spy on the emperor who ended up trying to serve two masters!”
“I was never the Judas you picture,” O’Meara told the old man.
Black said, “If you two will excuse me, I shall see if Mrs. Glenn is ready to serve us dinner.”
When they were alone, O’Meara came closer to her and said in a low voice, “I’m properly surprised to find you living here.”
“I have had troubles since my father’s death,” she told him. “Things came to such a peak I had no choice but to flee to London.”
“That is too bad. Your father would worry. He was a fine man,” the Irish doctor said. “So now you have agreed to act as an agent for Black?”
“Yes. I seem to have no other course open. And it may be a chance to meet Napoleon again and perhaps be of help to him.”
The burly emotional O’Meara glanced toward the door to be sure they were not being overheard, and in a low voice he said, “Do not count on seeing Napoleon or helping him.”
She stared up at him and in a near whisper asked, “Why do you say that?”
“Because I fear that Felix Black may be mad!”
Chapter Five
BETSY’S LOVELY blue eyes opened wide with fear as she gazed up into the troubled face of the Irish doctor. In a hushed voice she asked, “Is that possible? That all this fine plan is madness?”
“I’m fearful of it,” Barry O’Meara said. “I cannot believe it was possible for Napoleon to escape from that island.”
“Then what does it mean?”
“A finely honed mind that has finally snapped,” he told her. “I cannot see the War Office asking him to retire if all was well.”
“He seems so sure,” she worried. “And his facts to back up the story appear to be genuine.”
The Irish doctor sighed. “Only time will tell. But I beg you to be careful. If you involve yourself with this and the facts are true, you are going to have to cross the path of one of the most dangerous men in all Europe.”
“Valmy?”
“Yes. If Napoleon did escape, there is no question that Valmy was behind it. And he means the former emperor no good. He will use him and then destroy him.”
She nodded. “That is what Felix Black says.”
“In that he is surely right,” O’Meara said. “As to the rest I’m not sure.”
“That is why you will not take part in it?”
“Yes.”
Felix Black returned and advised them that Mrs. Glenn was ready for them. Betsy noted the expression on his sallow face and felt he was secretly amused by something. And she had the odd feeling that he somehow knew that Dr. Barry O’Meara had warned her against the enterprise.
Dinner went well. There was no hint of rancor between the two men. Both were well read and familiar with the political situation, and she enjoyed listening to their discussions of the many colorful personalities of the time.
When dinner ended, Dr. O’Meara excused himself almost at once. He said, “I have a meeting to attend at one of the coffeehouses.”
“I assume it has to do with Ireland,” the old master spy said.
O’Meara smiled. “You know my interests too well.”
“You must come again,” Felix Black told him. “I have other aspects of Napoleon I would like to discuss with you.”
“You know where to reach me,” O’Meara said. And then he turned to Betsy and with great sincerity said, “It has been good seeing you again. I shall never forget the days on the island. Do take care of yourself.”
She nodded. “I shall.”
Felix Black saw him and out and then returned to her. The spidery man in the shabby dark suit said, “What did he talk to you about when I was absent from the room?”
Flustered, she said, “I’m not sure that I remember.”
“I’ll refresh your mind,” he said. “He told you I was mad.”
She gave the master spy a frightened look. “How could you know that?”
“I have learned to guess what people around me are thinking. You must also cultivate the gift. It may come in useful to you.”
“I shall try,” she promised. “As for
“I was never the Judas you picture,” O’Meara told the old man.
Black said, “If you two will excuse me, I shall see if Mrs. Glenn is ready to serve us dinner.”
When they were alone, O’Meara came closer to her and said in a low voice, “I’m properly surprised to find you living here.”
“I have had troubles since my father’s death,” she told him. “Things came to such a peak I had no choice but to flee to London.”
“That is too bad. Your father would worry. He was a fine man,” the Irish doctor said. “So now you have agreed to act as an agent for Black?”
“Yes. I seem to have no other course open. And it may be a chance to meet Napoleon again and perhaps be of help to him.”
The burly emotional O’Meara glanced toward the door to be sure they were not being overheard, and in a low voice he said, “Do not count on seeing Napoleon or helping him.”
She stared up at him and in a near whisper asked, “Why do you say that?”
“Because I fear that Felix Black may be mad!”
Chapter Five
BETSY’S LOVELY blue eyes opened wide with fear as she gazed up into the troubled face of the Irish doctor. In a hushed voice she asked, “Is that possible? That all this fine plan is madness?”
“I’m fearful of it,” Barry O’Meara said. “I cannot believe it was possible for Napoleon to escape from that island.”
“Then what does it mean?”
“A finely honed mind that has finally snapped,” he told her. “I cannot see the War Office asking him to retire if all was well.”
“He seems so sure,” she worried. “And his facts to back up the story appear to be genuine.”
The Irish doctor sighed. “Only time will tell. But I beg you to be careful. If you involve yourself with this and the facts are true, you are going to have to cross the path of one of the most dangerous men in all Europe.”
“Valmy?”
“Yes. If Napoleon did escape, there is no question that Valmy was behind it. And he means the former emperor no good. He will use him and then destroy him.”
She nodded. “That is what Felix Black says.”
“In that he is surely right,” O’Meara said. “As to the rest I’m not sure.”
“That is why you will not take part in it?”
“Yes.”
Felix Black returned and advised them that Mrs. Glenn was ready for them. Betsy noted the expression on his sallow face and felt he was secretly amused by something. And she had the odd feeling that he somehow knew that Dr. Barry O’Meara had warned her against the enterprise.
Dinner went well. There was no hint of rancor between the two men. Both were well read and familiar with the political situation, and she enjoyed listening to their discussions of the many colorful personalities of the time.
When dinner ended, Dr. O’Meara excused himself almost at once. He said, “I have a meeting to attend at one of the coffeehouses.”
“I assume it has to do with Ireland,” the old master spy said.
O’Meara smiled. “You know my interests too well.”
“You must come again,” Felix Black told him. “I have other aspects of Napoleon I would like to discuss with you.”
“You know where to reach me,” O’Meara said. And then he turned to Betsy and with great sincerity said, “It has been good seeing you again. I shall never forget the days on the island. Do take care of yourself.”
She nodded. “I shall.”
Felix Black saw him and out and then returned to her. The spidery man in the shabby dark suit said, “What did he talk to you about when I was absent from the room?”
Flustered, she said, “I’m not sure that I remember.”
“I’ll refresh your mind,” he said. “He told you I was mad.”
She gave the master spy a frightened look. “How could you know that?”
“I have learned to guess what people around me are thinking. You must also cultivate the gift. It may come in useful to you.”
“I shall try,” she promised. “As for
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