Hello, me again. Thank you very much for all the reviews... very much appriciated
Anonymous (Randomness): Thank you for being very honest. I re-read everything again after your comments and I can can see where you are coming from with Lucie acting like a Mary-Sue and Chauvelin being out of character. This is a Chauvelin dedicated chapter and I think that he is more in character. Lucie will reappear in the next one, maybe still a bit Mary- Sue-ish. I'm afraid you will have to put up with it for a while but she does have flaws...they just come out a little later. As for the Lucie not being a French name, blame that on Dickens... it's my tribute to 'A Tale of Two Cities'
Nota Lone: I still love book Chauvelin... but I admit that play/ film Chauvelin is cooler...he's just so charming. I highly recommend the film even though the couple I've seen take a few liberties with the book.
Anonymous (TOMTN): Chauvelin forever! Yay! He is simply a cool villian. I like him because he can be so charming when he wants to be and can manipulate almost any situation into his favour.
I forgot to credit her in my first chapter but many thanks to my wonderful beta Citizen Chauvelin
Chapter 2
Chauvelin was less than happy when he left Marguerite's dressing room that evening. In fact he had just had an incredibly bad day. During the day, he had been reprimanded by the Committee of Public Safety for not capturing the Scarlet Pimpernel who had once again made another daring, and although he loathed to admit it, very successful rescue. He had been given a new task with strict instructions to succeed with. Chauvelin knew only too well that if he was not successful arresting the Marquis de St Cyr and having him executed, he would take the Marquis' place on the scaffold. In order to calm his nerves, he had gone to visit Marguerite. They had been lovers for a while after the Storming of the Bastille but once Marguerite had got her job in the Comedie Francais, she had sworn abstinence until she was married. Chauvelin though had never given up hope that she loved him and would visit her almost every night with flowers and other gestures.
But this night, he had been unfortunate enough to discover Sir Percival Blakeney, a foppish English aristocrat, entertaining Marguerite. Chauvelin had only met Blakeney once before at one of Marguerite's parties in which the aristocrat had been very rude about his cravat as if it was the most
important thing in the world. Blakeney was one of those aristocrats that Chauvelin could not stand, the proud sort who acted as if everybody was beneath them and felt as if they could waltz around and take whatever they liked. Once Blakeney had gone, Marguerite had seemed somewhat distant, not focusing on her conversation and obviously lost in a world of her own. Chauvelin had felt very deflated when he left, thinking that there was no-one in the world who was grateful for all the work that he did for them.
'However,' Chauvelin mused to himself. 'There was that one dancer that seemed to be grateful I was around.'
His thoughts turned to Lucie Dubois for a moment before he was disturbed by a pair of feet running up the street behind him.
'Citizen Chauvelin!' a voice called. 'Citizen-'
'I can hear you!' Chauvelin snapped, turning around and facing the man who had caught up with him and was now gasping for breath.
'Degas, what do you want?' Chauvelin asked the man.
'Citizen, you have been summoned by Citizen Robspierre(. He wishes to see you) immediately.'
'Whatever for?' Chauvelin fumed. 'Does he know what time it is?'
'Citizen, he says that it's urgent.'
Chauvelin sighed in frustration and followed Degas to the building where the Committee of Public Safety meetings were held. Robspierre was sitting at his desk and writing and looked up as Chauvelin entered.
'Thank you for coming Citizen. I hope that I did not disturb you in the middle of something important?'
Chauvelin bit his lip.
'I am always available for the Committee Citizen,' was Chauvelin's only response.
'Good, good,' Robspierre replied, signing his name at the bottom of a piece of paper and sealing it. 'Following our little discussion this morning, I have some information that may be useful to you.'
Chauvelin winced as he recalled the threatening meeting he had faced that morning with members of the Committee.
'The Pimpernel, so I am told, is English.'
Chauvelin gave a quick start.
'English?' he repeated numbly.
'An English aristocrat.'
'I see,' was Chauvelin's only comment.
He turned the information over in his head. That made life far simpler. He was looking for an Englishman.
'Have you had an enjoyable evening Citizen?' Robspierre asked.
'I went to the theatre, Citizen,' Chauvelin responded, wondering where the conversation was leading.
'And what did you think of the performance?'
'I went to watch Marguerite St. Just more than anything.'
'Of course,' Robspierre said. 'Of course. She will be greatly missed.'
'Missed?' Chauvelin repeated.
'When she is married,' Robspierre said
'Married?'
Robspierre put down his pen.
'You mean that you didn't know? Marguerite St. Just is leaving tomorrow to be married. To an Englishman co-incidently.'
Chauvelin gripped the arms of his chair. Marguerite, to be married? He had no doubt that it was a union with that demmed fool Blakeney. It felt as if someone had ripped Chauvelin's heart out and was parading it for all to see. And she had never told him? The hurt was almost too much.(Ah! My heart bleeds for you, man!)
'Citizen?' Robspierre said. 'Are you alright?'
'Y-yes,' Chauvelin stammered. 'It is just a surprise to me, that is all.'
'I am sorry,' Robspierre said. 'I thought that you knew. Since you are such intimate friends with her. I only knew because my mistress overheard them.'
Chauvelin looked up and smiled weakly.
'Is there anything else Citizen?' he asked, trying to stop his voice from wobbling.
'No. I will see you tomorrow.'
Chauvelin got out of his chair and left the building. His shock had turned to sadness, then to anger. He glanced across the road at the Comedie Francais. He would take some sort of revenge on Marguerite, but how?