The Ravishing of Lady Mary Ware by Dennis Wheatley Read Free Book Online Page A

of such a vast campaign would prove the final ruin of France. Therefore, no opportunity must be lost to press both for the Austrian marriage and sow dissension between Napoleon and the Czar.’
    For another half-hour the two old friends talked on, then the secretary brought in the forged letter. Handing it to Roger, Talleyrand said, ‘How you bring this to his notice I must leave to your ingenuity. I can only pray that it will serve to excuse the part you have played in this most unfortunate affair.’
    Having expressed his deep gratitude, Roger took his leave and returned to
La Belle Etoile
. There he found Georgina in Mère Blanchard’s kitchen, showing her how to make the famous British dish, Cornish Pasties. Such condescension by a great lady, and to find that she was an accomplished cook, filled the good, buxom Norman woman with surprise, and a respectful devotion that she would not have given to a Queen.
    They all made an excellent midday meal off the dish, followed by a fine variety of cheeses. Then Roger took Georgina up to their room and broke to her the dangers of their situation. Although he made as light of mattersas he reasonably could, over the years her mind had become so closely attuned to his that she sensed how gravely apprehensive he was about the outcome of his meeting with the Emperor.
    She said that, should the worst happen, she meant to remain in Paris, on the chance that she could find some way to help him; as his freedom was more precious to her than her own. But he told her that he had secured Talleyrand’s protection for her and eventually made her promise that she would place herself entirely in his friend’s hands.
    As he prepared to leave her, she suddenly thought of the crystal ball that she had brought with her jewels, and insisted that he should remain while she looked into it, in an endeavour to see what the future held for him. Getting it out, she set it up on a small table. They sat down in chairs on either side of it, and held each other’s hands while she gazed into the smooth, shining sphere.
    For a time they sat perfectly still and remained absolutely silent, while Georgina concentrated. At length, in her sight the ball misted over. The mist dissolved into slowly whirling wisps, then figures appeared in it.
    Her big, dark eyes widened and she gave a sudden gasp of dismay. ‘Oh, Roger, I see you in a cell and you are not in uniform, but … but in prisoner’s clothes. A man is speaking to you. He is a parson … but not a Frenchman. My psychic sense tells me that this place is not France. You are in Germany and … oh, God! Can it be that you are in a condemned cell and … and being prepared to go to your death?’
    Pushing the crystal from her, she burst into a flood of tears. Roger did his utmost to comfort her, but his efforts were of no avail. When she had become a little calmer, she begged him not to go to the Tuileries, but to leave her in Talleyrand’s care and seek safety in immediate flight. Knowing that Georgina’s predictions were rarelywrong, he was greatly tempted to agree; but he hesitated because he knew that if he failed to report he would have burnt his boats. While he was still trying desperately to make up his mind which course to adopt, there came a knock at the door.
    Roger opened it to find Maître Blanchard standing in the passage. The landlord bowed, ‘I regret to disturb you,
Monsieur le Colonel
, but there is an officer below. He has a carriage waiting, and he says he has been sent to fetch you because the Emperor requires your presence.’
    With a nod Roger closed the door and, giving a pale smile, turned back to Georgina, Taking her in his arms, he said softly, ‘There is no escaping fate, dear love, and it looks as though I have tempted it once too often. But I beg you not to despair. Maybe I’ll cheat it once again. And now, before I go to meet whatever is in store for me, I pray you