Bertrice Small - The Duchess

"The guards at the gate hemmed and hawed for a few moments, and then having been slipped some silver coins, waved us through. It took us several days to reach the coast. A bit longer than if we had gone a direct route, but we traveled the back roads so we did not have to hide the marquise and her children beneath the boards of the baggage cart. Like the others, they were garbed poorly in case anyone saw us. We bought our food along the way and slept rough. We reached Marcus's yacht without delay, sold the carriage, the cart, and the horses to an innkeeper, and set sail for England." He paused, and then continued. "The four of us had such fun on that adventure that we returned to France several times after that to help friends, or relations of friends. That is why Lady Bellingham thinks I can save her niece, but I am not certain we can. She may have waited too long to ask for help, and the four of us have responsibilities now that we did not have then."

"We must try, however," Allegra told her husband. "First, let us find out where the Comtesse d'Aumont lives. How near it is to the sea, and where exactly it is located. Then we can make our plans."

"Our plans?" the duke repeated.

"Of course," Allegra said quietly. "You don't think I am going to let you go to France and have all the fun, do you?"

"If any attempt is made to rescue the Comtesse d'Aumont and her children, Allegra," the duke said sternly to his wife, "it will be a very dangerous undertaking, not a pleasure trip, my darling girl, but I love you for your bravery in wanting to go."

"Quinton, when will you learn not to treat me as if I am some delicate creature whose frail sensibilities must not be distressed? You were damnably lucky in Paris three years ago when you rescued your friend. This is a whole different matter and must be approached as such. I will need to think on it, but we must act quickly."

"Allegra!" He sounded exasperated.

"Quinton, listen to me," she said quietly. "My brother was murdered in that damned revolution. Many other innocent people have been. More honest simple people than the aristocrats the revolution claims to hate. Women are far more devious than men, my darling. Who sit beneath the guillotine grimly as heads fall? Who incite their men to revenge? Women! You are going to need me if you have any chance of rescuing the Comtesse d'Aumont. I have to do this for James Lucian's sake. It is the only way I have of avenging his death. You must let me come." Her fingers dug urgently into his arm, and she looked directly at him.

"It is madness," he murmured, but he understood.

"I can help you," she promised him.

"I will think on it," he finally agreed.

"We will go together," she said with a smile, indicating that the matter was closed.

"We will all go," Eunice, the Countess of Aston said brightly.

"What?" her husband exclaimed.

"Yes," Caroline, Lady Walworth agreed, looking up from her place at Lady Bellingham's side. "I have to help the comtesse, too. She is my cousin, even if I didn't know it until today."

"Ohh, my dears," Lady Bellingham said, looking at them all with misty eyes. "How can I thank you?" Then she wept some more.

"Where is your husband?" the duke asked Lady Bellingham.

"Poor Freddie has taken to his bed," she replied. "He feels responsible that he did not go to France himself when the Comte d'Aumont was killed and bring Anne-Marie and her children back. He will be so happy to learn you dear young people are going to rescue his niece and her family." She arose from her place on the settee. "I must go and tell him at once," she exclaimed, and hurried from the room.

"God damnit, what a muddle!" the duke exclaimed.

"We'll have to go now," the Earl of Aston said.

"Of course we will," Lord Walworth agreed. "Poor old girl is so distressed. Repay her for her kindness to us all, eh?"

"How soon can we leave?" the earl asked.

"Two or three days at the most," the duke answered. "We'll need to learn from Lord Bellingham where his niece lives. We'll take your yacht again, Marcus. She's fast and she's tight."

"Decide what we need to take," Lord Walworth said, "and I will see we are well supplied."

"Listen to them," Allegra said to her two friends. "Making plans without us, and not having any real idea of what they are going to do at all. Men can be so irritating."

"Are we really going to go?" Caroline said.

"Of course we are," Allegra responded. "She is your cousin, and she needs our help. How do you think the comtesse is going to react to three English gentlemen barging into her home, if they can even get near her home, and announcing they've come to take her and her children back to England? She won't know if she can trust them, if they really are who they say they are, or if they are part of the plot to steal her son's inheritance. A woman, however, could convince the lady that all is well, and that she need not fear."

"You realize that they plan to leave us behind," Eunice said softly.

"We won't let them," Allegra said with a twinkle. "Ohh, I am so sorry that Sirena can't join us in this adventure."

"Do you have a plan?" Caroline inquired.

"How good is your French?" Allegra asked in return, looking at both of her friends.

"Excellent," Eunice replied.

"Very good," Caroline responded.

Allegra smiled. "Unfortunately my husband tells me that he is the only one among his friends to speak adequate French. The gentlemen will have no choice but to allow us to help them."

"But do you have a plan?" Caroline persisted.

"I think so," Allegra responded, "but give me a day to convince Quinton that it is the right plan, ladies."

Lady Bellingham returned to her drawing room as the three couples prepared to leave. They promised to visit her the following day, at which time they would learn exactly where the village of St. Jean Baptiste was located, and prepare to leave for France.

"Freddie is so relieved," Lady Bellingham told them, "and so am I. Oh, my dear Quinton, what would we do without friends like you to help us? I am so glad I was able to have a tiny part in you and Allegra finding happiness. Now an heir to complete the matters, and everything will be perfect."

"Everything will be perfect, dear Lady Clarice, only when we have brought your niece and her children safely to England," the duke said gallantly, kissing the lady's hand. He bowed smartly. "We shall see you at eleven tomorrow morning."

They bid their friends farewell out on the street before the Bellingham house. Once inside their coach Allegra snuggled against her husband and murmured contentedly, "How wonderful," she said, "that we can help dear Lady Bellingham."

The duke sighed. "My darling," he said, "you cannot really mean to go. It is much too dangerous, and as for Caroline and Eunice, they are charming featherheads. We would all be killed if caught, I fear. Leave this to the men, Allegra. We will rescue the comtesse and her family, I guarantee you."

"How?" Allegra asked him innocently.

"How?" he repeated, puzzled.

"Yes, my darling, how? Just what clever plan have you formulated to rescue this lady and her children? I cannot rest easy until I know, Quinton, because as you have so thoughtfully pointed out to me, it is a very dangerous task that must be completed. So, how will you do it?"

Some men might not have recognized Allegra's tone, but Quinton Hunter did. And the truth was he was totally stumped as to how to gain safe custody of Lady Bellingham's niece. "I suppose we will bribe those guarding the comtesse and her family," he said slowly, his mind grasping futilely for more detail, but he could not think of a thing.