Round Robin Story

Marguerite sat in the library, watching the rain come down again the window pane. The storm outside was rather nasty and Marguerite was getting worried as each minute passed. Percy was to return from Paris today, or at least that was was the note he sent said. So Marguerite sat on the window bench in the library watching and waiting. She sighed as she once again tried to read the book sitting on her lap. She was getting more worried as night was coming soon. She prayed Percy would make it back safely and soon. For she had something very important to tell him.

As she continued to stare out the window, she reflected back on the events that led up to her big news. She didn't quite know how Percy would take the news. "Would he be happy, upset, furious at this, I know not." she mused.

****5 days ago

Marguerite had been sick to her stomach and tired easily for quite sometime.She managed to hide it from Percy when he was home for a few days from Paris. Now it was worse then it has been. When her personal maid, Louise, had come in that morning, she had asked for her breakfast and asked that someone discreetly go fetch the doctor.

"Are you all right, milady?" Louise asked, with concern laced in her voice.

"Just a little ill, Louise. Now could you please go get the doctor and my tea please?" she said with a small smile. Louise curtseyed and quickily left the room.

Half and hour later, the doctor had arrived at the manor and was shown to my ladyship's room, where she sat propped up drinking tea. She smiled at the doctor when he entered.

"Lady Blakeney, what seems to be the problem?" the kind doctor asked while claiming the chair near the bed.

" I have been sick to my stomach in the morning and have more tired lately." she said and the doctor continued the examination. About five minutes later, the answered was revealed.

"Milady, May I congratulate you. You are going to be a mother." he said. The good doctor gathered up his instruments and showed himself out of the room. Meanwhile, Marguerite just stared off into space, quite shocked at the news she just recieved. After the doctor left the room, she just smiled and couldn't wait to tell Percy when he got back from his latest adventure in Paris.

****

Marguerite shook her head slightly as to clear the memory from her head. She looked out the window, it had turned night and Percy still wasn't home. One of the maids came into the room. "Milady, you need to have something to eat, shall i bring you a tray?"

Turning to the maid in the doorway, "That would be nice thanks." she said. As the maid left, Marguerite turned back to the window and saw a shadow approaching from the distance. Her heart lept for she knew that had to be Percy coming home.

Sir Percy Blakeney had only just returned home from his latest trip from France when he heard of the news that would change his life forever. Usually when he came home, the servants of Blakeney Manor only gave him a quick respectful nod, and continued about their work or whatever they had been told to do. But this time was different.

 Everywhere he turned on his way to find Marguerite, someone else would look at him with the most excited of smiles.

"Congratulations, milord!"

"You must be so happy!"

"Good show, sir!"

With the usual air of a courteous gentleman, Percy thanked them all face to face, but once each was turned away, he shook his head with a puzzled laugh. Figuring his answer could only come from Marguerite, his steps hastened even more anxiously to see her. Opening the door to her boudoir, he found her already waiting behind it.

"What took you so long?" she exclaimed throwing her arms around him happily. "I have been waiting for you for the past five days!"

Laughing good humouredly, Percy put her back at arms' length. "Sink me m'dear, although I am glad you are pleased to see me," he said, "I must say that it seems as if you are much more pleased than usual; am I correct?"

"Yes you are," Marguerite answered honestly with the innocence of a five year old.

"And I do not know if you know this, but there are so many people congratulating me today."

"Yes I know there are."

"Ah! In that case, m'dear, exactly WHY are you so much more happy to see me and at the same time, why am I receiving so many congratulations from everyone, hmm?"

Marguerite gave him her best pout. "Is it so bad that everyone loves you as much as I do?"

Percy smiled that killer smile he was so good at. "How could I resist that face...and not know that my wife is up to something at the same time?"

After she gave him a small playful slap in the arm, she grew rather serious although her grin remained on her lips. "Well, Percy, I...uh...I saw the doctor the other day while you were in France."

"Are you all right Marguerite?" Percy began to persist nervous for her well being. "You are well, I pray?"

"Of course Percy! I..." she smiled dreamily before adding. "...WE are absolutely fine."

"Oh thank God! For a moment I feared..." he stopped mid-sentence as he turned and looked into her eyes. "Marguerite, did you just say 'we'?"

She nodded happily.

"Marguerite...you...please tell me if you mean...what I think you mean!"

The lady in question simply embraced and kissed him quickly. "Congratulations, papa. We are going to have a baby."

Percy just looked at her like she grew an extra head. A few minutes passed and he still hadn't said anything. "Percy..." Marguerite said warily.

"Percy, will you say something? You're starting to scare me just standing there like a statue." She lightly touched his cheek, snapping him out of his dazed situation.

"Methinks, I......I am just....So happy my love......So, so happy... Can I .."Percy motioned to his wife stomach.

"Of course! Here.", She placed his hand gently on the place were his unborn child lay.

"This is so wonderful! Sink me! A little Blakeney is in there!",Percy laughed at his silly little comment, and looked soulfully into his wife's loving eyes. "I vow before you, right now, my love, that I will be a wonderful, caring, and very available father. I will have Andrew become head of the league. I cannot carry on anymore like a man who has no responsibilities. I give my life now, fully, to you and our child."

"No,Percy! You can't just give up the league like that! I wont allow you too. You do so much good in Paris. You have saved so many people,Percy. You cant abandon the other who have yet to be saved!. Besides, Andrew and Suzanne haven't been married more than a year yet. It wouldn't be fair for them to have Andrew be constantly away.",Marguerite had dreamed for months that Percy would say something like this, but now, with the possibility in front of her, she thought of the many people, men, woman,and even small children, who sat in the Parisian jails waiting for there day of execution.

"I thought you would be happy, my love! But I guess you are right.There still are many people, but I want to make you happy. If you really want me to continue, I will, but, if there ever come a time you want it to end. It will."

Marguerite was happy with this answer. The persecuted of Paris needed him more then she.

Silence filled the air as the two hung onto each other in happiness. Percy pulled back to look at Marguerite in the face. "M'dear, are you certain?"

"Quite certain. The doctor said most likely in November. But why don't we make certain, just in case" she said coquettishly, winding her arm around his neck, loosening the tied back hair. Percy kissed her soundly and picked her up as wasily as one would pick up a read doll. Taking her over to the bed, he back to slowly untie the ribbons that held her nightgown closed. And so began their night of intense passion.

The next morning found the pair wrapped up in each other's arms, fast asleep. The morning light crept in, slowly stirring the two lovers. They would have simply ignored the morning light, for neither was inclined to leave that bed for at least another few hours. Unfortunately, a soft knock was heard at the door.

As the light hit his eyes, Percy began to stir sleepily, for the night had indeed left him breathless. Never one to be a deep sleeper, Marguerite followed suit as he turned on his back.

A dreamy smile fleeting across her lips, she purred sweetly in his ear, "Tired are you, milord?"

The man at her side laughed. With a quick kiss, he answered, "You never cease to amaze me, love. Every time I believe that you reached the height of passion, you prove me wrong."

Their lips were about to meet again, when the soft knock came at the door.

"Who is it?" Percy shouted annoyed at the interruption.

"Sir Percy?" the servant's voice came through the massive door. "Are you still abed?"

"Yes; why?"

"My Lord Dewhurst and Sir Andrew are on their way here and they wish to meet you in the library!"

Percy finally looked up as if he was about to hurry into action, which in fact he was. "Very well I shall be down in a few moments!"

~*~

Certain enough, a quarter of an hour later, the small group made up of my Lord Anthony Dewhurst, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes arrived awaiting their chief in the assigned place. However as Percy entered, as usual dressed in his finest, with his lady gripping his hand, the two gentlemen immediately became their former school boy selves.

"Lud aren't we the adorable couple this morning!" Tony laughed in mock swoon. "It is the most wonderous of things, is it not?"

Andrew nodded. "What on earth kept you from joining us, Percy?"

As the man himself was about to reply, Tony snickered and answered for him. "Sink me Ffoulkes, it is not polite to pry into their...personal affairs. Odd's fish, what else does a man do with his wife at night?"

Marguerite took opportunity by the hand at this. A playful slap in the jackanapes' arm did the trick along with a mock admonishing "Cad!"

All of them had one more laugh before business began. "Now then gentlemen, what is it you wished to speak about."

Andrew answered this time. "We just received word from Paris. A group of men must have wanted to follow in our footsteps, for they are planning their own little missions to rid France of Robespierre. Unfortunately they were discovered, arrested, and are to be executed on account of treason."

"What a creative accusation!" Percy answered with complete sarcasm. "When is their execution scheduled for?"

"In a few days," Tony replied his teasing tone vanished in the seriousness of the moment. "We must leave as soon as possible."

"No!"

The three men turned their gazes to where Marguerite stood. She continued the moment she knew they were listening.

"Percy," she began pleadingly. "Percy please! Do not go this time! Your life is more precious to me now more than ever! You must not leave! Not with the...!"

Knowing the only way to silence her was to cover her mouth with his own, Percy acted upon instinct. "Marguerite I can not stop everything simply because of that. Besides, we still have so much time."

"What are you talking about?" Andrew implied.

An involuntary smile forming on his lips, Percy took Marguerite's arm through his as he turned to his friends. "Gentlemen, I forgot to mention that...I am going to be a father."

For a moment the two men could only stare wide eyed at the couple like two year olds gaping at the gifts under a Christmas tree.

"Sh-sh-she is..?" Tony stuttered losing his tongue very easily as each syllable attempted to come out. As Andrew gave him a look and a slap on the back, he finished, "...having a baby?"

Marguerite's smile grew at the sound of those words...even if they came from Tony's stammering. "Yes I am," she confirmed as they continued to simply look on in awe.

Being the only one who could speak, Andrew walked forward to address his chief's wife. "As I usually am the representative of the league, I would be honored to be the first to congratulate you and this wretched jackanapes you call your husband." A small round of laughter followed this. "Thus without further adieu, congratulations, Madame la Pimpernelle."

~*~

For miles around, the only sound that could be heard in the garden of Blakeney Manor was the crickets' songs and water flowing in the small river nearby. The grass on the hill was the most comfortable place, Percy and Marguerite knew, to relax and think, and so that is where they stayed.

Percy was never as happy as he was in that simple moment of resting his head in Marguerite's lap while she stroked his golden tinted hair. The news of his wife's expecting a baby was the best he had ever heard in his life, and he felt absolutely contented right where he was.

"Percy?" Marguerite whispered gently looking down as his eyes met her own. "Are you really going to go on a mission during the next few months?"

"Margot, darling you know I have to..." his voice hushed as she began to pout. "That is not fair, Marguerite! You know I can not resist that adorable bottom lip of yours!"

Grinning as slyly as a cat, Marguerite said matter of factly, "I know; that is why I did it." After a look of warning from him, she became serious again, but still sad. "Percy why must you leave me now? I have never been...enciente before!"

"Thank God for that, m'dear!" Percy laughed.

"That was mean!"

Imitating that smile she gave him before he answered, "I know; that is why I did it."

"Percy!"

"Odd's fish m'dear, you must forgive my comments for I know they can be such a hindrance. I already know what you are going to say. I can not leave you until the baby comes but we still have a few more months before anything needs absolute attention."

She only continued to frown before he went in for the bargain. "Tell you what, sweetheart, once you reach your...how about the fifth month, then I shall stay here. The league will not be allowed to so much as talk to me about missions except to plan them."

Marguerite would have preferred him around for the whole length of her pregnancy, but for now, this would have to do. "Fair call that, amour."

"I thought you would like it," he concluded with a smile. Sitting upright, he looked at her abdoman as his hand strayed with his eyes. "My God, this is everything a man like me could want, m'dear. At last, my prayers have been fully answered; I have you and soon...we will have our firstborn baby."

"It is wonderful isn't it?" Marguerite said quietly. "Thank you, Percy; without you I would have never had a chance to be a mother."

Percy kissed her before adding his own word of thanks. "Thank you Marguerite for making me not only a father...but also part of a family. For that, I love you all the more!"

No more words were needed after that, for with one hand on his unborn child's "bed" and the other around its mother, he brought her into a deep kiss that said everything!

Slowly he broke away from the kiss but kept his arms around her. He was going to spend as much time with her before he had to depart for France once again, which would be in the next hour. He looked into her eyes and saw those lovely blue eyes filled with tears that were threatening to fall any second. "Shh... My beloved, please don't cry, you know I hate to see such a lovely woman cry."

"Percy, please let me go with you. I can't bear to stay away from you." she said shakily.

"Margot, my love, my wife, you know I can't let you go, especially now with the baby. I can't simply afford to put you both in peril." he said still holding on to her face. His fingers were brushing away the tears that were falling from her eyes.

"Percy..."

"Marguerite, please.." both were pleading with each other. Suddenly, Percy brought her face to his for a maddening kiss. Both had tears streaming from their eyes and clung to each other like it would be their last. After they realxed some and dreamed their eyes, they laid back down in the grass still wrapped in each others arms.

"Percy? Suzanne is coming here, non?" she said, sounding more like a child then a mother-to-be.

"Yes? Why?"

"Well Sir Andrew is going on this mission I assume. Maybe it would be better if we went with you to the Fisherman's Rest. Suzanne and I can stay at the cottage we have there. The salt air would help with the morning sickness. Then Suzanne and I can spend just a few more hours with you and Andrew."

"Sink me, that's a demmed marvelous idea. Still good to know you can carry your title of 'the cleverest woman in Europe'"

"Percy!" she said playfully slapping him. Nothing else was said for the remainder of the hour.

Percy and Marguerite just sat back in the grass and watched the clouds go by. Percy absently ran his hand over her abdomen where their child was growing. Percy smiled and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "what was that for, mon amour?"

"Just because." any other words that were going to be said didn't get said because of the sound of a carriage coming towards the house. "That must be Andrew and Suzanne. Come let's go greet them." he said standing up. He held out his hand to help her up which she graciously took. Percy and Marguerite proceeded arm in arm towards the manor to greet theie guests.

It was heartwrenching to say goodbye for both couples, Percy and Marguerite, Andrew and Suzanne. The long ride to the Fisherman's Rest was the only remaining time left for them all before it was time to board the DayDream, and at the same time, it was a living hell that was endured many previous times.

Alas it was destined to happen, and while Andrew said fond farewells to his wife, Percy simply embraced his own, all the while whispering his endearments in her ear.

"My Margot," he said stroking the fiercely red curls he adored. "My only! I shall be home soon enough, you know that, sweetheart."

"I never know for certain," he heard her sob on his shoulder. "When you leave, you take the chance of not coming back! I can not live with that possibility! Darling do not leave me! Please do not leave me here without you! Please!"

Helplessly, Percy clenched his teeth to keep from letting his tears flow freely, and after the most passionate and soothing of kisses, he looked to Suzanne for assistance. Knowingly, the young woman, hardly more than a girl, walked over to her weeping friend, gently tearing her away so that their husbands could go on their way.

~*~

"...and that is all gentlemen. You may go."

Percy dismissed the league as the meeting came to a close. They needed their rest before the next day, and so all went to their beds in the Paris hideout. Only Andrew remained as he caught sight of his chief and friend's distant look out of the window.

"Percy?" he asked. "Is everything all right?"

Percy gave him a gracious look. "Absolutely my friend; I only feel a bit guilty that is all. With the baby on the way, Marguerite needs me, and while I do not want to leave her, I'm afraid must. I have made a commitment to not only her, but also to the people here, and I do not know how to handle it all." Realizing that he must have been talking nonsense, he laughed a bit. "Sink me I must sound like a rambling fool. I apologize."

Andrew smiled as he himself reached a realization...that his own secret had been kept long enough. "Actually, Percy, I understand more than you believe I do."

"What do you mean?"

"We were going to surprise both you and Marguerite, but Suzanne undoubtedly must have told her by now. We only just discovered that she is also expecting."

Percy laughed the school boy laugh his comrade knew so well. "Odd's my life! The both of us having wives that are with child simultaneously! Congratulations man!"

"Thank you my friend. I could not be more happier but at the same time, I feel as you do, excited beyond belief but guilty for having to leave."

Percy returned Andrew's kind smile. "Well, that is real friendship for you. I suppose we shall just have to mope together!"

Andrew laughed. "I suppose so, my friend! That is what friends are for after all, and you are my dearest of them all!"

"Thank you for those words, but I entreat you, Ffoulkes," Percy leaned over before adding, "Let us keep it a secret!"

Andrew nodded jokingly knowing. "I promise not to show your favoritism to the boys!"

A boyish comrade's punch in the arm was enough to conclude!

Percy gave his wife one last kiss before turning away towards the DayDream. Suzanne held on to Marguerite's shoulders while both watched their husbands board the DayDream and they stayed there until the DayDream was no longer in sight.

"Come now, Marguerite. Let's go get something to eat." Suzanne said pulling on Marguerite's arm trying to move her in the direction of the Fisherman's Rest. Taking one last look over the Channel. Marguerite gave into Suzannne's gentle persuasion and headed with her to the Rest.

Jellyband was outside waiting for the two ladies when they neared the Rest. "Lady Blakeney, Lady Ffoulkes." he said bowing to both ladies. "Dinner is ready for you when you want."

"Of course, good Jellyband, we shall have it in the private dining room." Marguerite said, with a smile for the first time since Percy left.

"Right this way, milady." he said, turning away to get the ladies their dinner. The two ladies proceeded to the private dining room.

"Come now Suzanne. I know you have been hiding something from me." Marguerite said in a singsong voice.

"You know me too well, Marguerite. But knowing Andrew he has already told your husband so I see no reason why I shouldn't tell you all." Suzanne said with a small smile on her face.

"Out with it before I have to find another way to drag it out of you." she said with a little laugh. Suzanne smiled at her.

" Marguerite, I found out that I was with child." Marguerite squealed like a kid on Christmas day(or a Leaguer in the face of their God)

" So am I, Suzanne. Isn't this delightful? The Scarlet Pimpernel's wife and his first lieutentant's wife both expecting. What would society think about that?" she said, in a happy mood.

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