Joanna Maitland - His Forbidden Liaison

‘You are very generous, ma’am. I can but apologise for having left you alone for so long,’he said gently.And then he was silent. Waiting.

His frank apology disarmed her. She gripped her hands together, feeling the tension in her neck and shoulders and arms. This man was such an extraordinary mixture of boyish charm and mature decision. He seemed to revert from man to boy in the blink of an eye. It was thoroughly disconcerting. But undeniably attractive. She did not know how to deal with it.

The noise that broke the silence was not made by Mr Jacques. It was a very definite groan, followed by a mumble that could have been words.

Marguerite raced back to the bed. Her mind was flooded with dire warnings. She must find a way of getting Mr Jacques away from here. Before he heard words he must not hear!

She almost pushed Mr Jacques out of the way in her haste to protect the invalid. She stretched across the bed, putting her own body between Herr Benn and his so-called friend in hopes of muffling any words Benn might utter. She bent low to his head, laid her hand on his cheek and then, keeping her back to Mr Jacques, she slid her fingers down until they covered Herr Benn’s mouth. ‘Oh, I think he may come round soon. Is that not wonderful?’ she gushed. ‘Pray, sir, be so good as to ask the landlord if the kitchen can prepare some barley water. Herr Benn will be so very thirsty when he wakes.’

Behind her, Mr Jacques neither spoke nor moved.

Marguerite bit her lip. He was making this very difficult, but she would not allow him to win. She smiled sweetly up at him over her shoulder. ‘If you please, sir. I do not think I should leave Herr Benn at the moment. And the barley water would be so very good for him. Why my old nurse swears by it. She—’

He grimaced with the sort of pain she had often seen on her late father’s face when confronted with gabbling women. ‘Very well, ma’am. If you insist.’

Marguerite fancied that his good manners had won out over his real intentions. She held her breath, listening for the squelch of his boots across the floor and the sound of the door closing. At the click of the latch, she raised her body and removed her hand from Herr Benn’s mouth. He was trying to shake his head, as if to free himself. He was going to come to his senses very soon.

With a muttered but heartfelt apology, Marguerite whipped the bottle of laudanum from her pocket and deftly forced the invalid to take another dose. ‘It is done to save you,’ she whispered as she hastened to hide all traces of what she had done. ‘When you are well again, I will truly beg your pardon, I promise.’

Herr Benn was already slipping deeper into oblivion.

‘I have done as you asked, ma’am.’

Shocked, Marguerite whirled round, her hand to her throat. She knew she must be blushing. ‘Sir. You took me by surprise. You did not knock.’ She was trying to suggest he had committed an outrage, but her ploy was not succeeding. He was not at all abashed. He looked large and powerful, framed in the dark wood of the open door. He was all mature, dangerous male.

‘The barley water will be delivered as soon as it has boiled and cooled.’ He shut the door and crossed to the bed once more. ‘Has Benn come round?’

‘Alas, no. I am afraid your friend has sunk back into insensibility. It may be some hours yet before he truly awakes.’

‘Then I will tend to him.’

No! He must not! ‘I…er…There is no need, sir. Since the weather prevents my travelling onwards, I am more than happy to nurse Herr Benn. I fancy—’ she smiled at him, trying to assume the image of a simple, well-meaning female of the kind who could never be dissuaded when she knew she was doing her duty ‘—that I have rather more experience of such things than you do.’ She raised an eyebrow at him and was rewarded with a long sigh of resignation. ‘While you were out earlier, I had Guillaume bring up my things,’ she continued quickly, giving him no chance to change his mind. ‘I shall sleep here on the chaise longue where I can tend to Herr Benn if he needs me. I must tell you that I am used to such duties. I often nurse my invalid mother. And—’

‘Spare me the details, ma’am,’ he said gruffly. He took a step back from the bed and made her a tiny bow. ‘It is not the sort of service that I would ever have expected a stranger—even one as well trained as yourself—to provide, but since you offer so generously, I shall accept. On behalf of Herr Benn.’

‘It will be my pleasure to tend him,’she said simply. For it was true.

‘But is there nothing I can do? Have you eaten? I could watch over him while you went down to the coffee room for a meal.’

‘Oh, no, you—’

‘I may be only a mere male, ma’am, but I am quite capable of bathing a man’s brow, or calling for help if his case should be beyond my powers.’

He was baiting her now. She must be careful not to go too far. ‘Guillaume brought up some food while you were out. He will do so again later. I shall do very well, I assure you.’

He was trying not to smile. They both knew good manners prevented him from contradicting her. ‘I imagine that you do very well in everything you undertake, ma’am,’ he said at last.

‘Oh. Oh, thank you.’ She had a feeling that his compliment was sincere, even if it was double-edged. What mattered here was that she had won. Soon he would leave, and she could relax, alone to defend Herr Benn.

He started for the door, but stopped midway, as if remembering something. He spun round. ‘But I have not had a chance to tell you what I learned in Rognac. It is not yet totally certain, but it seems that the Emperor has indeed kept his word to France, and is returning to liberate us. Wonderful news, do you not agree?’

Marguerite was caught like a bird in lime. What was she to do, to say? He was challenging her directly now. He was openly admitting that he was a supporter of Bonaparte and challenging her to do the same, to make common cause with him. ‘Are you sure, sir?’ Her voice cracked a little on the words. When he nodded, she swallowed hard and forced herself to speak in a bright, enthusiastic voice. ‘Why, that is the most wonderful news. I had dreamed…All France had dreamed, but we never dared to hope that the day would come. The Emperor! The Emperor himself is to return to us! There will be rejoicing indeed.’

‘Vive l’Empereur!’ His voice was flat, but strong.

What choice did she have? She had to protect Herr Benn. ‘Vive l’Empereur!’ she echoed.

‘Mr Jacques!’The hammering on the door grew louder. ‘Mr Jacques!’ It sounded like the landlord’s voice. It must be something important, for it was only just beginning to get light.

Jack threw himself out of bed and dragged on his shirt. It had hung all night by the dying fire and was dry at last. He did not dare to risk appearing naked, in case Miss Grolier were outside in the corridor. He flung open the door. ‘What on earth is the matter?’

‘Great news, sir! It is true. The Emperor landed three days since and is already on his way north.’

‘By Jove, that is wonderful news.’ The lie came out without a moment’s pause. ‘But are you sure, landlord? Might it not be just another rumour?’

‘No, sir. Not this time. I had it from the telegraph man himself. It’s certain, sir.’ The landlord’s grin was so wide that it was almost splitting his face.

Jack beamed back. ‘Every able man will flock to his standard, I am sure. But do we know where he is? Is he taking the coast road from Toulon?’

The landlord tapped the side of his nose and winked. ‘Not he. Far too wily to be caught in that trap. He landed well away from Toulon. And he’s taken his men inland, across the mountains, where fat Louis’s army would never think to look for him. He’s outgas them all.’