'Well, he must be packed off to England immediately,' she said breezily. 'As for the dreadful accident which claimed the life of poor Mr Macintyre . . .'
'It wasn't an accident.'
'The dreadful accident,' she repeated. 'Which happens when people play with explosives . . .'
'You cannot possibly think anyone will believe . . .'
'I think people believe the simplest explanation.' She stood up. 'I must talk to Signor Ambrosian. He is a friend, and is powerful enough to tell the police how to proceed.'
'I don't want . . .'
'What you want is of no importance, Mr Stone. You do not know this city, nor how it works. I do. And it sounds to me as if you have caused enough trouble already. You will leave it to me to arrange matters as I see fit. Go and rest, and do nothing until I get back.'
I was left alone for the rest of the afternoon, until well in the evening. It was dark before the Marchesa got back. Under any other circumstances, I would have been taken aback by her sudden transformation from ethereal spiritualist to political manipulator, but nothing could surprise me any more that day. Marangoni was with her. Cort was fine, he said. 'He's some burns, cuts, bruises and a broken collarbone, but that's all. He was extraordinarily lucky.
'Physically, that is,' he continued. 'As for his mental state – well, that is another matter. I'm afraid he has had a total breakdown. Not unexpected, but unfortunate, nonetheless. Well, we shall see how he is in a few days' time. Luckily, he is in hospital, so he won't bump into his wife . . .'
'What do you mean?'
'She was brought to me a few hours ago. I am beginning to resent being used as a convenient way of hushing up English scandals, you know.'
'Why?'
'For having set fire to her apartment block. With her child still in it. When they realised there was a blaze, all the occupants fled into the street in panic but no one thought to check Cort's apartment. Drennan did, when he arrived, and he was nearly too late. He kicked in the door – very bravely, I must say, as the fire was a bad one – scooped up the infant and ran down the stairs with it. The child has a burn on his left arm, and Drennan has a bad cut on his cheek from flying glass. Apart from that they are both fine. But many people's apartments and possessions have been destroyed. It's a bad mess.'
At that moment I felt more grateful to Drennan than I could express. He had saved me, as well.
'What makes you think she started it?'
'She was seen doing it,' he said, 'and she was later found at the railway station about to board a train to Switzerland. She had all her money, clothes, jewellery and passport with her. Everything but her child and her husband, in fact. And her reaction when she was told her son had been saved from a fire was not that of a loving mother. When I also told her that both her husband and you had had a narrow escape her response was so violent she had to be restrained.'
'So what happens to her?'
'That is out of my hands, of course. It will depend on what the authorities think appropriate.'
'They will regard it as a terrible misfortune,' the Marchesa said firmly.
'Will they?'
'Yes. You are a lucky man, Mr Stone,' she continued, turning her attention to me. 'You have friends with influence. Signor Ambrosian was most concerned about your mishap and will interest himself in the matter. The explosion was indeed an accident, apparently caused by the carelessness of Mr Macintyre. As for Mrs Cort, she must be dealt with in a manner which causes no embarrassment.'
'And that's it?'
'Well, there is, of course the question of Mr Macintyre's daughter, and Cort's son. There, I don't know. I suppose we must ask Mr Longman what is to be done. That is his job.'
St James's Square,
London
15 March, 1909
10 p.m.
Dear Cort,
You will find with this letter a bundle of papers which I wish you to keep entirely confidential. It will explain my current actions, as you, above all men, need to know. In the package you will find all the relevant documents concerning the battleships, and guidance as to how you should proceed over the coming months. You will also find a memoir which, to my mind, is of greater significance.
You will see from those pages how my rise to success began, and it will also tell you of my involvement with your mother, many long years ago. You will finally know the circumstances of your father's breakdown and why you were abandoned. It was my doing; your mother was a terrible woman, I say this frankly. I have little sympathy for her. But if she was mad, then it was I who drew out that madness, and turned it from petty cruelty into something much more dangerous. Marangoni used to say that the madness of the degenerate was latent, and needed merely the right circumstances to awaken it.
