Page 79 of The Rebellious Countess
Legrand’s voice suddenly grew husky. “My heart belongs to you. My blood to the emperor. My life to honour.”
“Goodbye, Alexandre.” His mother’s voice shook with an emotion Elias had not heard since his father died.
“Au revoir,mon amour.”
As silence fell, Elias glanced in their direction and saw his mother kiss Legrand tenderly before she laid the pipe down at his feet and joined Elias. He caught her wiping tears from her face as she took one last look at her lover and exited through the gate.
“I lied when I said my mother had been with many men since my father’s death. There was never any other man—only you.” Elias confessed.
“I know.”
Nineteen
Monsieur Berthier,
I regret to inform you that the Earl of Astley died at Mont Saint Michel from an ague that has struck the island and neighboring towns.
As to your concerns about England using your grandson and daughter in a plot to rescue the earl, they are unfounded cruel rumors. Your daughter and grandson have not been seen for several weeks, and it is believed he convinced her to return to England with him as he has settled down with a wife.
I apologize for my messy handwriting. I broke my wrist during a night with the locals who were overwhelmingly excited to celebrate our recent victories in the East. I will be staying on at Mont Saint Michel to convalesce. I will advise when my hussars and I are once again available for campaign.
Regards,
Alexandre Baptiste Reynard Beaumont, Comte Legrand
—A letter written one week after the earl’s escape from the abbey at Mont Saint Michel, from the General of the Hussars, Alexandre Baptiste Reynard Beaumont, to the Minister of War for France, Maximilien de Danton
“Uhhh.”Astley groaned as his feet bounced on the steps.
“I’m sorry, Simon. I don’t mean to cause you pain. I must hurry so that I may return and help Elias.”
“Wh—what are you…you doing…here?” His voice barely audible over the crashing waves.
Máira worried about the dangerous surf. She didn’t want to think about how she would make it without Elias. It wasn’t possible. Physically, mentally, emotionally. He had become the center of her world. When they’d wed, she’d dreamed she would be happy and content. Yet nothing about this experience had been happy, and somehow, she felt joy with him. In his presence, her heart blossomed in a manner beyond her comprehension.
Astley groaned once more as she took two more steps down toward the water’s edge.
“It’s a long story, I can’t begin to explain at the moment. On our voyage home, I will explain everything.”
A grunt was his only reply, and she prayed he did not lose consciousness once more. He had only awoken after his feet had struck their twentieth step. Máira struggled with the weight of his body. Sweat dripped down the center of her back despite the cool night breeze.
She slipped into French to talk to the boy. “How much farther, Sébastien?” she asked as the boy tried to carry Astley’s feet with little success.
“I’m not certain. It looks like there is a tower below.”
A tower? That could only be bad news. Had the priest unknowingly steered them toward more guards? “Do you know where these steps lead?”
Sébastien grunted from exertion. “I’m not sure. I heard something about the fountain of Saint Aubert.”
Máira looked up and caught sight of people descending the steps. “Sébastien!” She hissed. “We must hide.” She lifted her chin in the direction of the forms following them and turned toward the edge of the steps. Farther down to her right, the wall appeared to be crumbling, if they were lucky, she could pull Simon through. If she couldn’t…
Desperately she searched for another option and then caught a glimpse of a roofline down at the water’s edge. A large tower loomed in the distance holding unknown dangers. She had to get Simon over the wall, and quickly.
“I’m sorry, Simon. This is going to hurt, but I need you to keep quiet,” she whispered.
A barely audible grunt acknowledged her apology.
“Sébastien, run ahead to the hole in the wall. Go!”
