The Tavistock Plot Read online

  The Tavistock Plot

  Tracy Grant

  This ebook is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only.

  This ebook may not be sold, shared, or given away.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  * * *

  The Tavistock Plot

  Copyright © 2020 by Tracy Grant

  Ebook ISBN: 9781641971416

  * * *

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  * * *

  NYLA Publishing

  121 W 27th St., Suite 1201, New York, NY 10001

  http://www.nyliterary.com

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dramatis Personae

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  A Reading Group Guide

  Also by Tracy Grant

  About the Author

  For Robert Sicular, a wonderful actor and friend, with thanks for inspiration onstage and off

  Acknowledgments

  This book was finished during the shelter-in-place for the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all cope with this unprecedented situation, I am more grateful than ever for all the people who support my writing and the Rannochs' world in so many ways. As always, huge thanks to my wonderful agent, Nancy Yost, for her support and insights. Thanks to Natanya Wheeler for once again working her magic to create a truly amazing cover that captures Mélanie Rannoch and the world of the Tavistock, and for shepherding the book expertly through the publication process, to Sarah Younger for superlative social media support and for helping the book along through production and publication, and to the entire team at Nancy Yost Literary Agency for their fabulous work. Malcolm, Mélanie, and I are all very fortunate to have their support.

  Thanks to Eve Lynch for the meticulous and thoughtful copyediting, and to Jayne Davis for answering extra grammar questions.

  Thank you to Kristen Loken for a magical author photo taken in one of my favorite places, San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House, on one of my favorite occasions of the year, the Merola Grand Finale. Your brilliance never fails to amaze me, Kristen!

  I am very fortunate to have a wonderful group of writer friends near and far who make being a writer less solitary. Thanks to Veronica Wolff and Lauren Willig, who both understand the challenges of being a writer and a mom. To Penelope Williamson, for sharing adventures, analyzing plots from Shakespeare to Scandal, and being a wonderful honorary aunt to my daughter. To Jami Alden, Tasha Alexander, Bella Andre, Allison Brennan, Josie Brown, Isobel Carr, Catherine Coulter, Deborah Coonts, Deborah Crombie, Carol Culver/Grace, Catherine Duthie, Alexandra Elliott, J.T. Ellison, Barbara Freethy, C.S. Harris, Candice Hern, Anne Mallory, Monica McCarty, Brenda Novak, Poppy Reifiin, Deanna Raybourn, and Jacqueline Yau.

  Thank you to the readers who support Malcolm and Mélanie and their friends and provide wonderful insights on my Web site and social media.

  Thanks to Gregory Paris and jim saliba for creating and updating a fabulous Web site that chronicles Malcolm and Mélanie Suzanne's adventures. To Suzi Shoemake and Betty Strohecker for managing a wonderful Goodreads Discussion Group for readers of the series. Thanks to my colleagues at the Merola Opera Program who help me keep my life in balance. Thanks to Peet's Coffee & Tea at The Village, Corte Madera, for welcoming me and my daughter Mélanie and giving me some of my best writing time. And thanks to Mélanie herself, for inspiring my writing, being patient with Mummy's "work time", and offering her own insights at the keyboard. This is her contribution to this story – The world is like a big story that's always being written and never ends, the pages keep turning and writing nonstop and the book doesn't overflow. As long as we exist, the story is still writing. The animals are also part of the story, especially any type of cat.

  Dramatis Personae

  *indicates real historical figures

  The Rannoch Family & Household

  * * *

  Malcolm Rannoch, MP and former British intelligence agent

  Mélanie Suzanne Rannoch, his wife, playwright and former French intelligence agent

  Colin Rannoch, their son

  Jessica Rannoch, their daughter

  Berowne, their cat

  * * *

  Laura O'Roarke, Colin and Jessica's former governess

  Raoul O'Roarke, her husband, Mélanie's former spymaster, and Malcolm's father

  Lady Emily Fitzwalter, Laura's daughter from her first marriage

  Clara O'Roarke, Laura and Raoul's daughter

  * * *

  Miles Addison, Malcolm's valet

  Blanca Mendoza Addison, his wife, Mélanie's companion

  Pedro Addison, their son

  * * *

  Valentin, footman

  Mrs. Erskine, cook

  * * *

  The Davenport Family

  * * *

  Lady Cordelia Davenport, classicist

  Colonel Harry Davenport, her husband, classicist, and former British intelligence agent

  Livia Davenport, their daughter

  Drusilla Davenport, their daughter

  * * *

  Archibald (Archie) Davenport, Harry's uncle, MP, and former French intelligence agent

  Lady Frances Davenport, his wife, Malcolm's aunt

  Chloe Dacre-Hammond, Frances's daughter from her first marriage

  Francesca Davenport, Frances and Archie's daughter

  Philip Davenport, Frances and Archie's son

  * * *

  Aline Blackwell, Frances's daughter from her first marriage

  Dr. Geoffrey Blackwell, Aline's husband

  Claudia Blackwell, their daughter

  * * *

  At the Tavistock Theatre

  * * *

  Letty Blanchard, actress

  Lewis Thornsby, Letty's beau

  Cranley, Lewis's valet

  * * *

  William (Will) Carmarthen, actor and Leveller

  Brandon Ford, actor and Leveller

  Bessie, seamstress

  Tim Scott stagehand and Leveller

  Donald McDevitt, Leveller

  * * *

  Jennifer Mansfield, actress<
br />
  Sir Horace Smytheton, her husband, patron of the Tavistock

  Their daughters

  * * *

  Manon Caret Harleton, actress

  Crispin, Lord Harleton, her husband

  Roderick, their son

  Roxane, Manon's daughter

  Clarisse, Manon's daughter

  * * *

  Simon Tanner, playwright, part owner of the Tavistock, and Leveller

  David Mallinson, Viscount Worsley, his lover

  Teddy Craven, David's nephew

  George Craven, David's nephew

  Amy Craven, David's niece

  Jamie Craven, David's nephew

  * * *

  Others in London

  * * *

  Thomas Thornsby, classicist, Lewis's elder brother

  Edith Simmons, classicist and governess, Thomas's friend

  * * *

  Lady Shroppington, Lewis and Thomas's aunt

  * * *

  Bertrand Laclos, French émigré and former British intelligence agent

  Rupert, Viscount Caruthers, his lover, MP and former British intelligence agent

  Gabrielle, Viscountess Caruthers, Rupert's wife and Bertrand's cousin

  Stephen, Rupert and Gabrielle's son

  Nick Gordon, Gabrielle's lover

  * * *

  Sofia Vincenzo

  Kit Montagu, her fiancé, Leveller

  Lady Thurston, Kit's mother

  Selena, Kit's sister

  * * *

  Hubert Mallinson, Earl Carfax, Malcolm's former spymaster and David's father

  Amelia, Countess Carfax, his wife

  Lady Lucinda Mallinson, their youngest daughter

  * * *

  Billy Hopkins, agent for Carfax

  * * *

  Lord Beverston

  Benedict Smythe, his younger son

  Nerezza Russo, Benedict's beloved

  Roger Smythe, Beverston's elder son, MP and Leveller

  Dorinda Smythe, Roger's wife

  * * *

  Julien St. Juste, former agent for hire

  Katelina (Kitty) Velasquez Ashford, former British and Spanish intelligence agent, his mistress

  Leo Ashford, her son

  Timothy Ashford, her son

  Guenevere (Genny) Ashford, her daughter

  * * *

  Juliette Dubretton, novelist

  Paul St. Gilles, painter, her husband

  Marguerite, their daughter

  Pierre, their son

  Rose, their daughter

  Gavin, their manservant

  * * *

  George Bartlett, barrister

  Hetty Bartlett, novelist, his wife

  * * *

  Mr. Hapgood, bookseller

  * * *

  Toby Wilton, diplomat

  Sally Wilton, his daughter

  Winston Wilton, his son

  * * *

  Jeremy Roth, Bow Street runner

  *Sir Nathaniel Conant, chief magistrate of Bow Street

  *Lord Sidmouth, British home secretary

  * * *

  *Emily, Countess Cowper, patroness of Almack's

  *Harry, Lord Palmerston, Secretary at War, her lover

  *William Lamb, her brother

  *Lady Caroline Lamb, his wife

  * * *

  *George, Prince Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

  All the world's a stage,

  And all the men and women merely players

  —Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, scene vii

  Prologue

  Saint-Maurice-en-Valais

  September, 1811

  Mélanie Lescaut sat on the riverbank, arms linked about her muslin-covered knees, sketchbook and pencil abandoned beside her. She closed her eyes and pushed the plaited straw brim of her bonnet back from her forehead. The sun beat down warm on her face and the Rhône river rushed by clean and cool below her. Difficult on a day like this to believe that winter was not far off. And that a little boy would spend his first Christmas without either of his parents present.

  "Seeking solace in nature? How Wordsworthian. Though there are other ways we could have found solace on this journey. I have quite agreeable memories of two years ago."

  She opened her eyes and bit back a curse. She should have heard him long before he spoke. "Two years ago was work."

  Julien St. Juste dropped down beside her, arms hooked round one knee, his other leg dangling over the bank. "Meaning you don't indulge outside of business?"

  "Meaning I'm rather fastidious about whom I indulge with."

  "Fair enough." He pulled a silver flask from his coat. "Thought perhaps you could do with this."

  "Am I so obvious?"

  "The press of emotions in the inn was a bit thick, even for me."

  Mélanie accepted the flask and took a swallow. The brandy was warm and rich and tasted of apples, but it seared her throat. "How was she when you left?"

  "Quiet. Flahaut was the one who looked as if he was going to be sick."

  "It's his baby too."

  "And unlike some men, he seems to be aware of that. Hortense will pull through. She's got more of her mother in her than one would think."

  Mélanie was fond of the Empress Josephine, but she had met her at times when Josephine was in trouble and desperate for assistance. For a moment the memory of the day the divorced French empress had pleaded with them to help her daughter Hortense conceal a disastrous pregnancy was so vivid Mélanie could smell the roses at Malmaison. "Is Josephine so strong?"

  "When she needs to be."

  Mélanie fixed her gaze on the water rushing dark over the stones of the river bed. "I can steal. I can kill. I can do things I never thought I'd be capable of. Things I'm not proud to be capable of. But what Hortense did today—I don't know that I could do that. Put my child into the care of someone else—even someone I trusted—and know that he would grow up without me. Perhaps it's just as well that I'm exceedingly unlikely ever to have a child of my own."

  "You're a bit young to be swearing off parenthood."

  She returned the flask to him. "Do you? Have children?"

  "Not that I know of. We don't exactly live a life that's suited to it. Which doesn't mean I've never thought of it."

  "Don't tell me you have a secret longing for a rose-covered cottage and a nursery of fat babies."

  A smile pulled at his mouth. "Hardly. But the thought of home has a certain seduction."

  "Has it been a long time since you were back?"

  "So long I was quite another person."

  "That could mean yesterday."

  "So it could." He took a swallow from the flask. "I used to think what I wanted more than anything else was my freedom."

  "You're the freest person I know."

  "Ah, but then you don't really know me at all, do you?"

  "Used to think?" she said.

  "Lately I find that even I am subject to the occasional clichéd longings. The land one's ancestors trod. The air one breathed in childhood. The smile of one's first love." He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  Mélanie steeled herself against any reaction. "Was she your first love?"

  "Who?"

  "Josephine."

  He smiled for a moment. "I was young enough that she might have been." He returned the flask to his pocket and held out his hand. "Come back to the inn, cara. Hortense will need you. All we can do is take care of what needs to be done, one step at a time."

  She accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "That's what Raoul says."

  "And O'Roarke has an annoying habit of being right."

  Chapter 1

  London

  January, 1820

  "Mummy! There's a sword missing."

  Mélanie Lescaut Rannoch set down her pencil and looked up from the manuscript of Past Imperfect, her first play, which was set to open in five days. Dear God. Only five.

  Her six-and-a-ha
lf-year-old son Colin was in the wings of the Tavistock Theatre, bent over a basket of props, studying the contents with the same intensity with which she'd seen his father scour a crime scene for clues. "It must not have got put away after the rehearsal, darling. See if you see it lying about anywhere. Can you help, Jessica?"