page67 (1/2)
Phoebe had crossed her In Freyja’s dining room
“Uh-oh Your heart rate just spiked,” Jason observed “What did you do?”
“Challenged her”
“Did you end up wishing you’d never been born?” Jason’s expression was sympathetic
“Miriam hasn’t mentioned it since” Phoebe bit her lip “Do you think she’s forgiven me?”
“No chance” Jason smiled cheerfully “Miriam has the memory of an elephant Don’t worry She’ll make you atone One day”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Phoebe said
“Miriauard is down It won’t be pleasant But at least then it will be over” Jason turned to face her “If there’s one thing everybody knows about Miriaes Not like Marcus’s father”
“I still don’t feel I understand Matthew,” Phoebe confessed “Ysabeau, Baldwin, Freyja—even Verin—I feel somehow connected to all of them, but not to Matthew”
“I doubt Matthew understands himself,” Jason said quietly
Phoebe was chewing on that tidbit of infore V and onto the banks of the Seine The Palais Bourbon across the river was brightly illues that spanned the river Beyond the Pont Alexandre III, the spokes of the Roue de Paris glowed blue and white
Phoebe ht colors, mesmerized
“Hang on, Phoebe” Jason’s hand was on her elbow, his weight an anchor holding her back
Phoebe tried to shake hiht Jason’s hand tightened, his fingers exerting a painful pressure
“Too fast, Phoebe People are watching”
That stopped her in her tracks Phoebe’s breath was ragged
“My mother used to say that” Phoebe’s past and present collided “When ere out at the ballet Or the theater Or playing in the park ‘People are watching’”
Jason said so far away andof hearts and made inconsequential by the brilliant hues that surrounded thehts and color fused into a dizzying whorl
“You’re lightstruck” Jason’s eyes were pinwheels of green and gold He swore
Phoebe’s knees crued toward the pavement
“Too ed American, based on the accent A tourist
Phoebe lunged
The tourist’s eyes widened in sudden terror She screamed
Passersby—those strolling lovers, seely lost in their mutual adoration—stopped and turned
“Qu’est-ce que c’est?” A National Police officer, fully kitted out in navy and white, was on patrol alone She planted her feet wide and put her hands to the belt that held her communications device and weapons
But the question came too late Phoebe was already at the tourist’s throat, her hands grabbing at her thin sweater
A flashlight shone directly into Phoebe’s eyes She winced and let the struggling woo
“Are you all right, madame?” the officer asked the tourist
“Yes I think so,” the A
“This is outrageous We alking back to our hotel when that woman attacked us,” the tourist’s coer had passed, he was full of bluff and swagger
A wave of contempt flooded Phoebe Pathetic warmbloods
“She’s high on so,” the woman said “Or drunk”
“Probably both,” her friend said, a nasty edge to his voice
“You wish to file a report?” the police officer asked
There was a long pause while the tourists weighed their u the rest of their night androutine questions
“Or, you could leave this with me” The officer’s voice dropped “I’ll make sure she doesn’t trouble anyone else Give her time to sober up”
The flashlight was no longeracross Phoebe’s eyes Instead, it was a steady beacon Phoebe’s attention re
“Lock her up,” the ht in a cell will sort her out”
“Leave it to me, monsieur,” the police officer replied with a chuckle “Enjoy the rest of your evening”
“I’ into the man’s hand “For the sweater”
“Keep your girlfriend on a tighter leash” The man pocketed the money “I find it does wonders for their disposition”
Phoebe snarled at the insult, the light keeping her where she was Had the flashlight not been there, Phoebe would have ripped theso deain
“I’ From London”
“Coainst the stones “The police will take it from here”
The officer didn’t switch off her flashlight until the couple’s footsteps and conversation had faded into silence
“That was close,” Jason said
“Too close And too soon Thirty is too young to be out at night,” the officer said
“Freyja?” Phoebe blinked, bringing her eyes into better focus There, standing in front of her, was Freyja de Clermont in a navy all-weather jacket, her tactical trousers tucked into heavy black boots, and a cap set on her head at an angle Her hair was scraped back into a tight ponytail
“I promised Marcus I would take care of you” Freyja slid the flashlight into a loop on her belt, anchoring it near a forun
“Where did you get the costuued by the possibilities for freedom and adventure this implied
“Oh, it’s no costume,” Freyja said “I’ve been in uniform since they first let women serve on the National Police force as assistants in 1904”
“How do you explain why you never” Phoebe was distracted by a passing ahts
“I don’t explain I’m a de Clermont Everybody in Paris who is in a position to question me knows exactly what that means,” Freyja said
“But we’re supposed to be a secret I don’t understand” Phoebe was tired and hungry, and her eyes stung If she weren’t a varaine
“We are, Phoebe dear” Freyja put a hand on Phoebe’s shoulder “It just happens to be a secret that h exciteht”
Back at Freyja’s house, Phoebe was given a pair of oversize Chanel sunglasses, a cup of warm blood, and a pair of slippers Françoise steered her to a seat in front of the fire, unlit on this June evening
Miria her e-mail She looked up froe entered the room
“Well?” Miriam smiled like a cat “Hoas your first taste of independence?”
24
The Hidden Hand
15 JUNE
“Remind me never to host another birthday party” It was late afternoon and I was in the kitchen, decanting a bottle of red wine The faarden, where the tables were set and the candles aiting to be lit, sitting in deep wooden chairs or reclining on chaise longues under bright umbrellas Matthew’s brother-in-law, Fernando Gonçalves, had joined us Even the head of the de Clermont family, Matthew’s brother Baldas in attendance
Fernando was in the kitchen with e trays of food He was, as usual, barefoot His jeans and open-necked shirt es in life, one that was strikingly different from that of Baldhose only concessions to a family celebration had been to take off his jacket and loosen his tie