Leading Lady by Jane Aiken Hodge Page A

at my house, arrived after dark last night. Famished … filthy … exhausted …’
    â€˜Franz?’ She knew the old lady for the most reliable of witnesses, still could hardly believe her ears. ‘I’ve been so worried about him; not a word for months … But, Frau Schmidt … Filthy? Exhausted? And – in Brundt?’
    â€˜He wants you to come to him, help him. It’s an impossible situation. It certainly defeats me. He says no one must know he is here until you and he have decided what’s best to do.’
    â€˜His brother is here.’
    â€˜I heard. Gone to Gustavsberg. Let’s hope it keeps Prince Gustav occupied until we get things sorted out. But it’s you Franz wants, not his brother.’
    â€˜Thank you.’ Impossible not to mind that Franz had gone to the old lady first, but she must not let it affect her. ‘Why would I be coming to Brundt?’ Practical as always, she was applying her mind to the immediate problem.
    â€˜I thought of that. There’s been an accident in the mines, I am sorry to say. I brought you the news. You decided to pay a royal visit of condolence. A surprise visit. How soon can you leave?’
    â€˜It’s as urgent as that? Well, of course it is. Returned in secret! I’ll give the orders; you can explain on the way. I’d best come alone, had I not? May I stay with you, Frau Schmidt?’
    â€˜Of course.’
    â€˜Is there anything else I need to know, before I give my orders?’
    â€˜I don’t think so. A fast carriage, not a state one; I’ll have mine follow behind. As it is we are likely to finish the journey in the dark, but that is the least of my worries.’
    Half an hour later, they were driving down the hill from the palace to Lissenberg and the road to Brundt. ‘You are well served,’ said the old lady. ‘Franz said you would be quick,but I hardly hoped for this. We should be there not long after nightfall.’
    â€˜If we don’t lose a wheel. And now, explain. It’s Napoleon, of course.’
    â€˜Yes. He’s kept Franz dangling at his side all summer, first at Paris, then Boulogne, then back in Paris again. You’ve heard, I have no doubt, about Minette de Beauharnais?’
    â€˜Kind friends have told me.’
    â€˜I was sure of it. Franz refused even to discuss it, found himself civilly prevented from leaving. One excuse after another … He must go with Napoleon to see his invasion fleet, recognise the importance of the alliance he was being offered … Then came the news of the Austro-Russian Treaty. Napoleon acted like lightning! Back to Paris, his armies marching at full speed across Europe, insisted that Franz go too, see his might at first hand. They were at Strasbourg a few days ago, met the Imperial Guard there. In the confusion, Franz managed to slip away. He had to pawn everything he had on him to pay for the journey. He came by the secret road, of course. Much quicker.’
    â€˜The secret road?’
    â€˜You don’t know? There’s a path across the mountains, north of Brundt, takes you down to a tributary of the Danube. Only an expert mountaineer can manage it, but Franz has walked it many times in the old days when he needed to come and go in secret. That’s why he came to me, as nearest. And now, you and he have to think of an explanation, he says, that will not involve a fatal public affront to Napoleon.’
    â€˜My goodness, yes, I do see.’ It warmed Martha’s heart that Franz had had such a good reason for going first to Frau Schmidt in Brundt. ‘How many people know he is here?’
    â€˜No one but me.’ The old lady smiled and patted Martha’s hand. ‘Don’t forget, child, that your husband has a past as a desperate revolutionary. He’s had a secret way in and out of my house ever since he was a boy. And a hidden room where he used to hide his firebrand friends