The Chemickal Marriage

condition. Whether I do so is up to you.’
    ‘You will not break my teeth for your own revenge, then?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because I know what awaits you, Cardinal Chang. Revenge enough.’
    He was bound to a chair. When it was done, Foison crossed to the door, waving the green-coats out ahead of him. ‘I will return momentarily – Mr Harcourt, for all his faults, is energetic and must be contained. You cannot escape – nor, if you value the young woman’s life, will you try.’
    The door closed and the room fell into silence, apart from Phelps’s straining wheeze. Chang knew there was little time. He snapped his fingers
    ‘Phelps! Wake up! Phelps!’
    Phelps raised his head with difficulty, his one clear eye helpless and apologetic. Was he even in his right mind?
    ‘Your friend is alive,’ said Chang.
    Phelps swallowed, blinked. ‘Friend?’
    ‘The one taken with you. He is alive and free.’
    ‘Dear God. Thank heaven.’ Phelps cast a wary glance to the door. ‘The Doctor?’
    ‘You need not worry. But there is little time –’
    ‘No.’ Phelps began to shake his head. ‘No – I am so sorry – so ashamed –’
    Chang dropped his voice. ‘You had no choice. No one does. Listen to me – I must know what you said –’
    But Phelps did not hear, still working to form his words. ‘I did not know – you must believe me, Chang, I had no earthly idea. A failure from the start.’
    ‘No one knows – and everyone submits. Phelps, there is no shame –’
    Tears rolled lines through the blood on Phelps’s shaking face. ‘All this time, I had thought myself reclaimed –’
    ‘They were bound to apprehend us –’
    ‘But who
am
I, Chang? How much have I betrayed? Have I done so all this time?’
    ‘Done what?’
    ‘Betrayed everything!’
    ‘But what did you tell them?’
    ‘I don’t know!’
    Chang forced himself to stay calm. ‘Phelps, they are about to set in on me – it will doom us both if I contradict you –’
    ‘My soul is already taken.’
    The man was useless. Chang changed tactics. ‘Have you seen Celeste Temple? She is to be exchanged – have you seen her? Did they speak of her? Is she here?’
    Phelps shook his head. ‘Heard nothing. Seen nothing. If the girl is here …’
    ‘What? What?’
    ‘… she has already been consumed.’
    The door opened. Phelps flinched at the sound and began to babble. ‘I assure you – for God’s sake – we said nothing –’
    Foison smiled regretfully. ‘Of course not. Still, one attempts what one can.’ He took a third chair, facing Chang, but putting Phelps between them.
    ‘Cardinal. Will you tell me of the Contessa?’
    ‘By all means. She claims to be Italian, her figure is handsome, her personal habits are slovenly in the extreme –’
    A knife appeared in Foison’s hand, and he extended his arm until the tip pricked Mr Phelps’s earlobe. Phelps gasped but kept still.
    ‘No,’ said Foison. ‘Mr Phelps has divulged everything, or so I am convinced. Do you understand? I lose nothing in his disposal.’
    ‘And I do?’
    ‘Such is my
perception
. Start from the Customs House. After the explosion – how did the Contessa find you?’
    ‘I found
her
.’
    ‘She has sworn to kill you.’
    ‘And I, her. It is deferred.’
    ‘
How
did you find her?’
    ‘I saw her coach and forced my way inside.’
    ‘Another lie.’
    Phelps gasped again as a whisper-thin line of blood formed across his earlobe. As Chang watched, a bead of red slid off the line and hung like a pirate’s ear-ring, then dropped to stain Phelps’s shirt. Chang had barely seen Foison move.
    ‘Cardinal?’ Foison tapped the knife against Phelps’s shoulder.
    ‘I guessed where she would be. She had hidden herself in the Palace, hoping to enslave as many highly placed courtiers as possible –’
    ‘If you are referring to Sophia of Strackenz –’
    ‘I refer to Lady Axewith.’
    Foison shifted in his chair, the knife cradled in his lap. ‘Do you have proof?’
    ‘The lady’s appearance, for one. But also the network of society women she has enlisted to gather information. They have been swarming Axewith House like bees a hive – all at the unseen behest of the Contessa.’
    ‘Where is the Contessa now?’
    ‘Laughing at you, I expect. Why did you stop Harcourt from taking her?’
    Foison ignored the question. ‘Where is Doctor Svenson?’
    ‘We were separated after the blast.’
    ‘Where is Francesca Trapping?’
    ‘With