‘About as sharp as your tongue, Mistress O’Shee, which is very sharp indeed.’
Meg turned to the King and said, ‘Send him away. He will never help our cause.’
Looking from the Irish woman to the spy, Henri gave another knowing smile. ‘Your passions are aroused, my sweet. Master Swyfte must have struck you a stinging blow to anger you so.’ He waved a hand, playfully dismissing the tension in the tent. ‘But enough of petty emotions. Mistress Meg, our friend here has been helping my cause for long weeks, unbeknown to himself. And so have you.’
The red-head’s eyes narrowed. ‘What web have you been weaving, Henri? If you have been playing me for a fool you will regret it.’
‘You threaten a king?’ Henri feigned astonishment, then laughed. ‘Ah, but that is why we all love you! You would shake your fist at the gods themselves.’ He turned to Will and said, ‘I would have a word, in private, about our common business.’
Understanding, the spy asked Grace if she would wait outside. Flashing a searing glance at Meg, she strode out.
After the monarch had called for Maximilien to pour them all flasks of wine, he said, ‘A drink then, to an alliance of all the nations against our mutual Enemy. And to give thanks for the aid you have given France in these dark times.’
Sipping his wine, Will studied the French king with growing respect. He wondered how far the royal’s clever scheming extended.
‘Once England antagonized the Unseelie Court they preyed less upon my countrymen. Though they would never admit it, I believe they feared resistance on more than one front,’ Henri continued. ‘Yet they were still a threat. Of course they were. Life in France was one of constant balance. We always waited for the sword to drop.’
‘Aye. Bastards all,’ Maximilien growled, throwing his wine down his throat.
‘And then, as I campaigned for the throne, a representative of the High Family asked me for my aid.’
‘An alliance?’ the spy asked.
The King snorted. ‘Do the Unseelie Court ever truly ally? They take what they want and spit out the rest. I had to tread cautiously — I could not risk alienating them.’
‘Your plans to win France would have been over in the blink of an eye,’ Meg observed, ‘and you would have been found stuffed with straw, with button eyes, a puppet with his strings cut.’
‘That is true,’ Henri said with a nod. ‘A wise king lives in this world and not in his head. They wished to use France as a staging post for their invasion of England, and Paris in particular. In the city they could mass their forces, and conjure up whatever dark magics would help them achieve their aims.’
‘I would wager that with Paris controlled by Catholics calling for your blood that decision did not trouble you for long,’ Will noted wryly.
Returning his flask to the trestle, Henri gave a quick smile. ‘I care for all my subjects equally, Master Swyfte. But, yes, I gave them Paris. I could not refuse. But I also knew that, once taken, they would not give it up again easily, if at all. You know they now seek to take this world for their own, sir?’
‘I do.’ Will mulled over his wine for a moment. ‘So, while acceding to their request for the use of your capital, you also had to put into effect a scheme that would ensure their plans failed.’
The King clapped his hands with glee. ‘You are a cunning fellow. I could find much employment for a man like yourself.’
‘His Majesty played his part convincingly,’ Maximilien said, pouring himself more wine. ‘Trusting that he secretly loathed England as much as they, the High Family let slip aspects of their plan that we could use to our advantage.’
‘I knew of their foul work beneath the seminary in Reims, and of their Scar-Crow Men.’ Henri’s smile darkened. ‘Those damnable things …’
‘And you used me to save him,’ Meg pointed at Will, ‘so you could entice both of us into your web.’
‘And who better to use, my sweet?’ Henri smiled, teasing. ‘You fit in so well everywhere. And you refuse to fail, even when faced with the most daunting odds.’ He eyed Will. ‘And England’s greatest spy. How could such a man turn his back on this plot once he became aware of it? Why, he might even pursue my enemies into the heart of France itself, and undermine the foul works being carried out at Reims that were beyond my ability to influence. He might even — could this be — unseat the High Family themselves — a clan, I am told, that he has had some success against before.’
‘You should have told me your plan,’ Meg blazed. Will thought she was about to throw her flask at the King.
‘You are always more effective when you are left to your own devices, my sweet.’ Henri winked at Maximilien, who replied with a conspiratorial smile.
The Irish woman set her jaw. ‘And in what other way did you play me? Tell me now, for if I find out for myself later my temper will know no bounds.’
‘And your temper is a fearsome thing to behold. Then let me speak truly. As deep as my affection is for you, my sweet, I would not trust you with alms for the poor.’ The monarch waved a finger when he saw Meg clench her fists. ‘And I know you well. How could I not?’ he said, softening his harsh assessment with a tender note. ‘You love your country, and your people, and I knew you could not resist trying to steal Dr Dee away from under English noses. Which is why I had my own men waiting to steal the good doctor away from you.’
‘I thought those men at Petworth were there to save me,’ the woman exclaimed. Will held a hand out to restrain her. She glared at him.
Henri gave a dismissive shrug. ‘Sadly, Master Swyfte thwarted that part of my plan. I half expected that would be the case. But Dr Dee is a prize that all the countries of Europe desire.’ He bowed to Will. ‘Yet he is not truly valued in his own land. That is always the way. Keep a hold of him, Master Swyfte, or else your defences will become someone else’s.’
Meg rounded on the spy. ‘You have been the King of France’s performing ape,’ she blazed. ‘Where is your anger? He has had you dancing to his tune, tumbling and falling and fooling. And you have cleaned up his dirty business in Reims with your own life at stake.’
Will shrugged. ‘Though it pains me to say it, I have had worse jobs in my time.’
Meg gaped, incredulous.
‘Master Swyfte understands this business well, Mistress Meg,’ Henri noted. ‘He now has the soon-to-be- crowned King of France in his debt. That is a good card to hold in your hand in any game. So, what now, sir?’
‘Now we head to Paris, Your Majesty, and if you can find a way to get me past the city walls and into the very heart of the Unseelie Court’s forces, that would go some small way to repaying me for the work I have done on your behalf.’ Will gave a deep, ironic bow.
‘I think I can help you there, Master Swyfte. Yes, indeed.’
‘I am joining you,’ Meg snapped.
‘So you can thrust a dagger between my shoulder blades when I least expect it?’
‘I would not resist her request, sir.’ Henri laughed louder.
‘Very well,’ Will sighed. ‘Perhaps I can throw you to the Unseelie Court as a distraction.’ The spy could see the Irish woman was restraining herself, yet despite her betrayal at Petworth he was surprised at how appealing he still found her company.
‘Good,’ the redhead replied. ‘Then I will go and make my preparations.’ She flounced out, ignoring Grace, who stood outside the tent’s entrance and stuck out her tongue as the Irish woman passed.
Will’s tone darkened. ‘The Unseelie Court have something which could destroy the Scar-Crow Men in the blink of an eye. It is the key to ending this business.’
The monarch looked to Maximilien, whose expression became grim. ‘They gather at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It stands on an island in the river and will be nigh on impregnable with so many of those bastards swarming around. You journey into hell, Master Swyfte.’
‘That place holds no surprises for me.’ The spy knew the immensity of the threat that awaited him, but he felt no fear for himself. All men died — it was a matter only of when, and how. ‘But we must set out immediately. The High Family know my intentions and will do all in their power to prevent me reaching Paris.’
‘Very well. Maximilien, give the men their orders,’ Henri said.
After the adviser had left, Will added, ‘If I can make good, I will need a ship to take me to England. It may
