“François.” For an instant an expression of sadness crossed Danton’s face before it hardened. “I hope he gives her more loyalty than he showed me.”
“Good day, Danton.” Jean Marc turned away.
“Juliette de Clement.”
Jean Marc glanced over his shoulder.
“He mentioned your cousin only in passing, but he was quite venomous on the score of Mademoiselle de Clement. I think he’d go out of his way to hurt her badly. If he doesn’t dispose of her himself, I’m quite sure he’ll find a way to send her to the guillotine.”
“He said that?”
Danton nodded. “If she has value to you, I’d send her out of harm’s way.”
“She has value to me.”
Jean Marc opened the door and left the study.
“Set a date,” Jean Marc told François tersely. “I want it over.”
“Even if I set a date, we may have to change it,” François said with a frown. “We can’t be sure—”
“I told you what Danton said.” Jean Marc whirled away from the window to face him. “It’sDupree, forGod’s sake. You know what he’s like. Who knows when he’ll decide to move against all of us?”
“He’s held his hand this far.”
“Set a date. I want Juliette safely away from all this.”
François nodded, staring absently at the portrait of the Wind Dancer on the wall in the corner of the room. “Very well, we’ll take the boy from the Temple on January nineteenth.”
“January nineteenth.” Nana pulled the gray wig on her hand and began tucking her hair beneath it. “They’re going to tell Simon and his wife there’s a threat of rescue by William Darrell. They’ve bribed four of the guards to act as escort and Juliette de Clemente is going to forge Robespierre’s signature to a writ to have the boy released to Etchelet’s custody and removed to a place of safety.” She went to the mirror and took the heart-shaped beauty patch from the silver snuff box. “Once away from the Simons, the boy will be escorted by the guards through the front gates and taken out of Paris to Le Havre.”
“Very clever. That beauty patch is too close to your mouth. Move it a little to the left.” Dupree looked thoughtful. “The de Clement bitch will have to practice the signature in order to get it right. I want one of the papers she discards, but it must contain only the signature. Nothing else. You understand?”
“I’m not stupid.”
“You have a saucy tongue. You’re fortunate I’ve been pleased with you in other ways. I told you what I did to Barshal.” Dupree gazed at her critically. “Stop fussing. You look fine now. Come here.”
Nana stiffened and then turned and moved slowly toward him. “We move on January nineteenth, then?”
“Why not? It would be amusing to use their plans to augment my own. I spoke to Pirard today and he’s eager to earn a generous stipend for a day’s work. Kneel down.”
She knelt before him. “You’ve told Pirard about the count?”
“I’ve told him nothing beyond his duties in the enterprise. Men like Pirard are only tools. You hate kneeling to me, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“But you do it anyway.” His index finger touched the beauty patch on her cheek. “Camille rather liked it. I think I prefer your attitude. It’s more satisfying.”
“Shall I begin?”
“In a moment.” His hand stroked the fullness at the sides of the wig. “Someday I’ll take off all your clothes and put you in that armoire across the room. That’s what you did to me, remember? It was a chest in the cellar and you said I must learn—”
“I didn’t say that to you.”
He slapped her, hard. “Of course that was you. Say it.”
“It was…me.”
