Atonement

Chapter 3

"Drugged?"

Sophie tried hard not to fidget under the weight of Monsieur Marchal's intense scrutiny. He was the last person she'd expected to encounter this evening. Whilst she'd been relieved to see him at first, the feeling had vanished the moment she'd realised that he did not care to partake in her moment of triumph.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Mademoiselle Masson," she said, then hesitated, not sure how he'd react to knowing that she'd made a new friend. But lying would be pointless. He seemed to know everything. "She provided me with a...tonic."

Her news appeared to have no outward effect on him as he turned from her and glanced down at Cassel. The duc was lying in a pathetic heap, his mouth slightly ajar. "I assume the plan was not to render him unconscious in the middle of nowhere?"

His sarcasm chafed. "I fear I slipped him a little too much of the medication meant only to make him drowsy. I was following him hoping that he would enter his apartments and fall asleep directly, but unfortunately he seems to have lost cognizance before reaching his intended destination."

"Evidently," he concurred dryly. "How could you be certain of where he was headed?"

"I overheard him tell one of his set that he was retiring for the evening. I took that to mean he would seek his own bed."

His dark eyes met hers challengingly. "And if he did not?"

She bristled. "The duc is known for many things at court, monsieur, but being a sought after lover is not one of them," Sophie replied, unable to hide her distaste. "I am quite certain he would have spent the night alone."

Monsieur Marchal considered her in silence before he lifted the missive. "And this?"

"It was given to him by one of the servants. She is the same woman who gave him a note earlier today."

"There is another?" he asked swiftly.

"There was, but I did not manage to intercept it quickly enough," she confessed, hating to admit her folly. "That is when Claudine and I hatched a plan to retrieve it. Though I suspect it has most likely already been destroyed."

His jaw tightened, but he did not say anything more as he shifted his attention back to Cassel on the floor between them. The duc had not stirred once since they'd found him.

"What happens now?"

Monsieur Marchal turned the missive over in his hand. A stab of excitement coursed through Sophie. What if she had obtained some vital clue?

"I get answers."

Abruptly he set off the way they'd come.

"Wait!" Sophie called, stunned by his hasty departure. He froze and turned. She took a tentative step after him. "What about the duc?"

He shrugged. "He will likely remain oblivious for some time."

"So you are just going to leave him here?"

"If I had not stumbled across you, what would you have done with him?"

Sophie stared at the unconscious man at her feet. Truth be told, she had not pondered the possibility that he might not make it back to his quarters. "Left him as is."

Monsieur Marchal made to leave a second time. "W-wait!"

"You try my patience, mademoiselle," he snapped.

Ignoring his displeasure, she forged ahead. "What of me? I was the one who discovered the note. I should be there when you uncover what it says. That is what you are about to do, is it not?"