The guard’s gaze was cold as it shifted to Jean Marc’s face. “It says here you were employed by the Duc de Gramont as his coachman.”
Jean Marc shrugged. “The times were bad, and it was better than starving. Thank God for the revolution. My wife and I have now opened a fine café on the rue de Rivoli, where we grovel to no one.”
“Then why do you go to Vendée?”
“It’s only for a visit. Vendée was the place of my birth, and we thought to give these belongings to my brother, who has not been as fortunate as we.”
Itwasthe wrong guard. He was asking too many questions.
The guard lifted his lantern to shine on Juliette’s face. “This is your wife? She was also in the service of the Duc de Gramont? In what capacity?”
“Maidservant.”
The guard’s expression was growing more suspicious by the moment.
“Why lie to him?” Juliette asked suddenly.
Jean Marc stiffened and turned to look at her.
“Everyone knows what acanaillethe duke was. He kept me at court to use me as his strumpet. I was only eleven years old when he forced his way into my bed.” She cuddled lovingly close to Jean Marc on the seat of the wagon. “I know you’re trying to hide my shame, but this good man must have heard how the duke used children to soothe his lust.”
“It’s true. I’ve heard many such stories about the duke since I was assigned here.” The guard smiled wolfishly. “It must have pleased you that the duke was beheaded at La Force last month, Citizeness.”
“It wasn’t his head I wanted struck from his body.”
The guard chuckled and lowered the lantern. “Pass through, Citizen.” He handed Jean Marc the papers. “Go to the queen’s vestibule. There will be someone there to direct you to the chamber where all the boxes are kept. You know where it is?”
Jean Marc nodded. “Of course.”
“If the guard’s not on duty, call out for him. He’ll probably be in the guardroom playing cards.”
“I’ll do that.” Jean Marc snapped the reins and the wagon rolled slowly through the gates into the Cour Royale.
The wheels creaked as the wagon lumbered over the cobblestones of the vast courtyard.
“It was the wrong guard,” Juliette whispered.
“You can’t always be sure a bribe will work. Anything can happen. Sometimes they’ll become frightened.Sometimes their duty will be changed.” Jean Marc shrugged. “It was fortunate you knew of the Duc de Gramont’s lascivious tastes. Your lie disarmed him completely.”
“It was no lie.” Her gaze was searching the massive bulk of the palace just ahead. Light streamed from a few windows on the lower floors, but the other windows were dark, empty of life. “Pull into the shadows over there by the east wing. We can’t chance encountering anyone else on the way to the Belvedere while we’re in this wagon. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”
His expression was suddenly harsh. “What do you mean, it was no lie? De Gramont raped you?”
“What? Oh, de Gramont was my mother’s lover, you know.”
“So that gave him the right to—”
“We have no time to talk of trivialities,” Juliette said impatiently as she jumped down from the wagon and started across the courtyard. “If we hurry, we should be able to make it to the Belvedere in forty minutes. Take the lantern but don’t light it until we need it.”
“Trivialities? I don’t regard the rape of a child as a—” He broke off as he noticed she was almost out of earshot. He grabbed the lantern from the wagon and caught up with her by the time she reached the corner of the wing. “We’ll discuss this later.”
“If you like.” For so cynical a man Jean Marc was reacting most peculiarly. The idea of her in the duke’s bed clearly bothered him and the knowledge filled her with inexplicable excitement. The Neptune Basin was just ahead and her pace quickened. “Do you think the gates of the smaller palaces will be guarded?”
“Perhaps. I couldn’t gather any detailed information without incurring suspicion. If they are, will that be a problem?”
Juliette shook her head. “I know the grounds of the Petit Trianon very well.” She grinned. “I hid from Marguerite in every glade, fountain, and building at one time or another.”
“Marguerite?” Jean Marc nodded. “Oh, yes, your charming nurse. Whatever happened to her?”
