“See, you’re laughing at me. Things can’t be so terrible if you can still laugh. Just lie still and let me help you.”
Catherine closed her eyes and let the mists close about her and Juliette have her way.
“Well, what are you going to do?” Juliette strode into the salon close to an hour later and halted directly before François. “You can’t leave her here alone and unprotected.”
“She has you,” François said. “I’m surprised you think anyone else is necessary.”
“I’m not stupid enough to believe I can get us out of Paris to safety.” She met his gaze. “And we won’t be safe here, will we? You say Danton is one of the heroes of the revolution. If men that powerful are involved in what happened tonight…” She stopped, pushed back the memories flooding back to her and drew a deep breath. “Then the whole world has gone mad.” He didn’t answer and she braced herself to attack again. “I have to know what I’m fighting. Who were those men who attacked the abbey? Dupree called them Marseilles.”
“They’re hirelings from Marseilles and Genoa. Most of them are the spawn of the prisons. The Girondins hired them to come to Paris and protect them against the Paris Commune’s National Guard. Unfortunately, as soon as they arrived in Paris, Marat upped the Girondins’ offer and they now belong to him.”
“Girondins?”
“Even in the convent you must have heard of the Girondins.”
“Why should I have been interested in your idiotic politics? Tell me.”
“The National Assembly is run by members who belong to several different political clubs. There are actually three principal parties in the assembly. The Girondins, who want to walk a middle road and keep both the constitution and the monarchy. The Jacobins, who are radicals and want to dispose of the monarchy.”
“And this Paris Commune?”
“Most of them are Cordeliers. They control the National Guard and therefore Paris.” He smiled crookedly. “The threat of the sword can be more persuasive than the most eloquent oratory.”
“Dupree is a Cordelier?”
François nodded. “Jean Paul Marat controls the Paris Commune and Dupree is his agent.”
“And to what party does your great Danton belong?”
“He’s the leader of the Cordeliers and belongs to the Paris Commune.” He rushed on. “But he’s not a radical. He believes only in doing what’s best for the revolution.”
“And butchering women is best for the revolution.” She waved his protest aside. “Can I appeal to these Girondins for protection?”
“Not against the Commune. They talk a lot but do little.”
“So I obviously cannot count on sanity from anyone in the government. Catherine and I must protect ourselves.” A frown wrinkled her brow. “You must make sure no one knows we’re here and then find us a way to leave Paris at the earliest opportunity.”
“Indeed, and why must I do all this? You’re fortunate that I saw fit to intervene tonight.”
“I don’t consider myself fortunate.” Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “I’m angry and someone must pay.Youmust pay.”
“Why?”
“Because you were there. If you didn’t expect to pay for that atrocity, you should never have gone to the abbey tonight.” She smiled grimly. “And if you wish another reason why you should help us, perhaps I should tell you that I killed the man who raped Catherine tonight. Do you think your Commune would take kindly to your aiding the murderess of one of its number?”
He turned on his heel and strode toward the door.
Juliette called to him. “One more thing. Before you leave, talk to that old man, Robert. It would do no harm to be a little threatening.”
“I’m not accustomed to frightening old men.”
“Yes, you are. I think you’re accustomed to frightening anyone who stands in your way.”
François paused at the door of the salon. “The oldman presents no danger. He appears fond of your friend.”
“Fear will make him more cautious with his tongue than will affection.”
“What a gentle nature you have, Citizeness.”
