Taboo by Susan Johnson

Author:Susan Johnson [Johnson, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780307575272
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Published: 2014-08-13T21:00:00+00:00

15

As Duras walked through the entrance gate to the villa, he stopped to talk to the troopers standing guard, thanking them for their vigilance.

“Are the Austrians ever going to move, sir?” one soldier asked. “It’s been damned dull.”

“We’ve heard rumors Charlie’s finally coming up to scratch,” another said.

“We might see the Austrians by the end of the week. Von Hotze seems to be moving,” Duras replied. “And then we’ll have some excitement.”

“It’s about time, sir.”

Duras smiled. “Guard duty too tame, is it?”

“Well—no offense, sir, and the countess is right nice and all, but it ain’t fightin’, sir.”

“She hasn’t kept you busy enough?”

“She’s teachin’ us how to read with the others, so it’s busy enough what with carting the children back and forth and their mothers and such from the camps, but I’m lookin’ forward to puttin’ Archduke Charlie in his place.”

“Children?” Duras inquired. His daily letters from Teo had been without mention of children or reading or anything beyond the bed rest he expected of her.

“The countess’s school, sir. What with those of us in the guard who can’t read or write much, and the troopers’ children who follow the drum and a good number of their mothers—I’d say a couple hundred, give or take.”

“Here?” Duras said, repressing an urge to gasp.

“Here and at the camp down by the river. Didn’t you know, sir?” the soldier hesitantly asked. “She told Major Lindet that you’d authorized it.”

“I may have forgotten,” he murmured.

“Well, she’s doin’ a right fine job, sir. Greer here and me can write our names almost perfect.”

“Congratulations. What time does the, er, school begin?” Duras queried, wondering how much time he had in the morning to cancel the scheduled activities.

“Eight sharp, sir. The countess says she expects everyone there bright and early.”

“I see. Thank you …”

“Hebert, sir. I been with you since Rivoli, sir.”

“We’ve seen a lot of Europe since then,” Duras pleasantly declared.

“We’ll take them once and for all now, sir.”

“We’d better, hadn’t we?” Duras said with a faint smile.

“No problem, sir, with you in command.”

“I’ll see you men in the morning.”

“At the school, sir?”

“Perhaps,” Duras neutrally replied.

* * *

“A school?” Duras admonished the majordomo he’d left in charge when he walked through the door. He was scowling as he stripped off his gloves.

“The countess assured me of your approval, General.” A former employee of the Duc d’Orléans, Ollivier wasn’t easily discomfited.

“She did, did she?”

“Very emphatically. I recall her saying you’d given your wholehearted blessing.”

One dark brow lifted in reproof. “Quite a few of them come here, I’m told.”

“Three days a week, sir.”

“Where, for God’s sake?”

“The furniture has been moved out of the reception rooms.”

“Good Lord. How many?”

“Two hundred, sir.”

“Two hundred camp followers. What were you thinking?” Duras brusquely queried. “My lady could catch some disease.”

“The countess sees that baths are available, sir. The children and their mothers are quite clean.”

“I’m flabbergasted, Ollivier.”

“I can see, sir. Dare I assume, the countess failed to mention this to you?”

“The countess had me believe she lay abed every day.”

The majordomo couldn’t repress his smile.

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