Inferno

Chapter 28

The residence of the Earl Grey, London

His book was not holding his attention. With a sigh he put it down and stared out of the window. The Earl Grey, Whig, consort of Sheridan and Fox, had lost his office as secretary of state for foreign affairs when the Ministry of All the Talents had fallen. In opposition, he was now forced to watch the odious and ambitious Canning make the running in his stead.

He missed the play of diplomacy and threat, the secrecy and stealth in matters that would never be revealed. Now all he could look forward to was the next visit by the shady and venal French royalist the Count d’Antraigues, no doubt to peddle some scheme or other that would cost guineas, but with dubious return to the government.

The man was half charlatan – but which half? His services in writing salacious articles about the Emperor Bonaparte for the Courier d’Angleterre, a propaganda newspaper clandestinely distributed on the continent, were undoubted, but his other contributions as a political analyst and alleged middle man for the passing of agents into French territory were less clear.

And why did he insist on visiting now that Grey was out of office and out of power?

His visitor arrived suspiciously early, looking more furtive than usual.

‘M’sieur le Comte,’ Grey greeted him languidly.

‘Milord,’ he answered, an edge of excitement to his voice. ‘I’ve something for you, ver’ interesting!’

‘Oh?’ Grey said politely. ‘And what can this be?’

‘From my man in Tilsit.’

‘Ah. You’ll not be telling me that Emperor Napoleon had eggs for breakfast, will you?’

‘He get the Russian Bennigsen drunk, hears something he know you fear.’

Grey gave a small smile. ‘Very well. The usual terms, then.’

‘Bonaparte, he now setting up a maritime league against England. All of zem – Russia, Denmark, Sweden with Spain, Portugal, Dutch – all their fleets! They sail together, you cannot win!’

Grey stiffened, then went cold. At Trafalgar there had been the French and the Spanish only. What if all these nations combined under French command and sailed simultaneously from their ports? In sum, at least a hundred or more ships-of-the-line converging on the half-dozen Collingwood had off Cadiz, the eight in Plymouth …

He looked intently at Count d’Antraigues. ‘Why are you coming to me with this?’

‘Canning, he not listen to me any more after-’

‘This is too grave a matter for that. Sit down – here. Now put down on paper all you know. I’ll see it gets to him immediately.’