Виктория Холт - The Demon Lover

“Don’t give way. That wouldn’t be like you. It won’t be long now.”

He comforted me as no one else could have done at that time. I believed him. He would take care of us and he could never fail. What had happened to him would have killed most people. But not the Baron.

Such was the way in which he had built himself up for me. We must be all right while he was there. He had found a means to get us some food. He gave the food which he wanted himself to Kendal. He loved the boy who was his son.

I just stood there leaning against him and he put his lips to my hair.

That scene from the turret room flashed before my eyes and I thought how different this was. I was glad to be held thus and that he was the one who held me.

“Kate,” he said after a while, “I want to talk to you. I’ve had it in my mind for a few days now. This really is going to be over soon.

There’ll be an armistice and then I shall want to get us out of Paris as soon as it is possible. “

“I can’t leave Paris,” I said.

“My work is here. When things are normal …”

“How long do you think it is going to be before things are normal! Who is going to want portraits painted? These people want to eat. They want to recover. And even when the food starts coming into Paris, how long do you think it will take to get enough provisions here? Paris is going to be a sad city for some time to come. We are going to get away just as soon as the frontiers are open.”

Where to? “

“To Centeville for a start.”

“To the castle … no, no.”

“You must come. You’ve got to be nursed back to health. So have I. So will anyone who has lived through this siege … and particularly the boy.”

“I am so frightened for him.”

“No need to be … if you are sensible. Now I know how you feel about the castle. I have a proposition. There is a little place known as La Loge du Chateau. It is just inside the moat and was used by servants at one time. I shall take you there and you can live there with the boy and jeanne until Paris is fit for you to return.”

I was silent.

“You will have to sink your pride if you are going to consider the boy,” he said.

“When have I ever let anything interfere with his wellbeing?” I demanded.

“The answer to that is Never, so you will be sensible now. The child is ill-nourished and has been for three months or more. Thank God he is strong enough to stand it. But he needs good food … fresh air. country life. He needs to be built up. He’s going to have all that, Kate, if I have to kidnap him to give it to him. He needs that more than anything at the moment, and I repeat, he is going to have it.”

I met his eyes steadily.

“I accept your offer,” I told him.

He smiled slowly.

“I knew you would, Kate. It’ll come soon. I know it.

This simply cannot continue. “

“How will you get out of Paris?” I asked.

“What means of transport?”

“I’ll find a way.”

“I can’t see how.”

“But you know I will, eh?”

“Yes,” I agreed.

“I know you will.”

Then he leaned towards me and kissed me swiftly on the forehead.

“You will not be far away from me, Kate,” he said softly “We have grown close, haven’t we … in these months?” I said: “You have been good to us in many ways.”

“Do you expect me not to be … to my own?” I broke away from him. I went into the salon. Grim. Cold.

Deserted. What a travesty of other days. I sat down and covered my face with my hands. I couldn’t help thinking of the little dead boy.

But the Baron had comforted me. I knew he would take care of us and that because of him we were going to come safely through.

The armistice was signed on the twenty-seventh of January. There would have been rejoicing in the streets if the people had not been too weak for it. The next day the city capitulated. The siege of Paris was over.

The Baron seemed to have taken on new strength. He now walked at normal speed, although he dragged his right leg a little, it was true; but it did not seem to inconvenience him very much.

He was gone all day and I began to be worried. I prayed desperately for his safe return; and in the late afternoon he came home.

He was pleased with himself.

“We leave tomorrow,” he said.

“I’m getting horses.”

He took both my hands in his and kissed them; then he drew me to him and held me close, laughing.

“We’re almost there,” he said.

“How did you do it? There are no horses!”

“Coercion. Bribery. It happens, you know, even in the most disciplined armies.”

I caught my breath.

“You mean … the Germans?”

“I’m paying a good price. Money, it seems, is still the key to most things in the world. What a mercy I have a certain amount of that useful commodity.” Then he shouted: “Kendal. Where are you?

Come here. We’re going away. We’re going to the country. We leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Jeanne! Jeanne, where are you? Be ready.

The horses will be here tomorrow morning. I want to get going as soon as it is light. Kate, you and Jeanne will ride together. I’ll take the boy. “

How excited we were! There was a little bread dipped in wine which was all we had for supper. We didn’t care. It was over. Tomorrow we should be on our way. The Baron had said so; and we believed that he could do anything however impossible it might seem.

How happy I was to leave that beleaguered city behind me. That we escaped as we did was something of a miracle and I realized afterwards that only the power and sheer effrontery of Rollo de Centeville could have achieved it.

The people in the streets were like so many pale skeletons. They were quite different from the lively, voluble people I had known. They had emerged from the ordeal angry and bewildered and were clearly prepared for further evils to befall them. The Baron had not only hired horses but a guide, who must have been one of the hangers-on of the occupying army, to get us through the city. I did not ask questions. I thought it better not.

We took the quickest route going southwards, for it was of the utmost importance to leave Paris behind us as soon as possible.

As we passed the Luxembourg Gardens memories flooded back. I could almost see the oriflamme kite flying in the sky. I glanced at Kendal to see if he remembered and again I was struck by his pallor. His arms were like sticks whereas once they had been rounded and plump. He was intent now, sitting there, no doubt thinking of that imaginary white steed which the Baron had “given” him for Christmas. There was a light of excitement in his eyes. I thought: It’s true. We shall soon nurse him back to health.

The Baron kept glancing towards me, to make sure that I was still there. He smiled at me encouragingly. I knew he was prepared for setbacks, but I saw the same love of adventure in his face as I saw in

Kendal’s. I thought: They l are astonishingly alike. And I knew we were going to get’ through.

And we did.

When we left the city behind us, the Baron paid off the guide and we were on our own. It was wonderful to breathe the fresh country air. We came to an inn and stopped there and had some refreshment. There was not a great deal to be had but we were no longer in famished Paris.

The Baron ordered a little soup.

“Not too much at first,” he said.

“We will eat little and frequently.”

The soup tasted delicious. We had hot bread with it and I thought there could not be anything more appetizing in the whole world. I knew the others were of the same opinion.

“We’ll get along,” said the Baron.

“The sooner we reach Centeville the better.”

It was a hazardous journey for there were soldiers everywhere. They did not take much notice of us a man who was crippled, two women and a child. They were not very curious.

“Even so,” said the Baron, ‘we will avoid camps, if we can. “

We stopped again and took a little bread and cheese. The Baron was able to buy some cheese and bread, which we took with us. There was not a great deal of food to be had, but as he said, after such privation as we had suffered, we had to eat sparingly for a while, so it suited us.

The Baron had plenty of money which he scattered freely and which gave us what we needed. We stayed at an inn one night and spent another in a derelict hut close to a farm.

It was an exciting journey and with each hour the fact that we had escaped gave us courage and the necessary strength to carry on.

I was amazed that in the condition we were in, we could ride as we did.

“People do what they have to,” said the Baron.

And at length we came to the castle.

He had been right. It was untouched. I knew what a proud moment it was for him when he rode under the portcullis.

The effect was amazing.

I heard voices shouting.

“It’s the Baron. The Baron is here.”

People seemed to be running in all directions.

“The Baron is back. The Baron is safe.”

We were exhausted . even he was. We had needed all our strength to get here and now we had arrived we realized how great the strain had been.

“What has happened in my absence?” asked the Baron.

“Have the soldiers been here?”

He was told no. They had been in Rouen. They had occupied the towns, but had left most of the smaller places alone.

“We need rest and food,” said the Baron.

I had never seen such activity. Kendal’s eyes were round with wonder.

This was the castle about which the Baron had told him. His eyes were like brilliant lamps in his pale little face. The stories to which he had listened with such enchantment were becoming reality.

I found myself in a room with him. A fire burned in the grate. Food was brought to us. Soup again-hot and savoury.

“I like castles,” said Kendal.

Then we lay on the bed together and slept far into the next day. I remember opening my eyes and suddenly realizing where I was. The siege was over. I was safe in the Baron’s castle . safe in his care.

Kendal was sleeping beside me. How pathetically his bones stood out!

But there was a smile on his lips.

For a moment I made myself forget everything . Nicole’s death, the terrible moment when I had thought I had lost my son, the face of the little dead boy. I pushed it all away. I was here . safe in the castle and the Baron had brought us to safety. He would take care of us.

I just lay still and slept again; and when I awoke it was late afternoon.

A servant was standing by the bed.

She said: “Are you awake, Madame? We had orders to let you sleep until you awoke.”

“I have slept for a long time, I think.”

“You were exhausted. The other lady is still sleeping. And the little boy.”

I nodded and said: “And the Baron?”

“He was up this morning. He sent me to see if you needed anything. A meal will be served in half an hour if you would like to take it.

Kendal, hearing voices, had awakened. He sat up and I saw the slow smile spread across his face as he looked round the room.

I said: “I should like to wash if that is possible.”

“But of course, Madame. Hot water shall be brought.”

“Thank you.”

Kendal watched her, wide-eyed, as she went out.

“Are we going to stay here … always? This is the Baron’s castle. I want to see it… all of it.

“I dare say you will,” I told him.

“We’ll wash and then we’ll go down and see what happens next.”

When we were washed we still looked somewhat bedraggled, for we had only the clothes we had travelled in and naturally had been unable to bring anything with us.

I took Kendal’s hand and we went down together.

“You know the way,” he whispered in awe, looking round at the thick stone walls with their tapestries of battle scenes.

I gripped his hand tightly, feeling that we were walking into the unknown.

We came down into the great hall where the Baron was waiting . with a woman. I recognized her at once, although she had changed a great deal from that young girl whom I had painted in the Rue du Fauborg Saint-Honore.

“Kate,” said the Baron coming towards me, ‘you are rested? And you, Kendal? “

I said we were, and Kendal just gazed at the Baron, his eyes round with wonder and admiration.

“You have, of course, met the Princesse.”