Page 58 of Sir Durham’s Disarming Asset

Appleby raised a finger. “That confirms what we know about the extended Jarre family. They work together so that they can steal together. What would you say, my dear?” He turned to Vivienne with an adoring smile.

“They have benefited from the changes in governments since others stormed the Bastille in July of ’89,” she told them with a bitterness to her words. “They buy the abandoned properties of aristocrats at low prices, then resell them at five or ten times the amount to Bonaparte’s new friends and military leaders. They arrange investments, but default on stock payments. They rob people of their savings.”

Zeph spoke up. “When Lenoir came to me with his daughter the other day, he told me that my father had invested money with him. He has kept it. Accounted for it, amazingly. Even kept it separate from his own funds here in London. But he did tell me that my father invested in Charleville rifles.”

“At least he was ethical about that,” Carlton said.

Zeph did praise Lenoir for that. She was ashamed of the source of the money, but she would dispense with it someday in a way to absolve her father of the sins of it. “Monsieur Lenoir has saved my father’s money. That is as it should be, and I will deal with it. But please tell me why we speak of my visit.”

“You met not only with Cosette, but also with her father today?” Rafe asked.

“I did.” I had a few precious, private minutes with Cosette. “That was not my choice nor my intention when I went.”

Lord Halsey was most unhappy about this development. “My men have been tracking this Lenoir since he arrived in London nearly a year ago. He’s gone to his bank. Gone home. Gone to a pub far from his home. Drinks a lot. Too much, I say.”

Scarlett glanced at Lord Halsey. “Can we conclude that Lenoir still seems unimportant?”

“He always seemed…innocuous, compared to the other members of the Jarre banking house.”

“But there is more for you to know, Zephora.” Scarlett turned to Viv. “Please recount your experience.”

Viv rallied, licked her lips, and tried to smile at Zeph. “During the Terror, my family attempted to escape Paris. My father was abducted, and so too my older sister, Diane. I never saw them again. Three years ago, I returned to Paris, impersonating my eldest sister Charmaine, whom I resemble perfectly in face and form. When I was in Paris, Vaillancourt recognized me as myself, but revealed that Charmaine had worked with him to capture my father. Her request years ago was that he take Diane, too. Vaillancourt was a leader of the Croix Rouge gang of the Left Bank, the most radical of all the local committees of safety. Vaillancourt imprisoned many, winning fame and fortune for it.”

Zeph recognized the term for the radicals of the Croix Rouge sector of Paris. She closed her eyes a moment as the sharp, raptor-like features of Monsieur Tauzain rose before her.

Viv sat silent for a long minute, the memory bringing tears to her eyes.

“Go on,” Gus whispered as she reached over to take her hand. “Tell Zeph the rest.”

“He revealed to me and Tate that Charmaine was an agent for France, for him, while she had been acting in London. She sent him information, and worse.”

What could be worse? Zeph sympathized when Viv once more had to pause at the retelling of her tale.

“Charmaine ran a group of double agents in southern England.”

Zeph froze. “How many?”

“Dozens.”

“Did she tell you who they were?”

“Not at first. But as she lay dying, to influence me to reconcile with her, she sent me a list.”

Gus turned solemn. “We have spent years looking for every name on there.”

Kane added, “All of us here have spent days and nights with those we know and suspect. We have caught a few. Others not.”

Scarlett pressed her lips together and looked to Giselle. “My dear, please tell us all what you experienced the summer you worked for us.”

Giselle worked for Scarlett? Zeph shot a glance at the woman’s husband. Lord Carlisle nodded at his wife in encouragement.

“Giselle has consented to come to this meeting to tell you firsthand her experiences here and with Vaillancourt.” Scarlett’s gaze flitted to the others.

Giselle was a petite lady with glistening black hair and bright blue eyes—and a persistent clutch of her gloved hands. “I came to this country, escaping Vaillancourt’s reach. He accused me of spying and sending secrets to the British. When I arrived here, I began to do a special project for Scarlett. While I was working,” she said, a pained expression on her pretty face, “this group of Frenchmen abducted me. Their plan was to take me to France and Vaillancourt.”

Zeph could not believe how ruthless the French were. “How did you get free?”

Gus grinned. “Ashley, Carlisle, and Halsey invaded the cottage where she was held. Sir Raphael coordinated their actions.”