I'll love you til I die

         It was a bloody cold night for gathering information, but John, The Duke of Pendleton, had given his word. As everyone knew, his word was his bond. He was to meet a contact here at this bloody cold bridge and recover secret information on the movements of boney. He hadn't been able to fight for England because he had inherited a title and was the only one left to inherit it, but he could be a courier for the spymaster, Lord Wolstonecroft. He stayed in the shadows made by the supports to the bridge and waited for his contact. He didn't feel anyone coming up behind him until they were almost on top of him. He felt the muzzle of a pistol pressed into his back.

         Just start walking, mesiour, until I tell you to stop. I intercepted your messenger, he is with us no more. You will not get the little missive that he was going to turn over to you. I will also be disposing of you with this little gun in your back. We are going to the docks so I can dump you in the water where no one will find you."

         John tried to think quickly on what to do to get out of this disaster. He wasn't very familiar with the area so could think of no avenue of escape on the way to the docks. He would just have to wait for some chance to arise in order to escape. So he walked where he was directed staying alert.

         Mirielle was cold and hungry, but her aunt insisted that this errand had to be run before she could eat and retire for the night. She was hurrying through the streets adjacent the docks when she saw two gentlemen coming in the opposite direction. They way they were acting was odd, so he faded into the shadows to watch. They stopped right in front of her. She could tell that one of the men had a hun pointed at the other. Frightened, she crept even further into the shadows.

         "You will at the end of the pier, milord, so that when I shoot you, you will fall into the water. That way, the only noise will be the splash of your body."

         Mon diuex! The man by the pier was going to be shot. Mirielle couldn't allow that to happen. It was her christian duty to stop this abomination. Without a second thought, she rushed out of the shadows startling the gunman, He spun around and the pistol fired. Mirielle felt a burning sensation in her arm but continued to propel herself into the gunmen pushing him into the water. She stood for a second in shock and then everything went black.

         John saw a black shadow run out onto the pier and push his attacker into the water. He immediately jumped in after him to pull him out and get some answers. Someone had found out what he was up to and he wanted to know who it was. There was a leak in the department and now his life was on the line. He searched but couldn't find the man who had accosted him. He was French that was all he was able to tell. Something about his accent that gave him away. He pulled himself out of the water and that was when he saw the bundle of clothes lying so still on the pier. He hurried over to check on his rescuer. He placed his hand under the head and brought the body to an upright position and got another nasty surprise. It was a young girl and she was losing blood fast. With a curse, he picked her up and hurried over to the hackney he had paid to stand by to take him to the meeting point with the package he was to pick up. Instead he got in and directed the driver to his home on Grovenor Square. He hurried out of the hackney and rushed through the door into the house. His butler, Ramsey, came running from the back of the house. He was the only one in his house that he had taken into his confidence concerning his nighttime activities.

         "Hurry, Ramsey, have a footman fetch a doctor. I have a young woman needing tending. She was accidentally shot during my errand toight."

         Ramsey ran off to wake a footman and send him off. John headed upstairs to one of the guest bedrooms where he would lay his rescuer down in preparation for the doctor. He tore the sleeve of her dress to expost the wound and used the material to apply pressure while waiting for the doctor. It wasn't long before the compress was red with blood too. He took the time to look her over. He noticed that her complexion was very pale. She was redheaded so some of that was probably her natural coloring but not all of it. As he watched her, her eyes slowly opened. They were green and confused. She slowly moved her head side to side as if she was trying to clear it. Suddenly her eyes grew sharper and knowledgeable. She examined the room she was in in fear. He hurred to reassure her.

         You were injured saving my life, my dear. I am extremely attached to it so thank you very much. I brought you to my home and have called for the doctor to attend your wound. Then my housekeeper will ready you for bed and I want you to stay here until you have recovered."

         He saw refusal form in her eyes, but just then the doctor arrived. They were all very busy tending to his house guest. Finally, the doctor was through tending to the wound. John stepped out of the bedroom with the doctor.

         She must stay in bed, your grace, until that wound is on the mend. It could still become infected and she could die from it. Use these powders when the bandage is changed to help with the infection. Here is something for the pain, and it will also help her to sleep. Rest is what she needs. now."

         Marielle heard the doctor address the man as his grace. Oh my, she had to get out of here. She couldn't stay. Her stepmother would be extremely irritated if she didn't return with the article she had been sent to fetch. It would be extremely improper for her to stay here. She would wait until all settled for the night. She would pretend to take the sleeping potion then would gather her things and leave. It still wasn't too late for her stepmother to question why she was out so late. She was often out until all hours fetching and carrying for her step-mother. She would tend to her injury herself and no one would be the wiser. Sighing with relief at this plan, she waited for the Duke to return.

         "Well, little one, the doctor says you must stay the night and rest. I have some medicine for you to take that will keep infection away from the wound and help you sleep. In the morning, I will escort you back to the bosom of your family. Your dress is irreparably ruined so the housekeeper borrowed some things from my sister's wardrobe. They are in the armoire. Don't worry, and get some rest."

         He turned and quietly exited the room. The housekeeper came bustling in after him settling her in for the night and giving her the medicine the doctor had left. She tongued the sleeping potion and spit it out when the housekeeper left. She waited until she was sure the house had settled for the night and got up. She checked the window. Yes there was a nice oak next to the window for her to climb down to the ground on. She searched and sighed in relief to see that her clothing was still in the bedroom. she hurriedly dressed noting the tesrs she would have to mend when she returned to her room. She opened the window wide enough to climb out onto the tree and shinny down then headed back to her home and what awaited her there.

         The duke arose the next day with the girl from last night on his mind. He had been impressed by her bravery in helping him overcome the thugs who had attacked him. He also wondered how they knew of his mission that night. There was apparently a leak in the home office. He would have to see Lord Wollstone about this unwelcome incident. He stopped by the girl's room to check on her. When he entered, noticed the window was open. He checked the bed with a frown and saw that it was empty. He hurried over the window to check on the ground below. Thankfully, there was no female figure that had fallen to her death on the ground below. He was angy and frustrated. He wouldn't have a chance to properly express his gratitude to her or satisfy his curiosity. He checked the medicine on the bedside table. Well, at least she had taken the medicine to prevent infection with her. He left the bedroom and headed down to the breakfast room. He couldn't get her out of his mind as he ate his breakfast. There was just something about her that tugged at him. He remembered the circumstances of their meeting in order to narrow down the part of town they had met in. He narrowed it down and decided to hire a detective to find her. He needed to know that she was alright and didn't need his help or at least that's what he told himself.

         Mirielle had made it back to her mother's house without anyone noticing that she had not been there all night. She made sure that her appearance wouldn't cause any comment and headed for her mother's bedroom with the package she had been sent out to fetch. It was her mother's laudanam. Without it, she could be a real virago to live with. Mirielle slipped in and was relieve to see that she was sleeping. She noiselessly laid the package on her mother's nighttable and left. The was always careful not to wake her, because she had no time to herself when her mother was awake. She like to walk in the park and dream of faint memories of France and the chateau they used to live in before the revolution. She still remembered when her father was alive and she was clean and safe. Her life was so uncertain now and there were dark things going on in the house that she had no desire to know about. She stood by the pond, her favorite place and dreamed of another time and place.

         Pendleton got a report from the detective giving the address of his little French heroine. She lived in a shabby but genteel neighborhood where many of the French emigrees had relocated to that were force to leave France with the clothes on their back. The detective had reported that the young demoiselle had been seen leaving the house and returning on errands but seemed to have no social life. This would make it difficult to be introduced to her but not impossible. He reviewed the various invitations he had received to functions throughout London. He remembered there was a small soiree given by a marchionesse who had arrived from France with a little more than the clothes on her back. The detective had discovered that the lady of the house styled herself as La Comtesse Fragonard. He made sure he met up with the marchioness to discuss her soiree and happened to mention the Fragonard name. The marchioness did recall the family but didn't know much about them. However she was delighted to know of another emigree family to invilte. She assured Pendleton that the invitation would go out that very day. Pendleton returned to his townhouse and instructed his secretary to send out an acceptance of the invitation to the soiree. He would meet his little French emigree at the party. With the introduction, he would be able to meet her in society without any comment if he was careful about it. She would not disappear from his life so easily.

Pendleton dressed carefully for the soiree. He wore unrelieved black except for the gold pin he fastened to his cravat in the shape of a fleur de lis. It had been a gift from a close firiend who had lived in France and had lost his life to Madame Guillotine. Pendleton wore it often in remembrance, and it now was associated to him. He had made some inquiries before the soiree about the young lady's family. She accompanied her mother and acted as her companion. She was never permitted to socialize or act as befitted her age and station in life. Well that would change tonight. He had already arranged for the hostess to introduce him to her mother and to her. When he asked her to dance, her mother wouldn't dare refuse because of who the hostess was and who he was. Once he made it clear to the Beau Monde that he was fixing his interest, he would have no trouble in being permitted to see her as long as he conformed to the social strictures of society. He smiled a little grimly at the care he was taking. He wanted to get to know his kindly benefactor and he was determined he would.