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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

‘I’m sorry,’ she mumbled into her hands. ‘It’s so unfair.’

‘I know. We must be very brave.’

‘Please, Papa, would you let me do something? Anything, just to keep busy and not let my mind wander to such things.’ He drew back a fraction, sympathy replaced by caution. She pressed on. ‘Have a servant watch me, take my shoes if you must, just please let me out of this room.’

‘I don’t want you to be unhappy…’

‘Let me be of some use – I can check proofs for you, or manage the household accounts or – or any of the things I used to do.’ She looked down at her folded hands in her lap. ‘You said I still had a place with you. Where else have I got to go? The battalion is finished.’

She let a note of bitter despondency creep into her voice and watched her father’s expression tense with indecision.

Al’s past had caught up with him, and now Ada’s past was repeating itself. Locked up, helpless, while someone she cared about faced death.

‘Please, Papa.’

He took her hand, patted it. ‘All right. Let me see what I can arrange.’

6

Outside the Au Petit Suisse

Camille yanked the knife out of the letter, struggling to bring herself to close her hand around the hilt. She didn’t want to touch the knife that had killed Molyneux. But she needed to read the letter.

In a spidery hand it revealed that Ada was held at the duc’s pleasure and would be released in exchange for Olympe. Their ruse had failed – they knew Olympe was alive, and now Camille had to choose.

Ada or Olympe.

Her mind scrabbled like a rat in a trap. She was playing, and losing, a game she didn’t understand.

The door opened, and James stood in front of her.

‘Oh, thank goodness you’re back.’ He paused, taking in the tears streaking down her cheeks. ‘That bad?’

She pushed the letter into his hands.

The light faded in his blue eyes as he read.

‘I told you something was wrong.’ She snatched the letter back to read it again, frantic for any hint of where Ada was, what she could do to make this right.

Other than hand over Olympe. Give up on everything they’d fought for.

James put his hand gently on her shoulder and nudged her inside.

‘Ada’s smart. She can look after herself. She’ll be okay.’

He tried to slide his arm around her, but she pulled back. She didn’t deserve comfort.

‘I messed up. I messed everything up again. What made me think everyone would behave like good little chess pieces and stay where I placed them on the board? I’m an idiot.’

‘Hey, no—’

‘I ruin everything. They trusted me and I got them hurt. I’ve lost everyone. Al, Ada, Maman, Papa, Uncle Georges…’