In the Commodore's Hands. Mary Nichols
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before they come for him?’ Sam queried, his eyes lighting up.
‘I do not think breaking him out is a good idea,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘There are other ways, but I need more information. I need to know how the Comte is likely to be transported and when.’ He turned to Sam. ‘Do you think you can continue your comradeship with those gaolers?’
Sam laughed. ‘It is a good thing that my understanding of French is a deal better than my speaking of it, then. And I can hold my drink better than most.’
Jay turned to Lisette. ‘Now, mademoiselle, I will escort you home. You have still to make yourself ready as I suggested and keeping your horses out late is not going to help if we have the call tomorrow morning.’
‘I do not need your escort,’ she said haughtily, standing up and shaking out her skirt.
‘I beg to differ. I will see you safely home and I will repeat my instructions to your maid, then I may be sure they will be obeyed.’
Lisette did not answer, but marched out of the room, head held high. He shrugged and smiled at the other two men and went after her.
They had almost completed the journey in silence when she spoke. ‘Do you think it will happen tomorrow?’
Her voice was conciliatory and he smiled in the darkness of the coach. For all her defiance, she was a frightened girl and needed someone to lean on. Well, she could lean on him, that was why he was there, but only for as long as it took to get her, her father and his grandfather to safety. He was doing it because his mother had asked it of him and for no other reason.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘But we must not be caught unprepared.’
‘I will be ready,’ she said quietly.
He almost regretted his defeat of her. He did not like to see her spirit broken, but it was necessary if they were to succeed. ‘Good.’
The coach stopped, he jumped out and held out his hand to help her alight. She took his hand and stepped down. ‘You wish to speak to Hortense, monsieur?’
He smiled. ‘Do I need to?’
‘No. I will tell her what you have said and Georges will make sure the horses are ready.’
‘Then I will bid you goodnight.’ He lifted her hand to his lips, then strode away.
Chapter Three
Lisette went indoors. The strain of the last few weeks and especially today had exhausted her. She trusted Sir John, and as Sir John trusted his grandson, she had no choice but to do so too. Jay Drymore was obviously a man used to command and today he had been especially cool and practical, but she wondered how good he was at dealing with the French people whose mood was volatile and bloodthirsty. If anything went wrong with the rescue attempt, his gaolers would not hesitate to kill Papa and the rescuers too. Did the Commodore realise that? Louis d’or would not save them.
She found Hortense anxiously waiting for her. ‘Lissie, where have you been all day? I expected you home hours ago. It is not fair of you to worry me so. I do believe that Englishman has you in thrall.’
Lisette flung herself down on a sofa. ‘That’s nonsense. He has come to rescue Papa and it is natural that we need to talk. It is no more than that. Besides, I have not been with him all day. We parted before we reached the prison.’
‘I’m glad he had the sense not to take you to that dreadful place with him, but where have you been?’
‘I went to the market and bought food and listened to the gossip. The Assembly has taken away all the King’s power and there is talk of putting him on trial.’
Hortense gasped. ‘Surely they will never do such a wicked thing.’
‘Who knows? And they say Marie Antoinette is plotting with the Austrians.’
‘I would not put that past her. What else?’
‘I heard Henri Canard is going to stand for the legislature at the next elections. His hatred of the nobility is spreading to everyone. I shall be glad to leave, but we have to free Papa first. I went to visit Sir John on the way home. Monsieur Drymore joined us after he had been to the prison. He said there is talk of Papa being moved to Paris for a trial. I think he has a plan to waylay the guards, but he would not tell me the details.’
‘Why not?’
Lisette shrugged. ‘I do not think he trusts me.’
‘Then he is an arrogant fool.’
‘No, Hortense, he may be arrogant, that is an Englishman’s way, I think, but he is not a fool. He bade me be ready to move at a moment’s notice. You may come too, if you wish it. I know it will be a great upheaval for you, so I will not insist.’
‘Naturally I will come. Do you think I will let you go without me?’
‘Thank you, Hortense. I am so tired, I am going to bed and you must do so too, but tomorrow morning, we must pack.’ She rose and together they climbed the stairs where Hortense helped her mistress to bed and then went to her own chamber.
In spite of her tiredness Lisette could not sleep. She found herself going over and over everything she and the Commodore had said to each other, every nuance, every meaningful look, every curt response, every compliment he had paid her, every censure too. None of it helped her to understand him. She had to take him as she found him, a complex individual who was charming one minute and annoying the next. But none of that mattered if he saved her father.
Her thoughts strayed to visions of the rescue. She imagined the vehicle conveying her father to Paris being held up by Jay and his servant at gunpoint, of shots being fired, of people being wounded, perhaps the guards, perhaps the rescuers, perhaps her father. She saw them fighting their way to her coach and driving hell for leather to the coast, pursued on all sides. She saw the yacht rocking on the sea, out of reach, and their pursuers on their heels. And supposing they were all caught, what then? It did not bear thinking about. Surely there was another way.
She had fallen asleep at last, to wake in the morning bleary-eyed and with a bad headache. Hortense gave her a tisane and made her eat some breakfast, after which she felt well enough to pack a few clothes and toiletries in two portmanteaux, then Lisette found a velvet bag and scooped all her jewels into it: necklaces, ear drops, bracelets and tiaras, some she had inherited from her mother, some her father had bought for her. She knew the French authorities would not take kindly to her taking them out of the country, so she hid them securely in the stuffing of one of the cushions in the carriage.
She had a little money in the house, most of it assignats which would be worthless in England, but there was money and stocks held at the bank in Honfleur and she needed those too. ‘I’m going into Honfleur,’ she told Hortense. ‘I need to draw money out of the bank.’
‘Do you think that is a good idea, Lissie? It will surely indicate that you are planning to flee and put the authorities on their guard.’
‘Monsieur Gascon has been the family banker for years and years, he will not betray me.’
‘You cannot be sure of that. Everyone is afraid to have secrets nowadays.’
‘I shall say I wish to use the money to pay a lawyer to defend my father and he insists on being paid in cash.’
‘If you must, but I am afraid it will not please the Englishman.’
‘I think it will please him very much,’ Lisette said stubbornly. ‘It means I can pay him for his trouble and we will be able to live independently in England and not have to rely on charity.’
‘Shall I ask Georges to put the horses to the carriage?’
‘No. I have been told they must be kept fresh and ready to go at a moment’s notice. I will walk. Besides, a walk will help to clear my head.’
‘Then I shall come too.’