Naughty In Nice (A Royal Spyness Mystery)

get it right, because the eyes of the world are on you.”
    “You may bring who you like, Madame . I have already told you that the Yard of Scotland has no power here. I, Lafite, have the power to send this young woman to trial or not.”
    I don’t know how long this impasse would have continued or whether Mummy would have eventually worn him down, but once more there were voices in the tiled hallway—men’s voices this time—and Jean-Paul stalked into the room, followed by a distinguished-looking man with gray hair.
    “I said I would return to put matters right, and I have,” Jean-Paul announced, as dramatically as my mother had done. “Inspector, may I present Monsieur Balzac, the eminent criminal defense lawyer. Together we have been to the home of Monsieur le Juge and I have placed with him a considerable sum of money to guarantee that Lady Georgiana does not flee from Nice so she may be free to return to her villa.”
    I wanted to rush over to him and hug him, but Mummy got there first. “You are a wonderful, wonderful man,” she said, flinging her arms around his neck. “I don’t know how we’ll be able to repay you.” Her actions indicated that she had a jolly good idea of one way to repay him.
    Lafite shot a glance at the young policeman. “Very well,” he said. “You may take her home tonight. But I send my men to guard the house. Do not even think of leaving Nice, any of you.”
    “We wouldn’t dream of it,” Mummy said. “Where else would one want to be in the winter?” She took my hand. “Come, darling. We’re going home.”
    And she dragged me triumphantly past the little inspector.

 
    Chapter 24
     
    January 26–27, 1933
At the Villa Marguerite. Still shaken and stirred.
     
    We stood together on the pavement in a little group: Mummy and Jean-Paul and the lawyer and Coco had joined us as well.
    “So where to now?” Jean-Paul said cheerfully. “The casino or the Negresco for a late drink?”
    “If you don’t mind, I’d rather go home,” I said. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t be a very gay and witty companion tonight.”
    “Of course you wouldn’t, darling,” Mummy said. “It’s been a nightmare for you. I’ll take you home straight away. See, my car is waiting over there. If you’ll excuse us, Marquis.”
    “I understand.” He gave me a wonderful smile. “Go home and sleep well, ma petite .”
    “I’m sorry our lovely evening was spoiled,” I said.
    He took my hand and raised it to his lips. “There will be other evenings,” he said, and he looked at me as his lips lingered on my hand in a way that, in spite of everything, made me feel weak at the knees.
    “You’ve certainly made a conquest there,” Mummy said as we reached the car and the chauffeur got out to open the door for us. “Positively drooling over you, darling. Well, you wouldn’t do too badly if you snagged that one. A marquis isn’t as good as a prince, I know, but he does have oodles of loot.”
    “Mummy, how can you talk about such things, after what has just happened?”
    She patted my knee as she climbed into the car beside me. “I prefer not to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life. And now the marquis and his lawyer have taken charge, this will all be forgotten in an instant. Especially when our man from Scotland Yard arrives.”
    “Who is the top man from Scotland Yard you have coming to help?” I asked.
    “Why, your grandfather, of course,” Mummy said.
    I had to laugh. “Mummy, he was an ordinary constable and he’s retired.”
    “That odious little man doesn’t need to know that,” Mummy said.
    “Is Granddad really coming, then? Have you heard back from him?”
    “No, but I told him we’d booked his ticket. In the morning I’ll send a second telegram saying ‘Georgie arrested for murder.’ That should do the trick.”
    “It would be lovely if he did come,” I said wistfully. Now that I was no longer facing the horrid inspector and safely in Mummy’s car, I felt as if I might let myself down and cry. What I wanted more than anything else at this moment was my grandfather’s comforting presence, the smell of his old tweed jacket and the feel of his bristly cheek as he hugged me. I didn’t dare hope too much that he would come. I knew it would be a huge undertaking for him to leave England and go abroad to a country he mistrusted. But I knew that he loved me too. So I let a glimmer of hope burn inside me.
    For once Mummy was a real brick. She pushed Queenie