Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) (20 page)

With respect to her, Lenister would have to agree with
his wife. Though, he held no illusions. Marc Pierre would be a deadly adversary otherwise.

“You will leave immediately after Marc
Pierre and I depart. If any eyes are upon you, it is hoped there will not be enough time to halt your intent.”

She smiled at him as she tenderly caressed his face. “I
will not hesitate. Concentrate upon your children. I will be waiting most impatiently for you.”

He wanted to say so much more, but was unable. He did not
have control of his damn emotions. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her, uttering only the words that mattered. “I love you.”

“And I love you
,” she said in a soft voice. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

He could take no more or he would never leave. He released
her and walked out the door.

Eloise waited only for Seamus to knock and inform her the carriage was readied. She stood staring out the window at the courtyard. The part she played in the network had been easy compared to this. She had no desire to be separated from Lenister, but well understood the need.

Caught up in her thoughts, she glanced back at the door. She would have thought Seamus would have already come to retrieve her for their
journey. Perhaps she was supposed to have met Seamus at the foot of the stairs. She could wait no longer. She eased out the door into the hall. Glancing around in both directions, she saw no sign of Seamus.

With a caution that comes from living a life of deceit, she
began to descend the staircase. Something was wrong. She could feel it. Then she saw it. Her heart jumped and began thumping wildly. Her concern stood in the entrance, barring Seamus from entering—Giarden.

Her mind raced. She had no choice. Her heart in her throat,
she stepped forward. Quickly composing herself, she greeted the man. “Good morn, Citizen Giarden. I hope you are not here to see my husband. I’m afraid he has already departed. Quite anxious to plead for his children.”

"It is not an issue
." Giarden smiled broadly at her. "It is you I have come to see, Citizeness Ashwin. I was only thus explaining to your bodyguard that I have come to extend an invitation to you."

"Oh, Citizen Gairden, I do so appreciate you thinking
of me, but did not Seamus tell you that I'm to leave this morning?" Eloise asked sweetly, but the whole of her being shuddered from within. "I'm not feeling well. My husband believes it will be best for my health if I depart for England. He wants only to concentrate upon his dear children caught in this awful predicament. I am sure you understand."

"Better than you may imagine," he said. Doing
little to conceal his amusement at her attempt to leave Paris, he completely dismissed her intent to leave for England. "It is of little matter. You must have made a miraculous recovery, for you look the epitome of health to me. Come. I have something I want to show you."

Citizen Giarden walked to her side and grasped her elbow. Her
first instinct was to resist, but she caught Seamus' eyes. This was no place for a confrontation. Instead, she tried to take a step back, but his grip refrained her.

"Please, Citizen
Giarden, I promised my husband I would not add to his troubles. Perhaps when I return..."

Citizen Giarden's eyes gleamed; his lips tilted upward. "Perhaps I know exactly what your husband has planned, not an
unexpected reaction. But it is quite unnecessary. Do you not think, Citizeness Ashwin?"

"I do not understand
. Please release me. My husband will be angry with me if I do not..."

"
Au contraire
!" He laughed. "I beg to differ. I believe he would greatly benefit from this venture. I have come to take you to visit his children. You can even bring your husband's man with you."

Eloise stared at the man with suspicion, but she readily
understood a request such as Gairden’s was not to be denied. She didn't know what game he was playing, but she couldn't afford not to play along.

Eloise sat across from Citizen Giarden in the carriage her husband had prepared for her departure. A nauseating feeling encompassed her, but she was determined Giarden would never detect her nervousness.

True to his word, Seamus sat beside Citizen
Giarden, although his weapon had been confiscated. He would not be much of a threat unarmed, but Eloise took comfort with his presence.

She had yet to discover Citizen Giarden's motive. Patience,
she told herself, it would come
.
Until then, she would smile and banter with the man.

Eloise kept her focus on the sights outside the carriage. She shuddered as the carriage passed the courthouse where the Tribunal held trials against the enemies of the Republic. Though it was
trepidation that gripped her as they approached their destination, La Force prison. She took in a deep breath. She had no desire to go into the prison. Panic swelled within her. Her legs weakened exiting the carriage. She hoped she would not expose her fear to Gairden, who offered his arm to escort her up the flight of stairs.

She paused at the foot of the steps of the prison.
Gairden patted her hand. “Do not be afraid, Citizeness Ashwin. You act as if you are in danger of staying. I assure you that is not the case. You have no reason to be fearful. Do you?”

“Of course not!” Eloise replied indignantly. She refrained
herself from jerking her arm back. “It is only I have heard so many rumors. It is only natural for one to feel this way. In truth, if not for the promise of seeing my husband’s children, I would not make the effort. The sight of the condemned frightens me. Should it not?”

“They are not condemned, only prisoners, Citizeness Ashwin,” he corrected Eloise. "Each will be given a fair trial."

“I meant…”

“I understand exactly what you meant,” he answered
abruptly. “Come. I will make this as quick for you as possible.”

Eloise thought better than responding. Instead
, she walked steadily inside La Force prison.

They entered into a large stone hall with every footstep,
every sound echoed. Immediately, a horrible foulness encompassed her senses.

Wasting no time, Giarden escorted her down a hallway to the
entrance into the holding cells. He released her arm to register their visit with a gendarme sitting behind a desk in front of a heavily guarded doorway. Until that time, Seamus had walked quietly behind her, but Giarden turned to her husband's friend.

"I'm afraid I must ask you to wait for us here. I
assure you we will not be long," Giarden ordered Seamus as another gendarme opened the entryway into the prison cells.

Eloise almost protested, but refrained. She had no choice.
Giarden stood before her and gestured her to enter inside the opened door and follow the two guards. She lowered her head and stepped into the darkness. She jumped when the huge wooden door closed behind her. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the dim light.

Giarden
returned to her side. Eloise took no notice of much as she was escorted down the dark and filthy corridor. Her heart raced wildly. It took all her demeanor to keep her composure, for a fleeting thought encompassed her that Giarden had discovered that she was the White Rose. She mustered all her resolve and continued onward.

She concentrated on each step she took. She passed many a
door. Doors clanged open. Noises—ungodly noises to her ears—resonated all around her, cries and pleas from the prisoners to those who entered their jailed quarters.

Through the dismal light, she climbed the narrow spiral
stairs behind Gairden. Before her, a large door flung open. Gairden stood at the door, awaiting her entrance. Slowly, she edged toward the opening.

Eloise moved as if she
were in another’s body when she entered. Her eyes surveyed the chamber. The eyes of the occupants stared back at her. Reproachful and accusing stares greeted her in the unreality of her circumstances. She felt their hatred of Gairden and herself for being with him.

The chamber was
crowded with both sexes. The men sat around a table, playing chess; others leaned against the walls or chairs. Women, elegant and delicate in their manner, sat embroidering, reading, and writing. In that moment when their eyes fell upon her, they looked as living ghosts caught in the essence of their imprisonment.

In the corner of the chamber
, a group of young children sat drawing on the dirt floor. It was there that Gairden led her. Her breath was taken away as their young faces, unaware of the significance of her presence, smiled up at her. One young boy, no more than five or six, jumped up and grabbed her hand.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said in a voice she was certain he
had heard others use. The child's little face, covered by dark ringlets let grown wild trickled down in his large dark eyes, grinned widely. “You can sit with me.”

Eloise’s eyes teared as she knelt to the little man. Quickly
, she was assaulted by an older boy, much taller. He slid between the young child and Eloise. His arms widened around the younger one. The older boy didn’t utter a word but his eyes burned into her. Those eyes—she knew those eyes…

Eloise glanced up at
Gairden, his eyes cocked in a smug expression. He waved his hands in front of him. “Citizeness Ashwin, meet young Darcy Ralston.” He slung back his arm to where a young girl, dressed in a simple gown, stood. The girl was a pretty petite thing. Her hair, unruly and uncombed, fell down her back. “And his sister, Catherine.”

A woman suddenly appeared
, wringing her hands together, the most beautiful woman Eloise had ever laid eyes on. The woman was tiny, petite, with the largest, light blue eyes; her hair was as a sunflower. Even in the hellhole she lived, she moved with elegance. It could only be Miranda.

“I believe more proper introductions are in order,
Citizeness Ashwin. Before you are the children that your husband fathered.” Gairden pulled back the older boy and reached for the girl. A cry escaped the girl, her eyes frightened beyond measure. “Children, your father’s new bride.”

Neither said a word, uncertain, scared, ever so scared. Eloise’s eyes flared at Gairden.
Keep control. Do not react. He is playing a game.

“Citizen, what outrage now are you
reeking down upon me?” Miranda walked, almost strolled up, in front of her children.

“I’m doing nothing except
to respond to a request,” he answered her sternly. “Citizeness Ashwin is a true patriot of France. All of France should follow her lead. She has asked for the release of her husband’s children fathered by a whore.”

“You lie!” Miranda cried. “Gerard would never stoop so low as
to marry a French woman! What lies are you fostering upon me?”

“He does not lie,” Eloise said softly. “I am Lord Gerard Lenister
’s wife, Lady Eloise Lenister. Here in France, I use my husband’s family name, Ashwin. I have returned to France with my husband. My lord has come to France to request the release of his children. It is quite simple.”

“Simple!” she protested. “Nothing is simple in
France. How long have I proclaimed I’m English! I want nothing more to do with France. Send me home back to my father!”

“The children…” Eloise began, but was interrupted by the
frantic woman.

“What
of me? He can’t leave me here. No, my Lord Gerard would never do so. He loved me so. If not for that dreadful Comte de Dubois, we would be together now. Tell him. Tell him…”

“Control yourself, Citizeness. You made your bed when you
 lay with the Comte de Dubois. You made no protest then.” He waved his arm to one of the guards. “I was only showing Citizeness Ashwin what she is so valiantly requesting. How many do you know would campaign for their husband’s illegitimate children? Ask yourself. You want only to free yourself.”

He laughed a terrifying
, horrible laugh that echoed in the chamber at her husband's former mistress. “I was just about to inform Citizeness Ashwin that the only requests for the children's release has come from your former lover. You yourself have only requested amnesty for them through your life. Never have I once heard you say take them, send them to England. For in truth,” he paused and gazed back at Eloise, “the argument has merit.”

Startled at his words, Eloise looked at
Gairden, confused. “What are you saying, Citizen Gairden?”

“I’m saying that your husband is right in his argument. I
listened and found myself quite sympathetic to your request. I was touched. The children are British and have had no say in their movements. I’m certain they will be well looked after by their stepmother, so I’m releasing them to your care, Citizeness Ashwin. You have convinced me. There is no need for the children to stand trial. Their only crime is having a whore for a mother.”

“You are serious?” Eloise’s voice rose
, finding all difficult to comprehend.