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Back Dangerous Remedy
Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Epigraph
  6. Contents
  7. Paris, June 1794
  8. PART ONE
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. PART TWO
  17. 1
  18. 2
  19. 3
  20. 4
  21. 5
  22. 6
  23. 7
  24. 8
  25. 9
  26. 10
  27. 11
  28. 12
  29. PART THREE
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. 6
  36. 7
  37. 8
  38. 9
  39. 10
  40. 11
  41. 12
  42. 13
  43. 14
  44. 15
  45. 16
  46. 17
  47. PART FOUR
  48. 1
  49. 2
  50. 3
  51. 4
  52. 5
  53. 6
  54. 7
  55. 8
  56. 9
  57. 10
  58. 11
  59. PART FIVE
  60. 1
  61. 2
  62. 3
  63. 4
  64. 5
  65. 6
  66. 7
  67. PART SIX
  68. 1
  69. 2
  70. 3
  71. 4
  72. 5
  73. 6
  74. 7
  75. 8
  76. 9
  77. 10
  78. 11
  79. 12
  80. 13
  81. 14
  82. Postscript
  83. A Ship in Le Havre Port
  84. Acknowledgements
  85. About the Author
  86. About Zephyr

‘Something to eat and a good sleep always sets the world to rights—’

The bowl missed his head by a sliver and smashed against the pale yellow wallpaper, sending soup blobbing onto her desk. Her father flinched, the smile on his face dying.

‘Why?’ she asked between gritted teeth.

‘I told you—’

‘Don’t tell me this is to protect me. I don’t care if that’s why you think you’re doing this. I want to know, why work with them?’

Her father’s face shuttered, and the silence yawned between them. ‘Needs must.’

‘They’re Royalists. They want the king back! They want us all as serfs to crush under their velvet heel.’

‘I am your father. I don’t have to explain myself to you.’

Talking to him was infuriating. It always was.

‘So you’re just going to keep me locked up in here for ever?’

‘I hope not for ever. I hope you will reconsider your need to rebel against me.’

‘I’ll go back to Camille the first chance I get.’

Her father didn’t reply but she saw the edge of his mouth twitch.

‘She’s not worth your time or thoughts, Adalaide. She uses people, just like her father did.’

‘I went with her of my own free will.’

‘You didn’t see what I did. The girl was manipulating you, twisting your good, kind soul out of shape.’

‘We fell in love, Papa. I know that sort of thing is hard for you to understand.’

He shook his head. ‘She’s dangerous. I want you away from this battalion, they’re trouble. In that, my interests align with the duc’s. He wants his research back, and he believes your absence will motivate Camille to acquiesce to his demands.’

‘I don’t understand… How can that be?’ The duc had seen Olympe fall – why did they think she was alive?

‘I’m sorry, my dear, but your trick on the mountain didn’t work. The duc’s men saw the girl being smuggled away, quite alive. He’d hoped you’d realise she was more trouble than she’s worth and would hand her over in good faith. Unfortunately, you pulled another silly stunt. Camille’s idea, no doubt, but you left him no choice.’

Ada’s heart stuttered. No – they couldn’t have failed. All that work for nothing. And – oh god – Camille didn’t know.

She schooled her features into an expression of calm; she wouldn’t let her father get the better of her.

‘If you think holding me hostage will get Camille to hand over Olympe, it won’t work. You said it yourself, Camille will never choose me.’