Plain and Proper by M J Marlow (beach read TXT) 📕

a known brute. He watched her collapse with a sigh of protest and made her comfortable as a noble woman and her ladies stepped into the carriage with Dominique. The noble woman looked at the girl and turned to the man as the other women sat next to Marianne. Dominique took the girl in her arms and held her securely.
“You didn’t drug her?” Dominique cried in horror. Henri shook his head and relief flooded through her. “Ma petite,” she crooned as he stroked Marianne’s hair. “Ma pauvre petite.”
“Honestly, Henri,” Madame D’Arbanville sighed as she sat down beside him. “Did you have to distress the child?” He looked at her calmly. “I could hear her protests all the way to the Inn.” She adjusted the blanket and stroked Marianne’s hair. “Poor angel. To be taken from home and hearth at the whim of men you do not know.”
“She did not want to come with us, my Stephanie,” Henri smiled at his wife. “Imagine not wanting to be a member of the Emperor’s household.” He shook his head. “She is so sweet when she’s not screaming.”
“Any man would treasure this angel,” Stephanie smiled. “She is heiress to a Baroness and owns lands useful to the Emperor. It is obvious she is intelligent and talented; and she is very pleasant to look upon.” She continued stroking Marianne’s hair. “She is young. She will learn to behave.”
“She has a husband,” Dominique hissed at them; “and he is not going to sit still for your foul Emperor abducting her and their unborn child…” She paled as she realized what she had said.
“She is pregnant?” Stephanie paled herself and looked to her husband. “Henri…”
“It changes nothing, my dear,” he said to her stiffly. “We have been given a task and we lose our heads if we do not complete it.” He looked at Dominique. “You will have to keep her quiet, woman. If you cannot, we will have to find a drug we can give her.”
Henri D’Arbanville settled back and thought over the matter. He had seen the fire in this child’s eyes and knew she was determined to do harm to get what she wanted. He and his wife would be hard pressed to get such a one to behave. He knew there were men in the Emperor’s court who would take great pleasure in breaking the girl. He would see her dead first. Such a one needed a strong man who would guide her, and that she had already in Gerard. He nodded to the Captain and they drove out of Calais; heading to the palace in Paris and this child’s new home in the Emperor’s household. He wished he could tell the girl she was among friends with his wife and him; but they had built their cover at great personal risk and they could not let anything jeopardize it, even a pretty child with a fierce nature and eyes like violets.


Andrew and his men made short work of the band left behind and Marie was taken into custody, leaving Andrew’s men masquerading as the French spies. If D’arboe came back, he would be in for a rude awakening. He was still reeling from the news that Robert and Stephen Tremayne had gone to France. Those boys were fearless, he found himself thinking as he listened to the Duke questioning Samuel; who had remained behind to tell them that Marianne was not without friends.
“Your sons are going to be good, strong men,” he said to Tremayne as they sat at dinner. He saw Samuel and Hugh beaming. “If they don’t get their heads handed to them first.”
“They’re already good, strong men,” Tremayne replied, looking over at his sons with pride. “They saw their little friend in jeopardy and they took steps to get her help.” He thought about telling Andrew the truth and decided against it. “The Emperor will choose one of his nobles as her guard. If we’re lucky, he will have chosen one who will treat her kindly.” He shook his head and laughed. “Leave it that girl to get herself abducted by Napoleon! He won’t know what hit him!”
“You really think she can handle this situation, Tremayne?”
“Think on it, Macalester,” the Duke smiled. “You saw the way she had my boys wrapped around her pretty little finger.” Andrew nodded. “There wasn’t a man, or woman for that matter, within fifty miles who wouldn’t kill to keep her safe and happy; including myself. But for all she can weave a spell and make people adore her, she is the most selfless and sweet young woman I have ever met.” He sighed. “When she learns not to be so headstrong, she’ll make a wonderful Duchess.” He saw Andrew bristle. “Not for me, Macalester,” he sniffed. “For Robert.”
“He can’t have her!” Hugh snapped. The men turned to him and he flushed. “Robert is going to be a Duke! He doesn’t need a Barony, too! I say she marries me!”
“I’m older than Hugh,” Samuel chimed in. “so Marianne should be my wife!”
“It seems you have a little mutiny on your hands, Tremayne,” Andrew laughed. He quieted a moment. “You can quell it now by reminding your sons that Marianne is already married and expecting her husband’s child. Her husband is on his way to Paris now to find a way to free her.”
“She’s pregnant?” the Duke choked. “This is even worse than I feared!” He had no choice now. He had to tell Andrew the truth. “I need to speak to Lord Macalester alone, boys. If you will excuse us?” His sons trailed and he shut the door behind them. He turned to Andrew ashen-faced. “They know Gerard is coming after her, Avondale,” he said bluntly. “They will imprison him and hold him as hostage. Marianne will be handed over to their English agent then and forced to sign over the property.”
“How do you know all of this, Ravenhold?” Andrew asked tightly.
“Because I have been watching over her,” the Duke replied, “at the request of the War Office, since her father was murdered, lord Andrew.” He saw Andrew’s shock. “No one was supposed to know it was murder. Like her mother, her father’s death was made to look like an accident.” He frowned. “Someone in your household knew that the old lord was going to give that property to his granddaughter twelve years ago, and they sent word to the Frenchman.”
“So this all began then?” Andrew cursed as the Duke nodded. “I’ll need to send word to Pertwee. He has to warn Gerard…”
“He isn’t going to listen,” Samuel said as he came out of hiding. He and Hugh were standing in the doorway of the next room. “We wouldn’t.”
“This was meant to be a private conversation, boys,” the Duke frowned. “I should have known I couldn’t keep you two out of it.” He pointed to the chairs. “Very well. Since you are involving yourselves, you can help us figure out how to help Marianne and her husband and Lord Andrew’s wife get back safely to England.”


Marianne woke up as the carriage pulled into the front yard of an Inn and stopped. The innkeeper was practically squirming in delight as he found his humble establishment being honored by intimates of the Emperor. He nearly fainted when he was told he had the honor of housing one of the Emperor’s wards. Marianne couldn’t take her anger out on him; he had not kidnapped her. So she smiled at him sweetly and complimented him on his fine establishment as Henri took her inside. Only when they were in their rooms, did her smile fade. She looked over at Dominique, who was as disturbed as she was.
“At least we’re together,” Marianne sighed. “I don’t think I could bear to be so far from home without a friend nearby.”
“You must not lose hope, Marianne,” Dominique said as she hugged the girl. “Your uncle and your husband are not going to rest until we are back in England.” She stroked Marianne’s hair. “Until then we might as well enjoy our trip. I have never been to Paris.”
She was so kind and gentle that Marianne was completely disarmed. She burst into tears and found herself being enfolded in Dominique’s arms. The woman crooned to her and murmured encouragement and consolation to her in French and Marianne soon quieted. Henri entered the room and found his charge asleep on the settee. Dominique was stroking the girl’s hair and humming an old lullaby. He was impressed.
“You have the magic touch, Dominique,” Henri bowed to her. “I bow to your mastery. I had expected her to be fuming and fussing.”
“She just needed someone who understood, old friend,” Dominique replied. “You forget she is only a child. She does not understand what is happening to her and she is terrified.” She looked down at her charge fondly. “She is the type who does not take kindly to being out of control.”
“I will see dinner is sent up for you both,” Henri nodded. “Madame and I are going down now.” He frowned. “I wish we could tell her the truth, Dominique, but hers is not the only life in jeopardy here.”
An hour later, the scent of warm bread woke Marianne from sleep. She ate without any argument and allowed Dominique to help her out of her corset and dress. She was already half asleep when she lay down on the bed. Dominique kissed her on the forehead and pulled out the trundle bed from underneath the bed to sleep. She was as deep in sleep as Marianne when the window opened and someone climbed in. Robert tried to wake Marianne but she did not stir. He frowned at this setback. He could not rescue her if she could not run. So he wrote a note and slipped it inside the pocket in her dress, praying no one else would find it first. Then he slipped back down to the ground and went to join Stephen in the stables. Henri watched all of this with mounting amusement. It appeared the child was not without her friends. He knew this boy. He had sat across from him at dinners. So the Tremayne family was involved now. The girl would not remain long in imperial custody if that were so.
“That was impressive, boys,” he said as he walked up behind them. He put his fingers to his lips and they nodded. “If you want to help her then you must do what I ask. I would prefer not to have to arrest the sons of one of my dearest friends.” They were all ears. “I will take you on as retainers; Robert and Etienne D’eauville from Normandy. Your father, an old family retainer, asked me to give his two mute sons employment. If you cannot agree to this, I will send you home.”
“We want to be where we can help Marianne,” Robert told him bluntly. “We will take your advice, Sir…”
“I am Monsieur Henri D’Arbanville,” the man told them tightly. “If you were not mute, you would address me as such.”
“Monsieur?” The Captain strode into the stables and saw the boys. “Who have we here? Henri told him and the Captain nodded. He knew who they were, there was no mistaking whose sons they were; but he was Henri’s man and he would not tell. “I will find mounts for them.” He looked at the boys. “You can ride, can you not?” Neither boy spoke, and he nodded. “Mutes, is it?” He smiled. “Come along then, boys. We’ll bed you with the guard for tonight.”
Morning arrived and Madame D’Arbanville had purchased proper garments for her and Dominique. She put them on and blushed as she saw the way her breasts were displayed. It was not