“What more?”
Borteno uttered but one word—“Paoli!”
“It is well,” said Cromillian. “Come with me.”
When they reached the entrance to the grove, Londora and Fabria stood there, rifles in hand. Borteno was in the advance. Suddenly, Cromillian grasped him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him backward.
“I had almost forgotten,” he muttered. To the two sentinels, he said:
“Bind him and gag him, and let no one approach him until I give you orders.”
On the night of Vivienne’s birthday party, Cromillian, accompanied by Londora, Fabria, and six more of his trusted men, made their way to Alfieri and concealed themselves in the maple grove.
As Paoli opened his mouth to tell Pascal Batistelli that Lieutenant Victor Duquesne was in reality Vandemar Della Coscia, a leaden messenger from Cromillian’s rifle entered his brain.
After the fusilade, which caused the Batistelli brothers and Count Mont d’Oro to retreat to the Castle, Cromillian turned to his men and said:
“There is but one proper reward for treachery—and that is death! Reload and follow me! We shall have more and heavier work shortly.”