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Jay concluded his business with Messieurs Martin, Robespierre and Danton and they parted on good terms, or so it seemed on the surface; underneath there was deep-seated mistrust on both sides which was not helped when Jay spotted Wentworth on the other side of the road as he left the building. Luckily the man was too busy shouting at a small boy who was taunting him for his extravagant clothes to notice anyone else and Jay slipped down a side road without being seen.
He did not go back to the Embassy, but hurried to the Cross Keys to meet Harry and the other two, knowing he would have to tell them about Lisette’s treachery. Angry as he had been, he could not help feeling a twinge of sympathy for her. He could understand her overwhelming need to rescue her brother; in similar circumstances he would feel the same, but it was a pity she could not trust him and Had gone to that mountebank, Wentworth, and, what was worse, believed the lies he had fed her. Had she already betrayed them? Had Wentworth been on his way to convey the information to Robespierre?
The other three were waiting for him in a private room at the inn with two bottles of wine and glasses in front of them. They were cheerful and eager to put their plans into action. He sat down, poured himself a glass of wine and took a mouthful.
‘Why so glum, Jay?’ Harry asked. ‘You look as though you are about to go to the scaffold yourself. Quarrelled with Lisette, have you?’
Jay paused before answering, took another mouthful of wine and told them of his fears. ‘You three had better make all haste to leave the country,’ he ended. ‘Leave the matter to me.’
‘And what do you think you can do on your own?’ Harry retorted. ‘Are you tired of life?’
‘If Lisette betrays us all, it is for no other reason than she expects Wentworth to use his influence to have Michel released. If he keeps his word, then all I have to do is take the pair of them to England. I have safe conduct for Commodore and Mrs Drymore to leave the country, but I cannot do that with a clear conscience if you three are all still in France.’
‘And do you honestly believe Wentworth will keep his word, or even that he has enough influence to do so?’ Harry said. ‘I would not put it past Robespierre to play him like an old fiddle. And your safe conduct can easily be cancelled.’
‘I know, but I have no choice but to hope for the best.’
‘Supposing, instead of freeing Giradet, Danton arrests Lisette? You will have two to rescue then and I do not give much for your chances.’ Harry turned to the others who had been silently listening. ‘What do you think? Do we turn our back on our friend here and let him be the hero on his own?’
‘He’ll be a dead hero if we do,’ Nat said.
‘If you think I am going to leave you alone in this Godforsaken country, Commodore, you are wrong,’ Sam said. ‘I would never be able to look Lord and Lady Drymore in the face again.’ He turned to Harry. ‘You may do as you wish, my lord, and you too, Nat and Joe, but I am staying here.’
Harry laughed. ‘You are outvoted, Jay.’
‘Then what do you propose to do?’
‘Carry on as before,’ Harry said. ‘We do not know that Lisette will betray us. She may be relying on us to put our plan into action before it becomes necessary.’
Jay breathed a sigh of relief. They were all brave men, fools, but brave. ‘Then it might be wise to bring everything forwards. Can that be done? I have told Lisette to be ready as soon as the carriage comes for her. I do not think she will let me down. After all, she is expecting us to reunite her with her brother and telling Wentworth about us would be a last resort, should we fail.’
‘Then let us hope you are right,’ Harry said.
‘Nat, do you think you can bring it off?’ Jay asked him. Nat had been chosen to take Lisette through the barrier to the rendezvous because he was about the same height and build as Jay and younger than the others.
‘I reckon so, if the lady plays her part.’
‘She will when she understands the necessity.’ Jay gave a wry chuckle. ‘We are so out of sorts with each other, you will not need to be pleasant or even speak much.’
‘I have been schooling him to act like you,’ Harry said. ‘He is not much of a thespian, but he will do in the dark.’
‘I don’t see why we have to change places at all,’ Nat said.
‘Because I have no intention of leaving this city until I have secured Michel’s release and I will not sit back and let you do it. I have told you that half-a-dozen times. If they do make an attempt to arrest you, you must say I forced you to change places with me. When Wentworth hears of it, he will tell everyone it is the sort of cowardly trick I would play and you will be allowed to go.’
