Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. Your constructive criticism is always welcomed
A few days after the "understanding", Elizabeth and Percy were having tea in the gardens. It was a perfect English afternoon, and, as far as Elizabeth was concerned, it could not be better.
Percy lowered his tea cup and looked at Elizabeth. "What do you think, my dear. Do you fancy a trip to Calais? See your classmates? Perhaps some shopping in Paris? And there is somebody I would like you to meet."
Elizabeth was curious, "Who, Percy?"
"Wait and see, My Dear, wait and see," Percy smiled a secretive little smile.
As curious as Elizabeth was, she also knew that Percy went to France for primarily one reason and one reason only. "Who is it, Percy," Elizabeth asked. "Who are you bringing back to England?"
Percy considered Elizabeth, "Compte de Tournay. He has been a vital asset for the Frenchies as a spokesperson for their regime. He still thinks the Committee for National Security is holding his wife and children and he will do anything to ensure their safety. The Committee is capitalizing on this and they are sure he will continue to behave. They have given him more freedom within the Assembly building; and that will be how (t)he League will rescue him. They have reduced the number of guards as if to make it even easier for us." Elizabeth was nodding pensively the whole time.
"And I will be the diversion? Just an indolent English nobleman taking his sister on a shopping trip for the next season?" The question was sardonic and she arched her eyebrows as she spoke, remembering how much Percy disliked the pretense.
"Precisely, My Dear."
"Sounds like a lark," Elizabeth replied. "When do we leave?"
"Within the week," Percy replied decisively.
The Day Dream cut through the water gracefully as Elizabeth, Percy, Tony, Sir Andrew, Timothy Hastingswatched the coastline of Calais grow larger in the gathering dusk. Since it was dark when The Day Dream docked, the party spent the night on board - one more demonstration of the idle English Aristocrats at play.
In the morning, after they breakfasted, it was decided that Tony and Elizabeth would set of for the school and Percy and his companions would make their way to Bethune, forty-five miles away and settle in at the to the L'hotel de Lys, an inn of good repute and passable accommodations. Tony and Elizabeth would join them that evening and the entire party would head off to Paris the following morning.
With two carriages loaded the party split up. Elizabeth and Tony quickly arrived at the school. Since they had sent word the night before, the teachers and students were ready to welcome them. The fact that Tony was accompanying Elizabeth was not lost on the young ladies and they giggled as they looked from him to Elizabeth. Elizabeth just smiled serenely at the younger girls and at Tony's discomfiture.
After many embraces and introductions all around, they went into luncheon. During luncheon, a discussion about fencing arose and the other young ladies prevailed upon Elizabeth to provide a demonstration. One of the servants were sent to fetch the fencing instructor and, Gabrielle, a friend of Elizabeth's assisted her in changing into her fencing costume.
"Who is the gentleman," asked Gabrielle.
"A friend of my brother's," Elizabeth was a bit evasive. Gabrielle was always nosy.
"He is very handsome. Do you like him?" her friend persisted.
Elizabeth sighed, she would have to tell her friend something. "Yes, I do like hi sighed, she would have to tell her friend something. "Yes, I am fond of him. And, yes," Elizabeth smiled at Gabrielle, "he is rather handsome is he not?"
Unconsciously, Elizabeth looked at the ring on her right hand. This slight motion was not lost on Gabrielle.
"You and he have "an understanding". You will be engaged within the year," Gabrielle was clever and that was not a question. Elizabeth blushed to the roots of her hair. That was the only response Gabrielle needed.
By the time Elizabeth was downstairs, the entire school was buzzing with the news. The girls casting speculative glances at both her and Tony and giggling uncontrollably. Elizabeth sighed in relief when the instructor arrived and the focus shifted away from her private affairs.
The entire school filed into the ballroom where Elizabeth and the instructor, with masks and padded jackets engaged in a very active demonstration. One would strike, the other would parry and then riposte. Once they had felt each other out, the match became even more active with broader, more active strokes and more daring moves. Tony watched the match with avid interest. He could not completely quiet his concern for Elizabeth's safety, but the longer the match went on, the more obvious her true competence became. Eventually, Elizabeth scored the third touch. The combatants saluted each other and removed their masks to thunderous applause from the audience.
While this would have been the time to leave, Tony and Elizabeth were opportuned to stay for tea. It was late afternoon by the time all the embraces and good byes were exchanged and the two were ready to leave. To save time, Elizabeth opted to remain in her fencing attire. She thought that she would be sufficiently respectable with her hat and wrapped in her cloak.
The carriage ride was initially uneventful, however an hour in, the carriage was stopped by soldiers. They were asked for papers and the back of the carriage was searched. Since they were English and carrying appropriate papers, they were permitted to go unmolested. As they left the checkpoint, Elizabeth noticed a French family being molested by the soldiers.
There were four of them and it appeared they were being forcibly removed from their home. Among the victims was girl, a boy a few years older, and their parents. One of the soldiers had one hand on the girl's chest and was pulling at her skirts. The girl was struggling and screaming. Her older brother was attempting to intervene, and was struck by one of the soldiers.
Elizabeth turned to Tony, her blue eyes flashing with anger. "We cannot let this happen". Tony nodded in agreement and hammered on the roof of the carriage to gain the drivers attention and ordered him to stop behind the nearest copse of trees.
Elizabeth was on her way out of the carriage, and heading to take her foil, but Tony interrupted that motion by taking her hand and quickly kissing her on the palm. "No, My Love. I need you to stay with the carriage. Somebody will need to guide and calm the family and protect them if need be." Tony took Elizabeth by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "And, if something should happen...," he smiled gently as Elizabeth started to wordlessly shake her head, "if something should happen to me, you will need to guide them to safety." Elizabeth, blinked back tears, but nodded. He was right.
Tony buckled his sword, lightly brushed Elizabeth's lips with his own and ran off through the trees leaving Elizabeth to worry and fret alone with her own thoughts.
Elizabeth was pacing with nervousness and worry. Although only ten minutes had passed, but it had seemed an eternity. All of a sudden, she heard what sounded to her an explosion and almost made her jump out of her skin. A shot from a musket. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she fervently prayed that the musket was true to its reputation for inaccuracy.
A few minutes later she heard crashing through the trees and soon saw the young girl, her braids streaming behind her and tears streaming down her face running blindly through the trees. Elizabeth stepped forward to intercept the girl. She held the struggling girl, while speaking calmly trying to get her to stop struggling.
"It is alright, Ma Petite," she said in French. "You are with friends, we will get you to safety." The girl who could not have been more than 13 looked up at Elizabeth with wet eyes and an incredulous expression. "What is your name, Ma Chou.?"
"Marceline," the little girl replied hiccupping with her tears.
"Go sit in the carriage, Ma Petite. The rest of yourfamily is on their way and we shall all travel to safety together."
Marceline agreed to sit in the carriage. Shortly thereafter, her mother ran from the trees followed almost immediately by her father. shortly after that, her father had also joined them.
"Mademoiselle, I am Chevalier Gustav Thernard and this is my wife, Lady Isabelle. Our son, Francois and the Anglais Gentlemen are coming behind us; they are going to misdirect the soldiers. Thank you Mademoiselle. Without the two of you, I believe we would have been sent to Paris...," he did not have to finish the thought as they all knew what happened to aristocrats, even minor ones, in Paris.
Elizabeth nodded somewhat absently as she continued to search the treeline anxiously for an sign Tony's approach.
After five minutes, Elizabeth was beginning to get nervous. After ten minutes, she was pacing back and forth in front of the carriage. After fifteen minutes, she was becoming frantic. Finally, she heard the crashing that indicated people approaching. She just prayed it was not the soldiers. A young man, who she assumed was Francois, broke through the trees. He was running at full speed and gasping for breath.
Finally, after what felt to an eternity, she saw Tony break through the trees. Elizabeth started to move toward him, and immediately noticed that something was wrong. Rather than approaching at a full run, Tony seemed to be stumbling and struggling to stay on his feet. His left arm hung at his side and there was a bloody stain on the shoulder. As her eyes hungrily traveled down his body seeking verification that he was whole, she noticed that he was clutching his shirt around his midsection with his right hand. Her breath caught in her throat, and she let out a cry of distress when she saw bright red blood seeping out from between his fingers. That musket shot had found its home.
Elizabeth saw Tony stumble and ran to him. He saw her and tried to smile, although it was more a grimace of pain and determination. Elizabeth ran to him and wormed her way under his arm to offer him the support of her body. Tony looked at her gratefully and she noticed with another pang of concern that he was preternaturally pale.
"There has been a slight complication," Tony rasped in a failed attempt at his insouciant drawl. "We just need to make it to the carriage" Elizabeth was gasping with the effort of supporting Tony's weight as she encouraged him to take another step and then another and it seemed that he was leaning more and more on her.
"My Dearest, I beg your pardon," Tony mumbled, barely coherent , "but I cannot go on. I must rest." Elizabeth, glanced at Tony. She stifled a cry of shock and dismay as, to her horror, she saw that the red stain had spread and that the bleeding seemed to have gotten worse. This is when she heard Tony gasp in pain and felt his entire weight upon her shoulders as his knees buckled and lost consciousness.
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