Page 42 of A Fierce Wind

Chapter 10

Freddie abruptly stood, placing a protective hand on Zoé’s shoulder. “You have been a gracious host, General Boisguy, but there is no need for you to see us to our chambers. If a servant can lead the way, I will be happy to accompany Mademoiselle Donet.”

After having seen the desire in the young general’s eyes whenever he looked at Zoé, Freddie had no intention of leaving her alone with him. She was too fetching a prize. Then, too, she might be vulnerable to the young royalist hero, who was a dark version of her glorious Henri.

Zoé got to her feet and frowned. “Really, Freddie, I can follow the servant myself. You can both stay.”

Gabe stood and addressed Freddie. “I will be attending the mademoiselle, as always. She will not be alone.”

By now, everyone at the table was on their feet and the entire situation was becoming ridiculous. Freddie was considering letting Gabe escort Zoé when Captain Victor spoke up.

“Allow me to accompany you,” she said to Zoé. “The towers can be confusing and our walk to your chamber would give us a chance to become better acquainted.”

“I would like that,” said Zoé, smiling at the female Chouan.

Freddie let out a breath. He had hoped for a moment alone with her. “Very good. Sleep well. I will call upon you in the morning.”

As the two women walked off, Gabe trailing behind them with a lantern, Freddie took his seat across from Boisguy, whose gaze lingered a bit too long on Zoé.

Drawing the general’s attention back to him, Freddie said, “I will make sure my contacts have the information regarding your army’s most urgent needs. Men and horses may take time, but small artillery, muskets and ammunition can be transported sooner to Brittany’s shores.”

Boisguy took a long draw on his wine. “We would be most grateful. I expect the war in Brittany to go on for some time.”

“Will you be reducing that list of our needs to writing?” asked Jean Chouan with a suspicious look. The Chouan from Maine clearly did not yet trust them.

“I came prepared to do so,” said Freddie. “The writing will be in code, of course, merely a description of the local flora. That way, if I am wounded or worse, my companions can see the list reaches the right hands.”

“If they were to take you,” said Boisguy, “I can assure you their methods to extract information would be ruthless, leaving little for the guillotine.”

Jean Chouan leaned across the table, a wry smile on his lips. “But then the Anglais are typically shot.”

Freddie shuddered. “Most comforting.”

“Perhaps it would better inform you if you were to accompany me on tonight’s patrol,” said Jean Chouan. “My men and I will be leaving shortly.”

Freddie thought the night patrol would be a good opportunity to see the Chouans from Maine in action and he suspected the Chouan leader wanted to observe Freddie more closely as well. He nodded. “I’ll be ready.”

Zoé followed Captain Victor down a castle walkway to a distant tower where she stopped in front of an arched wooden door. Gabe had trailed behind them and, as they stepped through the doorway, he went to the wood stacked next to the fireplace and offered to light a fire.

Zoé thanked him and took his lantern, placing it on the shelf above the fireplace. The flickering light allowed her to see the chamber’s furnishings. They were sparse but adequate, two narrow beds, a small table and two chairs.

“This tower is more remote than the others,” said Captain Victor. “You and the girl should have some privacy here. Mr. West and the two other men can stay in the adjacent chamber.”

“Thank you,” said Zoé. “I expect she is very tired.”

Gabe’s success with the fire soon produced a steady blaze, warming the small room. “I’ll be just outside, mademoiselle,” he said, slipping out the door.

Zoé sat on one of the beds and invited Captain Victor to sit on the other. “Captain Victor, might you tell me how you came to join Boisguy’s forces?”

“Call me Victorine, if you like. The story of how I came to serve under General Boisguy is not a terribly exciting one, but I will tell you.” She flicked her long plait behind her.

Zoé leaned forward, anxious to learn more about this intriguing woman.

“My family is a very old one, loyal to the king and the Church for many generations. When Brittany rebelled against the conscription that would have had its sons fighting for the revolution, many men joined the loyalist cause. I watched them go and wondered what I could do. But when the Committee of Public Safety ordered the deaths of priests and murdered the king and queen, I could no longer stand idly by. Like Boisguy and Henri and the other nobles who were persuaded by the peasants to lead them, I could shoot and ride. I had to decide whether to leave with the other émigrés or stay and fight. I chose the latter.”

“Your parents must have been horrified.”

“By then, my mother had died. My father just shook his head. I think he knew eventually I would go. Saying goodbye was hard, knowing I may never see him again, but I shall always remember the pride in his voice and the sadness in his eyes when he bid me ‘Godspeed’. Like you, I chose to wear a man’s clothing. ’Tis more practical and easier for the men to take orders from a woman who is not wearing skirts.”