Chapter Eleven
Malcolm was startingto get a bad feeling about this female, while at the same time having certain other feelings about her that were only too good.
Mademoiselle Renault glanced at him with her intelligent eyes.
“You needn’t worry about me,” she said.
“I do if you have chosen the side of Bonaparte. Then indeed, I should be concerned. For make no mistake, he will be removed from power and soon. And when he is, the royalists will be more vengeful than the first time they returned.”
“Another difference then,” she quipped and kept on walking.
He fell into step beside her. “What do you mean?”
“The emperor told me he doesn’t care to punish anyone who betrayed him when he was exiled.”
Malcolm considered what Bonaparte had done so far, and he might be telling the truth. Or he might be biding his time.
“Regardless, when he goes, and he will, you won’t be safe if you’ve been seen eating cake with the emperor and smiling at him as if he were your lover.”
She stopped in her tracks and looked at him.
“That’s ridiculous and insulting. The emperor has gone to visit with orphans at Saint-Denis.”
Malcolm couldn’t help snorting with derision, understanding the wordorphelinsin any language.
“Bonaparte visits Saint-Denis because it is associated with French kings. It looks good to the people, and believe me, it will be written about in all the papers that are still allowed to publish. It further legitimizes him.”
He heard her sigh and wanted to shake her into seeing the truth. The soft sound also made him want to crush her against the nearest building and kiss her senseless.
“Have you heard of the Seventh Coalition?” he demanded.
To his surprise, she nodded, proving again she wasn’t simply a vintner’s granddaughter. But he’d already known that. There was more to her than her appearance suggested.
“The same countries that were still coming to terms over the newly drawn map and borders of Europe since Boney’s exile have created an alliance to oust him again. Austria, Russia, Prussia, and of course Britain have pledged 150,000 men each.”
She looked unruffled. “The Parisians do not want war.”
“I told you before, the main battle grounds won’t happen here.”
“There was fighting just outside the city last time,” she snapped.
“Bonaparte won’t let himself be trapped in Paris,” Malcolm insisted. “He’ll take the fight to a more advantageous place.”
“I hope you’re correct,” Serena said, sounding like Randall when they discussed the current state of events.
“I’ve never had a conversation such as this with a woman before,” Malcolm confessed.
Serena shrugged. “I’ve never had a conversation with a member of the Seventh Coalition before.”
