‘Henri came to me before the masque like a frightened hind, shaking all over and gibbering that Circe planned him harm tonight,’ she hissed, pinning me with the force of her glare. ‘Demanding we cancel the entertainments, evacuate the palace and lock the poor girl away while he shut himself in his chamber with his armed men. He was already issuing orders to that effect, though he barely took heed of what he was saying. Do you know how much money I paid out for tonight’s ball?’
‘I—’
‘Of course you don’t. More than the treasury can afford to throw away, is the answer. Nor did I wish the cream of Parisian nobility and the ambassadors of half Europe to be turned out of my gates before the festivities had even begun, whispering to one another that the King of France is afraid of a dancing girl. We would be a laughing stock.’ She paused for me to appreciate the gravity of the situation. ‘So,’ she continued, resuming her slow pace towards the doors at the far end while I walked alongside. ‘A little judicious soothing of my distraught son, and he confesses it was you who planted this idea in his overheated brain. Complete with some fanciful tale about a murdered priest.’
‘Your Majesty, I—’
‘What kind of a fool are you?’ She rounded on me, the silver head of her stick thrust towards my face. ‘Do you not know Henri better by now? He has a weak constitution – all my sons were cursed with it. Any threat of discord makes him ill.’
‘He is ruling the wrong kingdom, then.’
I should have held my peace; I feared she might strike me for that, but after a moment she merely inclined her head with regret.
‘True. He would have been a happier man if Fate had spared him the throne, I grant you. But our duty is God’s will, and we must fulfil it as best we can. I could get no further sense from Henri, though thankfully I talked him out of scattering our guests to the four winds. Now you will tell me everything you know about this Circe business. But I warn you—’ she raised the cane again – ‘I am more than ready to believe there are plots against my son’s life and his throne, but not from within my own household. That is plainly absurd. So explain yourself.’
Feeling that my options were limited, I related as we walked a carefully edited version of the story, including the letter I had found in Paul’s fireplace and the connection with Joseph de Chartres, but leaving out my first-hand experience of Joseph’s murder. Catherine’s face remained impassive throughout. When I had finished she halted and leaned on her stick, looking at me for a long time without speaking.
‘Why has it taken you so long to tell the King about this so-called threat from Circe?’
‘Your Majesty, I did not wish to alarm him without good cause. He had asked me to find out who killed the priest and there was no evidence that letter was ever sent. At the time I had no idea who or what Circe might be.’
‘Hm.’ She considered. ‘Léonie de Châtillon has been in my household since she was fifteen years old. Thirteen years altogether, and in that time she has been nothing but loyal. I find it hard to credit that she could have been turned by our enemies.’
She was either too trusting or too arrogant, I thought, if she imagined the intelligence acquired by her bevy of lovely informers flowed only one way.
‘Was she ever intimate with the Duke of Guise, or his sister?’
Her expression clouded and the flesh around her lips turned white as she clenched her jaw. ‘Guise… Devil take him. Yes, there was a time I sent her to Guise, and she proved herself useful. Le Balafré is not apt to give much away to my women – he is too canny. That’s why I only deploy the most skilled with him. As with you.’
I bowed my head in acknowledgement, even as I guessed it was Gabrielle who had betrayed my presence here to her mistress. Catherine dabbed her nose with her handkerchief.
‘But that was years ago. She has not been near Guise for over a decade. It could not be that.’
‘Could they have renewed their liaison without your knowledge?’
‘Impossible.’ She spat the word. ‘My women do not have liaisons behind my back. They have too much to lose. Léonie de Châtillon most of all. She plays for higher stakes.’ Her gaze swerved away from mine as she said this, but I caught her knowing tone. I was tempted to ask if she meant the King, and wondered again if Léonie was the mistress Henri had mentioned with his nonchalant swagger. The way they had looked at one another during the masque spoke of something between them. But that did not preclude Léonie also being Guise’s lover, whatever Catherine wanted to believe; in fact, what better way to get close to the King than to subvert the woman who shares his bed? A suspicion began to form in a dark corner of my mind.
‘Well, if you are certain of her loyalty…’
She smiled, showing her teeth. I thought of the crocodile.
‘I have been playing this game since you were a barefoot child in Nola, Doctor Bruno. This is what Guise wants, of course – to sow mistrust among the King’s supporters. Be assured – my women have better discipline than most armies I have seen. Those I cannot trust absolutely do not last long in my service. If there were a traitor among them I would know it before they had even formed the thought. Never imply to me that I cannot govern my own household.’
‘I did not mean—’
‘Nothing happens in this palace or the Louvre that does not reach
