‘His Majesty saw the child with her father in the Tuileries gardens,’ said Le Bel. ‘She is fair-haired, blue-eyed, under fourteen and very beautiful. Her father is an old soldier. That is all the description we have. But I have no doubt, Monsieur, with your efficient police methods you will have little difficulty in finding such a child among the crowds of Paris.’

Sartines put his head on one side.

‘This young lady was not in a carriage, Sire?’

‘No, on foot,’ said the King.

‘And she was well dressed?’

‘In a hideous rose-coloured gown which fortunately could not disguise her grace. It was clearly a new gown.’

‘Then depend upon it,’ said Sartines, ‘if the family have no carriage they cannot be rich, and the young lady will wear the gown frequently on her journeys to the gardens. As she had no carriage it is very possible that she lives near the Tuileries gardens, for it is hardly likely that she would have walked far in this rose-coloured gown.’

The King laughed and laid one hand on Sartines’ shoulder, the other on Le Bel’s.

‘You see, Le Bel,’ he said, ‘how wise we were to call in the police. Go, my friends, work together. I do not wish to see my good friend Le Bel unhappy. Bring this child to me. Tell her parents that they will never regret putting her into my care.’

The valet de chambre and the Lieutenant of Police bowed themselves out and set about their task.

Sartines was smiling contentedly; finding girls for the King was a more profitable business than hunting criminals for the law.


* * *

‘The first one we’ll ask is the lemonade-seller on the terrace,’ said Sartines. ‘If this girl is brought often to the gardens, he will be more likely to know her than anyone else. He is an old friend of mine.’

The lemonade-seller did not seem very pleased to see his old friend Sartines.

He was obviously on the alert and had a look of guilt. Sartines was not proposing to worry him about whatever he might have on his conscience; he had come for information which the lemonade-man need not be afraid to give him.

‘Good day to you, my friend. What heat, eh! A drink of lemonade? That is exactly what we need on a day such as this.’

‘Exactly,’ said Le Bel.

They sat on the steps of the terrace and drank the lemonade which was served to them.

‘We want your help,’ Sartines began.

‘Monsieur,’ protested the lemonade-seller, ‘I have done nothing. I cannot think why the police will not leave me in peace.’

‘It is not about yourself that we wish to question you.’

‘It is about a certain young lady,’ said Le Bel.

‘Who is he?’ asked the lemonade-seller suspiciously – indicating Le Bel.

‘A gentleman of Versailles.’

The lemonade-seller grinned. He told himself that he was a member of the police more likely, dressed up to look different.

Le Bel said impatiently: ‘Have you noticed a young lady – a child almost – who was here yesterday with her father? She was dressed very well in pink. The father was an old soldier and they came to see the King drive by.’

The lemonade-seller screwed up his face. ‘What have they done?’ he asked.

‘Nothing for which they can be blamed.’

The man shook his head. ‘I’ve got my business to attend to. It does not include gaping at the crowds.’

‘But surely you must watch for customers?’

Sartines had taken some coins from his pocket, and jingled them significantly.

The lemonade-seller’s eyes glistened as he watched.

‘But how do I come into this?’ he asked.

‘You are not concerned in it,’ said Sartines. ‘You are merely giving us information which we ask, and for which we are prepared to pay.’

‘Well, I did notice her, so there! Who could help it in that dress? They bought some of my lemonade. They always do when they come by.’

‘And you know who they are?’

The man hesitated, and Sartines slipped the coins into his hand.

‘The father is Monsieur de Tiercelin,’ he said. ‘He thinks the world of that girl. So does Madame. They think no one is good enough to look at her.’

‘Thank you,’ said Sartines, and to Le Bel: ‘Come. It should not be difficult to find the home of Monsieur de Tiercelin which is close to the Tuileries.’


* * *

It was not difficult. In less than half an hour after the encounter with the lemonade-seller they were being received into the Tiercelin home.

‘Now,’ said Sartines, ‘it is your turn, Monsieur Le Bel.’

The task before him was a commonplace one to Le Bel. He relished it. He rarely encountered parents who were not overjoyed when they discovered his mission; and in any case a little persuasion, a little foresight of the glorious future which awaited their daughters soon made them amenable to suggestions.

Monsieur and Madame de Tiercelin had led them into a small parlour which was somewhat ornate and quite hideous in eyes accustomed to the exquisite taste of Versailles.

‘I will tell you quickly why I have come,’ said Le Bel. ‘I serve the King and come on his orders. His Majesty saw your daughter yesterday in the Tuileries gardens. He thought her charming and would like to make her acquaintance.’

The Tiercelins looked at each other. They were clearly not surprised. They thought their daughter the most beautiful girl in Paris. It might have been that for this reason she had been taken to see the King pass by.

Madame de Tiercelin said: ‘Our daughter is very young.’

‘How old is she?’ asked Le Bel.

‘Twelve years old.’

‘The King has offered to undertake her education for a few years.’

‘Educate her . . . as a Court lady!’

‘He will doubtless supervise her education himself.’

The parents looked at each other, their eyes gleaming.

‘Do you object to this offer which the King makes you? It is not a command, you know.’

Madame de Tiercelin looked at her husband and nodded her approval.

‘Our daughter is a very lovely child,’ began Monsieur de Tiercelin. ‘Already she has offers of marriage . . .’

‘If you think that you can provide a more worthy husband for your daughter than the King eventually would, then you must make your own choice. His Majesty does not wish to cause you any unhappiness in this matter.’ Le Bel turned to Sartines. ‘Come, Monsieur, I see that Monsieur and Madame de Tiercelin have not heard of the great good fortune which can befall those in whom His Majesty takes a paternal interest. We have no instructions to inform them of this. We will take our leave.’

Madame de Tiercelin was glaring at her husband as though she considered him a fool.

‘Wait, Messieurs,’ she said.

Then Le Bel and Sartines knew that the case of Mademoiselle de Tiercelin was going to be as simple as most others.


* * *

Perhaps it was because Madeleine de Romans was pregnant – and the King always wished to avoid pregnant women – that he gave so much attention to Mademoiselle de Tiercelin.

She came to Versailles itself – a pert little creature, very lovely indeed to look at, divested of her hideous pink dress and wearing the garments which had been chosen for her.

She had been completely spoiled by her family, and therefore had little respect for the King. Fortunately for little Mademoiselle de Tiercelin he was in the mood to enjoy this.

The beautiful Mademoiselle de Romans was a dignified creature, and although she had never learned the etiquette of the nobility, a little tuition – as in the case of Madame de Pompadour – would quickly have put her at ease in Court circles. The King had no intention of marrying off his statuesque mistress; he was merely seeking a little diversion while she was indisposed and Mademoiselle de Tiercelin supplied that adequately.

Louis found the child so amusing that he said he himself would undertake her education for a while. This he did, teaching her many lessons in the petits appartements, even occasionally taking a meal with her.

It was an experience he had never had before, and it amused him to know that the Dauphin was even more shocked than usual.

But when Mademoiselle de Romans’ boy was born he felt a wish to spend more time in her company and grew very fond of the child who resembled his ‘Belle Madeleine’.

As for Madeleine de Romans, she was completely happy. She adored her little son and had a great affection for the King. She had not been a demanding woman when she had only herself to consider, but now that she had this beautiful boy she was determined to win for him the highest honours.

When the King came to visit her, while she was in bed with the child, he expressed his great pleasure to see her recovered from her ordeal and showed a further interest in the boy.

‘I am so happy,’ she told him; ‘there is only one thing I need to make me perfectly so.’

She looked so beautiful, with her black hair spread about her on the pillows, that Louis could not prevent himself from telling her passionately: ‘If it is in my power to grant it, I will do so.’

‘It is in your power,’ she told him.

‘Then you have attained perfect happiness.’

‘Our son is shortly to be baptised,’ she said. ‘I wish him to be known by the name of Bourbon.’

Louis hesitated. But he had given his word and, although he was quite capable of breaking a promise to his ministers, he found it very difficult to do so in the case of an exceptionally beautiful woman who pleaded so charmingly.

He stooped and kissed her.