BRIDGES OF TIME

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Paris-1880

"Please come in and sit down," Claude said when he heard Remie enter the house.  He was a handsome man who looked more Nordic than French with his pale blue eyes and long blond hair that he kept pulled tight and smooth and tied with a black ribbon as was the fashion. Tall and slender, he had an elegant air that Remi found a bit imperious but he had been good to her and she owed him for that.  He stood as she entered the room.

"How was your day…among the less fortunate?"

"Oh, cousin…how you do mask your dislike for those poor souls. " She said turning her cheek to him for the kiss she knew was coming.

"Nonsense my dear," he sniffed sitting back in his chair.   "I may not be like them but I am interested in everything you do."

She smiled.  "Fine, everything is fine at the mission.  And after a somewhat rocky start I think our new worker will be quite an asset to the mission."

"New worker?  When did this happen?  Who is it…you must tell me all about her."

"Oh, it’s not a her but a him and he’s…nice."

"You don’t seem to be quite sure about that."

"Do I?  I guess what I mean is that he’s different from most of the people who come into our place."

"In what way?"

"Well for one thing he’s younger than most of the men we see and healthier.  Smarter too…he definitely has had some education."

"And does he have a name?"

She grinned. "Of course…sorry.  It’s Nicholas Jantot, and no I don’t know where he’s from or who is family is or anything about him other than he works hard and everyone likes him.  Even Sister Theresa does and she never likes any of the men who come into the Mission."

"He sounds interesting.  Perhaps I’ll pay a visit to your mission and met your young man."

Remi found herself staring at his feet, thin and long and somehow obscene in the polished black pumps he wore to make him appear taller than he was.  A shiver ran down her spine…why did he upset her so? She stood up and removed her hat. "He’s not my young man and it’s not my Mission and you’re welcome to come down and visit any time you want.  Now if you don’t mind I’m quite tired and would like to freshen up and change before dinner."

"Of course," he said, the frost beneath his thin veneer of civility creeping into his tone. "Forgive me for keeping you.  I’ll see you later then, at dinner."

"Please sit down," Remie said when Nicholas entered her office.   This has a feeling of ‘déjà vu" he thought.  What now?

"I’ll get right to the point, Mr. Jantot.  You were seen talking to a man, a man of ill repute yesterday morning in the courtyard. And as it turns out he is a thief who has stolen things from this church and we were…well, we were wondering what your business with him might be."

Nicholas’s head snapped up.  Was he going to be grilled every time he made a move?  She watched as his dark brows drew together, his eyes dark and angry.   "Is it your practice to open the church courtyard to thieves?"

"No!  Of course not," she retorted.

"In your investigation did you bother to ask anyone who was about what had happened," he demanded?

"I just came out of a meeting with our source.  I …they didn’t tell me that anyone else was involved."

"Did your source happen to tell you," Nicholas cut in, his eyes burning into her, ‘that they had already told the man to leave the courtyard and left it at that.  Did your source say that the vagrant followed the children over to the space where they were playing or that the little weasel slithered out of there after I told him not to come on mission grounds again?"

"He…they didn’t say a thing about seeing anyone else, or that there were children being solicited.  I…" Remie closed her eyes for a few seconds and rested her head on the high back of her chair, and then she leaned forward and met his gaze.  "He also didn’t mention that the talk you and the person in question were engaged in was a confrontation.  I jumped to the same conclusions he did.  My only defense is that he was threatening pull his support from the mission and the loss of even one large donor like him would hurt us…. might even close the programs we have for the children. But that’s no excuse. I sincerely apologize."

His eyes remained hard.

"I’m truly sorry about the mistake, but this does illustrate what I said yesterday about us being above reproach.  I’ll smooth things over with …my source.  Don’t worry about his, please."

Nicholas stood and picked up his table containing his list of chores for the day.  "Sounds as if you were only given a few of the facts of the story, so no worry, besides what would I have to worry about?"

"My source is a bit…hard-nosed.  He wanted me to fire you."

Nicholas tilted his head and he considered her with thoughtful eyes for a few seconds.  "And you were firing me when I came into the room?"

"I hoped you’d have an explanation, but, truthfully I didn't think you would."

"You figured once a bum always a bum?"  Remie heard anger lace his voice now and she didn’t blame him.  Being doubted was hurtful thing to overcome.

"I’m sorry, but yes, that’s exactly what I thought.   Perhaps my source didn’t see what happened from a neutral position.  He may have judged you on your appearance.  I will speak to him.  Believe me."

Nicholas tamped down his anger.  "Thanks for your faith in me.   I’ll just get my things and leave…" He broke off, something stronger than his frustration cutting off his words.  Ending the assignment would be foolish and short sighted and totally prideful.  It would hurt the whole investigation. He stared up at the ceiling and prayed for clarity of mind.

He had to admit to himself that she had been given essentially the right information about what had taken place in the playground.  He’d made sure that it looked like a confrontation and the thief would not be back, but he had been waiting to set up something and perhaps he’d been drafting one of the older children to help him in his crimes.  He had to act fast; so yes he’d been searching her mission for any signs of the thefts that had been reported on the pretense of making needed repairs.   So yes he’d been dishonest but not in the way she had prejudged him.   Ashamed, Nicholas said, "No, I won’t leave.  I need this job.   I need to help out here and I need to convince you that I’m not what I appear to be.  I’m not sure why I need to do that, but I do."

Remie smiled.  "Then I’m happy you’ve decided to stay.   The Sacre Coeur Mission can use a good man."

"I won’t let you down," Nicholas said.

Remie watched him leave then threw on her shawl and hurried down the hall towards the main office.  She’d get to the bottom of this.

Nicholas was preparing to install a pane of glass into the broken window next to the Monsignors office when he heard raised voices.

"I wish you’d told me the whole story, Brother Roland!"   Nicholas heard Remie say, her voice trembling with anger.  That voice! Nicholas' stomach clenched.  Oh…Roland, he remembered now.  He’d left the tribe and worked for the church as a silversmith!  Mon Dieu…this was her source?  Why had he not counted on running into him?  Of course, he made many of the precious icons, could he be involved in the ring of thefts?  Ah…no.  He couldn’t, wouldn’t, he was a friend of the family and would never turn on a member of his tribe even though he had left them to become a brother in the church.   But if he had seen him and he wasn’t involved why was he trying to have him dismissed?

"But Mademoiselle Remie, a woman of your standing does not understand men like him, even his looks are suspicious."  Brother Roland countered. I only told your cousin of him because I did not want you to be hurt.

Curiosity overwrought his guilt and he listened mesmerized as she continued.   He couldn’t believe the passion in her voice.  That she should risk so much for him amazed him.

"His looks," Remie said.  What’s the matter with his looks?"

"Well….," Brother Roland sputtered.  "You know what I mean, that long hair worn loose and he doesn’t shave every day and his clothes...perhaps if he cut his hair or tied it back as men’s fashion dictates."

"That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth!   I will not tell him to cut his hair.  Long hair is not immoral Brother Roland nor or good clothes the measure of a man.  He works hard, he’s kind, he’s a good man and wants to help.  So until I see otherwise he will remain here."

Nicholas heard the door slam.  Wow, she was a fighter.  Why did he care what she thought of him?  Nothing could come of their situation.  He was lying to her, using her and the people at the mission.  And it seemed his investigation had already jeopardized part of her foundation funding and would continue to do so until the theft ring in this part of the city was broken and all parties arrested and put in prison.  He’d find a way to talk to Roland and find out why he’d almost blown his cover.

to be continued....

© 2003 Rose Carr

Contact the author:  Rosematuse@aol.com

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