered in some draught she could not locate, and her eyes pricked. She undressed and lay on the bed in her nightgown and dressing-gown, sure that she would keep awake if she didn't actually get into bed. But almost at once she drifted into a deep dreamless sleep. She woke with a start to hear someone moving cautiously about the room. She sat up Instantly.

'Who is it? Stephen?'

'Aye,' he said, 'I thought not to wake you. These floorboards creak like old bones. Go back to sleep.'

She knew at once he had been drinking. No one else would have known, for he had far too hard a head to show the obvious signs.

"You're late. Is everything all right?'

'Late!' he said. 'You're a fine one to talk! Where've you been all day?'

'At Nampara, of course. I said I'd be home for supper I had dinner with Valentine and Selina, that's all.'

'I was waiting for ye! Then I went out again.'

'Is something the matter? Make a light, will you.'

'Nay, go to sleep. 'Twill keep till morning.'

She had a box by the bed so she scraped the tinder and presently lit the stub of candle. As the light grew he was standing by the dressing-table in his shirt sleeves. His jacket was on the floor. He looked ill. She got quickly out of bed. 'Let me get you something to eat.'

'I've eaten,' he said roughly. 'Had a bite at the Royal Standard wi' one or two lads. Stopped on for a game of billiards.'

It was not only a bite he had had.

'Stephen. Come and sit on the bed beside me. I'm sorry I was late but I really did say I'd be home for supper. Has there been some trouble while I've been away?'

'Aye, ye could call it so.' He would not let her lead him to the bed but sat in the tall wooden armchair which stood between the bed and the window. She sat on the bed and knelt up, looking at him.

'Is it one of the ships?'

'Not so easy as that. It all happened yesterday afternoon. I could've done with ye when I came home. But you were off at Nampara!'

She waited, knowing he was trying to lay some blame on her for whatever had happened but carefully not rising to the bait.

'Something happened in Truro?'

'That's it. Good guess.'

'Then tellme, Stephen! What can I say until I know?'

His hand bristled as he rubbed his chin. 'It was yesterday afternoon. The bank'd asked me to call. When I went in, there was Warleggan himself and that fellow Lander, his chief clerk or whatever he is. They said they wanted to see me because they had been going through me ledgers and books, et cetera, et cetera, and found discrepancies in 'em. Discrepancies! Why, most o' me books and accounts since I joined 'em had been under Lander's sharp eye! I told

'em so. But they said they had only worked on the figures I gave 'em and that some of the figures they had found were false. False! What the hell was I to say to that? Inaccurate by a pound or two, maybe. But genuine mistakes - and all small things! They wouldn't find one to get that hot about.

'Twasn't even as if they were all in my favour! Small things one way, small things the other. Ye know I'm not one for cheeseparing, for counting the pennies. But I might've been cheating the bank - deliberately cheating them of hundreds of pounds! Their faces! Holy Mary, their faces. Like I was a criminal. Clowance, I can't tell ye what 'twas like ...'

'So what happened then? Does it mean you will have to employ a clerk in future? Because if so--'

'Future? There isn't one! Not in Warleggan's. They've said, they told me they're going to withdraw all the accommodation they've offered me and invite me to find another bank! They've given me two weeks. Two weeks!'

Clowance drew her feet under her. But it was her heart that was cold.

'And can you?'

'Find another bank? What hope? 'Twill soon get known that Warleggan's have withdrawn and're calling in their notes. And when they hear why - and Warleggan's are sure to make it sound as bad as they can - who'll want to take on someone who's been found out a swindler?'

Clowance got up and ran down the stairs, brought up a half-used bottle of brandy and two glasses. He might have already had too much, but she needed it. She was feeling sick. They sipped together. The spirit took her breath away.

'If that happens

'Bankruptcy.' He put his head back against the chair.

'Bankruptcy. I can't cover me debts. Can't begin to.'

"Three ships.'

'Buying and selling are different things. Specially if it is under pressure.'

'How much - do we owe?'

"There's a permanent three-thousand-pound overdraft on the security of the ships. And I've also taken out a tidy number of accommodation bills - these aren't secured by a commercial transaction but are just-credit.'

'How much would that be?'

He made an irritable gesture. 'Can't be sure. Mebbe eight hundred pounds.'

She finished her drink and nearly choked.

'But they cannot do such a thing, Stephen! We have been friends of theirs. We go to their home! We hunt with Harriet! Surely - aren't you making too much of this threat? Perhaps George was angry, said more than he meant, will cool off in a few days ..."

'Strange thing is,' said Stephen, 'through it all - and Lander did most of the talking - 'twas as if George sort of liked doing what he was doing. Once or twice I caught his eye and ye could see as if there was malice there. I been wondering - d'ye think he led me into this, encouraging me to borrow from him so that one day he could ruin me? D'ye think 'tis a way of getting revenge on you and your father? The old Warleggan-Poldark feud?'

Clowance shook her head. 'George has always been specially nice to me - before ever I met you. I don't think even he could be as devious as that .. . But it always has been a danger, hasn't it. So many people warned us when we first went to him.'

'When I first went to him,' Stephen said bitterly. 'You warned me. But I didn't expect to suffer for an old feud!'

'Are you trying to blame me now?'

'No, of course not.' But he was a little, trying to offset some of the responsibility.

'What will you do now?'

'What I've been trying to do last night and all day today. Find somebody, someone who might help give me a breathing space!'

'And is there anyone?'

'Never in this world. Of course today I went back to Carne's, where I was banking before - before Warleggan's but they were not interested. I might get eight hundred pounds from 'em but they'd want one - or maybe two - of me ships. I've tried - these two evenings I've tried at the Royal Standard - ye know most of the Packet captains, the agents, the merchants, the chandlers, meet there. Often when ye launch a new vessel, whether for trade or - other work, folk will take a share, not unlike opening a mine like the two shares I own in Wheal Leisure - they'll take a share in a ship or ships. I thought maybe if I could divide up into, say, sixty-four parts of, say, a hundred pounds a part, it would take care of all our troubles. Maybe even fifty pounds a share would see us through. But d'ye know what I got? Captain Buller said he might take one share. And Jim Prior said he'd take two shares if I could get a bank to guarantee ten.' Stephen poured himself another drink. 'It's different ye see than if you are just starting. Like laying foundations; people will come in. But they all know I've got the backing of Warleggan's - why do I need their money now?'

'What will you do next?'

'There's little enough to do. George Warleggan has got me in a trap and it will not be easy to get out. I might likely go to prison!'

'There's the Cornish Bank in Truro,' said Clowance. Ye mean your father's bank?'

'It is not his bank, Stephen, or all would be well. He is but a small shareholder. But I am sure they would step in if - if there was any danger of - of prison. If my father were here...'

'That would not be easy neither,' said Stephen. 'I can't just go up to my father-in-law and say kindly lend me four thousand pounds to keep me out of gaol!'

There was silence for a long time. Clowance said: 'Come to bed, my dear. Perhaps things will look better in the morning.'

Stephen half laughed. 'Don't believe it. Warleggan's are the power around here. If they draw back, repudiate me, there'll be no one willing to take me on. If I sell my three ships and am still five hundred pounds short, maybe the Cornish Bank will step in to see me clear of the worst. With you my wife they could do no other. But aside from that I reckon all is lost.'

Ill

Tallien said: "You have already denied, Poldark, that you know anything of Mile de la Blache's work as a spy. We find that hard to believe.'

'Why should you? I met her only when I first arrived in Paris in February.'

Tallien fingered his eye-shade. He was less sinister with the downcast eye hidden.

'That we know to be untrue. You knew her in England before you landed in France with the Bourbon uprising of

'95. We have reason to suppose you met in Paris in '03. As you have frequently been used as an agent by the British Government, it is likely that you have been in touch with her ever since.'

Ross got up and walked to the barred window. It was a room, not a cell, but it was a small room.

'I came to Paris in 1803 with a doctor friend and made an effort to trace Mile de la Blache, because I had a ring given me by her fiance Charles de Sombreuil, before he was murdered by your jackals and at your express command. I failed to find Mile de la Blache because she was not then in Paris. She was married to Baron Ettmayer and living in Vienna. Are there any more charges you can trump up?'

'Oh, any number,' said Tallien. 'One merely of common assault, which you may have forgotten.'

'Clearly you have not,' said Ross. Tallien looked at the guard by the door. They were alone except for him.

"The guillotine disposed of many people better than you, Sir Ross. More worthy than you, Sir Ross. Who were a greater loss to the world than you would be, Sir Ross. Unfortunately the Old Lady has gone out of fashion. In the end she became too greedy. You will be surprised to know mat towards the end I spared many lives. Many lives I spared, especially women. Now Mme la Guillotine is reserved for thieves and criminals. The firing squad has returned to deal with the traitor and the spy.'

His eyelids at their heaviest, Ross looked at the man sitting in the one comfortable chair. You could smell his lavender scent. 'Has this conversation any purpose?'

"Yes, it is to ask you for the names and descriptions of all the people you met at the de la Blache house.'

'I know of none. My wife and I went there as friends, spent a few evenings together, remembering old times when Charles de Sombreuil was alive. I do not know if she was a spy, but if so she gave me none of her confidences.'

'Come, think again. Two acknowledged spies meet together and discuss what - the weather, in typical British fashion - or perhaps the performances at the opera? Is that it, eh?'

'Something like that. Mile de la Blache also helped my wife with her shopping.'

'And no doubt to leave Paris before you returned?'

'On that,' said Ross, 'you are better informed than I am. I only know my wife and family left Paris about the 19th fortunately, it seems.'

'Oh I am sure we would have allowed her to go free. Such a pretty woman.'

'So by what right do you prevent me from going free?'

'Monsieur, we know you to be a spy!'

'I have repeatedly asked your guard to allow me to see my Ambassador.'

'Alas, he fled from Paris at the end of last month with his tail between his legs. No doubt he has rejoined ex-King Louis. England has not recognized the Emperor, so is not represented in France now. Your Embassy is closed.'

'Then I request to see the Emperor.'

'Alas, he is too busy attending to affairs of state and attempting to create some order out of the chaos left by eleven months of Bourbon misrule.'

'Does he know I am being detained here without trial?'

'I have no idea, monsieur.'

'I think he must be aware - and you must be aware that if he wishes to maintain friendly relations with England it is impolitic to imprison one of their nationals, especially one attached to the Embassy.'

'I do not think the Emperor would wish to be bothered with such trifles.'

'All the same I do not think he would approve of his minor officials - such as Fouche and yourself - keeping a British national in internment out of petty spite.'

Tallien lit a cigarillo. He did not offer one to Ross. When the smoke had cleared he said: 'Do you complain of your treatment here?'

'I complain of my imprisonment!'

'But you are housed and fed, provided with an hour's exercise a day and the Paris newspapers.'

'I complain of my imprisonment.'

'Do you want a woman? One can be supplied if you wish.'

"Thank you, no.'

'Well, I can understand anyone would be a trifle hard to please who had had Lady Poldark in his bed.'

Ross did not reply. He took a couple of gentle breaths to keep his temper. He heard Tallien get up but did not look round. Presumably this sally was the end of the interview.

At the door Tallien said: You realize, monsieur, that you have only to tell us everything you know of Mile de la Blache and you will be set free.'

'May I ask what has happened to Colonel de la Blache?'

'Like his sister, he has escaped - leaving lesser men to pay the bill.'

Ross sighed. 'I have told you repeatedly what little I know of the de la Blaches. If I told you more I would have to invent it. This condition you make is really a ruse on your part to exact a cheap and stupid revenge. I would have thought any honest Frenchman would have been ashamed of it'

Tallien blew smoke. Suddenly Ross would have liked his pipe but he would not say so.