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By Root 2107 0

Elise could not imagine what must be in her mind and heart. She remembered Saint-Jean as she’d last seen him, grinning as his donkey darted through the baroron. He’d disappear, then reappear, like Sophie and Robert. When had been the last time he’d crossed her field of vision? He’d disappeared, then failed to reappear. That simple. Remarkable as it was in this country, Elise herself had never lost a child. She had not paid enormous attention to Mireille—indeed the baby preferred Zabeth, to whom she was more accustomed—but now she snuggled her closer, as she let herself slip down toward a doze.

A noise at the end of the Cocherelle drive roused her. Morisset’s sentries must have challenged someone. Silence, then Elise picked out three horsemen riding toward her out of the dusky lane. The tall figure riding the lead horse wore a familiar broad-brimmed hat.

Elise ran down into the yard and clutched his stirrup. “Xavier,” she said. “Dear God, you are safe.”

Tocquet smiled wearily through the dust that coated his face. “And you also,” he said. “And the children?”

“All safe and well,” Elise said. “But for Saint-Jean—he was lost on the road. It was awful—one minute he was there and the next he was gone.”

“He is found,” Tocquet said, and slipped down from his horse to stand beside her. “Fortunately or unfortunately, as you prefer. General Hardy has captured him.”

“What ill luck for Suzanne.”

“He won’t be harmed,” Tocquet said. “He is too valuable as a hostage. They’ll treat him kindly.”

“Then Hardy’s men must have overrun Ennery altogether,” Elise said.

“Parts of it,” Tocquet said. “It was all confusion when I passed. There was some fighting in the village, I think, and of course we were doing all we could to keep clear of it.”

“How glad I am to see you,” Elise said.

“Pareil,” said Tocquet. “I feel the same. It has been a long day tracking you down. And you too, little one.”

Mireille had awakened, uncharacteristically calm. She raised her head from the crook of Elise’s elbow and looked at her father with wide, round eyes. Bazau and Gros-Jean had also dismounted. Gros-Jean approached, and with a cluck of his tongue he took the reins from Tocquet’s hand and led the horses away behind the Cocherelle grand’case.

“Is that soupe joumoun I smell?” Tocquet said. He draped an arm over Elise’s shoulder; she rested her cheek on his collarbone. Mireille turned and closed her soft hand around Tocquet’s trailing forefinger. Together they began to stroll toward the house.

“Isabelle and Nanon are with you, yes?” Tocquet said. “And Antoine?”

“He was ordered to go with Toussaint, with the army—they seem to be thinking there will be a great battle.”

Tocquet stopped short. “Where?”

“It hasn’t been reported to me. You must ask Morisset, perhaps—he is here, with these guardsmen who are watching the house. I think they said Toussaint was bound for Ravine à Couleuvre when he left here this afternoon.”

Abruptly Tocquet disengaged his arm. “That may be ill luck indeed,” he said. “I was afraid of it—and Ravine à Couleuvre is uncomfortably close by.”

“What do you mean?” Elise reached for his hand; absently Tocquet returned the pressure, then let it fall as he fumbled for one of his cheroots.

“Rochambeau knows that Toussaint has arms cached there,” he said. “He has found someone to guide him, too. If he meets Toussaint in the ravine, it’s likely he’ll outnumber him. And Antoine is with them! I ought to overtake them as soon as I may.”

“Whose side are you on?” Elise said, with more curiosity than bitterness, this time.

“Ours,” said Tocquet. “You and me and Sophie and Mireille. Gros-Jean and Bazau and Zabeth for that matter. Why should we not include them too?” Of a sudden he smiled, in an easy way. Setting the unlit cheroot in the corner of his mouth, he reached to squeeze her shoulder. “I’m only accepting your version, after all. For the moment our fortunes are thrown in with Toussaint’s, or rather our family’s with his, as you argued . . . what, was it the day before yesterday?”

“It has been longer,” Elise said. “Oh, I thought I would