At Cristof's command, Albert hurried to Calais and stole into the stable near M. Planchette's shop. He wrapped the bundle of evidence tightly together and slipped it between two bundles of hay. Someone just walking through wouldn't notice, but if a through inspection were done it would be most easily found. Albert smirked at his handiwork, he'd never like Andre. The boy acted above his station, when all he was an orphan from the circus. Just another meddler who occasionally stood in the way of his work, now the little bugger would be out of the way. Hung most likely.
Evidence in place, Albert went to the authorities and reported his suspicions about Planchette's errand boy.
Antoine Plourde always wanted to be a military man like his father. Ever since he was a little boy, he had dreamed of becoming a famed general. Now, it was his first week in Calais and already his regiment had a case, the case of the young girl who was found half dead in the woods. An English noblewoman, well, noble girl, her name was Emilie. She had been attacked and robbed, saved by a passing good Samaritan. A young man had come in and reported that a young delivery boy had been acting suspicious and that he would like an inquiry into it. Plourde raked his thin fingers through his dark black hair. If he solved this case, he'd be promoted so fast. He could be a general at thirty. He had to solve it!
He immediately volunteered to oversee this case. He got together three soldiers and walked to the shop. "In the name of his Majesty, the King Louis the XVI, we have orders to search this establishment" he said, walking past the young man who opened the door. The young man looked shocked but agreed to show them around. Antoine ordered the soldiers to fan out and he decided to check the barn with the clerk who gave his name as Henri. He looked about. Nothing of interest mostly, just straw. He almost had given up until he leaned against one and felt a small bundle of bloody clothing. He moved it and felt some hard objects within. He gently opened up the clothing and gasped to himself but made sure the clerk could not see. “They are all bloody! Whom do these clothes belong to?” he asked. Henri paled. “The delivery boy” he muttered. Antoine laughed. "And per chance, do these also belong to him?" he said, holding up two locks of hair, which were stretched as if pulled off human skulls, two bloody pieces of cloth, a bracelet, a locket, a ring, hat and a pair of lady's gloves, both bloody. Before the astonished clerk could answer, he felt a strong hand grasp his collar. “Come along, I have a lot more questions for you” Antoine said, clearly overjoyed. What luck, he was sure he’d be well rewarded for breaking this. He marched the poor clerk inside and whistled for his men. He approached the tailor. “M. Planchette, I am placing you and everyone in your employment under arrest until we sort out why your delivery boy has bloody clothes and this in his possessions. Bind their hands. Anyone else?” he said, holding up the hair, jewelry and clothes.
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Laurel consented reluctantly and accepted the arm that Mazzarini held out to her. They collected the stallion and walked to M. Planchette's shoppe. "Have you been here long?"
Mazzarini walked Laurel to the shop and from the end of the street saw that there was trouble brewing. A regiment was surrounding the shop and Planchette was beening lead out. "Mon chere," Mazzarini warned halting abruptedly, "perhaps it is best you not return to work!"
Planchette exited the shop in the company of the soldiers with his hands braced behind his back. The situation was most distressing and he was glad that neither Andre or Laurel were there at the moment. After a moment he spotted Laurel approaching with Mazzarini, and then halt when they spotted the regiment. He prayed that his old friend would have the wisdom to spirit poor Laurel away until the situation was cleared up.
Laurel had been looking at the ground before her as she walked until Mazzarini stopped and remarked, "Mon chere, perhaps it is best you not return to work!" At this Laurel looked up to see, Planchette and Henri being lead away by a regiment of soldiers. Laurel attempted to go on and see whatever was the matter when Mazzarini held fast and shook his head in a warning manner. Laurel's body went cold, she shook free of Mazzarini and proceeded forward a few steps. "M. Mazzarini, if something happens to me, I would be eternally in your debt if you would go and reassure my mother," Laurel said without turning around. "She suffers from poor health and would be most dreadfully worried... But I cannot abandon my friends if there is anyway to save them..." These words said Laurel ran to meet the soldiers and addressed herself to the one who appeared to be in charged. "I beg you, messieur! What have these men done? M. Planchette and Henri are most honorable and good men! I do not understand why they are being treated in such a manner."
Antoine looked at the pretty girl who had run up. By the way she was dressed, she was just a peasant. He didn't have time for this. But Antoine did have a heart and the girl reminded him of his own sister Nicole. What was the harm in telling her the truth? She looked so innocent. "I am afraid these men also might be harboring an thief and brigand who robbed two Ladies. We'll have to hold them and anyone who works with them till we get this Andre and then we'll have to see what the families want done. In Andre's clothes which were covered in blood was found jewelry, hair and bloody cloth. I am sure the Ladies' families will want to deal with them themselves. We confirmed the identity of one, a Lady Emilie Blakeney I know it must scare you, petite that such people live among you. I'd be very careful on how to get home, my dear girl. It's quite dangerous, especially with this Andre still free. But don't you fret, little miss, we'll find him. You seem to know these people, anything you can tell us would be of great use to us, my dear and I'm sure Lord Blakeney and the other girl's father would reward you" he said in a friendly though authoritatively tone. "Anything, on these men and Andre? Who are you, by the way?" he asked a bit suspiciously.
Laurel paled at the man's words. Andre? It was impossible! "My name is Claudette DeClaireville, and by your words I must share in their fate. I work for M. Planchette and can assure you that he abides by the highest standards! Andre would never hurt anyone, messieur! There must be a mistake!"
Antoine sighed. Poor girl, she could be hung and she seemed so honorable. He wished he could tell her to run while she still had a chance but that would be wrong. Well, he had no choice. He placed his hand gently on Claudette's shoulder and said "I hope for your sake that you are right, Mademoiselle DeClaireville, but as of now, you are under arrest" he said in a quiet tone and took the girl's hands, bracing them behind her. "Come along then" he said, trying not to feel like a monster. He brought Claudette over to the other two prisoners. Crowds were gathering already and he was sure it was humiliating for all of the prisoners. He motioned for his men to take the people back to base but it would have to be through all these people. He wished he could slip and release this brave little girl. Well, maybe the judge would be lenient on her.
Laurel walked between Planchette and Henri, Planchette gave Laurel a look which expressed the fact that he wished she didn't have a part in this. Laurel watched the faces of the people who gathered to watch the procession, there was no compassion, merely suspicion, pointing, whispering. She could only hope that the truth would be revealed soon, but also knew that regardless of the truth, regardless of their previous actions these people would only remember this moment. Planchette's business and repution would suffer. Who could have wanted to inflict so much suffering on their fellow human being? But the lord in his infinite conpassion would see them through this... "Don't worry, my darling Planchette! There must be some mistake. The truth will be discovered and the truth shall set us free." She felt the coldness of the stares upon them, but held her head high as one who knows their innocence. She held herself as would a lady of court, her noble upbring apparent despite her modest clothes. She would would not gave them the satisfaction of seeing her tears or her fear.
Mazzarini watched Laurel run to face the soldiers and it turn be lead away by them, if only she had listened to him. Sadly, Mazzarini took Planchette's horse and found his way to Laurel's house, and there attempted to reassure the very distress Mdm. deClaireville.
Antoine walked with his captives in tow through the staring crowds, feeling very unsure of himself. He tried not to think about what his duties might consist of. It was much easier thinking about these things then doing them but he wasn't going to stoop or scorn or knuckle under the pressure, he would rise to the challenge. He took the prisoners to the base as quickly as he could. He had the men taken to one cell and he himself took the girl to the other cell. He know it was his duty to manacle her but as he knelt down and manacle her ankle to the wall, he felt a great deal of pity for her. He looked as if he wanted to say something but he merely left to have a drink. Suddenly, a drink seemed very nice.
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Laurel sat in her cell, staring at the manacle around her leg and wondering if Henri and Planchette were experienceing the same fate. She wasn't certain that Mazzarini had done as she had asked, but something in her told her that he would and that gave her some comfort. She had a feeling that they would be there for while some time, since she knew they wouldn't find Andre unless she or Planchette or Henri told them, they would have no idea where to look for him. And perhaps that enigma about Andre would acted against him... If he were to come forward, then perhaps the matter would be settled once and for all, or would matters be made worse?
Laurel shivered and pulled her shawl more tightly around her. These cells were most certainly not designed for comfort. What would her mother do when she found out that Laurel was under arrest? Hopefully Mazzarini would go and sooth her fears.
Was Cristof behind this? If so, what could be gained by arresting them. It would work against any ideas for acquiring her as a bride. If not him, then who? These attacks started recently, as a matter of fact they started immediately after she had encountered the English. For some reason they seemed to be connected to her... the first a girl in her care... the second on the road from home... both taking place on or near the Lovell or DeClaireville lands... there was something strange about the matter. If only she had stayed with the woman on the road, maybe she had more information on her attacker. Or if she could speak to Emilie... maybe she might know something that would point to her attacker. Sights, smells, sounds... or if she could look at the evidence, perhaps she could solve it.
If only she had not be separated from Planchette and Henri, the worry would be much less, and perhaps they could figure out some way to bring the truth out... If they weren't in peril she would have turned her thoughts to escape, but she didn't even know where they were...
Laurel stood up and moved as close as she could to the small window in the cell, trying to feel the fading sun, hoping that perhaps some new inspiration might strike her, hoping to see something that might renew the hope in her heart. For it grasped at the thinnest of straws, that the truth would be found and that that truth would set them free. God in his infinite compassion would not allow the innocent to be completely destroyed.
Dark would soon be falling, so she tried as best as possible to take advantage of the light.
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Chris had at a tavern when he heard whispers of an arrest. He ran out and saw Planchette , his clerk and...no, his Laurel being taken to prison. He wanted Andre, not Laurel. The poor girl, going through such humiliation!!! He had to hold himself back from walking up to her guards and telling them to release her. She was so beautiful, so proud and defiant, like a fire. Well, a night in prison wouldn't kill her, he'd think of some way of maintaining his plans and still rescuing Laurel. He wondered if the little girl had been found. He knew the pet would be terrified over this and he planned to stop by and reassure her. He had a few ideas of what to do but one thing, he would ruin the love between that thief and his pet and do it without earning himself a beating. With that, he went home. He needed a long time to think and drown himself in some poetry. Ordinarily, he'd want some pleasure but after seeing Laurel like that, he didn't want anyone but her. And he was going to get her!
Chris spent the night worried about Laurel. He knew that she was suffering and he wished he could relieve it. The thought of her languishing in some smelly prison was almost more then he could bear. He paced for hours, tried to read, tried anything but could not find a way to help her without incriminating himself and finding himself in a duel with three irate youths and showing the saintly Laurel his scheming. He had to think! He went to the Lovell chapel and reverently fell to his knees. He bowed his head, crossed himself and began to pray. "Adiuvet nos, quaesumus Domine, gloriosae tuae Genetricis semperque Virginis Mariae intercessio veneranda;" he began, earnestly praying for the welfare of his beloved Laurel. He then continued, praying long into the night, finally collapsing from his knees and sleeping the night on the chapel floor. Servants carried him to bed, when they found him.
