"Percy you can not be serious! This plan is beyond mad!" Andrew shouted in protest as the remaining details had been laid out.
The countdown to the moment of truth had begun, and time was slowly ticking away. With Chauvelin's permission, I had managed to free myself from the prison, as well as Marguerite's embrace, and make my way quickly to the league's hideout, Marie's cellar, where the entire group was gathered. From the very first word, the men had been silent, hanging on my every sound as if it were the source of life…at least until I had finished.
The plan was to be that Chauvelin and his soldiers would bring Marguerite and Armand to the seacoast as I had already set up the previous night; however his soldiers were to be the league in disguise. Once I appeared to take the bait, I would allow Chauvelin to think that he held my life in his hands, not knowing that in truth, I held all the tricks in my hand! Unfortunately, the plan seemed to be failing from left to right as not only escape routes had been barricaded but also none of the bounders had agreed to it.
As I sat in my chair, ready to explode with impatience, I could hear one after the other have some sort of complaint.
"Percy, there is no way to get out past Miquelon's shores! Chauvelin had them all guarded just the other day!" Elton argued.
"What about Grappin? He has been your best disguise, and it would be ludicrous to ruin all of that for one small mission!" Hastings added.
"There must be some other way!" Tony had concluded, for I would hear no more of their protests.
"That is quite enough!" I shouted to be heard over the din. "Listen, this plan is our only hope for survival whether it becomes more easy or difficult! Another life has been added to our group and should we not at least make an attempt to pull through, I shall be a widower! I know what all of you must think of Marguerite after what we discovered, but everything is different! I know now that without this woman my life is over, and I shall do all that I can to keep her safe even if I really must die tonight! Why should I be saved instead of her, Armand, and all of you?
"You have all sworn that you would give your lives for me; it should only be humane for me to do the same for you! This plan will be carried out as I have explained to you, and that is my final word on the matter. Whether you all join me in it or not, the decision is yours, and I shall not stand in the way of your choices. But either way, I guarantee you all that I shall be on my way to Miquelon by tonight with my sword in hand. Any man who desires to help may do so. Is that clear?"
As I looked on to all of the ten faces staring at me, I was not certain as to whether they had wanted to appear guilty, surprised, shocked, or awed, but I did not care. I had meant every firm word that I had said, and they all knew quite well that I was far too determined and stubborn to change my mind.
Slowly as gazes were exchanged, one man after the other stood up, and Andrew, silently chosen as a representative, stepped forward, his hand on the handle of his sword. Staring up as much as he had to, for our heights had been almost equal, he drew the weapon, and knelt down with its point holding up the both of them. As each bounder followed the suit, he spoke.
"We, who have sworn unquestioning obedience to you our chief, friend, and comrade, have therefore sworn to join you in any venture you place before us. Thus, with that oath in mind, we, the league of the Scarlet Pimpernel, shall indeed join you once again…in the most insane mission we have ever heard of!"
I could not help but join in the laughter that followed, for leave it to the bounders to take a serious moment and add in a bit of humor to calm our nerves. As they all rose, I held out my sword before the small circle that had formed. "Into the fire?"
With a smile from each of them, each blade slowly crossed mine in agreement.
"Into the fire!"
* * * * *
Hiding in the demmed bushes once again, I watched cautiously as Chauvelin paced the steps of the guillotine that he had conveniently ordered to be built on the seacoast. Swiftly but surely, the head must fall mustn't it? I thought bitterly with a sarcastic smile. He could never be a patient man now could he?
"The hour has passed; what could possibly be taking the phantom so long?" he complained whiningly as he passed every one of the disguised bounders up.
Never even thought he had the entire group right under his demmed nose!
"Odd's fish, Shovelin! Have you not yet learned that I am always fashionably late?" I shouted still hiding, for I so wanted to torture and frighten him! "Really now, will you never learn the behavior of the English aristo or at least this one in particular?"
"Who said that?" I could hear his fearful reply, and figured that it was time to put the poor man out of his misery.
"The Scarlet Pimpernel of course! Did you really think that I would turn down such an invitation as this?"
"That is not what I asked! I want to know who is talking to us!"
"Ah but that is what I answered, but since you must be so demmed particular about everything I guess that I have no other choice but to show you who I am," I replied with a small laugh before walking out from my shadow.
Everyone other than Marguerite and Armand must have held their breath as I walked out into the open, my flippant tone as always unscathed.
Looking to my little friend in black, I laughed. "My dear Shovelin, you look as if you have seen your ghost, and yet you have not even attempted to kill me!"
Finally coming to his senses, Chauvelin discreetly stepped in my direction. "Well well, Sir Percy, all this time you have been our elusive Pimpernel, and we had been too stupid to see it? Am I correct?"
"Oh indeed you are, Shovelin! I would have told you sooner, but would you really have believed me? No I did not think so, and that is why I had decided to leave the little surprise until tonight!"
"That is all I needed to know!"
Suddenly I do not know how, but he managed to take a good swipe at me with his sword, and I just barely missed I might add! Knowing that my only way out of this one would be to fight back, I drew my own weapon, trying to slow down his actions by countering them.
"Oh really now Shovelin, you would injure a man you thought to be unarmed? I had no intention of taking your life you know."
"That may be true, but I am rather the opposite, Sir Percy; I have every intention of taking your life whether it be by sword or guillotine!"
I truly had not a moment to respond, for it took only a second to realize that this man was not going to give in as easily as I expected. He was more than willing to put up a good fight, and there was nothing left to do but defend myself or die. Obviously, the wise decision would be the first.
Minutes on end flew by as quickly as the blades we held in our hands. From the way he battled, I knew for sure that Chauvelin was stubbornly refusing to become tired and therefore, he would not to stop until he had made his kill. Sure enough, every viscous blow had paid off and he finally took my own weapon in addition to his own. It was finished.
"Seize the man and prepare him for Madame Guillotine, for both she and I have waited long enough for this!" he said with a laugh as the soldiers moved in ready to do as they were told. However, they only helped me to stand up as it finally occurred to the little Frenchman what was going on around him.
"Well Shovelin I could only guess that you always seem to underestimate my ingenuity. Would you allow me to present my own men, since your own would not have followed the plan I had in mind or would it be too much of a shock for you?"
"Y-y-your men?"
"That is correct! And just to prove that, I do believe that they know what to do with you, don't you boys?"
Without further questioning, the entire league, even Armand who had joined them to gladly help, made our friend more than comfortable on the steps of his beloved guillotine. Tying him to the railing, and gagging him just to keep his bothersome mouth closed, I looked the scene over for inspection.
"It really needs something else! Something is lacking! Hmm…what could it be?" I asked slowly as I noticed my seal ring on my finger. "Ah yes that's it! Monsieur Shovelin must have wanted to give his officials their Pimpernel, so…what if he surprised them by actually being the man himself?"
As everyone nodded in agreement, I took out of my pocket my forged papers that I had always used and put it in his hands.
"And now for a ring! Of course this one we shall need," I asked again indicating the object in question. "So what is there that we can use?" Then turning to Marguerite, I continued. "My dear Lady Blakeney, would you not have one that we may borrow? I promise I shall replace it soon enough!"
Her famous smile beaming bright in the darkness, Marguerite handed over her wedding band, and after a quick thank you, I placed it on Chauvelin's finger.
"Well would you look at that! A perfect fit!" I exclaimed as our entire group joined in on the laughter. "Now I believe that there is nothing left to do but leave; who's with me?"
In reply every man made a run for the DayDream, which waited at the shore, while Marguerite simply held onto me. As I gently put my arm around her, I looked once more to our dear friend, Shovelin. "You should have known, citizen, that the good always wins over the bad, even in the love of a wonderful creature as the one beside me. Now I have no doubts that you shall be comfortable until someone finds you here. 'Til our next meeting then; vive la France and long live the king!"