So much time had passed by quickly during our crusades for justice as the Scarlet Pimpernel and his league, and our popularity was rising in England by the minute. The men were feeling prouder than usual, and the women…well the word admiration would be a rather mild one. We were the talk of London, and the even funnier part was that, people who saw any of us pass by did not even know who we were! Life was good!
Well, not all of it was. While in France, not only were we always on our guard, but sometimes, misfortune did cross our path on the way to victory. True we did do a lot of good, but not all visits to the country held moments of glory. I had often found myself actually questioning this new life, pondering whether I could really handle the consequences of different situations.
One of those times still rests on my mind as if it had just occurred. The league and I had set off for Paris yet again that night to rescue one Countess de Ponay and her son, who could not be any older than a few months. I knew immediately that this was not going to be an easy mission, for the incident of the St Cyrs was still fresh in our minds. This small family just seemed to remind all of us of them, and I found myself thinking about how this child was no different from St Cyr's own. Uncomfortable emotion certainly knew its way around my body when it came to thoughts of imprisoned children, for in my opinion, they were the most innocent of all.
Anyway, the DayDream, my schooner that we used for traveling, did eventually dock in the late morning hours, and we, having put on our famous disguises, headed for the West Gate to enter Paris. The guard there, one Sergeant Bibot, was as stupid as a mule, thus it would be very easy to get passed him and into the city. Thank you Lord for making men like him! I usually thought as I pushed my way through after he checked my forged papers.
Meanwhile, hidden in the city, we had one hideout house that luckily had not been discovered yet, and we intended to keep it that way for a long time! Tony and Hastings had already gone ahead of us in order to release the countess and her child and bring them to the house. One thing had made me uneasy and that was Tony's report of the landlady. According to him, she had seemed to see right through them all, deducing who we were and what our plan was. However, I shook it off my mind; the old woman always appeared to be mad at us for some reason or another.
Of course, the moment I arrived, I made my way up the stairs to approach the countess and get a word with her. This had to be done with all the émigrés, but only to assure everyone's safety when we brought them back to England. As you know, I wanted no one there to know who we were, and if one of those we had to rescue slipped it out, then that would be the end!
Kneeling down in back of her, I spoke in a deep and unidentifiable voice. "Milady, you are the Countess de Ponay I presume?" With a slight gasp, she began to turn around, but I stopped her. "Madame la countess, I must not allow you to see me, for the Scarlet Pimpernel works in secrecy. Do we have an understanding?"
She nodded in a bit of shock I had guessed before she answered. Her voice had given me the idea that she certainly was very young, possibly between eighteen and twenty years old. "Monsieur la Pimpernel, I could not thank you enough. I thought I would never leave that terrible place unless I was to meet Madame Guillotine as my husband did. In fact the only other reason that I had wanted to leave was exactly that in order for us to be together again. I miss him more than anyone will ever know."
I could hear the catch in her voice as emotions made there way out of her body. "If you do not wish to talk of this, milady, you do not have to. I can only imagine you pain, and I believe it would hurt very much to think or speak of it," I explained gently, but she only shook her head.
"No, I actually feel much better talking about it. These feelings have been locked up inside me for so long, and I must get them out."
"I understand. Whatever pleases you shall please me."
"Thank you, monsieur for understanding. However, before anything else is done, I must ask one last thing of you."
"Proceed, I am listening. Ask of me what you wish."
Slowly and gently, she gathered the small baby into her arms, and surprisingly begged me through her actions to hold him. Finding no reason to object, I did so as she spoke at last. "Monsieur la Pimpernel, you hold in your arms my son, Henri. He was born in the Temple prison only a few months ago and his father and I did and still do love him dearly. What I am trying to say, monsieur, is that I do not care what happens to me from now on. I have seen enough of life, but Henri is only a small baby that still has to learn about the world, all in it, and a time when it was better. Please, no matter what happens to me, promise that he will be safe and cared for."
I rarely cry in front of anyone, but now I could not help myself. Here was a woman that was willing to give up her own life if it meant that her son would make it out of France. And the boy himself! That helpless, faultless face looked up at me, and his eyes just cried out for freedom. I knew what my answer would have to be.
Wiping my tear-stained face quickly and my calm state returning, I replied, "Milady, your son shall not be harmed by anyone. I swear this on my honor."
Although I could not see her face, I sensed that she had smiled. "God bless you for all that you do, monsieur. Surely, you must be an angel in disguise."
"The Good Lord and all of his angels have not left my side yet, and I doubt they ever will. I leave my work in His hands. As for you, rest now for we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. My league must get you out of here bright and early tomorrow, and we have to leave then and only then. Good night."
As she settled herself down, I handed the child over to her once again. Then she fell into a deep sleep, the last she would ever have.
* * * * *
The woods outside Paris seemed all too quiet as our entire entourage pushed our way through the bushes and branches. Something was definitely wrong, and with my nerves overcoming me slowly, I pulled Tony aside and halted the group.
"What is it Percy? What is wrong?" he asked concerned.
I had to laugh a bit. "You know me too well, my friend."
"Percy, seriously now! You are never visibly nervous; therefore when you are, something is usually awry."
My sensibilities returning instantly, I answered, "You could not be more correct, but do not worry just yet. Only answer me this: do we still have the emergency cart hidden in the normal place?"
"Ready and waiting."
"Good, we are going to need it. These woods are really making me uneasy, and I want to get the countess out as soon as possible. Now listen, Tony, bring someone with you to get the cart and return here with it as fast as your feet will carry you. Hurry now!"
Never one to disobey me, Tony along with Farleigh and Leggett, went off to do what they were told, and returned within a few minutes successfully with the cart we needed. The countess with her son on her lap was lifted into it immediately, and I jumped up in the front, shouting for the horses to move.
Unfortunately, we had only rode a few paces before we were surrounded and ambushed by a large number of French soldiers. I yelled at the horse to speed up more quickly as the race for the coast and freedom began.
My God they are good shots!, I thought despairingly as the army continued to follow us. But my mind was interrupted suddenly as I heard a yelp and cries from the back of the cart. Without thinking, I turned around to see what had happened, and the warning from the league had come a tad too late as I heard a distant gunshot. The next thing I knew, the cart was swerving into a tilt and I felt a sharp pain in my side as it crashed to the ground causing my vision to go black.
* * * *
"Percy? Percy please wake up!" was all I heard until I finally did as I was told. When I did manage to open my eyes, I saw Andrew bent over me, slapping my face gently. My senses completely filling me again, I took my own swat at him in annoyance, and realized that I was not on the DayDream at all. Instead I was on a bed in a room that I had never seen before in my life, and filled with excruciating pain on top of that!
Andrew on the other hand almost jumped out of his seat with the glee of a schoolboy. "Percy thank God you are conscious! For a while, we thought we had lost you, for you took quite a fall."
"Lud love me Andrew slow down!" I said hoarsely. "I haven't the slightest clue what you are talking about. Please tell me everything that has happened from the beginning."
"You do not remember?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Percy, you were hurt badly. The damn soldier had a good aim unfortunately, and hit you once in the side and your leg, and the last thing we were going to do was leave you unattended."
I groaned as I finally became aware of exactly how much of an injury I had. "Well that explains all of this then! But where is the countess? What happened to her?" As his expression was turned down to the ground in despair, my eyes caught the action instantly causing me to begin panicking. "Andrew Ffoulkes, don't you dare hold anything back from me. What happened to the countess? Did she make it? Damnation man answer me!"
His answer was beyond solemn. "Percy, the countess was shot before the cart fell over."
"Andrew, you are stalling! Please tell me, is she alive?"
To my grief, he shook his head in a negative reply. "She passed away before we could help her. It took some time, but the Lord did take her home."
Frantically I tried to sit up, but he stopped me. "Percy calm down! You will hurt yourself even more!"
I could not hold my tears back anymore. "You do not understand! I promised her! I gave my word that the child would be unharmed! He could not have died!"
"Percy! I never said that the boy was dead!"
"What do you mean?"
As he finally succeeded in getting me to lay back down, he said, "Everything is all right, my friend. Now before you make me believe that the Blakeney insanity is in you somewhere, listen to what I have to say. The boy is safely on the DayDream as we speak; miraculously he survived the firing and fall. Hal has offered his care for the child until we find a family willing to take him into custody."
"Praise the Lord!" I managed to whisper gratefully through clenched teeth. I accidentally had moved the wrong way causing the pain to renew itself. But I had no time to say another word, for Andrew had spoke again.
"Percy, you must rest now; you need it more than you think. I will be back in the morning to check on you again."
I nodded my thanks to him as he blew out my candle and left, but my thoughts could not tear themselves away from that of the countess. Fresh tears were ready to fall in mourning, but at the last possible second, they changed to those of understanding. I had reminded myself that she had to be happy again, reunited with her husband and knowing in that special motherly way that Henri was safe.
"Milady," I said silently aloud. "My vow to you is fulfilled. You may rest in peace now, for my service to you is done." Then blowing a kiss to the Heavens above, my eyes closed in a peaceful sleep.