Chapter 34

It was so quiet in the dark. The only light came from a tiny window cut into the rock far above her. Water dripped steadily from some unknown location. Mice scuttled across the floor. In the silence of the cell they were as loud as horses. Sidonie could hear herself breathing. It was difficult to tell the passage of time. How long had she been here? What happened to Apolline? Was her aunt above her now, pleading for her release in the conciergerie’s offices? She tried to listen hard, hoping she could hear her aunt’s familiar voice.

Nothing.

The last thing she remembered before she woke up here was the taste of Pierre de Lancre’s blood in her mouth. She spat into what she thought was a corner of the cell. She did not regret biting him. But it appeared to have been for naught. There was little to do now but sit and wait for rescue.

She almost pitied the man who had to contend with Aunt Eloise.

The light that shone through the tiny window at the top of the cell seemed dimmer when she heard a commotion outside the door. She must have fallen asleep.

‘Gendarme, you will release my niece this instant,’ came the voice of Aunt Eloise, as welcome as rain after a long, dry summer. Sidonie clambered to her feet, joints aching from the cold.

‘On whose authority, madame?’ was the reply, from an unfamiliar male voice.

‘Mine, you fool! Baroness de Montargent. Now, open this door or my servants shall tear it from its hinges.’

The door to her cell swung open with a groan. Aunt Eloise hurried inside and folded Sidonie into her arms.

‘Are you well, my dear? Did they hurt you?’ Aunt Eloise’s voice was soft and filled with concern, but when she addressed the guards it became loud enough for Sidonie to flinch. ‘When I discover who is responsible for this, I shall see their head mounted on my gate!’

Four large men stood nearby; Sidonie recognised them from the estate. They had their arms folded and were trying to keep the smiles from their faces at her aunt’s fierce words.

‘Aunt Eloise,’ Sidonie said, redirecting her aunt’s attention. ‘They took Apolline too.’

‘I also demand the release of Madame Garnier,’ Aunt Eloise added without hesitation.

‘She is being held under an accusation of witchcraft,’ one of the gendarmes on guard said.

Sidonie’s heart began to pound in her chest. An accusation of witchcraft could mean a death sentence.

‘Witchcraft?’ Aunt Eloise glanced between Sidonie and the gendarmes. ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’

The gendarme scratched his head. ‘I couldn’t say, madame.’

‘Tell me when you find your tongue! You, young man, we have met before, have we not?’

‘Yes, madame,’ said the younger gendarme. Sidonie recognised his face – Gendarme Nicolas Soret. ‘Pierre de Lancre ordered the arrest of Mademoiselle Montot and Madame Garnier.’

Aunt Eloise made a sound that indicated exactly what she thought of that man. ‘On whose authority?’

‘On his own, madame,’ Gendarme Soret said.

‘We shall see about that. Bring Capitaine Vasseur to me this instant!’

Once they were alone, her aunt removed her cloak and wrapped it around Sidonie’s trembling shoulders, before pulling her into a firm embrace.

‘That was almost worth being arrested,’ Sidonie said.

‘Do not be facetious. Although I did rather enjoy it. Nothing terrifies a man more than a woman with wealth and power.’

‘How long have I been here?’

‘A matter of hours. Antoine and Fabien saw you being taken and attempted a rescue. They had an unlikely ally in your friend, Monsieur Olivier Chéreau. I did not wait to hear the entire story, but apparently Monsieur Chéreau fought quite hard for your release.’

‘I shall thank him if I ever see him again.’

‘Antoine and Fabien will have need of your tinctures and ointments once you return home.’

‘But I cannot go, not without Apolline.’

‘I thought you would say that. Sidonie, I am not certain even my powers of influence will extend that far.’

Sidonie stiffened. ‘But she is innocent!’

‘Of that I have no doubt. As blameless as her husband, whose body is now reduced to ashes a short distance from here. But nevertheless, he did confess, making him a convicted werewolf. The same charges have been laid at Apolline’s feet. And if the gendarmes are to be believed, witchcraft as well. It is looking dark for her.’

Sidonie’s breath caught in her throat, her voice cracking under the strain. ‘It’s repeating. The past, what happened to Maman and Papa, it is happening again here.’

Aunt Eloise squeezed her shoulder, her eyes as sharp as a steel blade. ‘We are not beaten. Not yet. Hold on to your hope.’

‘And if it is not enough?’

‘It has to be.’

They did not have long to wait before Capitaine Jean-Luc Vasseur arrived with Gendarme Soret in tow. Aunt Eloise gave him no chance to speak before resuming her role as the angry baroness. ‘What is the meaning of this? Was this under your orders?’

‘No, it was not, madame. I was just made aware of it, in fact. Had I known your niece was here, I would have informed you immediately.’

Aunt Eloise softened her stance but not her tone. ‘We have known each other for a long time, capitaine. I believe what you say. But heed my advice: be careful to whom you grant power to act with impunity in your town. My husband’s family will hear about this.’

Capitaine Vasseur merely nodded in acknowledgement.

‘We will be leaving now,’ Aunt Eloise said. ‘Unless you have cause for us to remain?’

‘Mademoiselle Montot is free to leave.’

Aunt Eloise harrumphed in reply and brushed past the capitaine, but Sidonie was not ready to leave. Hope was one thing, action was another. She faced Capitaine Vasseur. ‘Where is Apolline Garnier? What have you done with her?’

‘Sidonie, we need to get you home first and then we’ll see what we can do for her.’ Aunt Eloise put a steady hand on her arm.

She brushed it off, demanding, ‘Where is she?’

‘She is being held under suspicion of werewolfery and witchcraft. It is not within my power to release her.’

‘That is absurd! Is she to be tortured as well? Is that how you run the conciergerie of Dole? Letting men drag women in here to imprison and torture while you look away. What kind of man are you?’

‘Sidonie,’ Aunt Eloise warned. ‘You have been put under a great deal of stress. You are not yourself.’

‘Apolline has done nothing wrong,’ Sidonie fired back. ‘She is guilty of nothing besides being the wife of an executed man.’ As was her maman, who had died even before her papa was consigned to the flames. She did not regret her outburst, and if her aunt disapproved then so be it. But judging by the spark in Aunt Eloise’s eye, the baroness very much approved, even if she did not say so in front of the capitaine.

Capitaine Vasseur leaned in, expression contemplative. ‘I have heard rumours that Madame Garnier is a wise woman, an herbalist.’

‘This is correct, capitaine,’ Aunt Eloise said. ‘Simple remedies to alleviate aches and pains. Nothing more.’

‘Your word carries weight, madame. I am inclined to believed you. But it is those who speak out against Madame Garnier who brought her here.’

‘Pierre de Lancre,’ Sidonie spat his name like it was a curse.

The capitaine nodded. ‘Once an accusation has been made, the process of law must be carried out.’

He had phrased his words carefully, but the meaning was not lost on her. ‘You’ll help us release Apolline?’

‘I cannot be seen to be interfering,’ he qualified. ‘What I can do is make sure she comes to no harm while she’s here. That is within my power.’

‘No torture? No interrogation?’ Sidonie asked. If Apolline might be subject to such brutality then she would move heaven and earth to free her friend, consequences be hanged. And there was no doubt in her mind that Aunt Eloise would stand beside her.

‘No. Not until there is a formal notice of arrest issued either by myself or a higher authority. And I have no intention of doing so. It may only be a matter of time, though. Once there is an arrest, interrogation is mandatory. All those formally charged with werewolfery and witchcraft must be put to interrogation; it’s the law. The burden must be on you, mademoiselle, and you, madame, to arrange her release before then.’

‘How?’ Sidonie asked.

‘We could arrange for an escape?’ Aunt Eloise suggested. ‘Although that seems a poor way to repay Capitaine Vasseur, as well as unlikely to be successful. We could discredit Pierre de Lancre?’

‘That would be my choice,’ Capitaine Vasseur said. ‘With the spectacle of Gilles Garnier’s execution, not many are aware of Madame Garnier’s arrest. That won’t last long. If you are going to act, you must do so quickly.’

Once Sidonie and Aunt Eloise were settled in the carriage and on their way back to the estate, Sidonie asked, ‘What do we do now?’

‘We plan. And then we act,’ Aunt Eloise replied.