Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) (13 page)

“I have heard the same. It means nothing to me. Continue.”

Andre stared at him for a moment as if studying him, trying to understand his need to know all about Eloise. Andre swallowed hard. “If you have not determined, my father is motivated by wealth and status. It has always been so. My father hid Eloise from
her father to extort money, I am certain. Our family benefited quite well from Eloise’s relationship to the Duke of Rotheward, but I’m afraid Eloise did not. My father found it easier to manipulate the situation with Eloise out of the picture. I discovered she was living in a small cottage outside Calais with a peasant family when I became fast friends with the boys who accompanied Eloise when she visited. Eloise lived with a widow, a Mame de Castel who had one time served as our housekeeper. The two boys were her sons, Luc and Marc Pierre Bernard…the one you seek.”

Lenister eyed Andre without a muscle twitching, not revealing the confirmation of what he believed about his wife. Andre’s eyebrows lifted slightly. Then Andre continued.

“It was not only my family that benefited. I have long suspected Mame Castel used Eloise’s presence to the advantage of both Luc and Marc Pierre. For Marc Pierre, he was allowed to go to school in Paris, where he became an attorney. Luc...let us say, we became business partners after he bought an old schooner. Luc was a skilled sailor. He had been smuggling since he was ten. He knew the exact schooner to buy, swift and strong. Luc handled the shipping…I myself sold the merchandise and arranged for any items to be sold across the Channel. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. We made many, many trips across the Channel.”

“Eloise?” Lenister interrupted.

“Ah, yes, Eloise. Before the Revolution, my father made a close alliance with a powerful aristocrat, Marquis Darius de Mortiere. Soon after, Eloise was sent to a convent with the marquis’ daughter, Giselle. When she was fifteen, Eloise was withdrawn from the convent with Giselle, who was two years older. I highly suspect that once more my father intervened in Eloise’s life. I do not know the whole of the story but I surmised that the marquis made an offer to my father that my father deemed advantageous to himself.”

“Orville D’Arcy sold Eloise to the Marquis de Mortiere!” Lenister lost his restraint at the thought.

“Hold! I have not finished. It is not what you believe. It might have been, but there is more to the story. More than Eloise knows herself, but if you think upon the deed, it is not hard to decipher why de Mortiere’s interest. Eloise is a beautiful woman, but the marquis went to incredible lengths to obtain Eloise. Would you not think, my lord? Ah, what more could there be?”

“Eloise is the daughter of a powerful English duke. It would be easy to assume that the
marquis would have used it to full advantage…as well as your father had,” Lenister replied sharply.

“
Oui, my lord. It would hold to the words that I have told you. That Eloise was born a pawn in a game where no one told her the rules. The story becomes quite murky at this point. Her time within the marquis’ household, I do not know much, only that it was not pleasant. There was talk about her marrying the vicomte. Whatever the reason, it was bad enough that Eloise felt the need to escape. She ran back to Calais…to my father’s house. Thankfully, I was home at the time…alone. I knew better than to tell my father of her reappearance. I brought her back to Mame de Castel and Luc…Luc took Eloise and hid her in a cottage along the coast used for his smuggling. It is where, I’m afraid, Eloise learned the smuggling trade.

“I will not be delicate for it is not the time for
such. I do not want to offend your sensibilities, Lord Lenister, nor do I want to betray Eloise, but to understand my cousin, it is something you must hear. Luc and Eloise were more than friends. They were lovers and soon Eloise was with child.”

“A child!” Lenister sucked in a deep breath. In all the words he thought the man would utter
, these were not among them. “Eloise has a child.”

Andre shook his head. “Let me finish or do you not want to know the story?”

Andre waited a moment. Lenister said nothing, but sat upon his horse, waiting for Andre to finish. Then Andre began again. “Luc…was my dearest friend. Dearer to me than my own brothers. I told him to take Eloise and go to America as he always dreamed …but fate dictated another course. The marquis had not stopped his search for Eloise. While Luc was out on a run, the Vicomte de Calognac found her.

“There is much about the life of a mere commoner before the
Revolution that you would not understand. The moment Eloise was found, Luc’s life was in grave mortal danger. The consequences of his actions…for his hiding Eloise…was a torturous death. Calognac made certain of it. From here, you need to ask your wife about the details of her time in the hands of Calognac. This I will tell you. Luc was captured. Marc Pierre and I plotted to rescue them both. We had friends among his men, but we were not quick enough.

“Shortly after the birth of Eloise’s child, Calognac enacted his revenge. The baby was ripped from Eloise’s arms and Luc was tortured while she was made to watch. What more Calognac had planned for Eloise, I do not know. I know only we arrived too late that night…” Andre paused as if reliving the scene. Clearing his voice, he said, “When we arrived, our friend
s told us it was useless. Calognac had mercilessly tortured and killed Luc. Marc Pierre was as a madman and did not accept their word. He demanded to be taken to the body. Coming up from behind the scene, we found Eloise clutching tightly to Luc’s broken body…but to the side, Calognac lay dead also.

“All hell broke loose from that moment. The Marquis
de Mortiere came after Eloise and our family with a vengeance. Moreover, he had Eloise’s child, a girl…Rosabel. We had no choice; Marc Pierre and I sent word to Eloise’s father. He was her only chance. He came and took Eloise back to his home. Of that you knew, but what you do not know is that less than a year later, Eloise showed back upon our shores, determined to find her daughter.

“She said she promised Luc…I could not in good conscience let her do so by herself. Luc was as my brother. By this time
, the Revolution had begun. Eloise began by claiming the Freedom. I had tried to maintain the smuggling, but with Eloise…she put together a team. Instilling help from those who also needed help with their loved ones. A network began. The White Rose commenced. Marc Pierre helped also in the search of Rosabel, but all was in vain. Marc Pierre found what was left of the de Mortiere family. The baby had died. A sickly baby, it was told. One night developed a fever…the next morning, the babe no longer breathed. Giselle told this to Marc Pierre. He believed her and even saved the rest of the family. Eloise requested it be so. Giselle had been kind and her friend.

“A new regime emerged in France in which Marc Pierre has formed a connection to those
who hold the power. Many from his school days hold power…which allowed him to move up rapidly within the military. Marc Pierre has warned Eloise to back off, to go live her life in England. Forget France.

“Neither Eloise or myself have done
 so. She has not stopped and will not, I fear, until she is caught and put to death. You, my lord, do not know your wife nor what you have asked of her. For she will stop at nothing to return your children to you. She cares nothing of her own life. In her eyes, it is as if her daughter did not die in vain. Rosabel will live in the lives of those she has saved. That is the woman you married.”

That
is the woman you married
. Not the vain, heartless soul the
ton
thought. He watched her until she disappeared from his view. He turned his attention to his companions.

“So, my friends, we cannot afford
to waste any more time. Sit and plan. We have much to cover before the break of day.” 

Eloise was seated sideways on the window seat in the bedchamber; her legs drawn up beneath her. The night had grown old. She stared blankly out into the dreary night, but she saw nothing. She only felt the betrayal. The whole inception of the network had been enveloped with peril, but never once until this night had any betrayed their cause.

Andre had left, traveling along the paths used within their network. He had much to accomplish and quickly
, for lives depended on his warning. Moreover, he had to decipher the extent of that betrayal. The entire network hung in the balance.

Had not Marc Pierre cautioned her? His last words to her, he warned her, “Fear lives in the heart of all. Understand it is the intent of the terror, Eloise. The people you surround yourself will crumble under the pressure. It is human nature, the instinct to survive.”

Marc Pierre had been right yet again. She had known the danger, but the reality was far worse. She was safe for now—saved by her husband, the man she was to protect. He had even seen to her care: bathed, fed, and given a wonderfully dried and warm nightgown. Though she still was in misery. She closed her eyes.

“Eloise,” a voice called to her.
Only after the second time her name was called did she open her eyes.

Eloise
looked up to find her husband towered over her. She lowered her gaze back to the darkened night. He reached down and pulled her to her feet. She couldn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she buried her face in his shoulder. He did nothing, but tightened his embrace. For years she held her emotions within her, but this night in his arms, the dam burst. Uncontrollably, her body shook and she began to weep.

His hand
stroked her head and whispered softly to her. Gradually, she regained a semblance of composure. She lifted her head and pushed gently against his hold, but he refused to release her.

Finally, he said, “I’m sending you
back with Seamus, Eloise. This is too dangerous. This…this is no place for you.”

“The games are done, Gerard.” She
looked directly up at him and searched his eyes. “I am doing what you wanted me to do the moment you discovered my existence. You have won. Sending me back now will defeat that purpose.”

“It will work without you. You need
only to send a note to your friend, Bernard. It should suffice…”

She stared, disbelieving. Despite
his words, an anger was there. His features were harsh; his lips in a hard, straight line. “No,” she said simply. “We both know that you will only get one attempt. If it doesn’t work and you have called them before the Council, all condemned die within twenty-four hours.”

“This is not what I want.” He
looked at her hard. She felt his own eyes probing hers.

“No?” she questioned. “No, Gerard? I
think this is exactly what you wanted. You maneuvered and cornered me to where I had no other option. In that, you might not have known the extent of my connection perhaps, but don’t try to tell me you gave a thought to me. Your thought lay only with your children.”

“You are wrong, Eloise. Yes, I
made no secret that I want my children and will do anything necessary to free them. But…”

Shaking her head, she reached up and placed her
finger on his lips to silence him for a moment. “Now you don’t understand. I find it admirable. A father should do anything for his children, whether or not legitimate. Love should know no boundaries. In this, it is now my mission also. I will do whatever in my power to see to their release.”

He gripped her hand, pushing her
back against the wall. “Damn it, Eloise! Why did you not tell me? I would never have allowed you to come back, no matter the reason! Your life is endangered. Your network has been compromised. If you go into Paris now, they may well be expecting you! I do not want a martyr for a wife.”

“I warned you, my lord. I tried to
tell you that I was not the wife for you,” she retorted. A lump rose in her throat. “Andre explained to me why he told you everything. He believed it to be the best course of action at this point. But I did not tell him that this is what you wanted to know. What you asked me the night before we wed. I will not defend myself. Never will I do so.”

“I did not ask for you to defend
yourself, madame.” Lenister’s voice was dangerously calm. “Did I not say it matter only if it interfered with my mission? Do you not suppose this will?”

“
Non
, it will serve you. Andre does not believe the one who betrayed us knows who I am. If they had, they would not have needed to raid a cottage. They would have gone to my uncle’s. I have been thinking about it. I believe it would be best if I travel with you into Paris as your wife. My name…my story would have preceded me. It should serve you well, my lord.”

“All the while they search for the White Rose.” He released her. From his tone, he implied he had heard much. “You are willing to walk into the hornet’s nest for my bastard
children. Why, Eloise, why?”

“What do you know
of me?” she demanded. She had to know. He had to say the words, for she could not.

“I know about your daughter. I need to know the rest.” His expression became solemn.

For a moment, Eloise had no answer. His words were as a dagger that struck the core of her heart, a never-ending ache that only dulled over time. No words could relate her grief or the guilt that weighed upon her about her baby. She studied her husband, trying to deduce whether he hated her now he knew about her child, but she could not read his eyes. She decided she had only one recourse. She answered him honestly.