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great to lose, or perhaps he feared the consequences of failure.
And de Couriac was still at large. Diana had been right in warning of the danger of crowds, but as he'd said, he could not live like a wax flower under glass.
It was an interesting pattern, however, and needed to be considered. If D'Eon had recognized that Diana was under his protection, and was meddling in her affairs to distract him, what else might he try? Intolerable to have innocents dragged into this.
She was safe for the moment, however, so he put that aside and picked up the petitions. His other work could wait, but sometimes these matters were urgent.
As he unfolded the letter from the distraught woman, however, he couldn't help but smile at D'Eon's genuine fury over de Couriac's attack on the road.
His death in a duel with an Englishman posed no risk to the French. Even a duel with a Frenchman over an unfaithful wife could be unsuspicious. An open attack on the king's highway by four Frenchmen was another matter entirely. D'Eon was hobbled now, and must know it. He couldn't afford any more attacks that could be traced back to the French.
It would be a few days at least before D'Eon could come with some new device.
He read the scrawled and tearstained letter.
Mistress Tulliver's only son and chief support had certainly been unwise, and was condemned to transportation, but his offense was only the theft of some gentleman's clothing in an attempt to cut a fine figure. She claimed it was his first crime. He could at least look into that and perhaps find a way to seek mercy for him.
He made a note and looked through the other petitions. A few were requests for small amounts of money, and he approved all but one. The others required more thought, so he put them aside. It was nearly three and he had a long ride ahead of him.
All the same, he could not leave without taking some steps to control D'Eon. The man was blocked from direct attack on him, but that might lead him to meddle even more in Diana's affairs.
As official representative of France, he was untouchable, but there were other ways.
He sent for Joseph Grainger.
Grainger, a young and serious man, was both his lawyer and steward of his business affairs. He was also manager of his more secret activities. He gave the man a string of orders.
"... and get a list of D'Eon's debts and creditors," he concluded.
"Yes, my lord."
Rothgar took pity on the impassive, but surely curious, man. "His finances must be a mess. He's living in state as a full ambassador without the ambassador's emoluments or any private income. I have indications he's already dipped into the money waiting for Guerchy, but he must be borrowing, too."
"You will buy up his debts, my lord?"
"Precisely." Rothgar rose. "Have the word spread that he's not a good risk."
Grainger closed his notebook, frowning. "Is he a bad risk?"
"A terrible one. Yes, I'm likely to end up with a bunch of bad debts and that offends your tidy soul. Consider it an extravagant expense."
"Yes, my lord," Grainger replied, still with a subtle tone of disapproval. Rothgar didn't mind. It was Grainger's job to disapprove of financial losses.
"And double the watch on him. I want to know everything he does, everyone he speaks to, in and out of the embassy. That's all for now, but send Rowcup to wait for me here."
Twenty minutes later, in plain riding clothes, he returned to his study and found his resident forger waiting for him.
Rowcup was a fat little man who pleasantly combined passion and skill in his illegal calling with total loyalty. Rothgar had saved him from hanging for his crimes because it was clear that forgery for Rowcup was not a means of making a living, but a gift he could not put aside.
He employed him openly to make exact copies of manuscripts and records that threatened to disintegrate, but sometimes he used him for more dangerous matters.
Today they constructed a letter in the style of the secret ones D'Eon received from the King of France. In it, Louis praised D'Eon's work, and encouraged his illusion of untouchability. Finally, the king hinted that he understood the need to put forward a glorious presence in London, and that even if he was forced to let Guerchy take up his post as ambassador, all D'Eon's expenses would be covered.
As Rowcup completed his work with a perfect seal, he shone