“We leave at dawn tomorrow morning.”
“We?”
“Papa has a special permit from the Emperor Bonaparte himself for us to leave the City and we are to be escorted by soldiers.”
“He has seen the Emperor?”
The Duke did not seem surprised.
“Yes and he remembered him.”
There was a faint smile on the Duke’s lips as he replied,
“Who could forget Pierre Vallon?”
As he spoke, Zoia wondered if, when he was well, he would forget her, but she dared not ask the question.
“Where are we going?” the Duke enquired now.
Zoia looked startled.
“I forgot to ask Papa. It did not seem important ‒ as long as we leave Moscow.”
“Tell your father to make for Odessa. I know the Governor and it should be easy from there to find a ship to carry us home.”
The Duke closed his eyes again as if talking was still an
