Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

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*Quatre Pigalle, Paris*

I had many crazy ideas during my time.

Going up against a hitman, putting my life on hold to get a useless Earl (who shall not be named), home.

But this has taken the top spot - for now.

I blame Louis - if he hadn't kissed Marguerite, I would not be here out here in Quatre Pigalle, trying to find a distraction so the stupid, useless Earl did not hijack my thoughts.

I returned to Plumette, and Paonne was not interested in helping me or going along with my plan.

"Please, Paonne!" I begged her as she counted coins, her ladies getting ready for another night in the boudoir.

"I told you then and I will tell you now..." She replied, not even looking up at me. "You should not be getting involved in any of this."

"This is serious now..." I explained. "I think I know someone who is involved...and it means that justice against those victims, including the girls of Les Perles, will never see the light of day!"

Paonne looked at me, her head tilted. "What do you mean?"

"I just...well..." I realised I probably had said too much but I couldn't turn back, because I would never get her help. "I think...Capitaine Benoit's daughter is involved."

Paonne raised her eyebrows, before laughing. "Do not be ridiculous."

"I don't want to believe it either but...I found her with stacks of Les Gens propaganda posters. Lieutenant Dupont...he knows her and he said himself that she has fallen into the wrong crowd, and Bastien Lavigne...I saw him and Anne Benoit together...here at Quatre Pigalle..." I was muffling - saying everything and anything that came to mind. "And we know Les Gens meet here so why would they be here, with propaganda posters?"

Paonne shook her head, standing up. "So, what are you insinuating?"

"What if the police did not take the fire at Les Perles seriously..." I theorised. "...because they are involved?"

Paonne's expression changed - equations were going off in quick-fire as she tried to understand all that I had said and all that I had suggested.

"That is a...serious accusation to make?"

"But what if I am right?" I asked as Paonne shook her head.

"Even if you are, what will you do? The police are involved in a conspiracy!"

"I need to know!" I cried, my hands slamming on the table that a few towers of the coins that she had piled up, fell and I looked down, apologising quickly.

I felt Paonne's eyes on me as I remade the towers quickly. "Let's say you are right. What then? You cannot accuse the police of anything - they are powerful."

"I will think about that when it gets to it..." I replied, finishing off a tower of silver coins. "Will you help me? Please?"

Paonne looked at her girls, all of whom had been full-on eavesdropping, but then went back to getting ready. "What do you need?"

I let out a sigh of relief - gratitude did not even begin to explain how I felt. "A disguise...and a girl."

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