Guil hooked the blades in his belt. ‘You are not a fool. He is your father. Our parents always have more control over us than we care to admit. But Camille is not alone, she has James with her – and I would guess also Olympe.’
A note of jealousy sounded within her at James’s name, but she shook it away. It didn’t matter who saved Camille, her or James, as long as someone did.
She tugged down the brim of her hat. ‘It doesn’t matter now.’
Guil squeezed her shoulder.
‘Do not blame yourself. It’s not worth the time.’
Guil was right. No use thinking about that now. She shouldered the crossbow. What mattered now was action.
11
The Foundations of the Madeleine
The barrel of the gun kissed coolly against her temple.
‘You’d think after everything that’s happened, you’d be a bit more cautious about your decisions,’ said James, one hand holding the gun to her head, the other holding tightly onto Olympe.
‘What are you doing?’
Camille felt lost. She could see everything happening, but she couldn’t put together the pieces of the puzzle. This was James, who’d taught her cards and kissed her under the willow trees, who was soft about animals and read more than anyone she knew. This made no sense.
‘What I have to,’ he replied.
A dark, thunderous pall clouded Olympe’s skin and the hum of electricity in the air made the ends of Camille’s hair rise. She made a sudden lunge for his neck, free hand wrapped in sparks – but he yanked her off-balance.
‘Don’t think you can use your party trick,’ he snapped. ‘Try to shock me and my finger will squeeze the trigger, whether I want to or not. You know that.’
Olympe clearly did, and stopped, though she was shaking with anger.
James turned back to Camille. ‘Come on, Cam, surely this isn’t a total surprise. Did you really buy my story about sneaking into enemy territory to check up on you? This isn’t a novel, people don’t do things like that. You’re playing at things you don’t understand.’
For a few moments, his blows landed true, and Camille felt herself shrivel under the accusations. How many traps had she walked into by now?
‘Honestly, you made this easy for me. It’s almost embarrassing. I didn’t have the first clue how to find Olympe – but lo and behold there she was in your front room. I so nearly had her away while you were at dinner with Uncle Georges, only you did have to come back at the wrong moment. I thought the Royalists and Revolutionaries might cause me trouble – but now you’ve sorted that too.’ He rose from his haunches, gun still levelled on her as he started to lead Olympe away. ‘England thanks you for your assistance.’
They backed into the foundations and she was on her own. Cold earth under her knees, a cold breeze sticking her blood-stained clothes to her side.
She’d thought she’d lost everyone before, but now it was really true. James had betrayed her, taken Olympe. Al was meeting the guillotine that very moment.
She had to get up. She had to do something – anything.
She could give up. Or she could fight.
She could earn back their faith in her.
The crunch of a boot on the gravel caught her attention.
She looked up, squinting into the sun.
The Duc de l’Aubespine stepped into her path.
He took in the blood and Dorval’s sprawled body. ‘Mademoiselle Laroche.’
He carried no weapon. Why would he? She was just a girl. One he had outwitted at every turn.
‘Citoyen. You’re too late. Olympe is gone.’
