The Gathering Storm (35 page)

'Time will do nothing. Time will not answer anything.'

Rennie was silent. He made a face, walked to the window,
stared out at the sea. And presently came to a decision.

'I must say a word about our friend Mappin, James.'
Turning.

'I had wished Mappin dead, but no longer. He is nothing
to me now, and I will not like to hear any more about
him.'

'I must tell you, all the same. It may make a difference
to your view of this whole matter, when you have heard
what I'm going to tell you.'

'Oh, as you please ...' Rising from the bed, and sitting
on a chair. 'I will not swear to listen.'

'Mappin has told me that Lady Sybil Cranham is dead
– she that helped mount the spurious rescue of the king.'

'She is dead, too?' Dully.

'Betrayed by Félix, in course, before he came to seize
Madame Maigre.'

'Juliette.'

'Aye.'

'Whom I loved.' Half-sad, half-defiant.

'Aye.' Quietly, a nod.

'What happened to Lady Sybil?' Distractedly. 'How did
she die?'

'He exposed her to the authorities, if that is how they
can be called, when they are only dogs.'

'So – they hanged her?'

'She was put to the guillotine.'

'Put to the what?' Looking at him.

'I had never heard of it, neither, when Mappin told me.
It is a new and very horrible device, a kind of heavy axe
hoisted on a tackle between two posts, and dropped from
a height of twenty feet upon the neck, severing the head.'

'Christ in heaven.' Softly, then: 'My poor dear Juliette
did not live, but in least she was spared that.'

'As were you, James. Had Félix succeeded in taking you
into France, that would almost certainly have been your
own fate.'

'Aye, very like.' Again quietly, then, half to himself: 'I
think that he was right, after all ...'

'Right? Who was?'

'Sir Robert Greer. D'y'remember, he said long since that
the revolution would mean a new Dark Age across all of
Europe? I did not quite believe him, then. But now I do.'

'I am glad. I am glad. Because what I must tell you now
will be very unwelcome to you.'

'How so?' Frowning.

'Mappin believes – nay, hear me out, please,' as James
shook his head at the further mention of Mappin's name,
'Mappin believes – and I cannot in all conscience say that
I do not – that Juliette came to England upon Félix's
instruction, deliberately to seduce you anew, and obtain
from you information vital to the French about the activities
of the Fund, and British military preparedness, in the
event of war.'

'That is damned nonsense! Mappin believes! But he
cannot know for certain!'

'He has not told me everything, even now. I learned a
little more from him only after we had rescued you. I can
only assume—'

'Assume! Assume! I cannot bear to hear another word.'
Bitterly, and as Rennie drew breath to continue, James
rose and crossed to the window. 'No! No! I will not listen!'

'I know you don't trust Mappin, James, and was I in
your place perhaps I should feel the same. But I must tell
it all to you, James, it is my obligation.'

'Sir, I am very grateful to you for everything you have
done, but if you wish to remain my friend, pray do not
say another word against Juliette!'

Rennie, undeterred: 'He believes that she acted under
duress, to protect Lady Sybil.'

'But how could Juliette protect her, for God's sake, when
she had been put to death!'

'That was concealed from her, in course.' A moment.
'There is something else.'

'What?' Running a hand through his hair.

'They was cousins. An intimate connection, since childhood.
So, you see ...'

James looked at him, stared out of the window, looked
at Rennie again.

'Are you saying to me ... that she never loved me?'

'No, I cannot say that absolute ...'

'Then what
are
you saying, sir? You and Mappin between
you?'

'I think it very probable that she was torn between two
affections, James. Her love for her dear cousin – and her
love for you.'

'You are saying absolutely that she betrayed me! That
everything was deceit! All of it!'

Rennie was silent, not trusting himself to find the right
words. He looked away.

'Are you not!'

At last, quietly: 'My dear James, you are my greatest
friend, and I will not lie to you. I think you have been
caught up in a very dark circumstance, in which no one
could find happiness. We was all caught up in it, and swept
along unknowing, or half-unknowing, toward the gloomy
hush that is now upon us, and lies all around.'

James stood at the window, and for a long time said
nothing. Then, presently:

'All I know ... all I know is that I loved her, and have
lost her.'

Darkness fell on Dover, and Rennie returned to James's
room, where he had left him fitfully asleep. James was
again awake, standing in his shirt and breeches at the
window, leaning forward with one hand on the frame. He
turned as Rennie came in.

'I have engaged our rooms overnight, James. Then we
can depart in the morning, refreshed.'

'Depart. Hm.' A little shake of the head. 'Where will
you go, sir?'

'Go? I shall go home to Norfolk, to my wife. Thanking
God that I can.'

'Ah. In course, I cannot go home. Not now, nor ever
again.'

Rennie pulled his flask from his coat, poured brandy
into a glass, and crossed the room. He handed the glass
to James.

'Here, drink this.'

'I don't want anything.' Shaking his head.

'Drink it, if y'please.'

And James took the glass, looking at Rennie. He drank
off the spirit, and coughed.

Rennie reached for the glass, and poured another
generous measure. 'Drink that, too.' Handing back the
glass. 'If y'please.'

James drank.

'Now, then.' Rennie. 'I will like you to listen to me—'

'If you are going to say that I should go home, sir, in
spite of all that has happened, you are mistaken.' Over
him. 'I have lost my son, my only son, and I have deserted
my wife. Beyond that I have lost Juliette. Cannot you
understand? Cannot you see? I am utterly wretched. I have
lost everything that has mattered in my life. Everything.'

'You damn' fool!'

'Eh?' Shocked out of his misery.

'Ye've been spared, for Christ's sake! To live another day,
and make the best of things! The world may not be very
lovely just at present, but we must lift up our heads and
hearts in it, and face whatever it may bring. You have a
home. You have a wife. Go to her! Go home to Catherine,
and tell her that you love her! Or by God, James, I will
never be your friend again!'