"This is far enough." Lord de la Roche's voice calls out from the carriage. The driver stops the horses and Oscar and Andre come to a halt as well. They are just outside of Paris after a very quiet and uneventful evening of travel.
Oscar leans towards the carriage. "We don't mind making sure you reach your accommodations safely." She says earnestly.
"That won't be necessary." Roche looks up at Oscar from the carriage window. "I can assure you that Emilie will be safe with me. It's getting late and it will be long after nightfall by the time you return to your manor. I don't wish to keep you any longer."
"It's really no trouble." Oscar looks past Roche at Emilie who hasn't said a single word since she finished packing her few belongings and climbed into the carriage with her uncle.
Roche smiles and waves at Oscar dismissively. "Your kindness will not be forgotten." He turns to Emilie. "It's time to say good-bye, Emilie."
Emilie reaches her hand out of the carriage window. Oscar takes Emilie's hand and grasps it tightly.
"Thank you, Commander de Jarjayes." Emilie says softly, not meeting Oscar's eyes. "Good-bye."
"Emilie…"
"Ride on." Says Roche.
The carriage lurches forward and Oscar loses her grip on Emilie's hand. She resists the urge to kick her horse into a gallop after her and watches as the carriage enters the city. Andre moves his horse beside Oscar's and places a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Perhaps we were wrong." Says Andre slowly.
Oscar taps her horse into a trot towards Paris.
"Where are you going?" Andre starts after her.
"I'm not satisfied." Says Oscar in a serious tone.
"You still suspect Lord de la Roche?" Andre asks hastily.
"Yes." Says Oscar. "There's something unsettling about that man and the way Emilie acts around him. Until I see her safely back with her family, I won't be satisfied."
Oscar and Andre trail the carriage carefully so as not to be seen. It takes several twists and turns before finally heading back out of Paris and into the countryside.
"I knew it." Growls Oscar quietly. "Where is he taking her? This isn't the road to Calais."
Andre shifts nervously in his saddle. "Unless they intend to ride though the night, the only place to rest along this route is an abandoned manor used by brigands."
Oscar frowns.
Sure enough, the carriage pulls into the courtyard of the decrepit old manor. Oscar and Andre secure their horses nearby and approach stealthily on foot. They find a place to conceal themselves behind a portion of collapsed wall. They watch as Roche climbs out of the carriage, roughly pulling Emilie out by the arm behind him. She loses her balance and falls to the ground. Andre has to throw out his arm in front of Oscar to keep her from giving away their position.
"Get up!" Barks Roche.
Emilie collects herself and rises to her feet, gently brushing the dirt from her skirts in a dignified and almost defiant way. Roche grabs her arm and starts towards the manor. She stumbles in her attempt to keep up with his long gait and he jerks her arm painfully to keep her from falling again. She winces, but makes no sound.
"Sir?" The carriage driver calls out after them uncertainly.
Roche turns back impatiently. "Tell the men to stay out tonight. Drinks are on me." He rummages in his jacket with his free hand and tosses a plump purse to the carriage driver.
"Oh ho ho! Yessir!" The carriage driver winks at Roche, grinning toothily. He whips the horses into a gallop and they rumble back out onto the road.
Oscar and Andre duck out of sight as the carriage rushes by them. When they look up again, Roche and Emilie are disappearing through the manor's crumbling front door.
"Andre, I want you to ride back to Paris and alert the authorities." Oscar whispers.
"What? No!" Andre blurts out.
"Keep your voice down." Hisses Oscar. "It will be easier to apprehend Lord de la Roche with their support."
"But what about you?" Andre asks in a much quieter voice. "How do I know you're not going to rush in there and do something foolish?"
Oscar glares at him. "Go."
Andre leaves reluctantly, glancing back at Oscar before setting off in a run towards where they hid the horses.
Inside the manor, Lord de la Roche lights a rusty lantern on a table by the door and escorts Emilie up a sagging staircase to a dingy room on the second floor. He pushes her forcibly onto a moth-eaten sofa and goes to the window to check the courtyard. The glass panes are broken and missing, letting the cool night air waft into the dimly lit room. Emilie rubs her arms with her hands in an attempt to keep from trembling.
Roche turns back to Emilie and starts to slowly clap his hands. "Bravo." He chuckles. "Bravo."
Emilie glowers up at Roche. "Where is my family?"
"I had expected you might fight back when my men attacked your carriage, but when they returned wounded and empty-handed, I must admit I was surprised." Says Roche, ignoring Emilie's question. "I was furious when they told me what they had done to you. I had given them explicit instructions to take you alive."
A vision of that terrible night flashes in Emilie's memory and she shivers despite herself.
"I went to collect you, but your body had already been moved." Roche continues. "I thought you were lost to me, but your location was betrayed when the rumors started at Versailles. I was quite pleased to hear you had survived my mens' blunder."
"How did you know about Calais? Where is my family?" Emilie demands, trying to keep her voice steady.
"My dear girl, I have eyes and ears all over Paris." Roche says in a condescending tone. "Your plan to flee to Calais and later to London was known to me long before you ever set it into action."
Emilie looks at Roche incredulously.
"Your attempt to deceive me with multiple carriages was admirable, but pointless." Roche twists his mouth into a cruel smile. "I suppose you thought if my men killed you, I would have spared your family."
"What have you done to them?" Emilie chokes, unable to keep the fear out of her voice any longer.
Roche leans in close to Emilie and whispers, "While my men distracted you, I followed your husband to Calais. Then, after your son arrived, I slit their throats."
Tears start to well up in Emilie's eyes. "No."
"Now you can truly understand my pain." Roche growls.
"No. You wouldn't…" Emilie sobs once before burying her face in her hands.
"I won't stop there." Roche goes to the window again and looks down into the courtyard. "That pretty commander of yours is a problem. I fear I will need to take care of her as well."
Emilie looks up, her eyes wide.
"Oh, yes. I will keep my promise." Says Roche. "Your feelings for her are painfully obvious despite your charade of indifference. God will be glad that I sent such a lovely angel to be with Him."
Emilie stands abruptly and rushes to the window. Even in the dark she can see a gleam of blonde hair moving carefully through the courtyard.
"Oscar!" Emilie shouts.
Oscar looks up, grabbing the hilt of her sword.
"Don't come up here! It's a tra-mmmph!" Emilie continues frantically before Roche lays a strong hand over her mouth and pulls her away from the window. Oscar immediately draws her sword and rushes towards the manor.
Roche holds Emilie tight to his chest and reaches for his belt with his free arm. He withdraws a pistol, cocks the hammer, then aims it toward the open doorway. He pays no attention Emilie as she claws at his hand over her mouth and pummels him with her small fists. He waits and holds the pistol uncannily steady even with all of Emilie's struggling.
The stairs groan and the sound of Oscar's cautious footsteps come closer, slowing as she approaches the room.
Emilie attempts to bite Roche's hand, but his grip is too tight over her mouth. She then remembers the knife Oscar had given her that she had carefully concealed in the folds of her dress. In her panic, she had forgotten it. She fumbles around until her hand finds the smooth hilt. In one swift motion, she plunges the knife into Roche's leg. Roche releases her with a loud curse. In the same moment, the pistol fires followed by the soft sound of a body hitting the floor and the clatter of a sword.
"OSCAR!" Emilie screams.
I figured I should post a chapter on Bastille Day... *cry* I rewrote this many times, but I think it's okay now! I'll try not to take as long with the next chapter considering the cliffhanger. Hehe! Thank you for reading! See you next time.
