because it was scratchy, and she made me take it off. Then and there. She made me change without going into the cubicle. She told the men to face the street but she wouldn’t let me go back into the change room. She watched every step of the way in case I hurt her precious frock. I was humiliated to my socks and she watched me change like I was a criminal and even though I was wearing the most respectable knickers in the world all the time I was getting so…so…’
Hell. His hands were clenched into his palms so hard they hurt.
‘Anyway, I got back in my own gear,’ she muttered, as if she was trying hard to move on. ‘Then the police said I was under arrest, and I saw red. I said I hadn’t stolen your stupid card and that you were here and you’d sent me to buy a dress and you’re in charge of their stupid police force and you’ll sack the lot of them and if they didn’t check with you first you’ll have their necks on the guillotine first thing in the morning.’
‘Hey,’ he said, almost startled out of anger. ‘Guillotine?’
‘Well, maybe I didn’t say quite that,’ she muttered, glowering. ‘But it’s what I meant. Daniella’s horrible coiffure would look great in a bucket, and I’d knit and watch like anything. Anyway, then they thought they’d check with you. So they frog-marched me over here-well, why wouldn’t they when Levout assured them I was nothing to do with you? Now they’ve seen you and they’re really nervous. But they’re waiting on your command right now, to take me out and shoot me at dawn.’
There were six burly police officers in the doorway, muttering fiercely among themselves. Looking uncomfortable. As well they might.
‘They seem to know you,’ she said, anger becoming calmer now. ‘Not me, though. I’m a provincial.’
‘I’ll go talk to them.’
‘Good. I’ll go steal a beer from the bar.’
‘Maybe a coffee would be better. Vlados will fetch one for you.’
‘Why not live up to my reputation?’
‘Pippa?’
‘Yes.’
‘Have a coffee.’
By the time he reached them, the policemen were pretty sure they were in the wrong. Pippa’s anger must have been obvious, as was the conciliatory hand Max put on her shoulder as he left her.
‘Did she have rights to use the card?’ the officer with the most stripes asked before he said a word.
‘Yes,’ Max said, dangerously calm. ‘You saw our photographs taken the day we arrived? Did you recognise her?’
‘Yes, but she isn’t royal. We’re sorry if we’ve made a mistake, though. We were acting on Levout’s orders.’
‘You have made a mistake. And what possible authority does Levout have over you?’
‘He assured us the card was stolen.’
‘You haven’t answered my question. Was it his suggestion that made you force Miss Donohue to strip in the centre of the shop?’
‘I…no. That was Miss Daniella’s idea. She was concerned about her clothing.’
‘And you agreed? You stood by while someone was forced to strip in public?’
‘I…’
‘There’ll be changes,’ Max said wearily. ‘Starting from the top.’
‘If you mean dismissal…’ the man said unhappily.
‘I’m not talking about dismissal. And, much as my friend over there would like an even more gory fate to befall you, I’m not interested in that either. I want names and ranks, written here.’ He motioned to the waiter. ‘This man will do it for me. There’ll be repercussions, but meanwhile all I have to say is that Levout has no authority to act on my behalf in any capacity whatsoever. Is that clear?’
‘That’s clear,’ he was told unhappily, and he left them writing their names while he returned to Pippa.
‘This is a symptom of the mess we need to deal with,’ he told her grimly. ‘People with friends in high places can order the police force at whim. If you agree that Marc can stay here then I can fix this.’
‘Oh, great,’ she muttered. ‘More blackmail.’
‘I’m not blackmailing.’
‘Just holding a gun to my head.’
‘There are guns to both our heads. You tell me what to do. Brand my mother a liar in public? And surely you don’t want to go back to the farm?’
‘No, I-’
‘And you wouldn’t leave the kids here without you.’
She hesitated. Just for a moment she hesitated. ‘No,’ she said finally. ‘Of course I wouldn’t. And you know that. Toe-rag.’
‘You’re calling me a toe-rag?’
‘Yes,’ she said bluntly. ‘I am. You’re saying you’ll fix this but from a distance? From back in Paris while you build your buildings? I can’t take on a proxy role and neither can Marc. If this country is such a mess-’
‘I’m doing all I can. Hell, Pippa, until five weeks ago I was a carpenter.’
‘And I was a dairy maid,’ she said, trying for a smile but not succeeding. Her shoulders sagged. He wanted to…he wanted…
He couldn’t. At least he couldn’t without speaking to his mother. Hell.
The police were filing out. ‘Did you threaten something really messy?’ she asked, without much hope.
‘No.’
‘Just as well,’ she said, and tried again to smile. ‘I’m not worth it.’
‘You are worth it. Pippa, I’m so sorry. You’re being sent from humiliation to humiliation. At Tanbarook, and now here.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘If you stay we have to figure out a role.’ Even if he sorted things with his mother-even if he accepted what was starting to seem inevitable-she had to have a place here.
But she was shaking her head. ‘Kids’ guardian is the only role I want. Me and Dolores can sit in the sun for the rest of our lives. Where’s the problem in that?’
‘I-’
‘Look, let’s just organise this damned photo,’ she said. ‘If it really has to be taken. But I’d rather walk on nails than go back to Daniella’s.’
‘She’s the only decent dress shop in the village.’
‘What’s that over there?’
She gestured towards the window. People were wandering into what looked like a dilapidated village hall. ‘It looks like some sort of repertory company,’ she said. ‘There are billboards all over the front, and ladies have been going in with dresses.’
‘So?’
‘So if it’s anything like any repertory company I’ve ever been involved with-’
‘You’re involved with repertory?’
‘I’ve been Katisha in a Gilbert and Sullivan hospital Christmas pageant.’
The dragon lady in The Mikado? ‘I don’t believe it,’ he said faintly.
‘Want to hear an excerpt?’
‘No!’ Dammit, he wanted to hug her. He hated the bruised look behind her eyes. He wanted…
He couldn’t. Hell, he needed to talk to his mother.
She was moving on.
‘If this is a repertory company like any I’ve been involved with they’ll have a room full of used costumes out the back. If you get to wear a dress sword, surely I can find something suitable to match.’
The repertory players were fascinated. ‘Go right ahead,’ they said, laughing among themselves at the thought of the props of their pageantry being used for such an occasion. ‘We have costumes here a hundred years old.’
‘Excellent,’ Pippa said, notably brightening. ‘A can-can dancer? Maybe not.’
‘We don’t usually lend them,’ the wardrobe mistress told them. ‘We use them over and over again. But for an occasion like this and if it saves you from paying money to that Daniella…’
