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Felix to leave. Even Simeon's twelve-year-old dignity
was sorely tried, and only Kalmann's impatience
finally put an end to the little girls' hugs and kisses. At
last the berline rumbled down the village street with
Miriam hanging out of the window waving good-bye to
the three hospitable households.
After Felix's first brief stint at the reins, Miriam
made him start wearing a sling again when he was not
driving. To her relief he admitted that using the skid
pan to brake on steep hills was beyond his present
abilities. As a result she saw little of Isaac as they
retraced their route towards Bordeaux. However,
during one of his brief rests inside the carriage he told
her about his travels in Spain and his meeting with
Lord Wellington.
"You mean that is all he said to you?" she asked
indignantly. "After all your trouble and danger!"
"Sir Edward Pakenham said the general tends to be
abrupt in his speech, and after all he was preparing
for a battle."
"A battle! Thank heaven you didn't arrive in the
middle of it. I wonder what happened."
"At least his soldiers went into the fight with gold in
their pockets."
"Thanks to you. It's odd to think that the berline is
no longer laden with gold." She knocked on a side
panel. It gave forth a hollow sound. "If we were
arrested again, at least we'd not have to worry about
that."
The look of anger that crossed Isaac's face startled
her, but after a moment's hesitation he said only, "It is
easier to drive without the extra weight."
She knew he was concealing something from her,
156
though she could not imagine what. She did not
venture to ask. His first coldness had not lasted long,
but she was constantly conscious of a hint of wariness
in his manner. Always kind and courteous and
outwardly friendly, he was holding her at a distance.
It hurt, yet she could not blame him for it. Though
she had only done what seemed to her necessary, in
Isaac's eyes she had chosen to stay with Felix rather
than to go with him.
Her only consolation was that Felix's shoulder was
rapidly healing. She kept a solicitous watch to ensure
that he did not overexert himself.
"Fussing like a mother hen," observed Hannah.
Hannah had regretfully agreed that Miriam was right
to refuse Felix, though she thought the better of him
for asking. "Now, if it had been Mr. Isaac as offered..."
"I cannot even be sure that he cares for me.
Sometimes I wonder whether I truly know him at all."
"Perhaps he doesn't know himself what he wants.
All men are fools. But it's my belief he thinks you've
fallen for his lordship."
"If he is willing to yield to Felix without trying, he
does not love me," Miriam said unhappily. "There is
nothing I can do."
At Langon they rejoined the main road to Bordeaux,
with its memories of Hébert's sinister figure on their
trail. Miriam suddenly began to wonder whether
sailing from Bordeaux was such a good idea after all.
"We are known to the gendarmerie," she reminded
Kalmann. "Both the prefect and his lieutenant have
good reason to bear grudges against us. Could we not
go to some other port?"
"The sooner you leave France the better," he
grunted. "I shall not stay more than one night in
Bordeaux, but my contacts there will give you shelter
until they can smuggle you out. You won't have to stay
at an inn."
She didn't argue. Though the quiet young man was
so different from his lively brother Jakob, he gave the
same impression of being an irresistible force.
Nonetheless, she insisted on his driving into the city,
157
after sunset, while the rest of them hid inside the
carriage with the blinds down. Surely a black berline
was common enough not to be recognized in the dusk.
Kalmann took them straight to the Ségals. Suzanne
welcomed Miriam with open arms and inspected Isaac
and Felix with undisguised curiosity.
"So these are the charming young men you told me
of," she whispered slyly. "Which do you mean to have?"
"What makes you think I have a choice?"
"Chérie, it is plain to see they are both in love à la
folie. But I shall not tease you now." She raised her
voice. "You are all tired from travelling, sans doute. My
husband will be home shortly. If you will be so good as
to follow my servant, messieurs, your chambers are
already prepared."
"You were expecting us?" Miriam asked, surprised.
"I did not know precisely who or when, but Ezra told
me to expect guests."
"I remember now, Monsieur Ségal mentioned that he
was acquainted with Kalmann Rothschild. I should
have guessed Kalmann would bring us to you."
"I am delighted that he did."
"So am I," said Miriam fervently.
After that, she was not at all surprised when Ezra
revealed that they were to be smuggled to England on
a ship owned by the mayor of Bordeaux himself--along
with a cargo of fine wine, naturally. Next day, after
Kalmann's departure and when Suzanne was out
visiting, Monsieur Lavardac came to make final
arrangements over a glass of wine in the Ségals'
elegant salon. His chasse-marée, he promised, could
show a clean pair of heels to any ship of war or
customs cutter.
"You've come at just the right moment," he said. "-
L'Alouette returned from a voyage a week ago. We shall
load her tonight and she'll sail with the tide at
midnight tomorrow night. By dawn you'll be well out
into the Gironde estuary and ten days will see you set
ashore on the Cornish coast. So Grignol was right
about you after all!" He laughed heartily. "We'll drink a
toast: to the Republic of France, and confusion to the
Corsican usurper!"
Felix raised his glass. "To the vineyards of France,
and long may their products find their way to England,
in defiance of tyrants and taxes!"
The mayor roared with laughter and clapped Felix
158
on the back. "A man after my own heart," he
exclaimed.
"Have you heard any recent news from Spain?" Felix
asked. "Isaac, what was the name of the village
where..."
Isaac frowned at him. "...Where I heard Wellington
was encamped? Fuentes de Oñoro."
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