CHAPTER 16

C HAPTER 16

“T hat’s not what I expected,” Tamsyn said, surprised, “but it’s a reasonable request, assuming I’m alive to perform it. Tell me more about your grandson.”

“Andre is twenty. My daughter Giselle was his mother. She married a Scotsman, Robert Jameson, and they went together to India, where he worked for one of the rajahs designing some kind of mechanical things. After Robert died, Giselle brought Andre home to France, but the lad is more British than French and he would surely be detained with other Britons if he is discovered.” Madame LeBlanc’s eyes turned icy. “Claude would dearly love to make that happen.”

Tamsyn caught her breath. No wonder Madame LeBlanc was willing to work against her nephew. “I will be pleased to help your grandson to safety and give him the protection of my family. Where is he now?”

“Working in a menial job where he is unlikely to be noticed. If you succeed in freeing your brother, I will bring him to you.” Madame LeBlanc stood and moved around the desk, and Tamsyn realized that she was wearing a riding habit. “Now it’s time for a ride south along the seaside.”

They walked out to the stables where a sleek white gelding with a sidesaddle awaited his mistress. The stable hand helped her mount. Since Tamsyn was theoretically male, she mounted Zeus on her own.

“That’s a beautiful horse,” Tamsyn said admiringly. “He looks like he might be kin to my Zeus.”

“That’s quite possible. There’s a breeder on the other side of Calais who specializes in breeding white horses, so there are many in this area.” Madame LeBlanc patted the sleek neck. “Clovis belonged to my late husband. He’s rather large for me, but he’s very well mannered and I enjoy riding him.”

They set off for the coast road and followed it for a mile or two before descending a lane that slanted down to the beach and continuing south. The white sand was wide enough for the horses to ride abreast. As waves lapped over Clovis’s hooves, Madame LeBlanc said, “Having been raised here by the sea, I’ve always loved riding along the beach.”

“There is something very free and primal about it. Since I haven’t lived by the sea, I’ve had few opportunities.” Tamsyn slanted a glance at the other woman. “Once I free Cade, I’ll need a safe place to go to ground with him until he’s ready to travel.”

“That can be arranged. I assume that his French is as good as yours so he won’t be identified as English?”

“Yes, our parents hired French nurses and tutors as we grew up,” Tamsyn replied. “Since our countries have been fighting for centuries, it seemed a useful skill.”

Her companion smiled. “Indeed. A pity women don’t run our countries. The world might be a more peaceful place.”

After they’d ridden another half mile or so, Tamsyn saw a massive stone building set on a rocky bluff above the sea. It looked like a small medieval fortress complete with battlements. She felt a clench of her heart. Cade was up there, so close, she could feel him. “I presume that’s Chateau Bastien.”

“Yes, it’s Norman and very old. Though it’s not large enough to be considered a castle, it’s very solid and makes a good prison.” Her gaze rested on her childhood home. “Not very comfortable. I haven’t been inside since my brother’s death, but I do ride along this beach regularly.”

“When I’ve done mind touch with Cade, I had the sense that he’s in a small, rather plain room,” Tamsyn said. “There’s a narrow vertical window. He was able to pull himself up to the sill and look out at the sea. Do you have an idea where that might be?”

Madame LeBlanc considered. “It would have to be on this side of the fortress, of course. Likely on the top floor below the battlements. You can see several vertical windows up there and he’s probably in one of those rooms.”

When Tamsyn was close enough, intuition would surely take her to where Cade was imprisoned. But breaking into the fortress and escaping safely was going to be near to impossible even with Madame LeBlanc’s help.

As they drew closer to the chateau, she saw that the bluff had been undercut by the relentless sea and the area below the overhang was a ragged wall of crevices and dark holes.

They continued riding until they were in the middle of the undercut area. Surprisingly, a seaworn stone bench was set against the irregular wall. “Time for a break,” Madame LeBlanc said. “I like to stop here under the bluff because it’s protected from the wind. Over there I had iron rings installed for tethering horses. There’s a little natural basin that collects fresh drinking water from a small spring in the cliff.”

“It’s a lovely place to sit and watch the waves,” Tamsyn said as she dismounted. “There’s even a stone over there that can be used as a mounting block.”

The older woman chuckled as she dismounted and tethered her horse. “I had that stone placed there for exactly that reason. The Bastiens have owned this stretch of coastline for centuries. Though I prefer living in the town, I own the estate next to the chateau domain. I visit my property regularly to talk to my steward about what’s going on, and because it gives me an excuse to ride along the sea.”

“Your nephew doesn’t mind?”

Madame LeBlanc shrugged. “We politely ignore each other. He hasn’t invited me into the chateau since his father died, but this stretch of coast belongs to both of us.”

As Tamsyn dismounted, she asked, “Can people in the fortress see down here to the bottom of the cliff?”

“No, the overhang prevents anyone above from seeing us. One would have to be farther out in the shallows to be seen.”

“Convenient.” She tethered Zeus to an iron ring next to the little drinking basin. He started slurping enthusiastically.

She glanced around the rocky wall. “There seem to be several caves. Which one leads up to the chateau?”

“Most of the caves are shallow. A few are large enough that smugglers used them for storage and perhaps still do.” After pulling something from her saddlebag, Madame LeBlanc raised the skirts of her riding habit above the wet sand and led the way to a particularly ragged section of rock. She ducked behind an outcropping and pointed to a narrow crevice that looked too small to be the entrance to a cave. “This is the way up to the chateau. It’s easy to miss unless one knows exactly where to look.”

Tamsyn regarded it doubtfully. “It’s very narrow. Can a grown man get through here?”

“Yes, though with some difficulty.” Madame LeBlanc lifted the stiff brimmed hat that she’d brought from her saddlebag. A short candle was attached to the brim. She handed the hat and a tinderbox to Tamsyn. “This will help light your way. The path inside is very rough, so step carefully. In several of the steeper sections railings were installed, but I don’t know if they’re still sound after all these years.”

Tamsyn used the tinderbox to light the candle, glad that this little niche was protected from the wind. “Time to explore the passage. What’s at the top?”

“A solid door that leads into the lowest level of the fortress. I imagine it’s locked.” Madame LeBlanc studied Tamsyn’s face. “It is up to you to see if this passage can be used to rescue your brother. Good luck with your exploring. I’m going to sit down and have a bit of cognac while I watch the waves.”

Tamsyn lit the candle, then donned the hat. “Thank you. I should be back soon.” She turned and ducked to enter the narrow entrance.

The footing was indeed rough and the passageway that led upward was steep. The original natural crevice had been modified to allow people to move up and down, and crude steps had been shaped in several places, but the flaring shadows caused by the candle made every step treacherous. She’d get a lantern for her next visit. Two—one for her and one for Cade.

When she found railings, she tested them cautiously. One had deteriorated to the point of being dangerous, but the others could be used with care.

The passage would be very tight for Cade in several places. Because she was small, she moved through without a problem, but she had to scramble up several of the higher steps. The air in the passage was cool and damp and the rocks could be slippery.

Panting, she reached the top, a small level area in front of the door into the fortress. She took off the hat and held the candle close to the keyhole. The door might be stuck from lack of use, but the lock was old and simple. She should be able to open it with the right tools.

Cade was the one who had taught her how to pick locks. She swallowed hard at the memory. He was such a very helpful brother, with no foolish beliefs about what females should be allowed to learn.

She stared at the door, wanting desperately to break through and find Cade, wanting to get him away from this vile place right now . But she knew that acting on impulse would lead them both to disaster. She needed to be prepared for all eventualities, and she must find a place where they could safely go to ground for a few days after they escaped.

She closed her eyes and pressed her hands to the door, using her talent to estimate how many people were in the fortress. There didn’t seem to be many. Several servants like kitchen staff and maids. There were two or three rougher energies that likely belonged to guards.

Bastien didn’t seem to be at home now. Based on the times when he’d tortured Cade, she guessed that he might usually be away during the day so that was probably the best time to stage her rescue. Servants would be more active in daytime, but they’d be easier to deal with than Bastien.

She turned and started down again, forcing herself to move cautiously. Her impatience to get out into the fresh air caused her to slip when she was close to the bottom. She swore when she banged her knee, but it was a good reminder to be careful. She prayed that Cade’s mind would be clear enough that he could maneuver through the passage. If he fell and injured himself, it would be almost impossible for her to get him out. But Cade was so strong and agile that he should be able to get down safely even if he was half dazed.

She gave a sigh of relief when she reached the sand at the bottom of the passage. After blowing out the candle, she returned the hat to Madame LeBlanc’s saddlebag, then joined the other woman on the stone bench, where she was sipping her cognac from a small, elegant glass. “Cade should be able to manage, but I am not looking forward to storming the castle!”

Madame LeBlanc smiled and pulled a silver flask and another small glass from a jacket pocket. After pouring a little of the amber fluid in the glass, she handed it to Tamsyn. “You’ve survived one vital step without a major accident or having a screaming fit at the closeness of the passage.”

“Thank you.” Tamsyn took a sip of cognac, then said slowly, “I had a thought. Lengths of rope securely tied would help us both keep our balance as we descend. I saw several places where I believe a line could be safely tied. Does that make sense to you?”

Madame considered. “Do you tie knots well?”

“Yes, Cade taught me.”

“Then it’s worth trying. The downward passage is particularly treacherous.” She sipped at her cognac. “When will you attempt your rescue?”

Tamsyn took a deeper swallow of the excellent cognac. “The sooner I free Cade the better. Tomorrow by preference, but it might take until the next day to make all the arrangements. As I said earlier, I need to find a safe place for us to hide while Cade recovers and you bring Andre to us. Then we need to find a cooperative smuggler.”

“I can help you with both of those things.”

“I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing to aid us,” Tamsyn said quietly. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”

“I have no doubt that you would have figured something out, but I’m glad I can make it easier.” The older woman finished her cognac. “It’s very important to me to send Andre to safety in England among people who will understand and support his gifts. But I have another request.”

“Anything within my power,” Tamsyn said gravely.

“Please don’t kill Claude unless it’s absolutely necessary. He has become an angry and dangerous man, and he may not even be my blood kin. But when he was a child”—she swallowed hard—“he was a lively, likable boy. For years we were very close because he didn’t have a mother. I do not love who he is now, but . . . I loved him once.”

Hearing the underlying sadness, Tamsyn said, “I can’t predict what will happen. I know that danger lies ahead. But I swear I will do my best to see that your nephew survives.”

Her promise was sincere, but she had no idea if it would be possible to honor it.