Chapter 19: Amaranthus Caudatus

The Dover mail coach was almost empty, allowing Krish and I to have seats inside with the only other passenger, a rather corpulent cleric, who must have dined rather well as he slept the entire journey.

As the coach pulled away from the Red Lion tavern I reflected on the day's events. I had scarcely got out of the mail coach from Portsmouth when I had heard the terrible news concerning Woody. Two hours later, after collecting a change of clothing from the house, I had boarded the Dover coach. From the relative tranquillity of the voyage from St Helena, the clamour and bustle of London, and the filth and the stench of the place, came as a shock to my system. At sea the wind soon dispersed the 'tween-deck fug when the ports were opened.

For the first hour or two of the journey to Dover I sat wrapped in my own thoughts. Woodrow Allen had been a friend since school, and had been by my side for most of my life. His death was like losing a brother. This got me to thinking of how it was that de La Zouche had suddenly reappeared, after so long an absence.

As if reading my thoughts Krish started speaking. "We had a note, sent from the Royal Netherlands Embassy, asking us to be on the lookout for de La Zouche, only a few days before he broke into your house."

"Why were the Cloggies on the lookout for him?"

Krish explained that the reason de La Zouche had not been seen at the French Cock, after Woody and I had encountered him at the Château d'Hougoumont, was that he had been arrested by the Dutch authorities when he attempted to board a cross channel packet at Nieuport.

"He was accused of murdering several peasants in the Mont St Jean area, a few days after the battle of Waterloo. It seems he, and a band of his cutthroats, were looking for a corpse that was supposed to have diamonds concealed in the uniform. De La Zouche was asking the locals if they had come across such a thing. Naturally the locals were not prepared to tell a stranger what they had found on the battle field, when they had been out from dusk to dawn taking valuables from the bodies. Unfortunately for those locals, unlucky to be questioned by de La Zouche, their interrogation was short, brutal and usually fatal."

I remembered de La Zouche saying to Pissior that he was afraid he had been recognised at the border crossing. So the Brabant peasants he had murdered was the reason for the Hue and Cry for de La Zouche, and he had been apprehended, just prior to him making his escape, at Nieuport.

"If the Dutch had hold of him how did he get free to return to London?"

"He was held in Nieuport for six months, until he had to appear in Brussels to stand trial. The carriage taking him to the High Court at Brussels was attacked, the guards killed and de La Zouche released. He must have got word to his men; there are still many fervent supporters of Napoleon in France. De La Zouche had been a prominent official in Napoleon's Ministry of the Interior, and no doubt he has many like-minded associates, still employed in what is now the Royal Ministry of the Interior."

"What are these damned diamonds?–Are they so valuable that throats are cut, prisoners released and officials in Paris bribed?"

Krish gave a wry smile "I'm indebted to Lieutenant Patrick Jane for any information I have regarding the diamonds. He is a veritable encyclopaedia, and has a memory to be admired. He is only a young man, but I foresee great things for him, given his outstanding abilities."

Krish himself had many outstanding abilities, and I could see that he had formed an intellectual attachment to Patrick Jane.

"Patrick believes the diamonds to be 'Cleopatra's Diamonds'. When Cleopatra gave birth to her son, Caesarion, the putative father - Julius Caesar - was delighted, and gave her a fabulous necklace, consisting of a number of rare, coloured, diamonds set in a gold mounting. Cleopatra became so enamoured of this gift it was said she never removed it, even when in her bath or her bed. After the assassination of Caesar she aligned herself with Marc Anthony, and they became lovers. Anthony was insanely jealous of her former lover, Caesar, and persuaded her to leave off the necklace when they lay together. One night, as Anthony and Cleopatra were disporting themselves, naked, on the royal barge, thieves broke into the Queen's chamber in the palace and stole the necklace. It was rumoured the theft was carried out on the orders of Marc Anthony. The necklace was never recovered."

"If the diamonds that de La Zouche is hunting are Cleopatra's then wouldn't they be attached to a golden necklace?"

"I would suppose the diamonds were removed from their gold setting, which would then have been melted down and sold. Those diamonds would have been instantly recognised as being the Queen's, and anyone trying to sell them would end up dying, slowly and imaginatively; Cleopatra was known for her cruelty besides her beauty."

"So there is no proof that these mysterious diamonds are really those which once belonged to Cleopatra?"

Krish paused a moment before replying. "Circumstantial evidence, I would say, rather than solid proof. Some several centuries after Cleopatra, the Arab ruler of Egypt, Abdullah ibn al Sa'ad, was reported to have worn many coloured diamonds in his turban. Even in those times they were referred to as 'Cleopatra's Diamonds', and by all accounts the numbers and colours matched those that adorned the necklace given to Cleopatra. Eventually these diamonds became part of the Egyptian treasure house, until looted by the French when they invaded Egypt."

We stopped talking as the cleric, who had been quietly snoring in the corner seat, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Ecclesiastes, chapter nine, verse twelve." He said, then promptly fell back to sleep, and to snoring.

Krish and I looked at each other in amazement. "What on earth–?"

"Do you think he heard us talking about the diamonds?"

Krish gave a quiet laugh. "I wouldn't have thought so; he was giving a very fine performance of being sound asleep if he had."

"But what has that text to do with anything– do you know that passage?"

"I am more familiar with the preceding verse, but can see nothing to link either with diamonds. I think the fellow was merely preparing a sermon in his dream."

"Well I find it very unsettling when sleeping men, especially parsons, start spouting scripture!"

"I don't think it a sign from above–or below, but just the effects of too much port and pheasant at dinner." He looked at me closely. "You have only just learned of the murder of a dear friend, and are suffering from severe shock; that is what is unsettling you. Will you try to get some sleep?"

I shook my head. "No, please continue your account of the diamonds. It is they that have caused my distress so it is appropriate that I learn all there is to know of them."

Krish settled back in his seat, threw a quick glance at the still snoring parson, and continued. "The diamonds are said to number twenty, and the colours include red, green, purple, pink and yellow. Red and green diamonds are extremely rare, and command huge sums for just one. Cleopatra's Diamonds are worth a King's Ransom, —no, more like an Emperor's Ransom—a fortune enough to buy Napoleon an army, with money to spare."

"I thought all the booty the French had taken from the Egyptians, including all the wealth of the Pharaohs, had been lost when l'Orient blew up at Aboukir Bay, during the battle of the Nile?"

"Those who returned to France with Napoleon were his closest supporters, and the most rapacious of plunderers. Yes, it is true that most of the looted treasure, which was put on board l'Orient, was lost when she sunk, but you can be sure that some stolen items stuck to the fingers of those brigands. Murat, Lannes, Berthier, and all the others who left Egypt with Napoleon, would have had some 'trinket' in their knapsacks."

"Of course!" I exclaimed, "Berthier was Pierre Blanchard's god father. It is possible Berthier would have given Pierre the diamonds, for what reason I couldn't say, unless it was to curry favour with Madame Blanchard, who Berthier had once asked to marry. But what soldier goes into battle carrying diamonds, and they certainly weren't in his pockets?"

"Perhaps Pierre wasn't aware he was carrying the diamonds. They could have been sewn into the lining of his uniform."

"His uniform was removed, and cleaned, at the undertakers. If the diamonds had been discovered then I'm sure the undertaker would have informed Annette – Madame Blanchard."

"Annette is it? "Krish's voice was neutral, but I could sense disapproval. "It sounds as if you and she became quite friendly?"

"Annette Blanchard is a fine and gracious lady, who I hold in great regard and respect." I spoke hotly, as I thought Krish was accusing me of disloyalty to Caroline Ashford. "I see no reason why I shouldn't consider her a friend, or refer to her by her given name–unless you have something to say on the matter?"

"Nothing whatsoever – your friends are your affair." His voice had remained even and neutral, "but as you have brought up the subject of friends, I can tell you that I had a letter from Caroline Ashford six weeks ago."

"Oh. And how is she?" I tried to keep the excitement from out of my voice.

"She is well. The climate agrees with her, but of course she is concerned about the health of her father. She also asked if you have received her letters, as she has not yet heard anything from you." He looked at me thoughtfully. "I couldn't believe Caroline would leave you without a letter. She has probably addressed it to Hounslow barracks, to the Second battalion of the Sixty Ninth. Of course the present unit at the barracks would not know that you are now working in the Bureau, and have more likely than not sent it on to the First battalion, who are currently stationed at Carlow, in the West of Ireland." He gave a slight smile. "I know how upset you have been because of not receiving a letter from her, so I took it upon myself to write to the Adjutant of the Sixty Ninth at Carlow, asking him to forward any mail for you to the Bureau. I have also informed Caroline of your London address, and your new rank."