"Gabrielle!" yelled Suzanne with delight as she opened the door and threw her arms around me. "Suzanne my dearest friend" I responded back. She quickly pulled me into the house. "Where have you been?" she asked me, "I haven't seen you in nearly three months."
"I have been very busy."
"I see…so what made you call upon us today dear friend?" Suzanne asked with a little less life in her voice.
"I have been thinking of you and have been meaning to call for some time and today the opportunity arrived."
"Well good, please come in and see my Mother. I fear my brother and father are not in right now but my Mother and I are happy to receive you." Suzanne took me into the parlor where the Comtesse was embroidering. She looked up at me and I notice that she quickly forced a smile on her face as she stood up to greet me. Suzanne rushed out of the room and to the kitchen to get some refreshment since the servants had all left the household in fear of being denounced if they stayed. Suzanne returned and served her Mother and I and then sat down. It was quite and then I spoke, "So how is the family dealing with the Republic these days?"
"We are just fine," responded the Comtesse with a cold tone.
"That is wonderful to hear. I have heard from my acquaintances in England that many former French aristos have fled there and I am happy to hear that my dearest friend will not be leaving the country any time soon."
A fearful look passed over the Comtesse's eyes as I made this last statement and I could see a little worry in Suzanne as well. I was going to go on with the usual perfect barrage of questions that always got the information out but with the looks on my friends' faces, I could not do it. For the first time in the last two years I could not make myself interrogate and turn against my own ranks.
"Damn!" I suddenly burst out, cracking under my own pressures, I sighed, "I can not do this with you. The two of you have been so wonderful to me my whole life and I…" I took a deep breath. "I can see the fear in your eyes Comtesse and I do not blame you but I can not deceive you. I have deceived so many but I cannot, I will not, do it to you. I was sent by Cityone Chauvelin to pry information from you about your English acquaintances and any trips you are planning soon. This is not good. When I am sent for information such as this it is usually followed quickly by a denouncement and that is the last thing I want to see happen to this family. Please, if you are contemplating leaving France, do so quickly. I do not know how much time you have."
Suzanne looked a wreck but the Comtesse was surprisingly calm, "Thank you Gabrielle. I believe that arrangements will have to be made. When my husband and son return home this evening we will discuss the situation. Now please stay for dinner so we can discuss this further."
I obliged. I needed to come up with my own plan. I could not go back to Armand empty handed so I had to come up with something to tell him. By the time I left the De Tournay residents, the Comte had sent three letters via messenger to British acquaintances that could hopefully help him and his family escape. I had a sob story to give Armand of the De Tournay family's loyalty to their homeland and they would never leave their birthplace. He would believe me. He had no reason not to.
The sun was long set by the time I journeyed out into the dark streets of Paris to venture home. I moved swiftly along, hoping not to meet any soldiers again. One run in with them a day was more than enough for me. I was repeating my story for Armand in my head as I moved along and with my mind so focused I never heard someone coming up behind me.
One strong hand grabbed my waist and as I went to scream the other wrapped around my mouth. A voice close to my ear said, "Citoyenne Du Pres, if you scream I cannot guarantee your safety or that you will live until help arrives. Now will you remain quiet if I remove my hand?"
I shook my head yes with every intention of staying quiet. I calmed myself as the hand was taken away.
"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked coolly.
"It's not important who I am. What I want is to know what you discovered at the De Tournay's? What are their plans to flee France?"
"Who are you? I can not just give you information, I am an agent of the French Republic." Ugh, how could I say that, but I did not want to risk anything.
"I know who you are and that is all that matters. You are great friends with that family and although you have made so many families suffer, I do not believe that you will let this one go to the guillotine. Now what are you planning."
My mind was racing.
"I want to help. Please Citoyenne, I know you want them to escape so please tell me what you know. If you help me then it is in my power to help them."
"Are you the Scarlet Pimpernel?" It had suddenly hit me and the question just burst out of my mouth. The mystery and the English accent had made the idea come to the surface.
"It does not matter."
At this point, I knew it had to be and therefore I was going to put the trust of my friends in his hands. "I was sent today to question them but I could not. If it follows the usual pattern, they should be denounced soon. I have a story planned to tell Cityone Chauvelin and hopefully it will give them enough time to escape."
"Thank you. Give this to the Comte tomorrow." He thrust a note into my right hand. "They will get out of France safely Gabrielle, do not worry. Now go for now but be back here tomorrow evening at this same time" I was let go and as I turned to face the stranger he was gone.
