Sweet Bravado (29 page)

Deeply wounded, Nicole continued to stare at him. Then swallowing her misery, she replied bitingly, “I agree with you. He
probably will believe it. Is that all?”

“My God, isn’t that enough?” He ran his fingers through his hair.

“Is there anything else I should know?”

“After you make the arrangements for the meeting, that’s it.”

“Well then, if you don’t mind, I will go back to sleep. I am extremely tired.” She proceeded to yawn, roll over, and bury
her face in the pillow.

Valentin stared down at the inert form of his wife. He knew it would be impossible to talk to her while she was in this frame
of mind. Grinding his teeth together and swearing an oath under his breath, he snuffed the candles and left the room. Nicole
then cried herself to sleep.

Phillippe’s eyes narrowed as he listened to the Viscountess’s tale, but his only comment when she finished was that he would
see what could be done. When next they met, he told her that everything had been arranged for three days hence.

“I will meet you outside your home at ten o’clock.”

“No, just tell me where to go. I do not think we should risk being seen together.” My God, I can’t go with him to that meeting!
Nicole thought.

He laughed derisively, “What kind of a fool do you take me for?”

Frightened, she replied, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You do not think I am stupid enough to trust you?”

Astonished, she stared at him. “But… but I told you it is imperative that I get away from my… my husband.”

“That may be and then again…” he shrugged his shoulders, “who knows what game you perhaps play, eh?”

“I am in deadly earnest,” she said with conviction. “If I do not get the reassurances I need, I will never give you the information
you want. And you can do your worst because I no longer care to save my marriage. All I want is to be free of it.”

“You are very convincing, little
cousine.”
He eyed her speculatively before adding, “You wish to return to Paris. I wish for the schedule of the Duke. So we shall strike
a bargain,
n’est-ce pas?
Come with me, and you shall have your assurance and I… I will have the schedule,
oui?”

Nicole hesitated trying to think of some way out. But further protest on her part might only make him more suspicious. “Very
well, I will go with you… under one more condition.”

“And that is?”

“My correspondence must be returned to me at the same time I give you the schedule.”

He did not answer her immediately. Then he nodded in agreement and after a few more words left her.

Nicole did not have the opportunity to speak to the Viscount about her encounter with Beauchamp until much later. By then
she was quite composed and related the surprising turn of events in a detached manner. She would have to go to that meeting.

“Impossible!” he stormed. “Other arrangements must be made.”

“But what can they be, Val?”

“I don’t know yet, but I am going to see Chaldoner about it right now.”

Calling for his groom to saddle his horse, Valentin hurried from the house. Nicole’s spirits revived immeasurably. That was
not the reaction of an indifferent man.
She waited impatiently for his return, peering out of the window every time a horse passed by. But the hours dragged on interminably,
and still he did not come. Just when she had given up hope and was about to retire, she heard his horse’s hoofbeats on the
cobblestones. Racing to the door to meet him, Nicole was immediately subdued by his appearance. Frowning moodily, he mumbled
a greeting. Then taking her arm, he led her into the library.

Nicole waited quietly while he poured himself a brandy; however, she already knew what he was about to say.

“Nicole,” he broke the stillness that surrounded them.

“You want me to go with Phillippe?” She placed her hands to her breast to quiet the tumult of emotions which cried within
her, Not enough! He does not care enough!

He nodded abjectly and took hold of her hands. “There seems to be no feasible alternative. I have been over it a dozen times
with both the Duke and Chaldoner.” He knelt beside her chair. “But nothing can go wrong. I will be there along with Perry
and Danforth. That was definitely decided. Then no one else need know about this.”

She withdrew her hands from his tight grasp.

“Nicole, if you do not want to do it, I will understand.”

“Will you?” She looked at him blankly.

“Whatever you say,” he encouraged. “I will tell Chaldoner and the Duke to go to the devil.”

“Do you want me to go?” she asked matter-of-factly.

He rose and walked to the fireplace before answering. “It is your decision.”

“I see.” She stiffened. “Very well, then I will go. I suppose it doesn’t matter anyhow.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” he asked gripping the stem of his glass until his knuckles showed white.

Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, “Let’s not discuss
it further. I said I will do it.” Nicole rose from the chair.

“Nicole!” Valentin reached out for her, but she shied away.

“I am very tired. If you don’t mind, I will bid you goodnight.”

“Nicole.” Again he tried to embrace her,

“Please, Valentin, don’t!” His arms dropped in defeat, and he watched her cross the room and close the door quietly behind
her.

“Damn it!” he swore out loud. If only she had refused. But he could not do it for her. Wellington had extracted a promise
from him when he saw his reluctance to comply with the scheme. “State the facts simply. Then let her decide. I do not need
to remind you how vital her decision may be to this entire campaign.” The Duke had been clever, playing on the Viscount’s
loyalty to England. And now he was trapped. He continued to pace back and forth for several more minutes until he released
the tension by smashing the crystal brandy glass on the hearth.

Pale but composed, Nicole reached the library where the Viscount, Gordon Danforth and Perry Harcourt waited for her the night
the assignation with Beauchamp was to take place. Raised voices within the room stopped her from entering.

“I don’t give a damn!” Valentin swore, “I cannot let Nicole do it.”

“Val, you have no choice,” Danforth adjured. “You gave the Duke your word.”

“I will not jeopardize the life of the woman I love!” he said angrily.

Nicole grasped the nearest hall chair for support. Sinking into it, she repeated the words,‘the woman I love.’ He loves me!
she whispered incredulously. A wild elation seized her, and jumping to her feet, she rushed toward the
library entrance only to be arrested again by the ensuing conversation.

“The Harcourts have always lived on the brink of scandal. What is one more? Right, Perry?”

“I am with you, Val!” Perry agreed.

But Danforth denounced them. “And honor? Would Nicole wish you to sacrifice that?”

“She will not know. Besides, I will think of another way to make that despicable cousin of hers give us the information we
want.”

“How?” Danforth insisted.

“Yes, Val, how?” Perry reiterated Danforth’s question.

“I do not know yet,” Valentin answered impatiently.

Nicole retraced her steps, deep in thought. What was she to do? Valentin would never listen to her once his mind was made
up. She had to do something. There was only one thing she could do.

Snatching a piece of paper and a pen from the escritoire in her room, she scribbled a note to Beauchamp stating that he was
to meet her a half hour earlier than planned. Quickly sending it off with a servant, she sat down to write a much more difficult
note to her husband. There was so much to say, and it could not be written. Not now! Next she sought out Madame Lafitte and
enlisted her aid. Shortly thereafter she left the house by a side entrance and walked to the street corner where she would
meet Phillippe.

As soon as Nicole was out of the house, Madame Lafitte presented herself to the Viscount, handing him his wife’s note. Recognizing
the handwriting, Valentin quickly tore open the envelope, a premonition of fear seizing him. He read of the changes his wife
had made in the plan and groaned, “My God,” as he handed the note to Danforth. Then rounding on Madame Lafitte, he noticed
she was clutching a small box. “What is that?” he demanded
savagely, tearing the box from her trembling hands.

“Not now, my lord, it is only to be opened if…” Her voice trailed off.

Ignoring her protest, he opened it. The moment he discovered the glittering stick-pin he realized its significance. That day
at Uncle Maurice’s chateau! With mounting dread he read the attached note:

Forgive me for disobeying your wishes once again, my darling, but there truly was no other way. I have always loved you. Your
adoring wife, Nicole.

Reflecting momentarily, his eyes glittered as brilliantly as the sapphire he held. Then purposefully he hastened from the
room with Danforth and Perry behind him. He could not lose her now!

The Viscount’s quick pursuit of his wife soon brought them within range of Beauchamp’s curricle which they were shadowing
at a discreet distance as it headed toward the outskirts of Brussels. In town Beauchamp might not notice them, but once they
reached the country roads there was little likelihood of remaining hidden.

Sitting beside her cousin, Nicole realized that danger as she tried to parry his questions about her departure.

“Since the Duke’s schedule for the coming week caused your hasty departure, let me relieve you of it.”

“No… not until I have seen your superior.”

“Peste! Do you think I ever had any intentions of letting you meet my superior?”

“But you promised!”

He laughed maliciously. “You believed I would trust you?”

“Why… why should you not trust me?” Nicole tried
to sound defiant although her voice began to shake. “Have I not given you the information you desired?”

“So it seemed at first. Your fear of your husband discovering those letters, it was genuine enough. That is why your later
story, it had to be a fabrication.”

“But I told you why… I changed my mind…”

“Then why were you still so desperate to get your hands on those letters?
Naturellement,
I had to ask myself that question. And, of course, the reason, it was quite obvious. You see,
chère cousine,
I always believed that you loved the Viscount. But me, I did not calculate his devotion to you. So, I look again at the situation.
The Viscount, was he helping you to keep me informed—
est-ce possible
he too was a spy? That is very doubtful; therefore, I find it
nécessaire
to do some investigating. It was not too difficult to discover that the Duke, Chaldoner and your husband confer secretly.
Tut, tut,
ma chère,
such a complex game you play. You expect me to be so gullible, eh?” His bantering tone changed suddenly to one of malice.
“Traitresse!
I should dispose of you here and now!” He flicked the reins, and the horses moved ahead quickly.

“You would never get away with it.” Her voice quaked.

“Why? Because your husband follows us?” he scorned.

She gasped, and he laughed once more assuming his bantering tone. “Ah yes, I know that, too. It is as I planned. Why else
do you think I insisted you come tonight?” At her puzzled frown he explained. “To ensure my escape.”

“Your escape?”

“Mais oui. The Viscount will not endanger your life. So I am assured safe conduct through the lines. And my superior, he remains
secret.”

“If you suspected, why did you wait until tonight to escape?”

“Because there was always the chance that I am wrong.
Ah Nicole, if you had been
fidèle,
what my friends and I would have accomplished.”

“What
would
you have accomplished?” she prodded.

He laughed contemptuously. “You still think to lure me? But no difference. It is too late. Our plan will no longer be possible.
It could have worked but for you.” Again the light mood was overshadowed by hatred.

“What would have worked, Phillippe?” she pressed for that piece of intelligence. “If it is all for naught…”

“It was a truly magnificent scheme… to kidnap the Duke of Wellington. Then the emperor would have marched through Brussels
perhaps without a shot being fired.
Maintenant,
the battle will come. And the loss of many French lives with it. All because of you and your lover! So we will put an end
to this charade and attract the attention of our gallant escort,
n’est-ce pas?”

Abruptly halting the curricle, he seized Nicole, and before she realized what he intended, he gave her two resounding slaps
across the face making her cry out involuntarily.

Valentin heard his wife scream and spurred his horse forward.

“That is far enough, monsieur!”

The Viscount drew rein as he eyed the gun pointed at Nicole’s head. “Hold up!” he called to Perry and Danforth who were directly
behind him.

“Bien. Now that I have your attention, gentlemen,” Beauchamp purred, “we will come to terms, n’est-ce pas?”

“That depends.” Valentin shrugged, assuming an indifference he was far from feeling.

Beauchamp was scornful. “Do not play with me, Colonel, unless you wish to see this pretty piece of womanhood drenched in her
own blood.”

Valentin’s face paled.

“So, this baggage,” Beauchamp nudged Nicole with
the pistol, “does matter, eh? Very well, you will now oblige me, gentlemen, by dismounting.”

“Do as he says,” Valentin ordered as the others hesitated.

“Remain mounted, Colonel. You, I will need.” Beauchamp smiled confidently. “You ride with your wife and me to the frontier.
And once I am safely through the lines, I shall set her free to return with you. Try to stop me and I kill her without the
slightest hesitation.
Comprenez-vous?
Get out!” He thrust Nicole from the curricle. “Out of my way!” he demanded of Perry and Danforth as he edged himself and
Nicole toward the horses.