Wolfgang had told them that the little church of St Valery was perched on the limestone cliff overlooking a sheltered cove with a pebble beach. Neither beach, cove nor the sea were visible when Cassie and Raoul reached the rendezvous shortly before midnight. The church was a black shape against the dark blue of the sky, but beyond it everything faded into blackness and only the fresh breeze and a muted roar told them that the sea was very close.
They had been riding hard, mostly in silence, and as they neared the coast Cassie was aware of the knot of unhappiness growing inside her. In a few more hours she would be leaving France, leaving Raoul. They must return to their own very different worlds, there was no other way. Occasionally she would glance across at Raoul and the set look on his face told her he, too, was not looking forward to their parting. He loved her, she had seen it in his face when they had slowed for a moment from their madcap ride, but following quickly on from the joyous realisation came the certainty that it could not last. Memories of the fierce passion she had shared with Gerald still haunted her. At first they could not bear to be parted for even a day, yet how soon their love had died, leaving only bitterness and pain. Just the thought of going through such agony again made Cassie shudder.
They tethered the horses in an old wooden shelter, as they had been instructed. Cassie was relieved to see Wolfgang’s big black hunter was already there and she hurried after Raoul as he went softly into the church. Inside a single lantern burned near the altar, illuminating the scene. The lantern was held aloft by an elderly priest who was standing to one side while two men knelt over a prostrate figure. They were all so still that at first Cassandra thought she was looking at a religious sculpture, but at their entry the priest turned and the lantern’s light fell more fully on the man lying on the ground. She ran forward with a cry.
‘Cousin!’ She fell on her knees beside Wolfgang. ‘What has happened here?’ she demanded. ‘What has occurred?’
The two men rose, touching their caps instinctively and introduced themselves as the captain and first mate of the Antoinette.
‘He collapsed,’ said the captain. ‘We met as agreed, came in and then he staggered, complaining of an old wound.’
Raoul gently moved Cassie aside and began to examine the unconscious form.
‘It would appear he received more than a scratch at the harbour,’ he muttered. ‘He has a bullet in his shoulder and he has lost a lot of blood. Why in heaven’s name did he not tell me?’
Cassie touched his arm. ‘Can you help him, Raoul?’
‘Of course. He is strong, but the bullet will need to come out and quickly.’
‘No, no, monsieur, you cannot tend him here,’ cried the priest in alarm. ‘If anyone should see the light, if you were to be discovered—’
‘Is your house nearby?’ said Cassie. ‘We could take him there.’
The priest recoiled even more.
‘No, no, madame. It is not possible. The douaniers patrol here regularly. They already suspect me of having links with the smugglers. I cannot risk having an injured man in my house.’
‘Then it must be here,’ she said. ‘We cannot let him die.’
‘There’s the vaults,’ suggested the captain. ‘No one would see the light down there.’
‘Very well, let us get him there now,’ said Raoul taking charge. ‘Monsieur le Curé, if you would be good enough to light the way. Captain, can you and your man help me carry him? Carefully now!’ He glanced at Cassie, his voice softening. ‘It appears I shall need your instruments sooner than expected.’
She nodded. ‘I will fetch them.’
* * *
The vaults were cold but clean, as if regularly used. Raoul said nothing but he noticed the marks on the wall, as if something had been stacked against it. Barrels, perhaps. A flat-topped tomb to some ancient dignitary filled the centre of the biggest vault and Raoul helped the two sailors to lay the unconscious form gently on the top. It provided a perfect operating table. Lighted candles from the church were brought down to illuminate the space and the priest hurried away to fetch hot water and sheets to make bandages.
‘What can I do to help?’ asked Cassie.
The captain stepped up. ‘Begging your pardon, madame, but ’tis time to leave. The tide will be turning and we need to get back to the ship.’
Raoul had shut his mind to this moment but he could do so no longer. It was as if a band of steel was tightening around his chest.
‘He is right, milady. You must go.’
They were on either side of the tomb, facing each other across Arrandale’s near-lifeless body.
‘I cannot leave my cousin like this.’
Her voice shook and Raoul tried to reassure her.
‘I will not let him die, Cassie.’
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. ‘I cannot leave you like this.’
Her words were like a knife, twisting in his gut.
‘My dear, there is no choice. The ship must leave with the tide.’
‘Then I shall not go.’
The captain cleared his throat.
‘Monsieur Lagrasse has been a friend for many years, madame. I told him I would see you safely to England. He would not forgive me for breaking my word.’
‘Then I am sorry for it, Captain, but Monsieur Lagrasse is my cousin and I will not leave him until I know if he will live. I beg your pardon for your wasted journey.’
The captain rubbed his chin. ‘We could stand off another day, perhaps, and come back tomorrow night.’
One more day. Raoul clutched at it, although he knew the parting would be no easier tomorrow. He looked at Cassie.
‘You can help me tonight and nurse him tomorrow, until midnight. Then you must leave. Are we agreed?’
She nodded. ‘Yes. Agreed.’
‘Very well, then,’ said the captain. ‘I will return here for you at midnight tomorrow, madame. But you must be ready to leave; I put my men and my ship at risk coming back again.’
* * *
Cassie hesitated, wondering if Raoul would protest and beg her to stay. At that moment she knew she would willingly tell the captain not to return, she would remain in France and take her chances, but Raoul said nothing and she knew in her heart that it was for the best. She had said as much, had she not?
‘Thank you, Captain,’ she said at last. ‘I will be ready.’
The sailors departed and she turned her thoughts to preparing Wolfgang for the operation. She had a few more precious hours here. She must try to remember everything.
* * *
Cassie worked with Raoul to remove Wolfgang’s ruined coat and shirt, then she shifted the candles to provide the best light and prepared the instruments for him, making use of everything she had learned at Flagey. All the while the priest ran back and forth, bringing cloths and bandages from his house. He also brought a réchaud, or chafing dish, which not only kept the water hot but also provided a little warmth in the chill vault. She was relieved her cousin was oblivious when Raoul began to probe the wound, but by the time the bullet had been removed and the wound dressed, Wolfgang’s continued unconsciousness was beginning to worry her.
‘His heartbeat is strong,’ Raoul reassured her, when she voiced her fears. ‘If only he had let me look at his shoulder yesterday, instead of telling me it was nothing.’
She managed a little smile. ‘We Arrandales do not like admitting our weaknesses.’
With the priest’s help they moved Wolfgang to a bed of straw and blankets on the floor. Cassie wrapped herself in her cloak and sat down beside him, keeping watch. It was an anxious time, but there was little she could do save bathe his face and wait for him to come round.
* * *
She had dozed fitfully, waking once in a panic to find that she and Wolfgang were alone with a single lantern to light them. Her relief when Raoul reappeared must have shown on her face for he came over, directly.
‘I have been to check on the horses and I helped the curé remove all evidence of his involvement. Now if we are discovered he can deny he knew anything about us being here.’ He knelt beside the patient and laid a hand on his forehead. ‘He is sleeping. There is no fever, that is a mercy, and his body will heal more quickly if he rests. Do not fret, Cassie, he will wake soon.’
He turned down the lamp and came around to sit beside her.
‘Is it daylight now?’ she asked.
‘Yes, a fine day, too.’
She shivered. ‘I do not like being here, I feel too...trapped. What if someone should come? What if Valerin should find us?’
‘He cannot even be sure we were in Dieppe, unless Captain Belfort gives me away, which I do not believe he will do,’ he told her. ‘The most likely thing is that the douaniers might arrive, searching for contraband, but the curé has promised he will keep a look out for us and will send his boy to warn us if he sees anything suspicious. You should sleep while you can.’
‘And you?’ she asked him.
‘I shall try to sleep, too.’
He had put his cloak on the ground beside her and stretched out on it. Cassie lay down, taking care that their bodies did not touch as she turned this way and that, trying to get comfortable. Eventually she heard Raoul give a loud sigh.
‘What is the matter?’
‘I beg your pardon, I did not want to disturb you, but the ground is so hard...’
He reached out one arm and drew her to him.
‘There,’ he said, nestling her against his shoulder. ‘Is that better?’
‘Oh, yes,’ she whispered.
Tired as she was she knew she would not sleep, not even with the regular thud of Raoul’s heart against her cheek, but she kept very still and silent, knowing he must be exhausted. However, it seemed that Raoul could not sleep, either.
‘I cannot help but remember the last time I held you like this,’ he murmured. ‘Did you mean what you said, that you found our lovemaking...satisfactory?’
She sighed. ‘It was more than satisfactory, Raoul. I never knew such happiness before.’
‘Then your lovers were sadly lacking.’
‘I have had no lovers,’ she confessed. ‘Only my husband.’
‘And he did not give you pleasure?’
‘At first perhaps, there was something like it, when I thought we were in love, but I wonder now if he ever truly loved me. I think perhaps he married me for the fortune I would inherit when I reached one-and-twenty.’
Raoul’s arm tightened a little. ‘He was a scoundrel, then.’
‘Yes, but I was a fool. He had no money of his own, you see, but that did not matter to me. When we ran away I took all my jewels to sell.’ She exhaled sadly. ‘You would indeed think me spoiled if you had seen how many jewels and trinkets my family had lavished upon me. It should have been enough to live comfortably for years, but by the time we were sent to Verdun the money was running low and my husband needed more. Gambling had become an obsession. My grandmother warned me how it would be, she knew he was weak, although thankfully she had no idea just how low he would stoop and I will never tell her. But I should have heeded her.’
‘But you need not have stayed,’ Raoul pointed out. ‘Once you knew what sort of man your husband was, why did you not go home to your family?’
She said simply, ‘It would have been very disloyal to leave my husband at such a time. Although, I began to wish I had done so. He...he changed.’
He took her hand and said gently, ‘Would you tell me?’
Could she? Cassie let her breath go in a long, low sigh. She knew she would never confess the whole to Grandmama, but lying here beside Raoul, her hand resting safely in his grasp, she thought perhaps it was time to give voice to it all.
‘Gerald courted me so charmingly and it seemed such an adventure to elope, and the idea of going to France was so exciting! By the time we reached Paris I realised I did not love him. However, we were married by then and I knew I would have to make the best of it. Everything was well as long as there was money, but when it ran out—’ Her hand trembled and Raoul’s grasp tightened, giving her the strength to continue. ‘Gerald wanted me to ask Grandmama to send more funds, but I refused. I would not ask her to pay for his gambling. He did not like that, it made him angry and we argued constantly. He said I was a burden, that I must pay my way.’ She stopped, recalling the revulsion and fear of those last few months. ‘He began to bring his friends to our rooms and to hint that I should...entertain them. He wanted to share me with his friends. To—to sell my favours.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I dreaded those parties and took to retiring to my room and locking the door, but I knew, sooner or later, Gerald would catch me out and make me do what he wanted. If he had not died when he did—’ She broke off as the hot tears began to slide over her cheek. ‘And now I feel so guilty, because when they came to tell me I was a widow I felt nothing but relief!’
Raoul had listened with growing anger to her story, but now he could be silent no longer.
‘Ah, my love.’ The words were forced from him and he turned, gathering her into his arms so she might cry her heart out against his chest. When at last the wrenching sobs died away he murmured against her hair, ‘You must not blame yourself. The man was a brute to treat you in such a way.’
‘B-but he was my husband, and he always maintained he l-loved me.’
His arms tightened. ‘That was not love, chérie. You are well rid of such a monster.’
‘He—he said I was cold,’ she whispered. ‘He said I have no heart.’
‘I can assure you that is not true.’ He shifted his position, cupping her face with one hand and gazing into her eyes. ‘Forget this man, ma chère. He is not worth a moment’s regret.’ He dropped a light kiss on her eyelids and another on her mouth, where he tasted the salt of her tears.
‘Raoul, I—’
‘Hush now.’ He settled her more comfortably in his arms again. ‘It is time to rest. Or are you afraid of your dreams?’
She gave a sigh of contentment.
‘Not now. Not when I am with you.’
Raoul closed his eyes, satisfied.
‘Thank you,’ she murmured, so softly he could barely hear her. ‘Thank you for listening.’
He held her close, overwhelmed by the urge to protect the dainty, fragile creature beside him. Once she was in the care of her family it would be a different matter, but he hated the thought of her being alone and defenceless, even for a single day.
* * *
Arrandale’s low groans woke Raoul. He gently disengaged himself from Cassie’s sleeping form and went to tend his patient.
‘Where the devil am I?’
‘In the vaults of the church,’ murmured Raoul, making a swift examination of the wound. ‘I have removed the bullet from your shoulder. You fool, why did you not tell me about this the other night?’
‘I was anxious to be on my way.’ Arrandale drew in a sharp, hissing breath as Raoul touched a sore spot. ‘I did not want to bring the officers to your door.’ He raised his head to peer at his shoulder. ‘How is it now?’
‘The bleeding has stopped. It will heal, given time.’
‘Good.’ He sank back, closing his eyes again. ‘Speaking of time, did Cassie get away?’
‘No.’
‘What!’
‘She stayed to help you.’
Arrandale followed Raoul’s glance towards Cassie’s sleeping form and he muttered angrily under his breath.
‘Your captain friend says he will return for her tonight,’ said Raoul.
‘Aye, he’s a good man—’ Arrandale broke off as Cassie stirred and sat up.
‘Wolfgang. You are awake. How do you feel now?’
‘I’ll live. But what the devil do you mean by staying here?’
‘I wanted to help,’ she said simply.
‘Confound it, Cousin, you have jeopardised your chances of getting to England. What if the weather is bad, tonight? What if—’
‘Hush,’ said Cassie, putting a hand on his good shoulder. ‘Do not concern yourself, Cousin. Your captain has promised to return, I trust that he will.’ She added shyly, ‘Will you not change your mind and come back to England with me?’
‘You know I cannot do that, Cassie. I am a wanted man.’
She shook her head.
‘Grandmama has never believed it, I am sure she will help you.’
‘Nay, Cousin, it will need more than that to save me from the gallows.’
Raoul listened in silence to their exchange. He was sure now that Cassie was not in love with her cousin, but he could not help a prickle of jealousy at her concern for Arrandale’s welfare. He said curtly, ‘You should go with your cousin, sir. She should not be travelling alone.’
‘If that’s the case, then you should go with her, Doulevant.’
‘Impossible,’ said Cassie immediately. ‘Raoul is going back to Brussels to join his family and take up his work again.’
‘He could work in England, now he has his papers,’ Arrandale pointed out. ‘If anything, my friend, you would be safer there than here, for if Valerin finds you before you reach Brussels he will not let you live long enough to prove your innocence.’
Raoul said nothing. Arrandale was right. The journey to Brussels was fraught with danger and he might even bring more trouble to Margot. But to go to England, to be so close to Cassandra, knowing he could never have her—
A sudden noise at the door had Raoul reaching for his pistol, but it was the curé’s servant carrying a heavy pot from which emanated a most appetising aroma.
‘Mon père has sent you dinner, madame, messieurs. And he says to tell you it is growing dark now.’
‘A thousand thanks to him for his goodness,’ said Raoul, going forward to relieve the man of his burden.
* * *
By the time they had finished their simple meal of stew and bread Raoul noted that Arrandale was looking much better and was even talking about getting up.
‘You should rest a little longer,’ Cassie advised him. ‘You are very weak.’
‘Nonsense, I am as strong as an ox.’ He struggled to his feet, wincing a little. ‘Although an ox has four legs, which would help considerably.’ He looked about him. ‘Where is my shirt?’
‘The priest took it away to burn it, along with your coat. They were both beyond repair.’ For the first time that day Raoul grinned. ‘He has left you some clothes from the poor box.’
‘What? They are mere rags!’ Arrandale looked with distaste at the old shirt and badly patched jerkin that Raoul was holding up. ‘Well, help me into the shirt, if you please, it will at least keep off the damp chill of this place.’
It was soon done and despite Arrandale’s protests Raoul fashioned him a sling from the remains of the sheet they had been tearing up for bandages.
‘You will need to keep that arm still and rest the shoulder.’ He took out his watch. ‘It is nearly midnight. Your sailor friends should be here soon.’
‘Aye. I will see my cousin safely away before I set off. Can I ask you to saddle the horses for me, Doulevant? I doubt I will be able to do that tonight and we shall have to take Cassie’s mount away with us.’
‘Of course,’ said Raoul absently. ‘I will slip out and see to it shortly.’
‘Where will you go?’ asked Cassie.
‘It is best that you do not know that.’ Arrandale flicked her cheek with a careless finger. ‘Trust me, I shall survive.’
‘Perhaps Raoul will ride with you,’ she suggested. ‘At least for a few miles.’
‘No.’ Raoul had at last come to a decision.
You are a fool, man. You are only delaying the inevitable parting.
Perhaps he was a fool, but he could not bear to think of sending Cassie off alone into the night, with only strangers for company.
‘If you will not go with your cousin to England, Arrandale, then I must go.’
‘That is excellent news, my friend, and what I expected. You will find I have already paid for your passage, and sent instructions to the inn at Newhaven to expect you.’
Raoul’s brow darkened and he scowled at Arrandale.
‘You knew I would go?’
‘I thought it very likely and made my plans accordingly.’
The tall Englishman was grinning broadly, but it was the soft shine in Cassie’s eyes that alarmed Raoul. He should not be raising false hopes in her.
‘It will be safer for me to quit France for a while. I will not risk leading Valerin to my sister.’ He looked at Cassie and said meaningfully, ‘This changes nothing between us, milady. I will stay with you only until you are safe in your grandmother’s care.’
Cassie dropped her gaze.
‘Of course,’ she said quietly. ‘I understand.’
She would have Raoul’s company for another few days and she could not help herself, she was glad of it. She was not ready yet to say goodbye.
* * *
At a few minutes before midnight Cassie followed the men up the stairs, reaching the nave of the church just as the Antoinette’s captain and first mate entered. Wolfgang cut short their expressions of delight at seeing him on his feet again.
‘Never mind that, my friends. You have two passengers tonight. Make haste to get them away.’
He broke off as the church door was flung open. The priest’s servant stood in the doorway.
‘Messieurs, you must leave, now. This instant. There are riders approaching!’
‘Are they customs men?’ demanded the captain.
The servant bent over his knees, gasping for breath. ‘No, no, they are not douaniers. They are in uniform and look more like soldiers, or gendarmes. It is difficult to see in the dark. There are a dozen of them at least.’
‘Valerin,’ muttered Raoul, drawing his pistol. ‘Captain, take milady and get her down to the beach. Arrandale and I will cover your escape—’
‘No,’ gasped Cassie.
Wolfgang caught Raoul’s arm. ‘Do not be foolish man, what do you expect us to do, fight them all?’
‘Yes, or die in the attempt.’
Wolfgang put his hand on Raoul’s shoulder, saying urgently, ‘If we stay here we are all lost. Get Cassie away while you can, man. The path to the beach is perilous and she will need your help. I cannot manage it in my present condition, but I can ride. I am well acquainted with this coast, I’ll take the horses and draw them off.’
‘Quickly, quickly,’ cried the servant, his voice rising with panic. ‘They will be here any moment!’
Cassie held her breath. Time seemed to stand still as she waited in an agony of suspense for Raoul’s answer.
‘Very well,’ he said at last. ‘Take my pistol.’
‘Aye, your hat and jacket as well,’ said Wolfgang. ‘If I hunch low in the saddle it should be enough to fool them that I am the man they want.’
Hastily Raoul exchanged his riding jacket for the worn leather jerkin. Wolfgang fixed the hat on his head.
‘Goodbye, Doulevant. I rely on you to get my cousin safely to her grandmother.’ He gripped Raoul’s hand for a moment, then turned to Cassie.
She hugged him fiercely, being careful to avoid his injured shoulder.
‘Goodbye, Cousin.’ He held her close with his one good hand. ‘Give my daughter a kiss from me.’ He turned and grabbed the servant by the arm. ‘Come along, my man, you can help me with the horses. Thank heaven Doulevant has already saddled them.’
He went off, dragging the protesting servant with him, while Cassie and Raoul followed the sailors out of a side door and through the graveyard to the cove path.
At the cliff edge Raoul stopped, a stifled exclamation escaping him.
‘My papers,’ he muttered. ‘Arrandale has them, they are still in my coat pocket.’
Cassie gave him a little push.
‘Go after him, quickly,’ she urged him. ‘We will wait for you. Captain—’
The sounds of shouts and hoofbeats filled the night as Wolfgang rode out of the stable, leading the two spare horses.
‘Too late,’ said Raoul.
The captain gave a little grunt of satisfaction.
‘It’s so dark now the gendarmes might well think you are all riding away. Yes, look, there they go, after him.’ He turned back to Raoul, saying urgently, ‘Monsieur, we must go.’
Raoul took Cassie’s hand. ‘Come on.’
They stepped on to the path. It dropped steeply away and the church was soon lost to sight. The descent was steep and they went slowly, picking their way in the darkness. Cassie held her cloak tightly about her with one hand, the other clinging to Raoul’s fingers. They had not gone far when a shot sounded, quickly carried away by the breeze. They all stopped as several more followed, a distant sharp crackle of sound in the night.
‘It looks like Lagrasse has got their attention,’ muttered the captain.
Cassie said nothing, she felt sick with worry for her cousin, but there was nothing to be done now, except go on. By the time they reached the beach her whole body was aching from the strain of negotiating the steep path in near darkness. Every step was fraught with danger on the rocky, uneven path and without Raoul’s firm clasp on her hand Cassie thought her legs might seize up altogether. On the beach they were sheltered a little from the stiff breeze, small waves lapped softly against the shore, and Cassie could just make out a small rowing boat pulled up out of the water, little more than a blacker shape against the darkness. As they scrunched across the pebbles several shadowy figures loomed up and pushed the boat back into the waves.
Without ceremony Raoul lifted Cassie into his arms and waded out to place her in the boat. Everyone else jumped aboard, she heard the scrape and splash of the oars, and they were moving swiftly away from the shore. A dark shape loomed up ahead of them and she guessed they had reached the Antoinette. She suffered in silence the indignity of being thrown over Raoul’s shoulder as he climbed aboard and she sat with him in a sheltered spot on deck while the crew raced around them, weighing anchor and setting the sails.
‘As long as we avoid the British warships we should make good time,’ said the captain, coming up. ‘We have a fair wind and the tides are in our favour. I expect to be putting you ashore near Newhaven early tomorrow evening.’ He grinned. ‘The gods are smiling on us; the weather is unusually good for this time of the year. You should enjoy an easy crossing.’
‘Thank you, Captain.’ Cassie put up her hand to smother a yawn.
‘We have very few luxuries aboard this vessel,’ he said, ‘but there is one cabin below, if you would like to rest there?’
‘Yes, indeed,’ said Cassie. ‘We are both in need of sleep.’
She reached for Raoul’s hand, but he moved away from her.
‘I will sleep on deck. Milady can have the cabin. Perhaps, Captain, you would show her the way?’
There it was again, that note of steel in Raoul’s voice that told her he would not be moved. Silently she followed the captain down the ladder-like steps to the lower deck and resigned herself to a long, lonely night.