Leading Lady by Jane Aiken Hodge Page B

when they were in trouble with Prince Gustav in the bad old days. So now he’s trying the feel of solitary confinement for himself. I can tell you, he doesn’t much like it. He is going to be remarkably pleased to see you!’
    â€˜It’s all extraordinary,’ said Martha. ‘But what in the world are we going to do?’
    â€˜I am sure you and he will think of something,’ said the old lady comfortably. ‘And now, if you will excuse me, my dear, I think I will get some sleep. I didn’t get much last night, I can tell you, what with feeding the poor man and finding him clothes. He was in a bad state when he arrived. It’s snowed early in the mountains this year and I think he’d had a hard time of it, though of course he won’t admit it. I imagine he will have slept all day today, so I hope you will find him a little better. But he’s going to need some cherishing for a while, I think.’
    â€˜Bless you, Frau Schmidt!’ Martha reached out a hand to take the old lady’s.
    â€˜Franz!’
    â€˜My dear!’ They were in each other’s arms, laughing a little, crying a little. ‘I’ve missed you so.’ Which of them said it?
    â€˜You look worn out.’ Martha drew away a little to look at him. ‘Thin as a rail! But, thank God, you’re here. Will he be very angry?’
    â€˜Napoleon? Bound to be, but it will be hard for him to show it, since I was never officially styled a prisoner. We have to think of some way of saving his face for him.’
    â€˜Yes, I’d been thinking about that. And it’s easy, really. You got to Strasbourg in his train – you can’t have been at his side all the time?’
    â€˜Oh, no, he had a million things to do, as you can imagine, organising that amazing march across Europe. I was just – watched over.’
    â€˜Not closely enough, thank God.’ They were sitting side by side now, on the cot bed of the bleak little room where he had been hiding, and it was good beyond anything to feel his arm around her. ‘You heard, somehow, a rumour that all was not well here in Lissenberg. Strasbourg’s a great place for rumour, they say.’
    â€˜Yes, indeed. So, what I did hear was wrong?’
    â€˜No problem about that, I’m afraid. Has Frau Schmidt not told you?’
    â€˜About my father? Yes, a little. He’s been stirring things up?’
    â€˜I think so. And so does Ishmael Brodski. He came to see me the other day. To warn me.’ She told him quickly what Ishmael had said. ‘We are neither of us so popular as we were, you and I, but I think what brought you home must have been the rumours about me, don’t you? You’re laughing?’ It was good to hear it.
    â€˜You’re wonderful, Martha. And you’re absolutely right, as usual. You’re suggesting that I got anxious about how you were managing here and came hurrying home to your side? Now that is something Napoleon would understand. He does rather think a woman’s place is in the bedroom. But why did I come in secret?’ He returned to the matter in hand.
    â€˜Because it was the quickest way? No pomp, no ceremony, no delays?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Doubtfully. ‘The thing is, I don’t much want the secret of the path blown. Now I’ve watched Napoleon at work, I think he’s quite capable of invading us by it. Using it to our disadvantage one way or other. It really is a secret, you see.’
    â€˜And might come in useful again some time. Max is here, did Frau Schmidt tell you? He brought an ultimatum from the Austrians.’
    â€˜She didn’t tell me that.’
    â€˜She didn’t know. They want all our mineral exports. I take it that’s what Napoleon wants too. That’s what this is all about.’
    â€˜I’m afraid so.’
    â€˜I have it, I think!’ She had been exploring various possibilities as they talked.