In the Commodore's Hands by Mary Nichols

that could be costly. Lawyers seem to be able to charge whatever they like these days.’
    ‘If you could visit the Comte and obtain writtenauthorisation from him, then I would be happy to oblige you.’
    ‘They will not let me see him.’
    ‘Then I am sorry.’
    ‘I thought you were my friend,’ she said, disappointed and angry. ‘You are as bad as all the others. You have done well out of Papa over the years, is that not worth something?’
    He looked distressed, but could only repeat, ‘I am sorry. I dare not.’ He paused, then went on. ‘You have a little money of your own your mother left you. You can certainly have that.’
    ‘Then please let me have it in gold coin,
louis d’or
or
ecus
, not
assignat.’
    ‘I don’t know…’ He hesitated.
    ‘Please, at least do this for me.’
    ‘Very well.’ He went to a safe and unlocked it, then counted out the equivalent of a thousand
livres
which he put into a pouch and handed to her. ‘Let us hope you are not robbed of it before you can use it.’
    She put it in the pocket of her skirt and tied the red scarf round her waist like a belt with its ends hanging down to disguise the bulk of the pouch, then she bade him good day and left.
    ‘What now?’ Hortense asked after she had told her what had happened. ‘Home again?’
    She did not answer because they had emergedon to the street just as a black carriage bowled past. ‘That’s Henri Canard back from Paris,’ she said, catching a glimpse of the man sitting in it. ‘Come on.’ She started to hurry after it.
    ‘Where are you going?’ Hortense, being plumper and not so nimble as Lisette, was breathlessly trying to keep up with her.
    ‘To speak to him. He might free Papa for a price.’
    ‘You know he won’t. He will have you in custody as soon as you blink and then what good will you be to your papa? Leave it to the Englishman.’
    ‘No. I want to avoid bloodshed if I can and what Monsieur Drymore is planning could very well be violent.’
    The carriage had gone out of sight, but Lisette knew where the lawyer lived and set off in that direction.
    Canard’s house was a substantial one in the middle of the town. The carriage had gone by the time they reached it, but Lisette did not doubt her quarry was inside. Pausing only to catch her breath, she strode up to the door and knocked.
    Canard himself answered it. He had a sheaf of papers in his hand, as if he had been studyingthem. ‘Well, well, well, Citoyenne Giradet. And what do you want?’
    Lisette prepared to humble herself. ‘Please, Monsieur Canard, will you not relent and set my father free? He has not harmed you or the Revolution. He is an old man content to live quietly on his estate, no trouble to anyone. Please let me have him back.’
    She had said all this before and it moved him no more than it had the first time. His lip curled in a sneer. ‘He is an enemy of the Revolution, plotting counter-revolution. His estate will be forfeit when he is sentenced.’
    ‘But he is innocent.’
    ‘That is for others to decide and you may be sure the verdict will be guilty.’
    ‘Then what will happen to me? I have no other home and cannot manage without him. I will give you money…’
    He laughed. ‘Oh, dear me, bribing an official is most certainly against the law.’
    ‘I didn’t mean it as a bribe.’ She backtracked quickly. ‘I meant to pay for his defence.’
    ‘He has no defence. I suggest you find a husband among the good citizens of this town and settle down in humble domesticity. Your father is going to be taken to Paris for trial.’
    ‘Paris?’ She feigned surprise. ‘Why?’
    ‘His crimes are so great he is to have a public trial in the Palais de Justice.’
    ‘When?’ she asked.
    ‘Soon.’
    ‘But I must know when. I must be there to support him. I must find someone to defend him.’
    ‘He will leave here tomorrow morning at dawn. And do not think about trying to set him free because he will be under armed