Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) (26 page)

“I am done with any lamenting over hope for myself. My heart is desolate. I am ready for death. Death will be a release from this world…from men such as yourself. Do you think I have not seen the likes of ones such as yourself? You wanted equality. Now you have it
, for you are as cruel or crueler than any man I have encountered.

“You have done your job well, Citizen Giarden. You have succeeded in taking all hope from me.”

She glanced frantically around the room, her chest heaving rapidly. Then she lunged for a knife on the table. Not for Giarden…no…it was for herself. She had not lied. Hope did not live within her. She would not allow Giarden the satisfaction of humiliating her. She had nothing else to lose. She had lost everything in her life that ever meant anything to her.

She had asked for so little. She wanted only to love and be loved in return. Instead
, she had been used in one form or another. Her father deserted her; her uncle gave her to the despicable marquis. Luc…she had Luc…but she had known…Calognac made sure she had known Luc had betrayed her. She had never told another soul. Luc had been detained first by Calognac as he scoured the countryside for her. Threatened, Luc disclosed her whereabouts. To save his life, he betrayed her and their child.

In the end, though, Calognac learned that it had been Luc’s child she carried. Luc
could have escaped well before Calognac caught up with him once more, but he had not. Often, Eloise wondered if guilt played upon Luc’s soul…for she knew well Calognac spoke the truth to her over Luc’s betrayal. Luc confessed to her before he breathed his last breath and begged forgiveness…

Forgiveness…she
, too, would need forgiveness. Her hand gripped tightly to the knife. She saw nothing before her, only a release. Now perhaps she would be able to hold her child…if God forgave her only for a moment…she wanted only to hold her daughter.

Her eyes closed shut as her hands readied for a final thrust into her chest. She saw him…Gerard…the one who held her heart…
Pray forgive me, my love. My love…

Then before her, the door burst open. Cries emerged. Chaos ensued. She was swiftly surrounded.

“Eloise! Good Gawd! No!” “Stop her!” “Eloise!”

She froze. Then she felt hands go around hers, taking the knife out of her hand.

Eloise couldn’t think or breathe. Suddenly, she felt hands caress her face and wipe back tears that flooded from her eyes. Was she dead? She didn’t know, for she heard a voice through the haze. It called to her. She knew the voice.

“Eloise, my love, my life. Look at me. Look at me!”

She looked up as commanded. Slowly, through the fog, she saw a face emerge before her…such a handsome face. She uttered in a voice no louder than a whisper, “Gerard? It can’t be.”

“Yes, yes, it is me
,” he said between the kisses he placed on her lips, her cheeks, her eyes. “Oh, my God! I told you I would not leave you.”

She reached up and felt his face, his arms and back to his face. She glanced around as the room came back into focus. French soldiers filled the room. Marc Pierre stood beside Giarden
, whose hands were tied behind his back.

She looked back at her husband. Her confusion must have
emanated from her eyes.

“It is over. We are going home. We are going back to England,” he told her, embracing her tightly. “The Republic has arrested Citizen Giarden for treason. The children and Miranda have already left with Seamus. We have our own carriage waiting. We are leaving tonight without delay.”

Eloise wasn’t certain she heard correctly. She cared only that she was back in his arms, being carried out of the house and into a carriage. He did not leave her, but held her tightly against him.

Never in his life had Lenister known true fear, fear that grips your soul and meshes your heart to a halt. He had in that moment…the moment Marc Pierre led a group of gendarme to arrest Citizen Giarden…the moment his eyes locked on a knife in Eloise’s hands.

It did not take much for Marc Pierre to convince Robespierre of Giarden’s planned conspiracy. Why else would
have Giarden gone to such lengths? What purpose would Giarden have other than to gain support for himself? With Eloise by Giarden’s side, Giarden would indeed have the means to become the most powerful man in France. Eloise would have been the epitome of all that the revolution stood for…without question, a threat to Robespierre’s rule. It took Robespierre only a moment of thought. Then he ordered Giarden’s immediate arrest.

The instructions on
Lenister’s presence being allowed when Giarden was arrested had been specific. He would not participate or interfere in the proceedings, but everything escaped him upon the sight of Eloise. He reacted out of instinct.

Lenister raced toward his wife, crying out her name. He knew nothing more except grasping hold of the knife and prying it out of Eloise’s hand. Marc Pierre beside him looked as though he
, too, had felt the same fear.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Marc Pierre back away when he saw Eloise was safe. Instead, Marc Pierre directed his anger at the man before them.

Trembling and bewildered at the outburst, Giarden ranted at all around him. “How dare you!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “I will not be treated in this manner! Do you know who I am? Robespierre will have all your heads!”

“I doubt that,” Marc Pierre said solemnly. He stepped in front of the doomed man. “It is on Robespierre’s orders that you have been arrested.”

Giarden’s face drained of all color. Panicked, he fought the restraints against him. “No! No! I have done nothing against the Republic! I have been a good patriot!”

“
Au contraire
! Citizen Giarden, you have been charged with conspiracy against the Republic,” Marc Pierre announced, beckoning to the guard. “Take him away.”

Lenister heard a shriek of anguish as Giarden was dragged out of the room. The man understood the moment the gendarme arrived and arrested him, he was a dead man. The arrest itself was a sentence of death.

Lenister wondered only if this time they would even bother with a mockery of a trial. The whole of the Terror had escalated. Robespierre now answered any perceived threats with more executions. Lenister doubted the government would last much longer, continuing down the path they now tread.

Which would lead Lenister to contemplate the army would mount a coup d’état. It would explain the power that Brigadier General Marc Pierre Bernard welded with the Committee of Public Safety. Each member understood well the power of the popular commander.

The whole of the problem was no longer his concern. Lenister wanted only to put distance between his family and the Terror that reigned in Paris. Lenister wasted no time in picking up his bemused wife and quickly carrying her to the carriage. He laid her gently down and climbed in himself.

Marc Pierre followed him, keeping the door open. “Eloise,” he said her name in the most tender manner. “Eloise, please look upon me.”

Eloise glanced around uncertainly. She looked up at Lenister, who smiled down at her.

“It is Marc Pierre, Eloise,” he said in a low
, calm voice. “He wants only to make sure you are safe.”

She turned her gaze to her adopted brother and reached for his hand. He took it and kissed it.

“Go,” he said. “Rest assured that I will see the scoundrel gets his own. He will not hurt another soul. Eloise…”

“I want only for you to be safe also. Promise me, my dear, dear brother… I cannot bear...” Her voice shook and then faded into the tears that streamed down her face.

“Do not worry about me. You are to go now to the safe house. It is where you will find the others,” he said in a low voice. “I sent word for Andre to meet you there. I, too, will come if able. There are still issues to address, but your husband knows my concerns.”

Marc Pierre glanced up at Lenister
, who nodded in agreement. In the moments waiting for an audience with Robespierre, the two men had come to a mutual agreement. Although both men differed greatly on many issues, on this there was no dispute. The secrecy that had allayed Eloise since her birth would be no more.

* * * *

Surprising calm overcame Lenister at the Barrier. Most coaches and carriages were not allowed exit at this time of night, but most were not escorted by the National Guard. Papers were handed out and examined but no question arose, only ascertaining their names.

“Gerard Lenister. English. Advocate.”

Lenister nodded and gestured toward his wife, who sat still next to him. “My wife. Eloise D’Arcy Lenister. She is French.”

The guard flashed a look of recognition at the name, but
with only a glance up to their escort, the guard took the papers to the table and signed them quickly. He handed Lenister back his papers. “Good journey.”

The guard motioned for the carriage to be allowed
free access. Lenister wrapped his arms around his trembling wife and whispered assurances of their safety. The wheels rolled slowly. There was no semblance of flight. Eloise said nothing, but clutched tightly to him as if her life depended upon his presence.

Silence encompassed the carriage. Travel was slow in the
darkness over the uneven roads with all the ruts and cracks in the surface. With each jolt of the wheels, Lenister felt Eloise’s fingers claw into him. There was nothing he could do but allow time and distance to ease her anxiety.

Lenister
made no movement towards looking out the drawn curtains. He had no desire to convey any concern. Not often did he place faith into another, but he had with Marc Pierre. Hours passed and the carriage slowed its pace. Eloise sprang up.

“We need only to stretch our legs and change our horses, I
am certain, my love,” he said and kissed the top of her head. His arm ached holding her as he was, but he had dared not move it. “Come. It will do you good to get a bit of fresh air.”

The night’s air was cool.
Lenister breathed a sigh of relief when Eloise turned to him. Even in the dim light, he saw color had returned to her face. She gave him a small smile.

“We are
at Beauvais,” she stated as to herself.

“There is a small inn. We need to refresh ourselves before
we continue. We could stay the night if you wish,” Lenister offered, but he knew well her answer before she shook her head.

“Then we will make it brief.”

They stayed no longer than for the horses to be changed and a semblance of a meal. Though Eloise ate little, the stew was sufficient, warm and filling. The innkeeper showed only the utmost of kindness toward his guests given the inconvenience of the time of night. Lenister doubted the man would receive him with anything but hospitality given his escort.

It was here
, according to Marc Pierre’s orders, the guards broke off. Most rode back to Paris; only two remained. Lenister understood readily these were Marc Pierre’s most trusted men.

The carriage left in good time.
Lenister looked down at his watch before he entered behind Eloise. Almost midnight. With no delays, he hoped to be at the safe house by midday.

With their departure, Eloise exhaled deeply
, as if expunging demons within her. She no longer seemed distant and debilitated. She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them as if calling forth her innermost strength.

“My lord, I have to offer you my sincere apologies,” she
spoke softly but with a firm grip of her words. “I know I have disappointed you. I suspect you may even be angry with me. I have no excuse except to say I was weakened…”

“By fright. I suspect scared beyond measure,” Lenister said
in a low voice. He turned to look straight into her eyes. “I do not mean to interrupt you. I have a deep need to talk with you, but I do not want to force it upon you. But I cannot have you blaming yourself. It is I who has a need to apologize, my darling. I need to be on my knees begging your forgiveness.”

A resign
ed, meek expression filled her face. He expected her to burst back into tears. Instead, she pressed her lips tightly together with a determination to stay her course.

“You have not done anything to ask forgiveness, Gerard,”
she said. Her head tilted to the side, but she did not break her gaze upon him. Emotions seemed to well within her. “Please let me have my say or I will not.”

He wanted to stop her
…to tell her it wasn’t necessary. It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was she was here beside him, but he saw the need within her. Too long she had kept her feelings to herself. He cursed himself for the teeming hurt oozing from her being…that he had not protected her from that hurt. So he remained silent.

“You know what I intended to do. You have not asked me why. I
…I…” She paused and choked back tears. Shortly, she drew in a deep breath and continued, “He threatened your life and the children’s and everyone connected to you if I did not testify. He said you would be spared if I did so. Afterwards, all changed. He laughed at me and told me he had all he needed from me. He had no intention of holding to his word.