Jane listened to all of this with great interest. Here seemed an excellent opportunity to observe Yves Chastain and his friends to see if she might spy a clue, for if anything would betray their sentiments, then surely the celebration of the new kingdom would do exactly that. The difficulty she faced was in not knowing if her interest would be remarked upon. Left to her own devices, Jane would likely have chosen to stay in rather than venturing forth into the unrest that would surely surround such an event. On the other hand, did any here know her well enough to think it odd if she chose to go? She need only make her interest plausible.

Jane took another stitch and then dropped the gown with a sigh. ‘I will confess to being somewhat restless, and an excursion sounds appealing. Surely the city council would not have the celebration if there were any real danger from Napoleon.’

Mme Chastain tapped her crochet hook again. ‘You may have something there. I will own that I am restless too. Mme Meynard, what do you think?’

‘Even if Napoleon were to march straight toward us, it would be another two weeks before he could get here.’ She closed the novel with a snap. ‘I say we all go.’

The dismay on Yves’s face was not far from being matched by Jane’s own feelings, though hers she kept admirably concealed. Having a contingent of women following him would surely curtail any potential exploits. Still, it afforded a better possibility for observing him and his compatriots than any opportunity that had yet arisen.

Mme Chastain tousled Luc’s hair. ‘And as it is a historic occasion, you and Miette shall both come.’

The boy expressed his delight with exuberance.

‘I would say that historic is overrating the case.’ Mme Meynard pointed the novel at Mme Chastain. ‘It will only be historic if we remain the United Kingdom of the Netherlands for more than five years, of which I have my doubts.’

‘Fie. You always have your doubts about everything.’

With events thus settled, by the evening, the party had grown from a small excursion to a quite a large group. They were joined on the streets by throngs of other denizens of Binché, who apparently all had the same sense of restlessness that had afflicted those in Jane’s company. The royalists seemed to predominate, if one could judge by the profusion of white ribbons. Orange also fluttered everywhere in honour of William of Orange, so the evening seemed filled with a collection of small flames.