Scarborough Fair - Chris Scott Wilson [10]
As he came to a panting stop Therese hoped her alarm at his outburst did not show. So her husband had found out after all. Her little affaire was over. She had enjoyed Paul Jones in all senses of the word and was reluctant to let him go. But then Donatien always found out in the end. At least this time there had been something to discover, not like that time with the cavalry officer, the cuirassier, with his polished breastplate. A strutter and braggart, all mouth and no finesse. No, perhaps she could correct that: all talk and no finesse. That’s all he knew how to do with his mouth—talk. Precious little had occurred before Donatien had come into her bedchamber just like this, demanding truth and fidelity. Now she gazed impassively at him. He was dressed in a dark frock coat and knee breeches so he had come straight from his offices in the city. Her thoughts raced madly but she could find no excuses to offer.
Le Ray de Chaumont glanced at the parchment again and shook his head, the high collar of his shirt cutting a thin red line into his shuddering jowls. As he scanned the letter his cheeks flushed and when he began to read aloud he almost stuttered with rage. “I mean, listen: ‘The minister has treated me like a child five successive times by leading me on from great to little and from little to less’.” De Chaumont was breathless. “He even hints, sacre bleu, at challenging the Minister of Marine to a duel in defense of his sacred honor. Mon Dieu, My God, can you imagine it?”
Therese almost laughed aloud with relief. So the letter was from her captain, not a letter about him. Complaining about his lack of a ship, as usual. Composure restored, she tried to imagine a duel between the determined American and the diminutive Sartine with his weasel face, coughing specks of blood into his lace handkerchief while he parried rapier thrusts. The delicious image was shattered by her husband.
“My life is becoming complicated beyond measure. Sartine pesters me every minute I spend at the ministry when I am trying to arrange supplies. He seems to hold me personally responsible for this coarse American just because he stays in my house. M’sieur Franklin stays here too but I am not blamed when he falls foul of the King’s ministers.” De Chaumont looked about to collapse, eyes casting restlessly around the room, his body uncoordinated as if he did not know whether to go or stay. “The minister can make life very awkward. It would be easy for him to cancel my supply contract.”
“But surely there are conditions?”
“Conditions nothing. If he wanted to cancel it, he would find a way, believe me.”
Therese smiled reassuringly. “But even so, you would still have your fleet of merchant ships.”
Her husband’s face was scarlet. “My fleet? With things as they are, I should be ruined. The English are making trade impossible by blockading ports, and even when my ships can put to sea they are waylaid by privateers who hide behind the English flag and steal my cargoes. No, without the navy contract everything I have would be lost.”
Therese rose from her stool to take his arm and lead him to the chaise-long where they sat down together. She could almost feel the heat from his burning face and she began to fear for his health. In truth, she had never been madly in love with him. In a way he was handsome, but when they had been introduced she had discounted the difference in their ages, his wealth and power a greater attraction than his features. Her most pressing need at that time had been to obtain financial security, and a bonus was the respect she would command as the wife of a Privy Councilor to the King. Although throughout their marriage she had always had “escorts,” she had invariably taken pains to be discreet. If her husband found out, then few other people did. Over the years she had come to feel comfortable with him, a comfort enhanced by the luxury his wealth provided. But every franc belonged to him. He had settled a little money on her at the beginning of their marriage but she had given that to her parents so her sister would have a dowry