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Chapter Four
The portmanteaux, those of Lisette and Hortense and another belonging to Sir John, together with the jewel-stuffed cushion, had been transferred from Sir John’s carriage to the ship’s boat and Lieutenant Sandford was waiting to help the passengers into it. Lisette was reluctant to comply. She stood on the beach looking inland, waiting for a glimpse of her carriage arriving with her father on board. There were one or two people on the road above the beach and a cart wending its way into town, but no sign of the carriage.
‘Mademoiselle,’ the lieutenant said, ‘I must insist you allow me to help you into the boat now.’
‘Let me wait a little longer.’ It was not the first time she had said that; it had been repeated at intervals ever since they had arrived on the foreshore and each time her worry increased. What had happened? Had Monsieur Drymore failed? Had the plan backfired and everyone been taken back to the prison? Had they even left the prison? Or, God forbid, had they all been killed? She could not stand still and kept going back towards the road and then returning to the boat in increasing despair.
‘I cannot,’ the lieutenant said. ‘The Commodore’s orders are to come back for him and he will be mightily displeased if he arrives and I am still here with you. The boat is small, it cannot accommodate everyone in one trip.’
‘Then take Sir John and Hortense and leave me here to wait.’
‘I won’t go without you,’ Hortense said.
‘Lisette, you will put the whole operation in jeopardy,’ Sir John said. ‘We must follow Jay’s instructions to the letter or all will be lost. He will be in a great hurry, perhaps pursued by guards, and the boat must be waiting for him. If it is not, how is he to get your father to safety?’
His words went home. With a last despairing look towards the road, Lisette turned and allowed herself to be helped aboard, followed by Hortense and Sir John. The lieutenant did not need to tell the two oarsmen to cast off, they were already pulling away when he scrambled in behind them. Lisette continued to gaze towards the receding shore as they were rowed away from the land of her birth and from her beloved father. Tears were streaming down her face and she could not stop them. No one tried to comfort her. The men did not know how and Hortense was sobbing herself.
‘They’re on the way at last.’ Sam came back into the barn where Jay was waiting with the horses. He had begun to think their plan had failed and they would have to return to Honfleur to find out what had happened and that meant the Lady Amy would sail without them. How, then, could they free the Comte and return to England? Never having been one to give up on an enterprise, it did not occur to him to abandon his mission and make for the shore and the safety of his yacht. ‘They will be here in a couple of shakes.’
‘How many?’
‘A driver, two mounted National Guard and whoever is in the van.’
‘Are they the guards we know?’
‘I could not tell from the distance. We might have a fight on our hands if they are.’
‘So be it. Are your pistols primed?’
‘Aye, aye, sir.’
‘Then let us go and meet them, but do not fire unless you have to. I want this done without bloodshed and without the guards knowing we are English.’
They trotted down the road and Jay held up his hand to stop the vehicle, which was no more than a lumbering old coach with its windows blacked out. ‘You have taken your time,’ he said, thankful the guards were strangers. ‘We thought to meet you on the road long before this.’
‘Why, what’s amiss?’
‘You have the ci-devant Comte Giradet there?’
‘Yes. What do you want with him?’
‘We have been sent from Paris to take him to the Palais de Justice.’ He took a sheet of paper from his pocket and held it up, but did not offer it to the guards. ‘Here are our orders.’
‘We don’t know anything about that,’ the older of the two said. ‘Take him to La Force prison, that’s was what we were told. Nothing was said about being met.’
‘I cannot help it if your superiors forget their instructions,’ Jay said.
‘It is hardly to be wondered at,’ the second guard put in. ‘The maréchaussée who should have been bringing him failed to turn up for duty. We were told to bring him at a moment’s notice, not even given time to tell our wives.’
‘You will be relieved not to have to go all the way to Paris, then,’ Jay said, putting the paper back into his pocket. He was tempted to look into the coach, but decided against it in case the Comte recognised him and gave the game away. ‘Who is in with the prisoner?’
