Authors: Nicola Italia
Sebastian shook his head. She was so naïve for all her learning. “Sophie.” He absently touched her face, even as he felt himself in turmoil. “They’ll find you. It’s what they do.”
She tried to stop the wave of desire that threaded through her as he touched her skin. She shook her head. “I will be safe.”
Sebastian felt sick to his stomach. Sophie was throwing herself into the fire and he couldn’t save her. He watched her walk back inside the theater and couldn’t stop the growing sense of unease that filled him.
Chapter 17
The inspector had made several inquiries and had narrowed down his search to a printer named Monsieur Blanche who was known to be sympathetic to the people. He had watched the printer for a week and had seen one young boy enter the premises, which seemed suspicious. A child would enter a printer’s shop only if it was on an errand for someone else. Perhaps this someone else wished to remain anonymous and so sent the boy instead. He had been told by several street vendors that a young maid named Marie visited the shop periodically.
But when he saw the young boy enter the printer’s shop, his interest was piqued and he thought perhaps this boy might lead him to the writer. Once the writer was found, she would be stopped. For the consensus was that the writer was a woman, and a lower-class woman at that. He rubbed his hands together. Inspector Alain Vennard was young but known to be ruthless and cunning when required.
He would track down the little upstart and make certain that these pamphlets would cease. He was not above using violence and it would be enjoyable to break the spirit of a young woman who obviously had foolish ideas of women’s equality.
Alain might have been called handsome, for his reddish, gold hair and small mustache were meticulously cultivated. But his blue eyes were ice cold, which matched his distant personality. He was of medium height but was able to blend in to any scene required. He could become a working man, able to follow a suspect to a tavern, or attend the opera if need be. His ability to blend in was an asset.
The young boy was followed home and it was determined that no woman by the name of Marie lived with his family. But further questioning of the servants found that he had an aunt named Marie who was maid to a prominent home in an upscale neighborhood in Paris.
Alain smiled. He was getting closer. Perhaps the writer was a governess or maybe Marie herself. He had trusted his instincts and they had been proven right. He must move carefully now.
***
Sebastian watched the rain pour down upon the Paris streets from the window in his office. The duke had returned to England for a family emergency and he was alone in their office. Besides opening mail, receiving visitors and attending events on the duke’s behalf, there was little to do.
He had not been keen to return to his duties after the conversation he’d had with Sophie. He was growing more concerned about her and knew that she was putting herself in danger.
These inspectors were assigned a case and would ferret out information accordingly. Sometimes a case of great importance could make or break a career. An Inspector worth his salt would easily find the writer and bring her in for interrogation. Though she was well educated and her father was powerful, it would only take one night of questioning for an unsavory fellow to beat and even rape Sophie.
The inspector might be charged or commended but Sophie would be completely destroyed.
He turned the issue over in his mind several times and had no solution. The ball in her honor was almost upon them and he would attend with Leila and Etienne. He still had no idea how to curb her, short of telling her father, and that would be a grave betrayal.
***
Alain had been pleased with his findings and had informed his superior. He knew the commissioner was not overly fond of him, but that he also knew Alain did what was necessary so he asked no questions. That in itself was uncommon. He also knew that his superior was a stupid man who had managed to obtain his position somehow, probably through a bribe or knowing the right family, but would not keep it much longer if Alain could help it. The commissioner was a simpleton who was overly fond of drink.
Alain knew that his methods were not the norm and he sometimes crossed the line, but it was necessary and acceptable. He was willing to get his hands dirty, as many inspectors were not. Alain was closing in and he smiled. He would relish bringing the stupid woman to heel.
***
Etienne was drinking more than he should and could not get Leila out of his head. He knew that he was in love with her, but that hardly mattered. He didn’t know what Leila felt for him but knew that she enjoyed their intimate moments and seemed intent on pursuing him no matter the cost.
When Leila had asked him to get them a room, he had been shocked. No well-brought-up, unmarried lady would ever seek to find time alone with a man, especially in a sexual nature. But he had already learned too late that Leila was a wild spirit and whatever she wanted, she achieved.
After getting to know her, he believed that, all along, Leila’s goal had been to come to Paris away from the stifling life with her parents. Vaguely he recalled she had one married sister in England and another sister here in France shortly to take her religious vows. Though her father had sent Leila to Paris, she seemed to have calculated the maneuver in order to come to enjoy its entertainment and diversions.
He was annoyed and irritated that she had chosen him. He had been quite happy with his friendship with Sebastian and his life in Paris before the succubus had come into his life. Now he was completely consumed. He wanted her, and when she was away, he was like a schoolboy, always thinking of her. It was unfair when he considered that he had asked for none of this.
The bigger issue at hand was the guilt that he felt every time he was with Leila. He should have done the honorable thing after the chateau. The thought of marriage didn’t frighten him. It was a natural occurrence between men and women. The thought of spending years taming the wild Leila was a pleasing thought.
The only thought which frightened him was if Sebastian demanded marriage between them and Leila refused him. To live without her was an unbearable thought. He took what she offered with all the guilt, nursing the truth only he knew. He was in love.
***
Alain questioned several of the shopkeepers surrounding the printer and none had seemed that interested in the small print shop. However, one shopkeeper had spotted a woman entering the printer’s. The elderly grocer had particularly noted it because for the most part he had only seen men enter and leave the printer’s establishment. He had even remarked upon it to his wife and the older woman nodded in agreement at Alain.
Alain was able to discover the woman was named Marie and she was maid to the Gauvreau family. The Gauvreau family was well known and the head of it was Jean Pierre Gauvreau, who worked for the Ferme générale. Alain wondered if the maid might indeed be working under an alias and was not called Marie at all. He even suspected she may be using the employment as a maid to hide her true desire—to bring down the French monarchy in secret.
It was a slight setback. Though Alain was certain Monsieur Gauvreau would not want anyone under his roof writing these ridiculous pamphlets, he would also not simply hand over a member of his household to be interrogated. He must plan his next step carefully.
***
The day of Sophie’s ball was a cloudy one, with a touch of rain in the air. The servants hurried throughout the elegant home, taking care of last-minute items that Eugenie deemed necessary.
Sophie had slept well but the conversation with Sebastian played in her mind. She knew that he was worried about her and she understood that. But he didn’t understand the sheer need she felt to relay all that she learned. She had once been ignorant. There were people in the same position as she had been, and they must be told the truth.
She knew of the inspector seeking her identity, but as a young lady of breeding she didn’t fear him. He would not hurt her or pursue it once she was discovered. He would probably speak to her father and there would be a tongue-lashing and she would have to stop writing for a time. After that, she would simply choose another name to write under and be more careful.
She dressed for the morning and went downstairs to join her family for breakfast. Her father was reading the
Gazette de France
and in typical fashion, her grandmother was not yet downstairs.
She was surprised when Marie came in and informed her father that a gentleman wished to speak with him in the front salon.
Jean Pierre set aside his reading material and placed his linen napkin on the table, excusing himself. When he entered the front salon, a man dressed simply with red hair and clear blue eyes greeted him.
“Monsieur Gauvreau. I’m Inspector Alain Vennard.” The man introduced himself and the men shook hands.
Jean Pierre knew from his colleague that the inspector in the district was making inquiries into the writer of the pamphlets that had recently been circulating in the area, but he was surprised to find him on his doorstep.
“Inspector.” He nodded to the chair before the fire. “How can I help you?”
“I’m sure you are aware that I am searching for the writer of the recent pamphlets published under the name Jean Inconnu,” he began.
“Yes, I have heard,” he admitted.
“I have reason to believe your house may be involved.”
“Indeed? How so?” Jean Pierre was startled by the revelation but would not show it.
“I have been watching a printer that I believe may be printing the offending pamphlets. Recently a young boy delivered him some writings, and the boy is a relative of your maid Marie.”
“Indeed. I find that hard to believe.” Now Jean Pierre was certain the man was following the wrong lead.
“No. It is all true.”
Jean Pierre shook his head. That his maid Marie should be the writer of these pamphlets? Absolutely absurd.
“I’m sorry, inspector. You picked a very poor day for this. We are having a ball to honor my daughter and the house is all sixes and sevens. Perhaps you would care to come tonight and we can discuss this over champagne,” he said smoothly.
Jean Pierre had no time and little patience to deal with this obviously incorrect information. But he felt the invite would achieve the correct outcome, which was to pacify the inspector until he could speak to the fellow’s supervisor.
Alain nodded coolly but was secretly pleased to receive the invite to the exclusive ball. “I accept.”
As they exited the salon, Sophie was in the hallway, dressed in a white linen dress with her auburn hair falling down her back. Alain was instantly struck by her beauty.
“Inspector Vennard, my daughter, Sophie.” He introduced them.
Sophie didn’t have a chance to respond as Alain bent over her hand, kissing it. “
Mademoiselle
.”
“Inspector,” she said quietly as she looked into the handsome man’s cool blue eyes.
Alain gave Jean Pierre a jaunty salute before he spoke. “Until this evening.”
“W-what was that about?” Sophie asked as she felt her heart beat quicker. Sebastian was right. He had found her.
“Nothing. Pure nonsense. The man was talking about Marie.
Mon Dieu
! Can you imagine? Apparently our Marie is ironing our garments by day and writing pamphlets by night. Absurd!” He shook his head, chuckling.
Sophie smiled. “Marie?”
“Yes. The fellow has it all wrong. I invited him to the ball tonight to pacify him. But tomorrow I will talk to his superior. This is what happens when men step out of their class. Upstart.” He returned to the dining room, leaving Sophie to stare after the inspector.
Sophie felt her throat tighten. Sebastian was right. The inspector had tracked her down and he was on her very doorstep. The wolf was at the door.
***
Sophie tried to calm herself as she helped her grandmother with small details several hours before the ball. The flowers needed to be placed on the foyer table. The crystal bowls should be there, not there, she was told. Count the candles for the evening and make sure there were plenty on hand. Again. The mundane details were irritating but helped keep Sophie’s mind off of the inspector. She was perturbed that her father had invited him to the ball that evening, but his reasons seemed appropriate.
Her father obviously thought it necessary to keep him in check, but Sophie didn’t like the inspector being so close to her family. He was closing in. She felt as though a rough hemp rope had been thrown around her throat and it was tightening. She couldn’t breathe. Why had she not listened to Sebastian? She cursed herself for being a foolish woman.
***
Alain used several men to do the dull legwork that he felt was a bore. Several interesting facts about the Gauvreau family came to light that the researchers relayed to him. There was no governess in the family, as he had first suspected. There was the maid, Marie; a cook; and several other servants inside the home, but no young children. Monsieur Gauvreau had lost his wife in childbirth years before and had only the one daughter, Sophie.
The only other lady in the house was Jean Pierre’s mother, Eugenie.
Alain rubbed his hands together in delight. He deduced that in all probability the elusive Jean Inconnu was either Sophie or Eugenie Gauvreau as he doubted very much it was the maid. This brought about an interesting turn of events. A well-bred lady was writing against the monarchy and inciting the people. He had his own reasons for wanting the writer to be Sophie. He was an ambitious man and she might be the key to his success.
The commissioner had given the order to have the writer taken into custody and interrogated. He would wait and see. Once the writer’s identity was known for certain, he had his own plans of how to handle Sophie Gauvreau.
***
Etienne had done as his friend asked and made a quiet investigation into the background of Inspector Alain Vennard. He was in his late 30s and had no wife or children. There had been a devastating fire years ago in which his mother and father had perished. Though a bit of a drinker, his father had been a well-regarded mason.