Chapter 6
“Gustave, this is magnificent!� Henry smiled. “but this isn’t our painting.�
“Well,� Gustave laughed, “it’s one of them. The other one is downstairs in our storage room. If we kept everything up here, there would be no room for anything else.�
“You are a wonderful painter and I am going to recommend that you join the court as our artist in residence. Would you like that?�
Gustave smiled. “I guess I can get used to anything, Henry. You can recommend me, but I am sure nothing will happen.�
“You never know,� Henry said, “I can be great influence on the right people and the right people can talk to…�
Gustave was laughing. “You mean Danielle, don’t you? Yes, Henry, she is the right person to spread the news. She always had that certain charm about her.�
“Still does, Gustave,� Henry laughed with him. “Come, lets go find Francois, he seems to have disappeared.�
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Francois was standing the empty hallway. This building was empty. It was just an artist’s studio or so he thought. Well, there hadn’t been anyone here the last time the two of them showed up looking for the paintings that Marie had seen in market square six months ago.
“Francois, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?�
Francois turned quickly to fine Rene de Fleur looking at him.
“I could ask the same of you. This is an artist’s studio, Rene and you are trespassing.�
Rene smiled. “Are we? Is that what you think?� Suddenly, he began to laugh. “Maybe I shouldn’t be so harsh? Maybe you would like to see for yourself what we are doing here? Come on, it won’t take long at all.�
“So this is where you are hiding out, in Gustave’s studio?� Henry said, his voice coming from behind Francois. He stepped out and stared at Rene face to face. “Your escape was not well thought out, was it?�
Francois turned to face Henry, “What are you saying, Henry?�
“Francois, Rene has been in prison this past year and he’s just escaped. I guess you haven’t heard.�
Francois shook his head. “I knew he was in prison. I just hadn’t heard he escaped.�
“Well, then,� Rene said, interrupting, “maybe you should never hear about this, ever again.�
And that was when Henry fell to the ground.
“Why you?� Francois started, but he was held back.
“Get the two of them out of here,� Rene demanded, “You know exactly what to do. I’ll handle him,� he said pointing to Henry.
“Of course, Rene,� Albert smiled. He turned to Gustave and Francois. “Let’s go,� he said, holding up his knife, “shall we?�