Author's Note: A Scarlet Pimpernel story. My first contact with the Scarlet Pimpernel were the movies where Lord Tony was played by Jamie Bamber, and this is the inspiration I had for the characters.

Warning: The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Scarlet Pimpernel nor any of his men. I only play with them for your pleasure and mine, and I will do my best to return them in their original condition.

Second Impressions

Marguerite had never expected to change her mind about Lord Tony. She was quite content with the way she viewed him. Her husband obviously had higher thoughts of him but well, sometimes her husband was quite the fool himself.

She quite enjoyed the company of Sir Andrew, had nothing at all against Lord Hastings, but Lord Tony, whit that way he moved his head and stuttered when he spoke, she truly had no patience for him. She never asked him anything and never initiated a conversation with him.

Coming out of her bedchamber one morning she was surprised to see Percy in his shirt sleeves, he was usually impeccably dressed, but he was coming from the guest wing. He had been away for a few days, having given he reason that he was on a pleasure trip with some friends on the Daydream, his yacht. She had not known he was back.

"Ah, good morning Madam," he smiled bowing gracefully. "I trust we did not disturb you upon our return last night?"

"No, you did not," she decided.

"I was frightfully worried that we would," he continued. "I rather invited Sir Andrew and young Tony to spend the night."

"I had hoped to be able to claim your company," she stated in a disapproving tone of voice.

"I am truly sorry my dear, but it could not be helped," Percy told her with a smile. "You see I'm afraid Tony wasn't in a condition to go home."

"And why is that?" she asked acidly. No doubt they had stopped by the Fisherman's Rest where the halfwit had gotten himself drunk out of his mind. It was just like Percy to laugh at it and play nursemaid to his friend.

"Oh, he had a little accident aboard the Daydream," Percy smiled. "Cut his arm, he does insist that it's nothing to be concerned about but I do feel somewhat responsible so I insisted he stayed here with us for a couple of days at least."

"Do you mean that he, a grown man can not take care of himself?" she asked. Her tone was provoking but he merely laughed.

"Ah, of course he could," he chuckled. "But young Tony is a friend of mine, a good friend. Why I've known him since he was no more than a child, you will forgive me for indulging Madame?"

She did not really, but it was not worth arguing about and instead she took the arm he offered and went down to the breakfast room. Andrew was there waiting for them greeting her warmly and holding out a chair for her while Percy asked one of the servants to see to it that a breakfast tray was taken to Tony.

They really did spoil the fool she thought.

At least she did not see much of him, Percy mentioned that he was feverish and slept a lot. He seemed to be truly concerned about him but Marguerite was not impressed. As Tony was improved enough to get out of bed Percy still insisted he stayed for a few more days, which he agreed to. It grated on her nerves to have him there.

She was working on her embroidery one evening while Percy and his guest talked, all the time she heard his voice and his stammering, saw his head bob like a child's broken doll and it was unbearable.

The following morning she had decided it was enough, she confronted her husband in the breakfast room.

"How long shall Lord Tony be staying here?" she demanded.

"Why, I have asked him to remain a few more days," Percy sounded surprised. "He is still a little weak, and I do rather enjoy his company."

"Well, I do not," she told him firmly.

"Not Madam?" he frowned. "Why, what could you possibly have to say against young Tony? I can not believe he has done anything unseemly."

"The man is a horror," she snapped. "I can not stand him and his insufferable stammering. The halfwit fool can't even say a single word without bobbing his head so you think it will come lose. I simply can not stand the idiot," she finished.

Percy gave her a stern disapproving look, one that bordered upon anger.

"Madam, guard your tongue," he told her sharply. "Tony is hardly a fool. I am perfectly aware of his stammering, but I was not aware that you scorned him so for it. I'll have you know that while he is slow of speech he is not slow of mind. The reason he so often prefers not to say anything is because so many, like you, mock him for something he can not help. I will tell you this, Tony is here as my guest, and as long as he is, you will show him the respect that he deserves. Do you hear me Madam?"

"Very well," she agreed reluctantly, but she could not change her mind about him.

She left the room to enter the garden instead, feeling that she needed some air. To her surprise she almost walked straight into Tony who was standing just outside the door. He stammered an apology, his head down and his voice thick. His injured arm held close to his body as if he felt the need to protect it. Obviously he had heard her, but she did not apologize to him but left the house.

The next she saw him he was in the library with Percy, but even though Percy was talking to him, Tony was silent, not saying a word. She could tell that her husband was frustrated.

"Tony, I have asked for your opinion, do you not agree?" he asked, but his only reply was a shake of the head. "Lud, Tony, what is the matter?" he sighed as Marguerite listened outside the door. "Is your arm paining you again?" Another shake of the head. "Then speak up man, you might think someone had cut out your tongue to keep you from sweet talking the ladies."

She knew why he was so silent, but she still did not feel any remorse, it was after all only Tony and he was still a fool.

Of course her husband soon had him talking again, Percy was like that, it did not matter that his friend was a fool. Before they married it had been one of the things she liked about him, but things had changed after they married. Then again she was remained just how much things changes at times.

She was forced to change her opinion of Tony.

She had always thought that Tony would never manage anything for himself, but it turned out she had been wrong.

She was strolling around on the country fair when she saw a boy of perhaps five years old, dressed in the rough clothes of a farmer. The child was crying, sitting on the ground with a tear in the knee of his trousers.

"Now, did you fall and hurt yourself?" she asked, but he did not even look up.

"Hullo," a voice behind her spoke and she looked to see Tony coming.

"Perhaps you should find Percy," Marguerite told him. "The boy is crying and won't tell me why."

"I t,think I k,know the prob,blem," Tony smiled softly. Lifting the boy up he carried him a few yards over to a bench, sitting him down on the backrest of it. "L,lets see," he smiled as he pulled out his handkerchief. Lifting the leg of the boys britches he revealed a skinned knee and started mopping the blood away with his handkerchief. "T,that better?" he asked and the boy nodded slowly.

From his coat pocket Tony pulled out a paper cone of peppermints that he offered to the boy who shyly took one and sniffed, trying to stop crying as he popped it into his mouth.

"D,does it st,till hurt?" he asked the child who nodded.

"But not as much," he decided.

"T,that's good," Tony decided as he ruffled his hair. Taking the handkerchief he folded it up and placed it on the knee. He took Marguerite by surprise when he also pulled off his cravat and used it to tie the handkerchief in place as a bandage. He offered the boy the candies again and smiled as he accepted another one.

"N,now how d,did you h,hurt yourself?" he asked softly.

"I was running from the other boys," he admitted. "They were making fun of me and being mean. They are over by the gate, and they say they have a club. Because all the lords and sirs gave them farthings for opening the gates they say they got a club, but they won't let me play with them. They say a lord or a sir will have to give me money for doing something before they let me play, but when one of them did for me running an errand, they said I was lying and still did not let me…" he rubbed at his eyes if he was about to cry again and Tony handed him the paper cone again.

"Y,you t,take that, and d,don't worry. I'I'm sure a l,lord or a s,sir w,will give you a c,coin s,soon and you w,will get to p,play with t,them."

"You really think so?" he asked awed.

"C,certain," Tony nodded. "I, w,will see y,you later. Y,you keep t,these now," he added as the boy tried to return the paper cone with the candies.

"Tony, you should have given him a penny or something so that he could play with the other children," Marguerite scolded him as Tony had offered her his arm and left the boy.

"N,no," he shook his head. "W,would do no good. T,they would n,not believe him. It is b,better this way."

"How?" she demanded.

"You will see i,in a m,moment," he smiled as he walked over to the gate where a crowed of young boys were hanging about. Tony stopped there, and smiled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Sir, sir, your gloves sir," the child they had just left came running with Tony's gloves in his small hands. Marguerite had seen him take them off as he tended to the boy, but she had not noticed him leaving them behind. It was however typical of him to not even be able to keep track of his gloves.

"Ah, t,thank you m,my dear b,boy," he smiled. "I am t,truly g,glad to have y,your service. And here is your d,due fee," he took the gloves and pressed a coin into the boys small hand.

"B,but?" the little child was confused and Tony ruffled his hair again. Marguerite suddenly understood what he was doing. Now the other children had seen him give the boy the money. They would not be able to deny it.

"Lord Tony, would you escort me to my husband now?" she asked, loud enough that the other children would hear. That should take care of it without doubt, and the child ran off to the other boys to show them the money.

"How mush did you give him?" Marguerite asked as they walked off in search of Percy.

"Tupence," Tony smiled. "T,that should m,make certain he g,gets a h,high standing in t,their club."

"You left your gloves on purpose," she accused him. "You expected him to come running with them."

"I am g,guilty," he admitted with a slight inclination of the head.

"I did not know you were so good with children," she decided.

"I am n,not," Tony smiled softly. "B,but I do n,not care for bullies."

"I don't think they will be very likely to pick on him after he has been given a whole tupence by none the less than a lord," she smiled. "Very considerate of you Tony."

"Thank you, my Lady," he bowed. She could tell how he struggled to say the sentence without stuttering. It was really very considerate of him, and she realized she would have to revaluate her opinion about him.

Perhaps after second impressions Tony wasn't so bad after all.

The End

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