----------------------- outside Paris, Malmaison,
August 1799 -------
Adeláire
was bored to death. Joséphine had not engaged with her since the soiree,
leaving it to her "girls" to take care of the newcomer. There was a
great coming and going of messengers, sometimes with gifts, sometimes only with
letters. But it was impossible to catch even a small shred of it before it got
right into Joséphine's hands. Slowly Adeláire wondered if her plan would ever
be crowned with success. Two weeks had passed and so far she, Arno and Verne
had not dared to exchange ideas with each other. So she did not even begin to
suspect if her brothers might be more successful in their mission.