ambition. You dispatched the recipient of the message?”
Trixie’s mind moved at a pace that kept Zoé on her toes.
“He left me no choice. I had the payment the man was clearly sent to retrieve, as I’d already been told to go directly from Salzburg to London.”
“Which you didn’t do, were never meant to do.”
“Which I didn’t do, wasn’t supposed to be alive to do, no. I’d even debated about traveling to Salzburg at all, but couldn’t be certain I wasn’t being watched.” Zoé hopped down from the high bed even as she popped a grape into her mouth. She felt completely comfortable with this woman, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. “My turn. What’s going on here? What is the Society? Is the family in danger? Are you all expecting Max to get you out of it? Why did you go to all the trouble to attempt to bring me here?”
“That’s five questions, four of which I don’t care to answer at the moment. I arranged to bring you here because I was curious. I refer you to Max on the others, as I’m certain his brothers and sister are currently bringing him up to date over eggs and good country ham. My turn. You and Max were lovers. Have you had others?”
Zoé looked Trixie squarely in the eyes. “Before or since your grandson?”
“I have no interest in the time before you came into Max’s life.”
“Has anyone mentioned the name Anton Boucher to you?”
“I’ve been brought up to date on the man, yes.”
“By the inestimable Tariq.” Zoé nodded. “In any case, Anton’s orders kept me from rape, although I had nearly seduced the head guard, acknowledging it as my only way out, before Talleyrand arrived. Since then, I’ve been rather busy for romantic dalliance.”
“Now you’re angry. I apologize. Beauty opens many doors, especially with stupid men, but you couldn’t bring yourself to the point of giving over your body to the guard, even believing Max dead. You love my grandson. Which more completely answers your fifth question. He’s been a near madman since what we’ll henceforth only refer to as the incident. He takes chances he shouldn’t take, almost as if he has no regard for his life. I had to put a stop to it, and deduced that a meeting between the two of you was the only obvious answer.”
“I should find this impossible to believe, except for the fact I’m here.”
“By a roundabout way, yes, you are. Tariq made some inquiries, sent me his conclusions, and I was assured of your innocence and this Anton Boucher’s guilt. He’s fled, by the way, and I expect Max will soon be in hot pursuit. Now, my dear, I’ll leave you and Max to for God’s sake talk to each other so this old woman isn’t forced to have one of her grandchildren underground before her.”
Tears pricked at the back of Zoé’s eyes. Beatrice Redgrave, this woman who knew everything, believed her, believed in her. Richard Borders believed in her. She owed so much to so many.
“We have spoken,” she said, hating the slight catch in her voice. “Max...understands everything now.”
“Oh, dear, I don’t like the sound of that. Pride is rearing its ugly head, isn’t it, along with unhealthy measures of guilt and regrets on both sides, I’d imagine? Love is frustratingly complicated, which is why I’ve always striven to avoid it, until Richard, bless him.” Trixie raised her hands in surrender. “But I’m no romantical Cupid, pet, and I’m done interfering. It’s up to the two of you now.”
“Yes, ma’am, it is,” Zoé said, dropping into a curtsy. “I understand now why Max so adores you.”
“Bah! They’re all terrified of me, how next I am to embarrass them. Now go on, leave this old woman to the necessary trials of hiding the ravages of time before we’re called to luncheon.”
* * *
“I DON ’ T SEE why I can’t meet her, at least,” Lady Katherine Redgrave complained, pouting as she directed her maid to lay the last pile of clothing on the narrow attic
Trixie’s mind moved at a pace that kept Zoé on her toes.
“He left me no choice. I had the payment the man was clearly sent to retrieve, as I’d already been told to go directly from Salzburg to London.”
“Which you didn’t do, were never meant to do.”
“Which I didn’t do, wasn’t supposed to be alive to do, no. I’d even debated about traveling to Salzburg at all, but couldn’t be certain I wasn’t being watched.” Zoé hopped down from the high bed even as she popped a grape into her mouth. She felt completely comfortable with this woman, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. “My turn. What’s going on here? What is the Society? Is the family in danger? Are you all expecting Max to get you out of it? Why did you go to all the trouble to attempt to bring me here?”
“That’s five questions, four of which I don’t care to answer at the moment. I arranged to bring you here because I was curious. I refer you to Max on the others, as I’m certain his brothers and sister are currently bringing him up to date over eggs and good country ham. My turn. You and Max were lovers. Have you had others?”
Zoé looked Trixie squarely in the eyes. “Before or since your grandson?”
“I have no interest in the time before you came into Max’s life.”
“Has anyone mentioned the name Anton Boucher to you?”
“I’ve been brought up to date on the man, yes.”
“By the inestimable Tariq.” Zoé nodded. “In any case, Anton’s orders kept me from rape, although I had nearly seduced the head guard, acknowledging it as my only way out, before Talleyrand arrived. Since then, I’ve been rather busy for romantic dalliance.”
“Now you’re angry. I apologize. Beauty opens many doors, especially with stupid men, but you couldn’t bring yourself to the point of giving over your body to the guard, even believing Max dead. You love my grandson. Which more completely answers your fifth question. He’s been a near madman since what we’ll henceforth only refer to as the incident. He takes chances he shouldn’t take, almost as if he has no regard for his life. I had to put a stop to it, and deduced that a meeting between the two of you was the only obvious answer.”
“I should find this impossible to believe, except for the fact I’m here.”
“By a roundabout way, yes, you are. Tariq made some inquiries, sent me his conclusions, and I was assured of your innocence and this Anton Boucher’s guilt. He’s fled, by the way, and I expect Max will soon be in hot pursuit. Now, my dear, I’ll leave you and Max to for God’s sake talk to each other so this old woman isn’t forced to have one of her grandchildren underground before her.”
Tears pricked at the back of Zoé’s eyes. Beatrice Redgrave, this woman who knew everything, believed her, believed in her. Richard Borders believed in her. She owed so much to so many.
“We have spoken,” she said, hating the slight catch in her voice. “Max...understands everything now.”
“Oh, dear, I don’t like the sound of that. Pride is rearing its ugly head, isn’t it, along with unhealthy measures of guilt and regrets on both sides, I’d imagine? Love is frustratingly complicated, which is why I’ve always striven to avoid it, until Richard, bless him.” Trixie raised her hands in surrender. “But I’m no romantical Cupid, pet, and I’m done interfering. It’s up to the two of you now.”
“Yes, ma’am, it is,” Zoé said, dropping into a curtsy. “I understand now why Max so adores you.”
“Bah! They’re all terrified of me, how next I am to embarrass them. Now go on, leave this old woman to the necessary trials of hiding the ravages of time before we’re called to luncheon.”
* * *
“I DON ’ T SEE why I can’t meet her, at least,” Lady Katherine Redgrave complained, pouting as she directed her maid to lay the last pile of clothing on the narrow attic
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