Cardinal Poré had torn the envelope open the moment he was alone in the quiet of the antechamber of the cathedral. He recognised at once the delicate spidery writing of Monteria, a man as graceful with the nib as he could be with his congregation. There were now only three days to go until the Mass for Peace. How the days had flown since they had first gathered in August to consider the event. Time was of the essence and any word from the Cardinal Bishop could not wait. Should anything require Cardinal Poré’s attention, better it be done immediately than let it wait.
Poré’s eyes darted indiscriminately over the words, urgently trying to discover the essence of the letter, whether there were problems or if things were progressing as planned. Patience had never been a virtue of the Cardinal’s. He barely made sense of the words, just snippets of what Monteria was intending to say, and reluctantly he forced himself back to the start of the letter to read it in the order it had been written. After a moment or two, he felt as if he’d been struck a mortal blow and dropped his hands, a long breath of relief issuing from between his slowly parting lips.
Monteria indeed had news, and the news was good.
According to Monteria, all the hotels in Paris were now full, brimming with journalists and exalted guests arrived for the Mass. But there was more. The outgoing American Ambassador to France, Myron T. Herrick, had arrived in Paris just yesterday and would also be attending the ceremony to show his support for its aims.
Monteria had made a special point to underline the line which read, ‘We have America’s ear!’
Poré lifted the letter back to his eyes, excitement building in the ball of his stomach, a sensation causing his fingers to tremble.
‘Take care,’ the letter continued, the conclusion to it taking a darker turn. ‘I have heard rumour that some in the Vatican have not taken kindly to our little escapade, as they are calling it. Be doubly vigilant. Take no risks. I suggest you travel to Paris at the next available opportunity. Once here there will be nothing to derail our Mass but, whilst you are out in Arras, I fear terribly for you and your safety. Our Church is capable of many things, when it feels impelled to act.’
A sudden noise from the Cathedral drew Poré’s ear. Without thinking, he put down the letter and crept slowly out into the ambulatory to see who had come visiting so early in the day.