Napoleon's Police by McGrath Michele

Author:McGrath, Michele [McGrath, Michele]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Riverscourt Publishing
Published: 2015-03-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

9 Frimaire, Year XIII

(Friday, November 30, 1804)

I spent a cold and miserable few hours watching Princess Pauline’s hôtel but neither Dupré nor his mistress emerged again. I left as one of the church clocks chimed five and made my way to Fournier’s rooms. His wife, Berthe, was already awake and served me bread, cheese and freshly made coffee which were very welcome. Fournier had been dozing in his chair when I arrived, but he perked up as I came in and gave me a report. He searched Saint Victor’s dwelling while the equerry was dancing at the ball. Saint Victor lived in an apartment, rather grander than Dupré’s, from the description. Although Saint Victor was often on duty with one of the Princesses, he still lived there, returning most nights. He kept a servant, an elderly man who had worked for him for years, according to the concierge. This servant always went to the tavern as soon as his master departed. Apparently, he was usually gone for a long time.

“I thanked the concierge for the information and left,” Fournier told me. “I went round the corner and slipped back into the house. I searched Saint Victor’s apartment but except for some bad poetry, I found nothing of interest.”

“How did you get in?” I asked because I hadn’t given him the Emperor’s authorisation. It was still in my pocket.

“Lefebvre isn’t the only one who can open locked doors,” Fournier said with a wink.

“So we’re no further?”

“Not with Saint Victor, not yet. What about you?”

I told him my story.

“Not much there,” he sighed when I finished.

A tap on the door and Berthe let Lefebvre in. He was grinning.

“You look as if you are big with news,” I said, hopefully.

“I am, up to a point.” He flung himself into a chair and took the beaker Berthe offered him. “I’ve not found the crown, but I have found a link between Simon, the servant, and Saint Victor, which may explain why and how the false message was sent.”

“Go on then, tell us.”

“It’s simple enough. Saint Victor is courting Madame de Herlay’s daughter, Cécile. When he called to see her yesterday, he said that he had forgotten an urgent note which had to be taken to the jeweller Margueritte. Cécile asked their head lackey to deliver it immediately. The man told me he gave Simon the note to take to the workshop right away.”

“You got that from the lackey?”

“Yes I did and Simon confirmed it. By the way, Soldier, you owe me two francs for that piece of information.”

“When I get paid, you will too. Saint Victor took a risk, trusting the letter to someone else.”

“Well, he could hardly take it himself. Someone would be sure to ask awkward questions. It’s a servant’s job. He’s above that these days. The note was innocent enough and it was sealed. It took a while for him to admit it, but Simon has never been taught to read. I asked him because he seems a bit gormless, not the sort of lad to stick to his books.

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