Christian Seaton_ Duke of Danger(15)

She frowned up at him. ‘It is your intention to remain in Paris, even after the things I have told you?’

The Comte gave an indifferent shrug. ‘I thank you for your concern, of course. But I am sure your worries are unfounded and Madame Rousseau will have forgotten all about my flirtation with you by tomorrow.’

Lisette wished she could feel as confident of that. Unfortunately, she could not.

But she had done what she intended tonight, and if the Comte would not take her warning seriously, then there was nothing more she could do. ‘If I might prevail upon your generosity for the use of your carriage to take me back to the Fleur de Lis?’ She really could not bear the thought of travelling back by foot along the streets to the tavern.

‘But of course.’ The Comte gave a charming bow. ‘I will accompany you, of course—’

‘I would rather you did not.’ Lisette replaced and retied her bonnet before reaching for her cloak. ‘I will instruct your coachman to stop a street or two away from the tavern and make my own way back from there.’

Christian scowled his displeasure. ‘That is too dangerous—’

‘Nevertheless, it is what I shall do,’ she stated determinedly.

Not what she ‘intended’ to do, Christian noted with wry amusement, but what she would do. Lisette Duprée might be young in years, but she had a very determined and definite mind of her own.

No more so than he, admittedly, and if she thought he really intended to allow her to walk the Paris streets alone at this time of night, even for a short distance, then she was mistaken.

‘It is far too early for me to retire as yet,’ he informed her airily. ‘I can see you safely returned to the tavern on my way to other entertainments.’

Lisette looked up from refastening her cloak. ‘You are going out again...?’

‘But of course.’ The Comte waved a hand unconcernedly. ‘The gaming hells and...other clubs will only now be becoming interesting.’

Of course they would, Lisette acknowledged heavily. And no doubt the Comte would be luckier with the ladies in those clubs, as well as the cards, now that she had refused to entertain him for the rest of the night.

She had behaved the fool, she realised. A stupid, naive fool, to have believed for one moment that the Comte had any more than a passing interest in her—an interest that had obviously ‘passed’ now that she had made it clear she did not intend to spend the night here with him.

She raised her chin. ‘I am ready to leave now.’

Christian knew by the stiffness of Lisette’s demeanour that he had thoroughly succeeded in alienating her when he’d informed her that he intended to go out again. As had been his intention. His mission in Paris had been clear: to watch Helene Rousseau and make note of the comings and goings of the Fleur de Lis.

It had occurred to him earlier to use an interest in one of the tavern’s serving girls to enable him to observe Helene Rousseau and the movements of her co-conspirators. Unfortunately, his choice of Lisette as the focus for that interest seemed only to have antagonised the older woman, so bringing more attention to himself.

Helene Rousseau’s threats towards him, because of the interest he had shown in Lisette, now meant that his time in Paris was in all probability limited, if he did not want to end up dead in a filthy alley one night.





Chapter Four

‘Where have you been?’

Lisette, having just closed and locked the window behind her, after climbing back into the storeroom at the back of the tavern, now gave a gasp of shock as she turned to face her accuser.

Helene stood in the doorway in her night robe, her tall frame silhouetted by the candle left burning outside in the hallway, her hair loose about her shoulders, eyes glittering with her displeasure. ‘I asked where you have been,’ she repeated harshly.

Lisette swallowed, her lips having gone dry. ‘I could not sleep— I went— I thought to—’ She faltered as she realised that nothing she said was going to excuse the fact that she had obviously left the tavern sometime earlier tonight and was now sneaking back in again. Or change the fact that Helene had somehow discovered her disappearance. ‘I went for a walk.’ Her chin rose in challenge.

Helene reached for the candle in the hallway, bringing the light into the room to illuminate the stored barrels and sacks, as well as a defiant and no doubt dishevelled Lisette; how could she be any other when she had been climbing in and out of a window?

‘You went to Saint-Cloud.’ Helene’s nostrils flared with distaste. ‘Do not attempt to deny it; I saw you arrive back just now in his carriage.’

Lisette’s heart sank. She had told Monsieur le Comte, had in fact pleaded with him to let her depart the carriage in the street adjoining this one, but he would have none of it. Had instead insisted on bringing her to the back door of the tavern and waiting in his carriage until he was sure she had climbed safely back inside. She had seen his carriage depart as she closed and locked the window.