“Wait. Don’t do it,” François said softly. “Tell her no, Catherine.”
Juliette frowned. “Why should she? You know she’s not been well. She should rest before the trip. Look at her, she’s fading more by the minute.”
“Perhaps I am a little tired.” Catherine ignored François’s frown as she started heavily up the stairs. “I’d like to go to the garden before we leave for Vasaro. Do I have time, Juliette?”
“After your rest.” Juliette turned to François. “I’d like to speak to you.”
“I thought you would.” His gaze was following Catherine as she slowly climbed the steps. “I believe I’d like to talk to you as well. Come along.”
He turned and strode into the salon.
Juliette hesitated in surprise at his assumption of command before hurrying after him. “You shouldn’t have taken her away last night. You had no right. You could have frightened her.”
“I did frighten her.”
Juliette stiffened. “What did you do to her?”
“Oh, I didn’t force myself upon her, if that’s what you suspect.” François met Juliette’s gaze. “But I frightened her, and made her angry, and made her face unpleasantness.” He paused. “Just as you’ve been facing it since you left the abbey.”
“I’m able to face it. Catherine’s not strong enough to deal with it yet.”
“She’s stronger than you think. Last night she came alive. If she’s as fragile as you seem to think, she should have wept or swooned and she did neither. And I thinkI discovered why she’s been getting worse instead of better.” He paused. “It’s you.”
“Me!”
“You’ve been smothering her.”
Juliette gazed at him incredulously. “That’s not true. You know nothing about her. She needs me.”
“Does she?” François said softly. “Or do you need her?”
Juliette’s hands clenched into fists. “You’re wrong. She can’t do without my help. She’s with child.”
“She did without you last night.” François studied Juliette with cool objectivity. “I don’t doubt you care for her, but no one is worse for her at the moment than you. She needs to stop leaning and stand by herself, and I don’t believe you’re capable of letting her do that.”
“You lie! I’m capable of doing anything that will help her.”
He slowly shook his head. “You’ll smother her with attention and soon she won’t be able to live without it. You’re beginning to destroy her. You care too much for her to force her to stand alone.”
“And you wouldn’t care if she did fall when she found she hadn’t the strength to stand alone.”
He shrugged, his expression bland. “Why should I care? We both know I married her for the dowry. Once you leave this afternoon, I’ll be done with all of you. I offer you the benefit of my experience only as a disinterested observer.”
“As a spy.” Juliette’s voice was shaking. “Philippe said you were Danton’s spy.”
“True.”
“And an assassin.”
“I’ve killed men.”
“Yet you presume to tell me I’m—”
“You might ask yourself why you’re so upset that you’re hurling names at me.” François turned toward the door. “If you really care for Catherine’s welfare, you’ll find a way of leaving her to fend for herself once you’ve arrived at Vasaro.”
He walked out of the salon and a moment later she heard the door close behind him.
It wasn’t true. Catherinedidneed her.
