“You left the catacombs with an English spy,” Christoff insisted.
She stood up, outraged, causing Napoleon to stand as well, his gentlemanly manners surprising her since he was their emperor and could do as he liked.
“How was I to know he was a spy?” Serena demanded. “Wasn’t he the same man with whomyouhad a meeting, just the two of you, at the Café Aveugles a few weeks ago? My friends will attest that we saw you break bread with him. I wonder ifyouare the one who is working with a spy. Why were you tied up in that cavern if you are loyal to his Imperial Majesty?”
And just like that, the emperor turned upon Monsieur Christoff. While Bonaparte’s back was turned, she wanted to stick her tongue out at her accuser, but she remained with a saint-like expression on her face, entirely placid.
“Your Imperial Majesty, as I explained before,” Monsieur Christoff began, “I was sent there by unfortunate mistake. I do not hold your guards responsible. It was this woman and her friend who told them lies about me.”
At least Serena could show true outrage this time. “I never said a word to any guards about you.” She made the sign of the cross upon her heart, over her Kashmir shawl. “I vow before God.”
“Then your friend did,” Monsieur Christoff insisted. “But we are not talking about me. We are here because you have shown up too many times in the Englishman’s company.”
Serena took a breath, sighed, blinked, hoped she looked entirely calm if not bored.
“Your Majesty,” she addressed Bonaparte, looking at him squarely with her green gaze she’d been told was frank and trustworthy, “I believe you would be interested to know why my good friend, Guillaume Racine, unquestionably loyal to the empire, worried about the trustworthiness of this man. I’m sorry to report, Monsieur Christoff attacked me on the Rue Croix des Petits Champs, near the Bank of France!”
“What is this?” the emperor asked. “Are you a barbarian?” He turned on the florid-faced man.
“No, I...,” Monsieur Christoff began.
“Any man who attacks a female, especially a fellow citizen of France, cannot be trusted. I don’t want such a monster in my army. What do you say for yourself?”
Monsieur Christoff took a step back. “I thought she would return my affection.”
Serena made a noise of disbelief. If he’d been smart, he would have denied it outright and made it his word against hers. But he wasn’t finished trying to drag her down.
“I admit I should not have tried to steal a kiss—”
“Oh!”she exclaimed, intimating he’d done more than that.
“I admit it,” he continued, “but why did the English spy come to your defense?”
This time, Serena shook her head. “I was alone with you when you became a wild man,” she embellished. “It’s true that a stranger answered my screams for help, but only you say he was an Englishman and a spy. You are seeing spies everywhere, or pretending to.”
“But thetête de noeud,” Monsieur Christoff insisted.
“What are you saying?” the emperor demanded. “Are you mad? Who are you calling a prick-head?”
“No one, Your Imperial Majesty. I swear it.Iam thetête de noeud.”
Bonaparte clapped his hands, and two guards entered through the open double doors.
“I’ve heard enough. Take this man away.”
“Your Majesty, I beseech you,” Monsieur Christoff began.
“The way this young lady undoubtedly beseeched you as you tried to violate her. I will not tolerate such things in my capital. To jail, this time,” he added to his guards. “He’s not only a scoundrel, he’s half insane.”
The brute did not go quietly, hurling accusations against Serena and Guillaume, as well as the British. He tried to fight his way free before the guards overpowered him and dragged him away, still yelling.
Feigning offense, she put a gloved hand to her forehead as if his words had greatly upset her. When the last echoes of his invectives had died away, she and Emperor Bonaparte stared silently at one another for a moment.
Then he turned and strode the length of the room before coming to stand before her.
“You must tell no one of anything you heard or saw in the catacombs, mademoiselle. I wouldn’t insult you by saying there are things going on you do not understand.”
“Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.”
