The Duchess

'Very good,' Caroline responded.

Allegra smiled. 'Unfortunately my husband tells me that he is the only one among his friends to speak adequate French. The gentlemen will have no choice but to allow us to help them.'

'But do you have a plan?' Caroline persisted.

'I think so,' Allegra responded, 'but give me a day to convince Quinton that it is the right plan, ladies.'

Lady Bellingham returned to her drawing room as the three couples prepared to leave. They promised to visit her the following day, at which time they would learn exactly where the village of St. Jean Baptiste was located, and prepare to leave for France.

'Freddie is so relieved,' Lady Bellingham told them, 'and so am I. Oh, my dear Quinton, what would we do without friends like you to help us? I am so glad I was able to have a tiny part in you and Allegra finding happiness. Now an heir to complete the matters, and everything will be perfect.'

'Everything will be perfect, dear Lady Clarice, only when we have brought your niece and her children safely to England,' the duke said gallantly, kissing the lady's hand. He bowed smartly. 'We shall see you at eleven tomorrow morning.'

They bid their friends farewell out on the street before the Bellingham house. Once inside their coach Allegra snuggled against her husband and murmured contentedly, 'How wonderful,' she said, 'that we can help dear Lady Bellingham.'

The duke sighed. 'My darling,' he said, 'you cannot really mean to go. It is much too dangerous, and as for Caroline and Eunice, they are charming featherheads. We would all be killed if caught, I fear. Leave this to the men, Allegra. We will rescue the comtesse and her family, I guarantee you.'

'How?' Allegra asked him innocently.

'How?' he repeated, puzzled.

'Yes, my darling, how? Just what clever plan have you formulated to rescue this lady and her children? I cannot rest easy until I know, Quinton, because as you have so thoughtfully pointed out to me, it is a very dangerous task that must be completed. So, how will you do it?'

Some men might not have recognized Allegra's tone, but Quinton Hunter did. And the truth was he was totally stumped as to how to gain safe custody of Lady Bellingham's niece. 'I suppose we will bribe those guarding the comtesse and her family,' he said slowly, his mind grasping futilely for more detail, but he could not think of a thing.

'I see,' Allegra said, nothing more.

There was that tone again, he thought nervously. He remained silent for a moment, but then unable to help himself he said, 'How would you rescue the lady and her children?'

'You have said yourself,' Allegra began, 'that you are the only one among your friends who speaks passable French. That the language as spoken by Marcus, Dree, and Ocky is execrable. But Caroline, Eunice, and I speak excellent French. What if we, along with you three gentlemen, arrived at the comtesse's home dressed as peasant women. Only the four of us would speak. Marcus and Dree could murmur the occasional 'Oui,' but other than that leave the talking to the rest of us. Don't you think we could convince whoever is guarding the comtesse that we had come to get her and her children? That they had an appointment with Madame la Guillotine for tea. If we are as forceful as those horrible hags who knit beneath that instrument of execution are, or so I have heard it said, we can get Lady Bellingham's niece and her family from the house. If there are not too many guards, and I suspect there are not, for those trying to steal the d'Aumont property won't consider anyone would come rescue this country aristocrat. And whoever is attempting the nefarious act probably is doing it because there is no one to tell them they can't do it. Once we have the comtesse and her family, we'll bind the guards. That way they cannot go into the village, and learn of our deception.'

The Duke of Sedgwick was speechless for several long moments. Part of him knew that his wife was an intelligent young woman, but another part of him relegated her to the same status all women of his class held. Beautiful. Charming. An ornament. But Allegra was not a toy to be displayed and then put away. She was clever and quick-witted. 'It is a perfect plan,' he finally said to her, 'but not without its element of danger.'

'I know,' she replied. 'We must be very careful, and we must know everything we need to know before we attempt a rescue. For instance, who is doing this to the poor lady? And why? That is why we must set sail for France in two days' time, no more. We will need a few days once we are there to learn what we must know. Then we should act swiftly, and without any hesitation.'

'Agreed,' he replied, realizing even as the words came from her mouth that he was indeed agreeing to her whole plan.

'Then you understand why Caroline, Eunice, and I must come?' she queried him.

'I do, although it will be a difficult thing to explain to their husbands, my darling,' he responded.

'If you are willing to allow me to be in danger, how can they do anything else?' Allegra said quietly.

'Do you think your friends are brave enough to carry this off, or will they panic at the first sign of danger?' the duke said.

'I believe we are all brave enough, Quinton, but who among us can say for certain how brave we will be until we directly face danger? Besides, if we do this thing properly, there should be little danger to any of us. I believe that we can outsmart a couple of lackwit peasants. After all, we are English,' she concluded.

He laughed. 'God bless me, my darling, you suddenly sound most patriotic and grand. Very well, I shall speak to Dree and Marcus first thing in the morning. Then we shall go to the Bellinghams, and tell them only that a rescue attempt will be made. I will not tell them that you ladies are to be involved, for it would distress them, and send them both to their beds with the vapors. While I am dealing with my friends, you must explain to yours what we plan to do, and Allegra, you must give both Eunice and Caroline the opportunity to cry off if they wish to do so. And they may upon reflection. If they do, you cannot be angry. Do you promise me that?'

'They will not cry off,' Allegra said with certainty. 'Do you know how dull London has been for us? Parties. Museums. The Tower Zoo. Never again! At least this will afford us a little excitement before we return home to the country to do our duties, and fill our nurseries with those babies that you gentlemen seem to want.' She smiled at him, and kissed him softly. 'We must work very hard to have those babies, Quinton. Very hard.'

He tipped her face up to his, and kissed her. 'You will gain no argument from me, madame, on that point,' he told her, and his hand slid beneath her fur-lined cloak to fondle her breasts.

'Ummm,' she sighed contentedly, melting into his embrace. But then their carriage came to a definite stop.

'We're home,' he noted, a tone of regret in his voice.

'We can continue this upstairs, if my lord wishes,' she replied playfully, her little tongue licking at her lips provocatively'

'I must pen notes off to Dree and Marcus, but I will join you shortly, mon coeur,' the duke whispered against her lips.

A footman opened the coach door and offered a hand to the duchess who descended and hurried into the house, going directly up the staircase to her apartments. She entered to catch