Marianne and the Privateer

'Any moment you will tell me you are another who has seen the poor princess's ghost! Enough of this, Marianne. You are doing yourself no good and I am afraid that I have made matters worse. We must not stay here.'

Without further argument, he picked her up in his arms and carried her through into the other room and shut the door carefully behind them before depositing his burden on a small sofa. Having first wrapped Marianne in her silken cloak and placed a cushion underneath her head, he announced his intention of rousing the cook to bring her some hot milk. Walking over to the corner by the bookcase, he pulled the bell rope which had been concealed there. Muffled to her chin in the green silk, Marianne followed him with her eyes.

'It's no good,' she said unhappily. 'The best thing is for me to go home. But – I didn't see the ghost, you know. I heard it. I know I did.'

'Don't be so silly. There is no ghost outside your own imagination.'

'There is… it was trying to warn us—'

Quite suddenly, the house seemed to be wide awake. Doors opened and shut noisily and there was a sound of hurried footsteps. Even before Jason could reach the door to inquire what was afoot, it was flung open to admit a bewildered-looking footman bearing all the signs of one who had dressed in great haste:

'The police! It is the police, Monsieur!'

'Here? At this hour? What do they want?'

'I – I do not know. They made the lodge keeper open the gate and they are already in the grounds.'

Seized with a horrible foreboding, Marianne sat up and began feverishly putting on her cloak, tying the silken strings with trembling hands. She stared up at Jason with frightened eyes. The thought in her mind was that Francis might have cheated her and, without the least shadow of proof, have informed on Jason as a conspirator.

'What are you going to do?' she asked in an anguished undertone. 'You see, I was right to be afraid…'

'There is nothing to be afraid of,' Jason said stoutly. 'I have done nothing I need be ashamed of and I have no reason to suppose that I have enemies.' He turned to the footman, who was still trembling in the doorway. 'You may tell whoever is in charge that I am ready to see them. No doubt it is all a mistake. But ask them to wait a moment…'

He was buttoning his shirt as he spoke, winding his neckcloth deftly about his throat and reaching for the coat which he had taken off earlier for the sake of coolness and laid over the back of a chair. This done, he came back to Marianne and helped her to her feet.

'How did you get in?'

'By the little door in the wall in the rue de Seine. Gracchus is waiting for me there, with the chaise hidden close by.'

'Then you must go to him at once… I hope you may still be able to get out without being seen. Fortunately it has stopped raining. Come! They will still be at the front of the house.'

But Marianne clung to him desperately:

'I don't want to leave you! If there is any danger to you, I want to share it.'

'Now you are being childish. I am in no danger. But you, or your reputation at least, will be horribly compromised if these policemen find you here. No one must know—'

'I don't care!' Marianne cried wildly. 'You want to keep it from Pilar, that is all—'

'For heaven's sake, Marianne! Stop this foolishness! I give you my word that in asking you to leave now I am thinking only of you—' He broke off suddenly and his arms, which had been holding her, fell to his sides. It was too late. The door had opened and a man was already in the room. He was a big man, very solidly-built, dressed all in black, buttoned high to the chin below a long, drooping moustache. In his hand he held a high-crowned velours hat, black likewise, and his eyes, Marianne saw in the light of the candles, were the hardest and coldest she had ever seen.

The newcomer sketched a brief salute, 'Inspector Pâques. I'm sorry to disturb you, Monsieur, but we have received information to the effect that there has been a crime committed in this house and that we should find a body here.'

'A crime?' echoed Jason and Marianne together. But while Jason advanced to meet the policeman, Marianne stayed where she was, leaning heavily on a chair. She felt as if she were about to faint. The absurd, yet horrifying menace which had hung over her life since that fateful evening at the theatre seemed to have come home to roost. What was all this about crimes and dead bodies? It was like some dreadful farce in rather bad taste, the police bursting in in the middle of her love scene… Then she heard Jason's voice, calm and even a little amused:

'Are you sure your information was correct, Monsieur? I knew this house was supposed to be haunted, but this talk of corpses lying about… I would not cast doubts on your informant but I confess I find it all very surprising.'

His level, courteous tone must have impressed the police officer because he gave a small, rigid bow before replying:

'I am very willing to admit, Monsieur, the information in question reached us anonymously, but it was so definite – and so serious – that I did not hesitate to act.'

'So serious? Does that mean you know whose body you expect to find here?'

'No. We know only that the man is a loyal servant of the Emperor and – and that he is a special agent. I could no more ignore the matter than if a political assassination had been involved.'

It was Jason's turn to bow. 'Very true. Although I am amazed as I am intrigued! My dear Sir, the house is yours. Pray search. I shall be most interested to accompany you. But first, if you will excuse me, I will escort this lady to her carriage. This business is not suitable for her.'

Inspector Pâques was already half-way to the door but he turned at this and came back to the young couple:

'I regret that will not be possible, Monsieur. I must ask you not to leave this room until the search has been made. This lady is the Princess Sant'Anna, I believe?'

This time it was Marianne who answered. She had listened with mounting alarm to the polite exchange between Jason and his unexpected visitor but now at the mention of her own name her fears, although still nameless, took on a new edge of horror. All the same, it was with dignity and a fair assumption of coolness that she said: 'That is so. May I ask how you know me?'

'I have not that honour, Madame,' Pâques replied chillingly. 'But our information stated that you would be found with Monsieur Beaufort—whose mistress you are.'

Before Marianne could say a word, Jason had stepped between her and the policeman. The muscles of his jaw were taut with a rage barely under control and his eyes were very bright.

'That will do!' he said sharply. 'Do what you came to do, since the word of an anonymous informant is enough to make you invade a respectable household, but do not insult people!'

'I was not insulting anyone. I speak as I read—'

'If you believe everything you read, I am sorry for you. Moreover, no accusations have so far been made against either myself or the lady, I think. For myself, it makes no difference, but let me advise you to behave more courteously towards one who is a personal friend of the Emperor, unless you wish me to register a complaint against you. I am, after all, an American citizen, as you may know.'

'Very good,' the inspector cut him short. 'If I have made a mistake in coming here, Monsieur, I'll engage to apologize, but for the present I must ask you not to leave this room.'

He went out and Marianne and Jason were left alone. They looked at each other, he with a faint shrug and a quick, reassuring smile that yet did not reach his eyes and she with an anxiety she no longer made any attempt to hide.

'This is ridiculous,' Jason said. But Marianne shook her head:

'No – I am afraid it may be somehow the work of Lord Cranmere. And there is nothing ridiculous there, unfortunately.'

Jason gave a start and frowned. 'You think this police fellow's letter may have come from him? It's possible – but from what he said, I seem to be the principal target and I cannot see why Cranmere should wish me harm…'