currently working on chaps 29 and 30..should be up later tonight or tomorrow…enjoy
Chapter 28
“Antoine,” a voice called from the study door. “The hour is late. We should be leaving.”
“Danielle is asleep, Colette,” Marie told her, “She was put to bed an hour ago. Your children are in the…”
“Yes, I know. They are in the nursery. A little too old for them, don’t you think?” She turned around to face Antoine again. She didn’t even wait for an answer.
“Well?” she said to Antoine.
Marie shook her head and she was glad that Colette never noticed. Why had she even thought of inviting her here?
“You are leaving then?” Francis asked Auguste. “Will you wake up your daughter?” He turned to Antoine and Colette. “You know you are welcome to sleep here tonight. We have plenty of room.”
Colette didn’t even turn.
“I will stay,” Auguste said.
Antoine turned to the King. “I think we will have to go,” he said. “I am sorry.”
He turned to Auguste. “We will finish this conversation in the morning.”
With that, he turned around and looked at Colette. “Come, let us collect our children. I do not want to overstay our welcome.”
Francis was about to say something, but decided against it. “Hope to see you soon, Antoine. Nice to see you again after all these years.”
“And you, too, Your Majesty,” Antoine said, putting his arm around Colette’s shoulders.
When the two had left, Auguste turned to Francis. “What made you mention the plot of land. I thought that…”
“I only bought it this morning,” Francis laughed. “as per your instructions.”
Auguste laughed and shook his head. “To preserve it for Danielle. That’s what you said and that’s what Nicole told me. And I did read her journal, Francis. And yes, Nicole had been right about Colette. She will take anything she can get her hands. So I put the chest and the journal in the ground so that Colette would never find it. The portrait I brought down to the cellar and hid it, intending all this time to put the paper with Nicole’s instructions underneath the frame. But she found out where it was and put the coins on all four sides of the painting. Then she buried it in that mud hole eleven years ago, along with the coins. When I finally found the portrait quite by accident, I discovered what she had done. So I removed the coins, replaced them with Nicole’s instructions and returned the painting to it’s hiding place.”
Francis smiled. “Where did you put them, Auguste?”
“In the chest in a small money pouch where they remain untouched. I’d forgotten I had buried it there. That’s why I had the transaction between us drawn up. I didn’t want the house going up over those treasures. I have to dig them up in the morning and invent a story for my brother. The two of them should be gone by afternoon or early evening if it works.”
“It will, Auguste, never fear, it will.” He heard the mantel clock strike ten. “Come it is late. Let us retire. I will show you to your quarters. And, if you must leave early, and Danielle is still asleep, do not hesitate to leave her here. We will take good care of her.”