The Ravishing of Lady Mary Ware (35 page)

‘True. It was in '88 and I was scarce out of my teens. I pray you, though, consult the records of the Order. There Your Royal Highness will find my name, not as de Breuc, but as Mr. Roger Brook.'

Bernadotte frowned. ‘What means this mystery?'

‘It is generally believed in France that I was born in Strasbourg of an English lady married to a Frenchman, and sent after her death to her sister, Lady Marie Brook, to be educated in England. The truth is that Lady Marie was my mother and my father was Admiral Sir Christopher Brook.'

‘You astound me. In fact then, you are an Englishman, although long a confidant of the Emperor. To which country did you play the traitor?'

‘To neither in the fullest sense. I served England whenever her interests were involved, but I have never fought against British troops. I have, as you well know, fought against France's other enemies, and rendered her many valuable services, including having once saved the Emperor's life—though I now regret it.'

‘The tale you told me of having been a prisoner in the Isle of Wight was, then, untrue. What was your real purpose in coming to Sweden?'

Smiling, Roger produced the
lettre de marque
and placed it on the desk. ‘I come as an Envoy Extraordinary, to confer with Your Royal Highness, and with authority to enter into negotiations with you on behalf of my country.'

Having read the document, Bernadotte said, ‘This is not signed by your Prime Minister.'

‘No. The signature is that of the Marquess Wellesley. As Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and brother to our foremost General, milord Wellington, he has a greater say in our relations with other countries than Mr. Perceval, who is an amiable but not particularly forceful man.'

‘Even so, as Sweden is at war with England, your mission cannot be regarded as official. I should be within my rights if I made you a prisoner.'

‘I am aware of that. But Your Royal Highness will not do so, because it is not in Sweden's interest. The Emperor has more than once threatened to invade Sweden. I am
empowered to offer you an alliance with England. Do you accept it a British fleet could enter the Baltic and thwart Napoleon's intentions.'

For a moment Bernadotte considered, then said a trifle grudgingly, ‘You may be seated. Tell me now, what price does England require Sweden to pay for such protection?'

Roger bowed and sat down. ‘That she should put an end to her animosity toward Russia and form an alliance with her for the purpose of assisting in Napoleon's defeat. In return, England would also furnish arms for the Swedish Army, which is still so ill-equipped, and pay a large subsidy which would enable Your Royal Highness to raise further regiments.'

‘The Czar might not agree. As is the case with Sweden, he is still formally allied to France.'

‘Yes, formally. But the alliance now hangs only by a thread that will soon be snapped. As Your Royal Highness must be aware, for many months past the Emperor has been mustering his legions for the invasion of Russia.'

‘Certainly I know it. My intelligence service would be poor indeed did I not.'

‘Then it is evident to Your Royal Highness that, when the crisis comes, the Czar will need all the help he can get.'

‘True. But to antagonise the Emperor and risk all on his being defeated is no light matter. What return, think you, would the Czar be willing to make if Sweden took this gamble?'

Roger shrugged. ‘That, Your Royal Highness, I cannot say, but it should be considerable. Perhaps he might agree to return Finland.'

‘I greatly doubt that; and, although my compatriots would give much to get the Grand Duchy back, I have no mind to press for it.' Turning in his chair, Bernadotte pointed to a map on the wall and went on, ‘Regard the configuration of the northern countries, Count—er—Mr. Brook, I should say. Nature intended this great peninsula
to be the country of one people, and the Norwegians differ no more in language and customs from the Swedes than in France do Basques from Bretons or the people of Marseilles from those of Flanders. 'Tis not Finland but Norway that I desire.'

Leaning forward eagerly, Roger said, That greatly simplifies our problem. I see no ground why Alexander should object to your annexing Norway. He is a liberal-minded man, and readily accepts proposals when they make sound sense.'

‘You speak as though you know him.'

‘I do, Your Royal Highness. I was presented to him before his father's assassination in which I was concerned with Count Pahlen, General Bennigsen and others; although it was our intention only to depose the Czar Paul, not murder him. 'Twas the Zuboff brothers who committed that crime. I have since had confidential talks with the present Czar at both Tilsit and Erfurt, so I have come to know him quite well.'

‘He has Danish connections, so do you not think he might side with Denmark on such a question?'

‘Not as things are. How could he, if Sweden and Britain both gave him their support against Napoleon? Since the Royal Navy cut out the Danish Fleet from Copenhagen and milord Wellington, having landed there, spiked all the guns in their forts before leaving, the Danes have become the inveterate enemies of Britain. The Czar cannot have it both ways. Either he fights alone, or joins this new Coalition. If he does the latter, since the Danes are France's allies, he must count them, too, among his enemies.'

For the first time during their interview, Bernadotte smiled. ‘I congratulate you, Mr. Brook. I knew you had a high reputation as a soldier, but had no idea you were so able a negotiator. I do not wonder that your Government gives you such far-reaching powers.'

Roger returned the smile. ‘I thank Your Royal Highness for the compliment. May I take it that you are favourably disposed to my Government's proposals?'

‘You may; provided that England is willing to give me a free hand in Norway.'

‘Since that could not conflict with England's interests, I consider myself empowered to promise that.'

‘Good.' Bernadotte handed back the
lettre de marque
. ‘You will need this for presentation when you secure your audience with the Czar.'

Roger jerked upright in his chair. ‘No, no, Your Royal Highness. It is no part of my mission to proceed to St. Petersburg. I was instructed only to approach you. It was naturally assumed that, should you agree to become England's ally, you would become our bridge with the Czar, and choose a suitable representative to lay your views before him.'

Bernadotte smiled again. ‘I have chosen one, Mr. Brook—yourself. Who could undertake this business with a better hope of success? My Swedish diplomats are prejudiced against the Russians; you are not.'

‘Your Royal Highness, I beg you …' Roger began.

But Bernadotte waved his protest aside and said firmly, ‘I'll not take “no” for an answer, Mr. Brook. You have made it plain to me yourself that you have been deeply involved in Russian affairs, and are on intimate terms with leading members of their nobility, whose influence you can seek to aid our design. I have no-one with such assets whom I could send. I will give you a
lettre de marque
similar to the one you have; then you can speak on behalf of my Government here as well as your own. Yes, I insist on it.'

‘Then Your Royal Highness leaves me no alternative,' Roger sighed. ‘When do you wish me to start?'

‘At once. Our ex-master at least showed us that, having taken a decision, speed in executing it is the secret of
success. I will give orders for a frigate to sail with you tomorrow morning. At this season of the year the greater part of the Gulf of Finland is frozen over, but she could take you across to Revel and from there it is not much above two hundred miles to St. Petersburg. I will, of course, furnish you with money for the part of your journey you must make by sleigh, and for other expenses. I will also make your
adieux
to Their Majesties, on the pretext that I have sent you to report on the state of our garrisons upcountry, and forgot to tell them of my intention. For the few hours that you remain here, and when you return to inform me of the Czar's reactions, you will continue to be known as
M. le Colonel Comte de Breuc
. Wait upon me here, please, at seven o'clock in the morning. I will then give you the
lettre de marque
and instructions to the captain of the frigate.' Standing up to show that the interview was over, he smiled, shook Roger warmly by the hand and added:

‘This has been a most interesting conversation, Mr. Brook. It is my earnest hope that it will bear fruit. And you may rest assured that your secret is safe with me.'

As Roger undressed in his icy, stone-walled chamber, he felt no elation that he had succeeded in his mission. He gloomily reflected that, through talking too much about his past, he had hung himself with his own petard, and landed himself with another long winter journey from which there was no saying when he would return.

When he reported to Bernadotte the next morning, the Prince Royal told him that he was sending sealed orders to the captain of the frigate. These, giving Roger's destination, would not be opened until the ship had left port. In the meantime, it would be given out that he was being conveyed on the first stage of his tour of inspection, up to Osthammar. From the Prince he received the
lettre de marque
and a not very large purse of gold; then
he was taken by an adjutant down to the harbour and aboard the frigate.

It was still dark when they left the Castle, but soon afterwards a wintry sun came up to light the innumerable islands lying off the Swedish capital. After his last experience of sea travel, Roger hated more than ever the thought of going aboard a ship; but this time, in the comparatively sheltered waters of the Baltic, he was more fortunate. The sea was no more than choppy and, two days later, he was landed at Revel without having succumbed to seasickness.

After a night spent at the best inn, he hired a
troika
, had a good stock of provisions packed into it and set off along the road that crossed northern Estonia. In places, it ran near enough to the Gulf of Finland for him to catch glimpses of fishing boats threading their way among the ice floes, where the gulf was not completely frozen over. As the road was a main highway it was in fair condition and kept open, but fifty miles a day was as much as he could average; so he spent nights at Rakvere, Narva and Gatchina.

At the last place he looked at a small palace with interest. It was there that Catherine the Great had made her son Paul, whom she greatly disliked, reside. Eccentric to a point that later developed into madness, he had spent his entire time drilling his own regiment of troops. As a great admirer of Frederick the Great, he had dressed his men in Prussian uniforms, but he carried discipline to a point when it became sadistic torture, making his men stand to attenton for hours on end and having them flogged if they so much as eased a limb.

On March 3rd, his fourth day out from Revel, long after dark he entered St. Petersburg. Being familiar with the city he had himself driven to the Laughing Tartar, a big inn at which young Guards officers often gathered for drinking bouts. There he did not have to resort to any
subterfuge, as he had many friends in the Russian capital, and was known to them all as Mr. Roger Brook.

To his relief he learned that the Czar was not, as he had feared might be the case, in Moscow supervising the mobilisation of his army, but in residence at the Hermitage. By half past eight on the morning after his arrival, Roger had had himself driven out to the magnificent Palace, given his name to a Chamberlain and requested an audience.

He spent the next five hours in a vast waiting room, but it was comfortably furnished and had a number of large, porcelain stoves which kept it warm. Having nothing to do and there being nothing to read, he whiled away the time thinking about a variety of people, among them Bernadotte, Georgina, Napoleon, Droopy and the Czar Alexander.

The last was a most unusual monarch, for he was at the same time a revolutionary and an autocrat. His grandmother, the beautiful, licentious, cultured and intelligent Catherine, had given him as a tutor a Swisss named La Harpe, who was a disciple of Rousseau's. La Harpe had instilled into the young Prince the liberal ideas formulated in the Rights of Man, which were then agitating France and brought about the French Revolution. Alexander had imbibed them with enthusiasm and, on coming to the throne, had ardently desired to better the lot of his subjects in every way, even to the point of liberating all the serfs.

For this purpose he surrounded himself with young men who shared his ideas, in particular Counts Stroganoff and Novssiltzoff, and the charming Polish Prince Czartoryski. He also took into his favour Michael Speranskii, a brilliant bureaucrat. Among them they drafted plans for a Bill of Rights, based on the English Habeas Corpus Act, and to revolutionise the Government
by turning it into a constitutional Monarchy, with an elected Diet.

But, in the event, only a few minor reforms were actually carried out. An endeavour to force the nobility to free their serfs would have brought about Alexander's assassination. Theoretically, he would have liked everyone to have rights; but, if put into practice, that would have undermined the god-like authority long vested in the ‘Little Father' of the Russian people and, with regard to establishing a Parliament, that was well enough for prominent citizens to air their views in, but if it came to their telling him what to do and what not to do, that was utterly unthinkable.

His enthusiasm for the French Revolution had cooled when the leaders of the people had abused their authority and initiated the Terror. Horrified by the blood bath engulfing the nobility and bourgeoisie that followed, he had belatedly joined the other monarchs in their attempt to destroy the young Republic and restore law and order.

The Russian Army had fought better than those of any of her allies; but, after several bloody battles in which they had held their own, Napoleon's genius as a general had inflicted so severe a defeat on Alexander's forces at Friedland that he had been forced to ask for an armistice.