‘You have underlined this sentence about adultery,’ I said, pointing to the sheet of notes. I sat back in the chair. ‘Don’t tell me you didn’t know she was asking about his mistress. The dolphin medallion – you realised then, didn’t you?’
He sighed, passing a hand over his bald patch. ‘I understood better, yes. I took it to Catherine and said it was on the ground where the girl’s body was found. She confessed then that Léonie had believed herself to be carrying Henri’s child. Catherine gave her the medallion as a promise that her child would one day be Dauphin, if she did as she was told.’
‘Did you ask Catherine what she planned to do about Queen Louise?’
‘She said she had intended to have the King’s marriage annulled in time to legitimise the child by a new marriage before it was born. But it was all moot by then. The girl was dead.’
‘Catherine wasn’t looking for an annulment. Not when there was a quicker way to be rid of the Queen. You must have guessed at that.’
‘Your imagination is running wild now, Bruno.’ There was a warning note in his voice.
‘On the contrary – I have never understood the matter so clearly. Everything is connected. When Catherine found out that Léonie was pregnant after she had become Henri’s mistress, she had to accelerate her plans. There was no time for legal procedures. Did you not see how ill Queen Louise was on the night of the ball? One of them was poisoning her, little by little – Léonie, perhaps, or Ruggieri. Louise was convinced of it. But Léonie was eaten up by guilt over this plan she had become entangled in – she confessed to Père Lefèvre, who was moved by his conscience to warn the Queen in an anonymous letter. But I think someone at the palace read that letter. Paul had to be silenced and so did Léonie.’ I pushed the chair back and joined him by the fire. ‘No wonder you kept telling me to leave it alone.’ I could not hide the resentment in my voice.
‘I had no idea the priest was anything to do with this business, Bruno, you must believe me. I only thought it wiser for you not to be involved, especially if Guise was behind it. But when Léonie died and you seemed determined to prove that all the deaths were connected, I knew you were going to march straight into trouble.’
‘Because you knew the killer was inside the palace, you mean?’
He hesitated, weighing his words, not meeting my eye.
‘I know nothing about the other two, the priest and the friar. I give you my word. When Léonie was found and you showed me that medallion, I confess I had misgivings. It seemed easier to believe she had taken her own life.’ His voice had grown quiet. He drained his glass and turned away.
‘You had misgivings,’ I repeated flatly. ‘But there was a further twist to the story, you see – Léonie’s child was very likely not even Henri’s. She was still sleeping with the Duke of Guise.’
He raised his head and stared at me. ‘Gesù Cristo. Do you think Catherine found out?’
‘Someone found out,’ I said. ‘Queen Louise took the priest’s warning seriously. She also guessed that Léonie was pregnant. She had one of her servants follow her to see if she met other men. I think she knew about Léonie and Guise.’
‘And you think she told Catherine?’ He frowned. ‘But that would have meant admitting she believed Catherine was plotting against her.’
‘I think she found her own solution.’
Jacopo rubbed a hand slowly over his beard and stared at me. ‘What are you saying, Bruno?’
‘I found a scarf with Queen Louise’s device embroidered on it in the woods where Léonie was killed,’ I said. ‘I believe it was the one used to strangle her.’
‘You think Queen Louise murdered Léonie? Have you gone quite mad?’
‘It fits. Louise knew her life was in danger from this woman who planned to take her place, marry the King and give him a supposed Dauphin that was most likely a Guise bastard.’
‘That’s impossible,’ Jacopo said.
‘But she had every reason to want the girl dead,’ I persisted. ‘She may not have been as ill as she looked that night.’
He shook his head. ‘I’m afraid she was worse than she looked. She sat bravely through the masque, but she was overcome by a terrible fit of vomiting immediately after and had to be carried to a guest room. I accompanied her, along with two of her ladies. She was given a draught to settle her stomach and help her sleep and the women remained there with her, along with a nursemaid, for the rest of the night. She certainly wasn’t dashing through the grounds strangling anyone, that much is beyond question. Though I do not deny her symptoms could be consistent with poisoning,’ he added, as if this might make me feel better.
I fell heavily into a chair, pressing my fingers to my eyes. ‘You’re right. It was an absurd idea. I couldn’t make it fit with my theory that the same person killed both Léonie and Joseph de Chartres. But, Jacopo, I am still convinced the killer is inside the palace.’
He laid a hand on my shoulder. ‘Then do you not think it is time for you to follow my advice and walk away? If Catherine is the author of it, what can you do?’
‘I could tell the King,’ I said, defiant. ‘He is the highest authority in France, not her, and he wants the killer found.’
Jacopo laughed softly. ‘Think what you are saying. You saw for yourself the state he
