“We have come for the Comtesse d’Aumont and her brats,” said the obvious leader of the group, a woman who wore an eye patch over her left eye.
“I am the Comtesse d’Aumont,” Anne-Marie quavered, her heart beginning to pound furiously.
“We have been sent to take you to Harfleur, Citizeness. Your children, too,” the woman said. “Where are the men who are supposed to be guarding you? Heads will roll for this infraction of the rules!”
“The guards went back to St. Jean Baptiste yesterday when Monsieur Reynaud, the head of the Committee for Public Safety arrived. He is here now, but he is still sleeping,” she told them.
“Where?”demanded the woman.
“Upstairs,” the comtesse said. “Will you not come in?”
“Madame,” the leader said softly, “do not be afraid. We have come to rescue you. We carry a letter from your uncle, Lord Bellingham. This is but a charade.” Honor handed the comtesse the small message. She opened it, and the relief upon her face was palpable.
“This is a miracle,” she whispered.
“Who are these ruffians, madame?” Thérèse had come up from the kitchen, a large carving knife in her hand.
“There is not time to explain, Thérèse. Whatever happens, do not be afraid. It is all right, and I will tell you as soon as I can,” Anne-Marie d’Aumont said in low tones. “They have come to rescue us.”
“What the hell is going on down here?” Reynaud d’Aumont stood at the top of the staircase. He was half-dressed. He stomped down to face them. “Who the devil are you?”
“You are Monsieur Reynaud of the Committee for Public Safety in St. Jean Baptiste?” the woman with the eye patch demanded authoritatively.
“I am,” he replied.
“I am Citizeness Honneur Dupont. These citizens and I have been sent from Harfleur to take Citizeness d’Aumont and her offspring into custody. We have been given our authority by the Committee for Public Safety in Harfleur. Charges have been made against this woman.”
“What charges?” demanded Reynaud.
“I do not know,” Honor replied surlily. “I am not made privy to such things. It is my duty to collect those people the committee wishes to see. Was this woman not already under arrest?”
“Yes,” he said slowly.
“Then why are you standing there arguing with me, Citizen Reynaud? If you have any questions or complaints to make, I suggest you come to Harfleur with us. If, however, you defy the wishes of the Harfleur Committee for Public Safety, I can only imagine what your fate will be.” She made a chopping motion with her hand. “This citizeness and her children have been asked to tea by Madame la Guillotine. I am certain you do not object to enemies of France being exterminated.” She glared at him, hands upon her hips.“Well, Citizen?”she growled.
“No. No,” Reynaud said. Then he thought, what a fortunate coincidence that Anne-Marie and her children should be taken away now. While he would have enjoyed having her about to torture for a while longer, it did not matter really. Le Verger would now be his without any questions. “Where are the children?” he asked Anne-Marie.
“With Père André,” she said low. “They are your blood, Reynaud. Do not let them be killed! Keep them here with you. I beg you!” She fell to her knees before him, and he thought of when she had done the same thing yesterday. The memory of it made his rod tingle.
“Get on your feet, Citizeness,” he snapped at her roughly, yanking her up. “The committee in Harfleur outranks me. You will go with these citizens.” He turned to Thérèse. “Go and fetch the brats, old woman.”
She glared up at him.
He stepped forward and shouted down into her face. “Did you not hear me, you old bitch? Or are you too stupid to understand?”
“I understand very well, Citizen Reynaud,” Thérèse said softly, and then she plunged her carving knife directly into his heart. “I understand everything, but you will not have Le Verger. It belongs to the true heir, and not some bastard. Do you hear me? Or are you too stupid to understand?” Thérèse stepped back from him as he collapsed to the floor. Then drawing the knife from her victim’s chest she wiped it off on her skirt.
“Good God,” the Earl of Aston exclaimed in English.
“Be silent, Citizen Pierre,” Honor said in a hard voice.
“I will go to fetch Céline and the children now,Madame la Comtesse,” Thérèse said quietly. Turning, she walked from the house.
“Who was he?” the Duke of Sedgwick asked the stunned Anne-Marie.
“My husband’s half brother,” she replied. “He was his father’s bastard, and was raised to be my husband’s servant. Jean-Claude loved him as he would any brother. I always thought they were friends, but then yesterday I learned that it was Reynaud who had betrayed my husband when they were in Paris last year.”
“Is that why the old woman killed him?” the duke continued to query. “It was, if I may say so, quite nicely, and neatly done.”
