Unchaining Alice

Chapter 18

His sisters, brother and brothers-in-law were all staring at him expectantly in Joseph’s little office. He leant against his small desk and allowed his shoulders to slump. “‘Alice Devereaux’ is her real name. ‘Jacqueline’ was just a pseudonym. She was a part of the revolution three years ago. She was young, naïve and afraid, and she’s been terrified ever since. But she never killed anyone. That charge was a blatant lie.”

They all stared at him in utter shock. Not one of them spoke for several moments.

“She’s innocent!” he reiterated.

“She’s been hiding this for three years?” Annie asked quietly, shaking her head and looking to the floor.

“With good reason,” James snapped. “Look what happened. Sarah is just being an evil witch. Sarah was blackmailing Alice – that was why she wouldn’t see me all this time.”

“This certainly explains a lot,” Joseph said finally. “It is why she was so reluctant to talk about her past.”

“Are you positive she never killed anyone?” Emilia asked.

James glared at his mother. “Alice would never,” he growled. “She was just an impressionable child in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now she will be paying for crimes she never committed. She won’t get a fair trial in France. All the rebels were executed on the spot – Alice will be given to the guillotine.” The vile images were imprinting themselves on their mind. He could see the crowds gathering in his mind as the blade dropped and Alice died. He could hear their cheers. No. It wouldn’t happen. He would rather it be him than her. “You were a solicitor once,” he said to his father. Sebastian had practiced property and family law before receiving the news that he was an Earl. Of course he’d never defended a person on trial, but he still had the knowledge. “What do we do?”

Sebastian pursed his lips. “I don’t think there is much we can do.”

“She’s already been arrested, James, it is in the hands of the police,” Kitty added.

James threw an exasperated look at his sister for stating the obvious. “Quiet, Kitty,” he snapped.

“Kitty is right. There is nothing we can do now,” Sebastian replied. “I’m not sure how French inquisitorial systems work, but she is in their hands, I’m afraid. All we must for is pray for a fair trial.”

James let out a frustrated cry. “I’ll bribe them. Papa, how much will you allow me to have? Surely a few hundred pounds slipped to the charging officers should quash these charges.”

“No, I will not have you getting into trouble as well. You will be arrested for trying to cheat the system.”

“What system? They’ve arrested an innocent girl!”

“I’m sorry, James,” Sebastian replied sadly. “But there is nothing we can do.”

James buried his head in his hands. His mother wrapped her arms around him and tried to comfort him but it wouldn’t work. The only thing he could think to do would be to travel to France and help her escape once there. He wouldn’t care if he never inherited Ethridge. Henry would do just as fine a job. So long as Alice was alive, he didn’t care if they lived like paupers.

“I’m going to the Met,” he decided. “That’s where they would have taken her, yes?” The Metropolitan Police Service was responsible for keeping order in all of London. Little did they care, however, that they had an innocent young woman in a cell.

“I suppose so,” Emilia agreed.

Without another word he left Joseph’s office and walked back into the main hall of the church. It was as if nothing had ever happened. Sarah was happily chatting to another one of the society ladies. They were no doubt discussing wedding plans. He would sooner die than marry her. Making a beeline for her, he startled Sarah when he appeared before her, looking down at her murderously.