The Secret of the Chateau by Kathleen McGurl

Author:Kathleen McGurl [Mistry, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2020-04-09T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Catherine, 1791

‘What news from Paris?’ Catherine asked Pierre as he read his correspondence over breakfast one morning. She did not usually ask for news. She was aware that Pierre tried to keep the worst from her. It was all too depressing, and she feared too much talk of the Revolution could bring on another heart attack. Pierre’s health had steadily improved as the year wore on, and now, in summer, he was almost back to himself again. Not so the health of the country. The King and Queen had been confined to the Tuileries Palace for nearly two years now, and the possibility of returning to the old ways, the ancien régime, seemed more remote than ever, although Catherine had not given up hope. While Paris was still gripped in revolutionary fever, the rest of the country went on as it always had, more or less. Certainly very little had changed here in St Michel-sur-Verais.

Pierre sighed as he put down the letter he was reading and looked at her. ‘Not good. It seems our dear monarchs engineered an escape attempt. They had amassed loyal forces on the Austrian border and planned a counter-revolution to restore themselves to power.’

Catherine gasped. ‘An escape! And have they got away? I do hope so, for they have done nothing wrong.’

But her husband shook his head sadly. ‘No, my dear. It seems it has failed. They were in disguise, as bourgeoisie, but travelled in a conspicuously large carriage pulled by six horses. They spoke to people en route and were recognised. Word was sent ahead, and they were arrested at Varennes, not far from where they were due to meet the commander of their forces.’

Catherine’s heart sank, and she covered her mouth with her hand. ‘Oh no. The poor dear Queen. So near and yet … what will happen to them now?’

‘They have been returned to the Tuileries, with less freedom than before.’ Pierre stood up and paced about the room. ‘Had they been successful, they might have been able to garner support and overthrow the reactionaries in Paris. There would have been civil war, but it may have resulted in a restoration of the King’s authority, as he wanted, with perhaps a few concessions to ensure the people didn’t rise up again. But now …’ He slammed the coffee cup he’d been drinking from down onto the table. ‘Now all is lost. I fear the worst, now.’

‘The worst?’

‘The end of the monarchy. Oh, foolish, foolish Louis! Why travel in such a huge coach? Why not employ more secrecy? My correspondent says the Queen believed they were still loved by the common people outside of Paris. She was travelling in the guise of a governess to her own children, and yet she handed out silver plate as a thank-you to some helpful person. Silver plate! Has she no sense? Of course they were recognised. Stupid, stupid people!’

Catherine was astonished to hear him speak so strongly, so vehemently against their beloved King and Queen, and in front of her, too.

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