Chapter 2: An Evening of Cards
"I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we're delighted to be your eyes and ears," Bryn declared.
Leonard raised a glass of wine to Freyja. "And you will be our spymaster. Salut!"
Freyja smiled at the enthusiasm of the group. They'd gathered behind closed doors in the music room of her townhouse to discuss the conspiracy. "I knew I could count on you. Our mission is undefined. Based on the little Domenico has divulged, Gerbert will not be there in person. Instead, he too will make use of spies. Most likely the only ones he would trust with such an assignment are manjasangs. Domenico himself could be there. Jean, you're the only one who hasn't met him."
"We'll find out soon enough if he's present," Jean said. "This weekend, we'll leave for Saint-German-en-Laye. Lully also wants to rehearse a ballet de cour that will be presented at the same time. He told us that the king wants to perform in it."
"And that means all the courtiers hope to have a part as well," Bryn said. "Several of the ladies have already contacted me to receive dance instruction. Finding out the latest court gossip won't be an issue."
"I'll be at the palace, attending Her Highness," Freyja informed them. "Françoise will be with me. Let one of us know of any new or unusual development. If Gerbert stays true to pattern, he'll try to plant someone as close as possible to the king."
Freyja had cultivated a close friendship with the queen who was once more pregnant. Maria Theresa was uninterested in literature or the arts, and she'd initially despaired of finding common ground. Then she discovered the queen was an avid card player and gambler. Freyja was careful to ensure that she lost sufficiently often while still providing a challenge. Maria Theresa now considered her to be one of her closest friends.
For many a long evening, Freyja had commiserated with her about the king's mistresses. Accepting Louise de La Vallière as the official mistress had been particularly difficult for the queen. The bouts of weeping Freyja had endured weren't pleasant memories.
Meanwhile, Jean had insinuated himself into Louise's good graces. Louise was only a couple of years older than Jean appeared. In some respects, Louise reminded Freyja of him. They were both blond and deferential by nature. Jean reserved his mischievous side for those who knew him well, and Louise did the same.
Early on, Freyja sensed possibilities. The king had become smitten with Louise in 1661, a time when Jean was performing at court. Louise was an accomplished musician and singer. Aided by a few well-placed hints, Louise invited Jean to perform for her. The two quickly connected through a love of music. When Freyja arranged for Jean to paint murals in Louise's suite of rooms at Fontainebleau, their friendship grew even stronger.
Freyja didn't believe they were intimate. Rather, Louise looked upon him as a younger brother. She likely found his youthful charm quite appealing. Freyja wondered if Jean would retain it. He'd yet to live a hundred years. He was still an infant in manjasang terms. But Jean had been reborn young, just like Bryn and Leonard. Such cases were rare, and the ones Freyja knew about maintained a youthful attitude irrespective of their lifespans.
Bryn excelled in flirting with the young courtiers intent on impressing the king. Louis's tendency to evaluate a man based on his ability to dance was well-known, and Bryn was a popular teacher. She knew how to flatter and flirt while leaving her students dangling at the end.
Freyja surveyed her young spies with satisfaction. The stage was set. She looked forward to setting their plan in motion.
#
The king's palace in the village of Saint-German-en-Laye suited Jack. Hunting was easy in the adjacent forest. Louis spent as little time as possible in Paris. Ever since the uprisings during his youth, he viewed the city with suspicion. Instead, he lavished attention on Fontainebleau and Saint-Germain-en-Laye during the first years of his reign. The king's latest building project at Versailles was conveniently located only a few miles south, allowing him to make frequent trips to supervise its progress.
Jack took Leonard on a tour of the accessible areas of the chateau as soon as they arrived.
"So much gold!" Leonard exclaimed in an awe-struck whisper as he glanced around the grand entrance. "Is everything covered in gold leaf?"
"Nah, you haven't seen the silver furniture yet."
Leonard shrugged. "That's nothing special. Gilded wood is commonplace at Whitehall and Hampton Court."
"But not solid silver, I warrant."
Leonard's jaw dropped. "You're not serious?"
"God's Truth, I can personally attest to it. Le Brun designed many of the pieces. You'll see a few of them here, but the order for Versailles is staggering—throne, benches, vases, console tables, statues—just about anything you could imagine. All in solid silver."
"There's nothing comparable in England. Charles hopes to renovate Hampton Court, but his finances are too precarious to attempt anything half as grand as this. When did you start working for Lully?"
"Two years ago, when the king planned an elaborate party at the hunting lodge in Versailles. Lully needed extra viol players, and I tried out."
"Are you talking about the Pleasures of the Enchanted Island?" Leonard asked. At Jack's nod, he sighed. "If ever you needed proof you lead a charmed life . . . That's all our merry monarch and his court talked about for days. The processions, the costumes, the concerts—did Louis really ride in a chariot of gold?"
"Not exactly, but the harness of the king's stallion was covered in gold and jewels. The woods and fields were transformed into a fairyland. We performed several plays and comedy-ballets."
"Is that when you met Louise?" Leonard asked.
"No, we'd met earlier at Fontainebleau. She's been pregnant most of the time I've known her."
"You must enjoy playing with her kids."
"I would but so far none of them have lived for more than a few months. She's expecting again. The baby's due in the fall."
A rustle of skirts alerted them someone drew near, but Jack had already detected Bryn's lavender and chamomile scent.
"You'll have to continue the tour later," she said. "Lully wants to see you both."
"What's up?" Jack asked. "The rehearsal isn't due to start for another hour."
"The king has requested musicians for an evening of cards. His brother Philippe will be there, and apparently he has an eye for viol players. You're to play and I recommended Leonard play lute along with treble viol. You do still remember how to play them, don't you?"
Leonard shrugged. "Lately I've focused on the violin. It's much more popular in Italy."
"Don't tell Lully that!" she urged. "I praised your musicianship to the heavens." She offered a wicked smile. "Would you like me to repeat his enraptured description of your endowments?"
Leonard groaned. "Please don't."
Jack forced a smile, dismayed at how unsettled he'd become by Bryn's comment. "You should be glad. Lully will hire you for more performances." He turned to Bryn. "Will it just be the two of us?"
She gave a brief curtsey. "I shall be there as well, dazzling them with the beauty of my songs."
Leonard chuckled. "And your presence. We haven't played together in ages. This will be a festive reunion indeed."
#
Being with Jack at Saint-Germain-en-Laye was an eye-opening experience for Leonard in more ways than one. Jack had always been his little brother, his partner in countless adventures. But now . . . When Leonard spotted him painting in Freyja's salon, he saw him with fresh eyes after a separation of six years, and Jack very nearly took his breath away. His blond hair was even longer now. The French clothes suited him very well. And for just a moment, Jack seemed to reassess him too.
If Jack had any inclination to take their relationship to a deeper level . . . Leonard stopped himself short. Jack was a brother, not a potential lover, he reminded himself firmly. Why torture himself about what could never be? Jack relied upon him, depended on him as a brother. Leonard would never betray that trust.
If he needed any confirmation, all he had to do was to think back to Jack's reaction when Leonard stroked his cheek. He could smell the confusion, the alarm. Had Jack detected how attracted he was?
Leonard stifled his groan. He needed to remind himself of what Jack looked like when he was eight, not now. This was the same lad that he and Bryn had taken under their wing after the Roydons left. They gave Jack his first music lessons at Father H's church. Back then, Leonard had been skeptical of his ability, but Bryn recognized his musicianship right away. When Jack lived in England, they'd never gone more than a year without seeing each other. Together they'd snuck their way through Whitehall and Hampton Court, gathering secrets and not a few disposable items along the way.
Now Jack was privy to some of the secrets of the Sun King, and they were about to perform before His Majesty in an intimate setting. Afterward, Jack and Bryn had promised to take him on a private tour of the chateau while everyone else slept. It would be just like the good times they'd shared in England. Nothing had changed. Now if he could just remember that.
The three of them got into position in the small salon well in advance of the king and his courtiers' arrival. Jack said he'd helped paint some of the exquisite murals on the walls. The heavy gilt furniture shone under the light of crystal candelabras. After tuning their instruments, they passed the time by rehearsing selections.
Leonard would keep a watchful eye on the king's brother Philippe. If the Duke of Orléans singled Jack out, he could have a difficult time fighting off his advances.
The card players drifted in after dinner. As expected, the king was resplendent in a heavily embroidered coat and breeches with touches of vibrant red silk. Leonard was surprised he was so short. Was that why he wore such an elaborate wig? The king was in his late twenties but his attire made him look older. Philippe was dressed as a shepherdess. Jack had warned him that would likely be the case. Supposedly his mother had encouraged him to dress as a girl and he continued the practice openly at court. Louis and his ministers were tolerant, recognizing that it lessened the likelihood of Philippe posing a threat to the throne.
When Philippe entered the room, he cast appraising looks at both Jack and Leonard, his eyes lingering on both of them long enough to make his meaning clear. Leonard was careful to compose his face into the proper look of both being pleased by the attention and differential to his grace. Out of the corner of his eye, he checked how Jack was handling it. Wearhs seldom blushed, but Jack did and that only added to his appeal. He'd assured Leonard, he knew how to take care of himself, but against someone as powerful as Philippe, he could soon be over his head.
Initially, Leonard had only been concerned about Lully. Now that he'd seen the king's brother, he was convinced the French court was no place for Jack. Luckily, Jack had already expressed the desire to return to London. He was determined to make that a reality.
For this private game of cards, there were only four players—the king, Philippe, and two men dressed soberly in black. Leonard and his fellow musicians were at the opposite end of the chamber. The king placed Philippe so that he faced Jack and Leonard. Did the king hope to take advantage of Philippe's distraction to beat him at cards?
By listening in, Leonard quickly discovered the identity of one of the other men. Jean-Baptiste Colbert was the Minister of Finance. Leonard didn't recognize the name of the other but he longed to know more about him. The king addressed him by his first name of Benoit. What wearh was on such familiar terms with the king? Freyja hadn't mentioned any other wearh at court. When Leonard mouthed a question to Jack, he shrugged and shook his head. Was this the ally of Gerbert that Freyja sought?
#
Freyja was enjoying breakfast with the queen when a servant arrived with a letter from Baldwin. She'd been unaware that he was staying at Saint-Germain, but Baldwin wasn't in the habit of communicating his plans to her. Her brother's views on women were sorely in need of enlightenment. After all the centuries of association with Philippe and his beloved Ysabeau, had nothing worn off?
The summons was urgent so she hastily jotted a reply for the servant to take back, suggesting they meet in the front gardens overlooking the Seine where there'd be minimal chance of being overheard.
Baldwin had initially intended to speak with the king at the Tuileries Palace in Paris, conveniently located close to Colbert's office. The king must have changed the venue, issuing Baldwin—or Benoit as he called himself at court—an invitation to stay at Saint-Germain-en-Laye over the weekend. Baldwin likely hated the thought but he would have had no choice.
As she strolled sedately in the parterre, the model of propriety in her court gown, Freyja opened a fan. Even this early in the morning, the July sun was warm. She paused to cool off by Apollo's Fountain. Reportedly the king was so fond of it, he'd ordered a much larger version be built at Versailles.
When Baldwin approached, he appeared even more dour than usual. She knew she wouldn't have to wait long to find out why he was in such a foul mood. He was never one to suffer in silence. It was one of the few attributes he shared with Matthew.
"Just how many manjasangs are present at Saint-Germain-en-Laye?" he growled in her ear.
"In addition to us?" she asked, in a play for time as she sorted through options on how best to respond.
"Don't be coy," he chided. "It's unbecoming. You're a patron of artists. Surely you know about the three manjasang musicians who provided the entertainment for a private round of cards. The king was quite friendly with the woman. He called her Bernadette. As for his brother Philippe, he couldn't take his eyes off the viol players. He even requested their names—Jean Blanchet and Lucien Charroux. Who are they really?"
"No one for you to be concerned about. Bernadette is a friend of mine."
"Is she Bryn?"
Freyja nodded calmly. "The very same."
Baldwin groaned. "Dieu, what have you done?"
Freyja frowned. "Don't make such a fuss. Bryn's provided useful intelligence for the family. The others are friends of hers, and I've recruited their assistance. I'm on a mission for Far, and if you want to know the details, you'll need to ask him." She wished she could be present when Baldwin asked about them. Far had given her strict orders to never let Jean be near any of the other de Clermonts. Frankly, she failed to see what harm could arise from Baldwin having seen Jean. Far must have realized that given the amount of time Jean spent at court, it was bound to happen.
Baldwin was still glowering. To divert him onto a less contentious topic, she asked him about the card playing.
"His Majesty was in good spirits," he grumbled. "I lost a sufficient sum to please him. I would have lost more but luckily for me, he had other matters on his mind. He's gotten it into his head that the Spanish want to poison him. He suspects that Nicolo Egidi has sneaked back into France."
Freyja was familiar with the Italian alchemist. He'd formerly been employed by Pope Innocent X. After the pope's death, Egidi had wandered throughout Europe. Three years ago when he was living in Paris, he'd been accused of helping a woman poison her father. Egidi was imprisoned but managed to secure his release under mysterious circumstances. He was rumored to have fled to England.
"You don't think he's saying that simply as an excuse to wage war on Spain?" she asked.
Baldwin shook his head. "I could smell his fear. Louis believes the English provided a refuge for Egidi so that he'd use his skill on their behalf. The king thinks they're conspiring with Spain against him and will stop at nothing, including witchcraft, to achieve their goals."
"I hope he doesn't believe the queen is involved." Maria Theresa was a member of the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs.
"He didn't mention her." Baldwin exhaled. "I tried to ease his mind, explaining how the English hated anything smacking of witchcraft or the occult. I reminded him of how successful witch-hunting has been. There are now very few witches left in Europe."
"Italians have been known to use poisons, but I don't know of any Habsburgs associated with the practice," Freyja said, weighing her options carefully. She doubted strongly that Egidi was being employed by the English or the Spanish, but just the mention of his name brought Gerbert to mind. He would be very familiar with Egidi, especially because of the alchemist's ties to the papacy. Was Gerbert behind the rumors? If so, why? What advantage could he obtain by making Louis nervous about poison?
"The Stuarts and the Dutch aren't known to use poison either," Baldwin said. "I remember a witch in the early 1600s in Rome who was accused of having poisoned abusive husbands." He snorted. "Not something Louis will have to worry about. Women flock around him like flies to honey. They might poison each other but never him."
"Did the king appear reassured?"
"I believe so. Philippe teased him about it, and that may have calmed the waters more than anything else. Colbert and I spoke privately afterward. He will continue to advise the king against war with Spain, but he warned me the king is in no mood for compromise. I'm returning to Paris today."
"And miss Molière's play?"
He snorted. "That bit of fluff? The title alone puts me off."
"Please convey my regards to Far."
"I'll do that. He'll also get an earful about his manjasang scheme. If Louis had any idea who was in the room with him—"
"—But I'm sure he didn't."
"Tread warily, Sister," Baldwin warned. "Your friends better be trustworthy. Father is sailing in dangerous waters by resorting to help from outsiders."
Baldwin was correct. Far normally only entrusted members of his family with secret missions. Employing her trio of spies was decidedly uncharacteristic of him. Was that why Philippe didn't want Jean around the family? Freyja's brother was lousy at cards but he was an expert chess player. And he would be just as intrigued about the nature of Jean and Far's relationship as she was. The difference was that Baldwin wouldn't be satisfied till he discovered the truth, while Freyja could afford to wait.
She hadn't had an opportunity to talk with her co-conspirators since arriving at the chateau. Based on Baldwin's news, she needed to do so. Her best opportunity would be when they were rehearsing Molière's play in the chapel. As musicians, Leonard and Jack would have plenty of leisure time.
She waited till Baldwin left for Paris before going to the chapel. Bryn was on stage but Jean and Leonard were lounging in the back pews, waiting for the musicians' rehearsal.
Freyja took a seat beside them and related Baldwin's account of the evening in an undertone.
"Benoit is Baldwin?" Jean repeated, shocked by the news.
"Who's Baldwin?" Leonard demanded, also in a whisper.
"Baldwin de Clermont," Jean explained before Freyja had a chance to. "One of Philippe's sons." Jean turned to Freyja. "Does he know who we are?"
"Only your French names. I told him you were working for me under instructions from Philippe, and he should direct his questions to him. Don't worry about Baldwin. Our focus needs to be on the poison. Is there any substance to the king's concern?"
"We've checked around, but so far haven't found anyone who knows anything specific," Leonard said.
"I have an appointment with Louise this afternoon," Jean said. "She may have heard something."
As a companion to the queen, Freyja wasn't in a position to sniff out gossip, but she was confident her spies could. Although Leonard was a newcomer to Lully's orchestra, he had the knack for striking up friendships.
Someone had planted the rumors for the king to overhear, and Freyja was certain Gerbert was behind it although so far, the motive remained elusive.
Notes: I was inspired by a true poisoning scandal that occurred at the court of Louis XIV. The Affair of the Poisons lasted from 1677 to 1682. Several members of the aristocracy were charged with witchcraft and poisoning. Madame de Montespan, the king's mistress at the time, was implicated but not charged.