The Duchess (37 page)

“And how did you?” Allegra inquired. She was fascinated by this tale, and would have never expected such heroism or daring-do from Quinton, although she did not think him a coward. How she wished he had been there to help her brother.

“The old ladies had a small coach, nothing however that you could hide anything in, and so we decided to take a baggage cart as well. We hid the marquise and her two youngest children in a small space beneath the cart bottom, and then we piled the luggage atop it. The marquis and his son we dressed as Parisian peasants. Their clothing was ragged and filthy. Only the marquis had wooden clogs on his feet. His son was barefooted. We made certain they were dirtied. Because they had been on the run for several months, they were not plump with good living any longer. Indeed they were quite thin and gaunt, which was fortunate for the deception.

“We took the chance that we could squeak the marquis and his son, who were driving the vehicles, by the authorities. When we got to the gates of Paris we showed our passports to the guards there. Then we explained that the drivers would be returning in a few days' time to Paris with the carriage and the cart. That because the old sisters, and their English relation, had to be out of Paris by nightfall there was no opportunity to get the proper papers for the drivers. They would remain if the authorities wanted them to do so, and we would drive, but then how would the carriage and the cart get back to Paris? We said the two ancient mademoiselles were giving the transport to their drivers as
well as paying them in good French livres. This would mean the two citizens could earn a living when they returned to Paris.

“The guards at the gate hemmed and hawed for a few moments, and then having been slipped some silver coins, waved us through. It took us several days to reach the coast. A bit longer than if we had gone a direct route, but we traveled the back roads so we did not have to hide the marquise and her children beneath the boards of the baggage cart. Like the others, they were garbed poorly in case anyone saw us. We bought our food along the way and slept rough. We reached Marcus's yacht without delay, sold the carriage, the cart, and the horses to an innkeeper, and set sail for England.” He paused, and then continued. “The four of us had such fun on that adventure that we returned to France several times after that to help friends, or relations of friends. That is why Lady Bellingham thinks I can save her niece, but I am not certain we can. She may have waited too long to ask for help, and the four of us have responsibilities now that we did not have then.”

“We must try, however,” Allegra told her husband. “First, let us find out where the Comtesse d'Aumont lives. How near it is to the sea, and where exactly it is located. Then we can make our plans.”

“Our plans?”
the duke repeated.

“Of course,” Allegra said quietly. “You don't think I am going to let you go to France and have all the fun, do you?”

“If any attempt is made to rescue the Comtesse d'Aumont and her children, Allegra,” the duke said sternly to his wife, “it will be a very dangerous undertaking, not a pleasure trip, my darling girl, but I love you for your bravery in wanting to go.”

“Quinton, when will you learn not to treat me as if I
am some delicate creature whose frail sensibilities must not be distressed? You were damnably lucky in Paris three years ago when you rescued your friend. This is a whole different matter and must be approached as such. I will need to think on it, but we must act quickly.”

“Allegra!”
He sounded exasperated.

“Quinton, listen to me,” she said quietly. “My brother was murdered in that damned revolution. Many other innocent people have been. More honest simple people than the aristocrats the revolution claims to hate. Women are far more devious than men, my darling. Who sit beneath the guillotine grimly as heads fall? Who incite their men to revenge? Women! You are going to need me if you have any chance of rescuing the Comtesse d'Aumont. I have to do this for James Lucian's sake. It is the only way I have of avenging his death.
You must let me come.”
Her fingers dug urgently into his arm, and she looked directly at him.

“It is madness,” he murmured, but he understood.

“I can help you,” she promised him.

“I will think on it,” he finally agreed.

“We will go together,” she said with a smile, indicating that the matter was closed.

“We will all go,” Eunice, the Countess of Aston said brightly.

“What?”
her husband exclaimed.

“Yes,” Caroline, Lady Walworth agreed, looking up from her place at Lady Bellingham's side. “I have to help the comtesse, too. She is my cousin, even if I didn't know it until today.”

“Ohh, my dears,” Lady Bellingham said, looking at them all with misty eyes. “How can I thank you?” Then she wept some more.

“Where is your husband?” the duke asked Lady Bellingham.

“Poor Freddie has taken to his bed,” she replied. “He feels responsible that he did not go to France himself when the Comte d'Aumont was killed and bring Anne-Marie and her children back. He will be so happy to learn you dear young people are going to rescue his niece and her family.” She arose from her place on the settee. “I must go and tell him at once,” she exclaimed, and hurried from the room.

“God damnit, what a muddle!” the duke exclaimed.

“We'll have to go now,” the Earl of Aston said.

“Of course we will,” Lord Walworth agreed. “Poor old girl is so distressed. Repay her for her kindness to us all, eh?”

“How soon can we leave?” the earl asked.

“Two or three days at the most,” the duke answered. “We'll need to learn from Lord Bellingham where his niece lives. We'll take your yacht again, Marcus. She's fast and she's tight.”

“Decide what we need to take,” Lord Walworth said, “and I will see we are well supplied.”

“Listen to them,” Allegra said to her two friends. “Making plans without us, and not having any real idea of what they are going to do at all. Men can be so irritating.”

“Are we really going to go?” Caroline said.

“Of course we are,” Allegra responded. “She is your cousin, and she needs our help. How do you think the comtesse is going to react to three English gentlemen barging into her home, if they can even get near her home, and announcing they've come to take her and her children back to England? She won't know if she can trust them, if they really are who they say they are, or if they are part of the plot to steal her son's inheritance. A woman, however, could convince the lady that all is well, and that she need not fear.”

“You realize that they plan to leave us behind,” Eunice said softly.

“We won't let them,” Allegra said with a twinkle. “Ohh, I am so sorry that Sirena can't join us in this adventure.”

“Do you have a plan?” Caroline inquired.

“How good is your French?” Allegra asked in return, looking at both of her friends.

“Excellent,” Eunice replied.

“Very good,” Caroline responded.

Allegra smiled. “Unfortunately my husband tells me that he is the only one among his friends to speak adequate French. The gentlemen will have no choice but to allow us to help them.”

“But do you have a plan?” Caroline persisted.

“I think so,” Allegra responded, “but give me a day to convince Quinton that it is the right plan, ladies.”

Lady Bellingham returned to her drawing room as the three couples prepared to leave. They promised to visit her the following day, at which time they would learn exactly where the village of St. Jean Baptiste was located, and prepare to leave for France.

“Freddie is so relieved,” Lady Bellingham told them, “and so am I. Oh, my dear Quinton, what would we do without friends like you to help us? I am so glad I was able to have a tiny part in you and Allegra finding happiness. Now an heir to complete the matters, and everything will be perfect.”

“Everything will be perfect, dear Lady Clarice, only when we have brought your niece and her children safely to England,” the duke said gallantly, kissing the lady's hand. He bowed smartly. “We shall see you at eleven tomorrow morning.”

They bid their friends farewell out on the street before
the Bellingham house. Once inside their coach Allegra snuggled against her husband and murmured contentedly, “How wonderful,” she said, “that we can help dear Lady Bellingham.”

The duke sighed. “My darling,” he said, “you cannot really mean to go. It is much too dangerous, and as for Caroline and Eunice, they are charming featherheads. We would all be killed if caught, I fear. Leave this to the men, Allegra. We will rescue the comtesse and her family, I guarantee you.”

“How?”
Allegra asked him innocently.

“How?” he repeated, puzzled.

“Yes, my darling,
how?
Just what clever plan have you formulated to rescue this lady and her children? I cannot rest easy until I know, Quinton, because as you have so thoughtfully pointed out to me, it is a very dangerous task that must be completed. So, how will you do it?”

Some men might not have recognized Allegra's tone, but Quinton Hunter did. And the truth was he was totally stumped as to how to gain safe custody of Lady Bellingham's niece. “I suppose we will bribe those guarding the comtesse and her family,” he said slowly, his mind grasping futilely for more detail, but he could not think of a thing.

“I see,” Allegra said, nothing more.

There was that tone again, he thought nervously. He remained silent for a moment, but then unable to help himself he said, “How would you rescue the lady and her children?”

“You have said yourself,” Allegra began, “that you are the only one among your friends who speaks passable French. That the language as spoken by Marcus, Dree, and Ocky is execrable. But Caroline, Eunice, and I speak excellent French. What if we, along with you
three gentlemen, arrived at the comtesse's home dressed as peasant women. Only the four of us would speak. Marcus and Dree could murmur the occasional
‘Oui,’
but other than that leave the talking to the rest of us. Don't you think we could convince whoever is guarding the comtesse that we had come to get her and her children? That they had an appointment with Madame la Guillotine for tea. If we are as forceful as those horrible hags who knit beneath that instrument of execution are, or so I have heard it said, we can get Lady Bellingham's niece and her family from the house. If there are not too many guards, and I suspect there are not, for those trying to steal the d'Aumont property won't consider anyone would come rescue this country aristocrat. And whoever is attempting the nefarious act probably is doing it because there is no one to tell them they can't do it. Once we have the comtesse and her family, we'll bind the guards. That way they cannot go into the village, and learn of our deception.”

The Duke of Sedgwick was speechless for several long moments. Part of him knew that his wife was an intelligent young woman, but another part of him relegated her to the same status all women of his class held. Beautiful. Charming. An ornament. But Allegra was not a toy to be displayed and then put away. She was clever and quick-witted. “It is a perfect plan,” he finally said to her, “but not without its element of danger.”

“I know,” she replied. “We must be very careful, and we must know everything we need to know before we attempt a rescue. For instance, who is doing this to the poor lady?
And why?
That is why we must set sail for France in two days' time, no more. We will need a few days once we are there to learn what we must know. Then we should act swiftly, and without any hesitation.”

“Agreed,” he replied, realizing even as the words
came from her mouth that he was indeed agreeing to her whole plan.

“Then you understand why Caroline, Eunice, and I must come?” she queried him.

“I do, although it will be a difficult thing to explain to their husbands, my darling,” he responded.

“If you are willing to allow me to be in danger, how can they do anything else?” Allegra said quietly.

“Do you think your friends are brave enough to carry this off, or will they panic at the first sign of danger?” the duke said.

“I believe we are all brave enough, Quinton, but who among us can say for certain how brave we will be until we directly face danger? Besides, if we do this thing properly, there should be little danger to any of us. I believe that we can outsmart a couple of lackwit peasants. After all, we are English,” she concluded.

He laughed. “God bless me, my darling, you suddenly sound most patriotic and grand. Very well, I shall speak to Dree and Marcus first thing in the morning. Then we shall go to the Bellinghams, and tell them only that a rescue attempt will be made. I will not tell them that you ladies are to be involved, for it would distress them, and send them both to their beds with the vapors. While I am dealing with my friends, you must explain to yours what we plan to do, and Allegra, you must give both Eunice and Caroline the opportunity to cry off if they wish to do so. And they may upon reflection. If they do, you cannot be angry. Do you promise me that?”

“They will not cry off,” Allegra said with certainty. “Do you know how dull London has been for us? Parties. Museums. The Tower Zoo. Never again! At least this will afford us a little excitement before we return home to the country to do our duties, and fill our nurseries with those babies that you gentlemen seem to
want.” She smiled at him, and kissed him softly. “We must work very hard to have those babies, Quinton.
Very hard.
”

He tipped her face up to his, and kissed her. “You will gain no argument from me, madame, on that point,” he told her, and his hand slid beneath her fur-lined cloak to fondle her breasts.

“Ummm,” she sighed contentedly, melting into his embrace. But then their carriage came to a definite stop.

“We're home,” he noted, a tone of regret in his voice.

“We can continue this upstairs, if my lord wishes,” she replied playfully, her little tongue licking at her lips provocatively.

“I must pen notes off to Dree and Marcus, but I will join you shortly, mon coeur,” the duke whispered against her lips.