Chapter 5: Set, Match
Freyja set down her copy of The Princess of Montpensier and went over to the window. Only Françoise was with her. Freyja didn't need to fake the mincing gait preferred by the ladies at court. Dieu, she couldn't wait for the freedom of Paris, where she could once more go about in breeches. But for now, she'd play nice. Dressed demurely in a silk gown, she had access to the queen, the ladies-in-waiting, and even the king. Aurora was probably wallowing in envy.
Freyja had used her contacts to find out what was known about Aurora's cover identity, Angélique de Carmaux. Her principal source was Julie d'Angennes. The queen's first lady-in-waiting knew how to play the game as well as Freyja. Although Julie had been appointed to her post by the king, the queen was devoted to her. Never had Freyja been so glad she'd cultivated Julie's friendship. She had the knack for facilitating relations between the king and his mistresses all while keeping the queen happily uninformed. Julie was also a close personal friend to Françoise-Athénais. Was Julie now encouraging her liaison with the king? It was a risky ploy, but she might have sensed that the king's interest in Louise was waning.
How did Madeleine de Rignac, the other woman reportedly vying for the king's favor, fit into this already complicated backdrop? Ordinarily, she wouldn't have a chance. Freyja had spoken with Julie. She was aware that Madeleine had flirted with the king. Julie had quickly put a stop to it by denying her access.
Bryn learned that Madeleine was one of those most actively talking about love charms and poisons. Freyja would have classified it as innocent gossip if it weren't for Aurora's involvement.
Freyja took a seat on the tabouret facing the window. For Madeleine to have a clear pathway to the king's bed, Aurora would need to get rid of the current mistress, Louise de la Vallière, and her chief rival, Françoise-Athénais de Montespan. Did Aurora intend to poison both of them? She'd want to shield Gerbert at all costs so she'd need a scapegoat. What better ruse than to have her rivals take out each other? It would make more sense to frame Louise for the murder of Françoise-Athénais. Aurora could spread the rumor that Louise felt her position was being threatened. She was suffering from overwrought emotions due to her condition. Conceivably, it could play the other way, but Julie was a powerful protector of Montespan. Any attempt to smear her reputation would be dealt with harshly. Françoise-Athénais also had a husband. He wasn't good for much, but he might resist any attempt to vilify his wife.
Aurora would need to establish clear guilt. If Françoise-Athénais died and Louise was found dead with a vial of poison and a confession next to her, Aurora would achieve her objective. It would only take only a few hastily scrawled words to establish Louise's guilt. Everyone would believe she'd killed herself out of remorse. How very convenient.
A knock on Freyja's door alerted her Bertrand had arrived. She'd instructed Leonard to convey her summons. The young oboist would undoubtedly be flattered to attend to a de Clermont. Her father occasionally needed musicians for Sept-Tours. Bertrand might think he was being hired for the winter season. He was in for a rude shock.
Françoise opened the door and led him into the room.
Bertrand was in his mid-twenties. His swarthy skin indicated southern blood. His doublet was fraying at the edges. Aurora's money would be a strong inducement.
Bertrand removed his cap and made a low bow. "I'm honored to be called upon by your ladyship. How may I serve?"
"Please take a seat." She gestured to the recently vacated tabouret as she dropped into the upholstered chair. She could have left him standing, but she preferred to let him relax before she tightened the noose.
"His Majesty has grown concerned about occult practices at court," she continued. "Rumors of poison and love charms are circulating freely." At Freyja's mention of love charms, she heard Bertrand's heartbeat accelerate. "Minister Colbert has been tracking down all the rumors to determine their source and root out the problem before someone is harmed. I have been assisting the minister." Freyja was now at the crossroads. Bertrand could have been commissioned by Aurora but she felt Madeleine would be much more likely.
Bertrand eyed her uneasily. She let him sweat a little longer while she arranged her skirt. Then she fixed her eyes on him, the same stare she used to intimidate Jean at fencing. She'd learned the technique from a master, her father. "Your name has come up in connection with the person fingered by the Minister's agents to be the source—a certain dark-eyed beauty." She paused. If his tension eased, she'd quickly switch her target.
But she wasn't wrong. Bertrand's heart was racing like he was running a marathon.
"Do you care to supply the name or shall I?" she said. "And I warn you, if you want to have any chance to escape her fate, you must tell me all you know."
He swallowed. "She said it was harmless."
"And so it might be . . . to her. But for you. it will be deadly. Her quarters have already been searched, and Aqua Tofana was found. I presume you know what that is?"
His look of horror made a reply unnecessary. "Please believe me. Madame de Rignac assured me it was a love potion."
"Understandable. She'd hardly tell you that she planned to kill her target and blame you for the crime."
His mouth gaped. "Kill Madame de Montespan? I'd never . . ."
"Calm yourself," Freyja ordered curtly. He was dissolving in front of her eyes and she didn't have time to waste with a blithering incompetent. He'd already incriminated himself. "Tell me exactly what your instructions are."
"I was to pick up the love potion from Madame de Rignac's bedchamber tomorrow evening at eight o'clock. I was to take it to Madame de Montespan at midnight. That was to lessen the chance of anyone spotting us."
"And also allow sufficient time for her to be murdered," Freyja pointed out. "The trap would have already been prepared when you went to her chamber." Bertrand would have found Montespan dead. He likely would have fled. Aurora likely would have killed Louise when Bertrand went to Montespan's room. Then either Aurora or Madeleine would come forward and claim they'd seen him slip into Montespan's bedchamber. One of them would have planted evidence in his room that Louise had ordered him to kill Montespan. The assumption would then be that Louise had been overcome with remorse and killed herself.
"If you want to save yourself, from now on you report to me," Freyja said. "You are to carry on as if this conversation didn't happen. I'll even pay you what you would have received from Madame de Rignac."
"You'll shield me from Minister Colbert?" he asked, his eyes widening.
"I have a soft spot for musicians," she said. "You were duped into this. I don't believe you intended to harm anyone. In the future, other commissions may be possible, but first, you'll need to earn them." Leonard had remarked that Bertrand was a skilled oboist. When Jean and Leonard weren't available, another set of eyes and ears could be a useful tool. "Do you know who Angélique de Carmaux is?"
"I know who she is," Bertrand said readily, his heartbeat remaining constant. "I saw her with Madame de Rignac and asked about her."
"Did Madame de Rignac ever mention her?"
"No, Madame."
"She is assisting Madame de Rignac. If she approaches you or you hear anything about her, inform me or my servant Françoise immediately."
Would Bertrand live up to her expectations? She wasn't leaving anything to chance. Leonard would shadow his every movement as only a manjasang could.
As for Jean, he was needed elsewhere.
#
"Can you do it?" Freyja asked Jack.
"Sneak into Colbert's office? Forge a document with his signature and add the official seal? I can't wait!"
He'd been moping because he wouldn't be able to search Aurora's apartment with Leonard, but no longer. His assignment would be even more of a challenge. When Freyja had sent a messenger summoning him to her suite, Jack hoped for a role to play, but this was more exciting than he'd dared hope.
"Like Leonard, you'll need to accomplish your task tonight during the play," Freyja warned. "All the court will be in attendance, but guards will still be around. If you're caught—"
"—I won't be," Jack said confidently. For long stretches of the play, the musicians weren't needed. He should have plenty of time. "Do you have the content prepared?"
"Yes." She handed him a manuscript. He scanned the text to verify he understood exactly what she wanted. The document accused Aurora—or Angélique de Carmaux, as she was known at court—of having plotted to poison both the king's mistress Louise de la Vallière and Madame de Montespan. It further accused her of attempting to frame Louise de la Vallière for Montespan's death.
This was what Aurora had in mind? He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. She'd been indirectly responsible for countless deaths through her promotion of the Witchfinder. But Freyja believed that Aurora wouldn't trust anyone else to kill Louise. Instead, she'd commit the act and leave evidence behind to make the death appear a suicide.
"I'll need to have it ready by tomorrow evening," Freyja warned. "The document must look absolutely authentic."
"It will," Jack promised.
"Do you anticipate any difficulty in getting Louise to agree to our plan?"
"No, she trusts me."
"It will be best if she comes in disguise." Freyja pursed her lips for a moment. "Françoise and I will prepare something suitable. It will be ready for you tomorrow morning to take to her."
"To raise her spirits, I'd often teased her about the games I'd play with the child she's carrying," Jack confided. "She claimed she'd want to join in. This will be her chance." He hesitated for a moment. If the scheme worked, Freyja would likely return to Paris immediately afterward. This could be his last chance to ask her. "Lully won't need me and Leonard after next week. We'd like to go to London. Do I have your permission to stay there for a short visit?"
Freyja hesitated, and Jack braced himself for another refusal. What would he do then? He'd never defied Philippe's orders but surely no harm could come from a little time off. Would Philippe even know? Maybe it would have been better not to ask Freyja.
"We accomplish our goal and you will have more than earned a holiday," she said at last with a nod. "I'll inform Father that I approved your request."
#
Bryn noticed Françoise sitting in the pews of the chapel as she finished the afternoon rehearsal. Françoise's presence likely indicated that Freyja was summoning her. Bryn was torn about going. She realized she was in a foul mood. Better for Freyja not to see her this way.
But a de Clermont summons was not to be ignored. "I thought Freyja would be attending Her Highness," Bryn murmured to Françoise as they navigated their way through the maze of hallways.
"She will be in a couple of hours," Françoise said calmly. She stopped at the intersection of two corridors. "I have some errands to perform. I'll return shortly before she leaves."
Bryn should feel happier about having a chance to be alone with Freyja, but by the time she knocked on the door, her thoughts were still a tangle.
When Freyja opened the door, Bryn blurted out, "I'm here as requested." She cringed inwardly. It wasn't her intention to sound so hurt. More than ever, she regretted having agreed to the summons. But as long as she was here, wasn't it better to be honest?
A frown crossed Freyja's face as she pulled her inside. "Thank you for coming. I'm sorry this is our first time to be alone."
"Really? I heard Jack and Leonard are going to London. Perhaps I should accompany them."
"If that's your wish." Freyja searched her face. "Is it?"
No, it's not, but I'd like some token of your regard for me. "I haven't decided. After the next two nights' performances, I won't be needed here."
"I'm returning to Paris as well. I'd hoped you come back with me." Freyja hesitated. "Surely you don't think that I liked seeing you and Jean in an embrace?"
Bryn arched an eyebrow, not in the mood to laugh it off. "How would I know?"
Freyja stood next to her and pulled her into an embrace. "I wanted to shove him aside and claim your mouth as my own. Don't doubt for an instant the depth of my affection for you."
"It's easy to forget," Bryn mumbled, her irritation easing. At the moment she couldn't remember why she'd been so upset. She wished Freyja didn't have so much power over her, but she was too smitten with her to want it any other way.
"Then let me remind you." As Freyja leaned down to kiss her, Bryn pulled her toward the bedchamber where their unequal heights wouldn't pose as many issues. A time would come when they'd need to be truthful about where their relationship was headed, but this wasn't it.
#
Freyja pulled the silk sheet up to her nose. A few dying embers in the fireplace provided dim light in Louise's bedchamber. Any minute now Aurora would arrive, assuming she'd guessed her opponent's strategy correctly.
Freyja's subterfuge had proceeded smoothly up to now. She saw no reason for her luck to change. When Leonard searched Aurora's suite during the previous evening's performance, he'd discovered the bottle of Aqua Tofana among her toiletries. He'd poured a small sample into a vial for Freyja to verify. Jack had slipped into Colbert's office without incident. The document he'd prepared implicating Aurora now lay under the sheets next to Freyja.
Freyja assumed Aurora would want to kill Louise herself to avoid leaving any margin of error. She'd easily be able to subdue the warmblood and force the poison down her throat. Françoise was currently hiding in the garderobe. Her task was to seize Aurora as soon as she arrived.
Louise was presumably asleep in Freyja's apartment with Jack providing protection. Leonard was keeping a close watch on Madeleine. Depending on Aurora's actions, Freyja was tempted to let Madeleine off with a severe reprimand. She'd have to leave court, of course. That would be sufficient punishment for someone who was likely as innocent a dupe as Bertrand.
As she lay in wait, Freyja's thoughts returned to Bryn. She blamed herself for not being more sensitive to the insecurities connected with Bryn's position. Public acknowledgment was out of the question, but if they weren't at court, they'd have much more freedom.
She heard light footsteps in the corridor and the slow beat of a manjasang heart. Bertrand was hiding under the bed. Aurora hadn't met him. She wouldn't recognize his scent and Freyja hoped the beating of his human heart would disguise hers.
The snick of a door latch in the outer antechamber. The soft padding of footsteps. At the quick intake of breath, Freyja leaped out of bed. Françoise was already behind Aurora and had locked her arms behind her back.
"How cooperative of you to reveal your true colors," Freyja said. "Let's conduct our business in the antechamber. Françoise was stronger than many male manjasangs. Aurora wisely didn't resist. Freya closed the door upon their exit, then called Bertrand out from his hiding place.
"Your services are no longer needed," she said, providing him a small pouch of coins. "Go out the back way." Louise's bedchamber had a hidden door leading to a side passage. It had been constructed to provide privacy for the king, but it would serve them well too.
She cut short his thanks. She'd achieved his objective, and he now had proof that she'd been correct about the attempt. There'd be time later to provide additional tasks for him to perform. He had potential and she planned to cultivate him.
Aurora sat silently, glowering at her when Freyja entered the room. Françoise maintained a tight grip on her. Both were sitting on the sofa.
Freyja was in no mood to mince words. "Do you know who I am?"
Aurora nodded, blowing a lock of hair off her forehead. "Freyja de Clermont. This is a huge misunderstanding. I was bringing a love charm for Louise. She'd become despondent about losing the king's affection. Surely you'd sympathize with her situation."
"I could perhaps be tolerant of Angélique de Carmaux, but not of Aurora d'Aurillac," Freyja said. Aurora's eyes narrowed. She'd never met Freyja. She would have had no way of knowing she'd been unmasked. "I assume you're here on the orders of your sire," Freyja continued. "My father takes a dim view of manjasangs interfering in the affairs of government. As you well know, such activity is forbidden by the Covenant."
"I have done nothing to interfere with the affairs of state," she protested.
"The king's first minister views it differently," Freyja said dispassionately. "He's had you under investigation ever since the rumors of poison first surfaced. Your quarters were searched. Aqua Tofana was found in your possession. Your accomplices have confessed their part in your crimes." Freyja clucked disapprovingly. "Killing Louise de la Vallière and the Marquise de Montespan in order to advance your chosen favorite?"
Aurora reacted with horror. "That's a lie! I would never commit such an outrage."
"Care to rephrase that?" Françoise said sternly. She turned to Freyja. "I removed a vial from her pocket."
"That was the love potion!" Aurora retorted.
Françoise tightened her vice. "Don't treat me like a fool. I know Aqua Tofana when I smell it."
"Minister Colbert has sufficient evidence to charge you with the crimes," Freyja continued relentlessly. "If he pursues the matter, not only will you be destroyed, but your father will be incriminated as well. We have no desire to plunge our kind into the civil war that would surely follow. My father has had disagreements with Gerbert over the centuries, but he also values the contributions he's made. Acting on Philippe's orders, I have negotiated a settlement with the minister. Since your plan wasn't carried out, he's agreed to conceal your actions from the king . . . provided you adhere to these conditions. You will immediately remove yourself from court. You will not dispatch anyone else to perform your bidding."
Aurora listened mutely, her face remaining expressionless. Dieu, she was beautiful. No wonder Jean had been smitten with her. Was there any chance she could reform? Just how dangerous was Gerbert?
"Do you have any evidence to back up this fairy tale?" Aurora challenged
Freyja nodded. "I assumed you would want it confirmed." She nodded to Françoise to keep Aurora's arms restrained and then held the manuscript in front of her eyes. Jack had prepared a superb forgery and had managed to add Colbert's personal seal. "You're undoubtedly aware that my father and brothers have a close relationship with both the king and Colbert. You have them to thank that you're being granted leniency."
Aurora's mouth drooped as she read the damning condemnation. She heaved a small sigh. "Someone has gone to great lengths to frame me. I could plead my innocence but you wouldn't believe me. Since it appears I have no choice, I agree to your terms."
Freyja smiled. "I knew you'd be reasonable. I'm sure you won't mind signing this confession. You know the integrity of my house. We will not use it as long as you adhere to the terms."
Aurora had been outplayed, and she was smart enough to realize it. Freyja wasn't so gullible as to think she wouldn't continue her machinations elsewhere, but the French court would be spared.
How evil was she? In the eyes of Gerbert and likely his daughter as well, warmbloods were lesser beings. They could be killed as one would a deer or a rabbit. Far believed Gerbert dreamed of the day when manjasangs would rule openly over all warmbloods. It was a fantasy that would never come to pass.
Notes: The Princess of Montpensier by Madame de La Fayette was a best seller of the period. Courtiers easily related to the heroine who was forced to choose duty over love. Aqua Tofana is a poison that was created in Italy by a woman in the 17th century. It was reportedly a popular way of getting rid of an abusive husband during a time when little legal recourse was available.