Posted to the Bulletin (Sir Percy forms another league)

[yousir_mesir]

A Call for Artists, Actors, and Amateurs of Both Varieties!

Lud love us, we are without a theatre troupe of any kind. The horror! The inhumanity! It must be remedied, good neighbours, for only le bon Dieu knows we need a bit more amusement in this place. I call for a company to be formed with the expressed purpose of putting on plays and other

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[yousir_mesir]

"Mr. Adams," Percy then said as he turned, smiling down upon the man with the same sort of fervor he had been exhibiting as he spoke, "I would be called a liar if I didn't admit that I admire you greatly. Have admired you, sir, for so many reasons. A great man is a great man, no matter his standing or nationality. For what I am I'll never be called brilliant, but if I could be called brave then perhaps I could one day be proudly compared with you."

Percy retook his seat beside John and took off the ring from his little finger. "I formed a league of gentlemen when I returned to England, devoted to helping all of those in need. I trained them all myself, all nineteen of them, and they pledged to serve me and do all that they could to uphold the ideals of my league. My symbol, sir..." He handed John his great ring, turning over the hidden seal of that small wayside flower of his family crest beforehand. "I use a symbol to mask my identity, for myself and my league are wanted men for our supposed crimes done to the Republic. We are the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and I am their chief. My secret is precious, for if my identity is revealed then I can no longer rescue innocents from the guillotine."

"I play the role of a fop to disguise myself, for who would suspect a fool to be The Scarlet Pimpernel? Who would think that an idiot would be capable of daring rescues and adventuring? I'm adept enough to fit into most circles of French society, from top to bottom, sir, and I played the part well... that is until I made a journey to Paris and met her." He closed his eyes and let himself sigh at the memory. "John, I fell in love. So drastically and quickly this woman stole my heart that I had scant time to react with anything other than head over heels. Oh, but I had a duty to those I promised to help, but there she was, Marguerite St. Just, the cleverest woman in Europe they say, and I could only think and breathe for her."

"Like a fool I married her. I wooed her and married her - without thinking I dove into a relationship not knowing if I could trust her. She was in the midst of the very circle of Republicans I had fooled, and yet I managed to make her love me and not see the true me. And then the fateful day came, mere days before our wedding, when I found out the nature of my beloved."

[john_adams_1776]

The man was an amazing storyteller, and John sat enthralled. He could use words well enough to persuade and inflame, but Percy was a master of suspense.

"It's better than a novel!" he exclaimed, turning the ring over in his fingers and examining the clever mechanism before returning it to the baronet. "Love, justice, action. But tell me, my friend, what did you discover? Tell me your wife is no friend to those who would destroy others with no provocation. You could not fall in love with such a creature."

[yousir_mesir]

With a smooth gesturing of his long and graceful hands, Percy returned the ring to his small finger - and what's more, in its proper place with the seal hidden from sight. "Oh John," he sighed, struggling slightly to continue with his story. "I could fall in love with such a woman. I'm only human, and as such..." He trailed off and decided to start again.

"Just before our wedding day I discovered through my league that the Marquis de St Cyr and his family had been sent to the guillotine. They were by no means friends of mine, nor were they saintly, but their deaths for treason were unexpected. They hadn't even been imprisoned as far as I knew - and I knew everything. What makes matters worse is that my wife's name, Marguerite St Just, was there on the bottom of the warrant for their arrest. My love was the one responsible for the deaths of that entire family. When finally we confronted one another she did not attempt to deny the crime, nor offer any explanation as to why she had denounced the Marquis and his family."

"We were married by the time of the confrontation. Days after, I should say. I had been waiting for her to offer up an explanation to me, and it just never came.... So horrified by what my wife did - by what my perfect Margot was capable of, I became cold to her... if only to protect the league from her. She's a traitor; I had to consider my own wife a traitor. I could not trust her, nor have I been able to ever since. I could not put my faith in her to tell her of my identity for fear that she might betray me, but..."

Even after telling his tale out loud and justifying the estrangement, Percy shook his head with a heavy heart. "I still love her. It is the greatest tragedy of all, John. Even though I cannot trust my own wife with this secret I have now shared with you, I love her madly, truly, with all my heart and soul. And she can never know."

[john_adams_1776]

"I haven't met the lady, of course," said John eventually, pained at the idea of his friend's heart being so cruelly used, "but have you thought that she might have been coerced somehow or had some good reason for what she'd done that should could not tell to you, an Englishman? If she does not know what you've done for her countrymen and sees only the foolish man you portray, perhaps she feels she cannot trust you either. What intelligent woman would? Though I do not mean that to pain you, my friend. You and I have been through some most unusual occurrences that have allowed me to see past your facade, but it is really all too convincing." The congressman smiled faintly.

"If you love her," he sighed, thinking of Abigail and Susan, "if you truly do, you must find the truth and your trust. It does neither of you any good to be in such a situation. Perhaps this is the reason for your being here, outside of your responsibilities and away from your friends and enemies..."

[yousir_mesir]

Percy mulled over John's advice quietly, resting his large arms on his knees with his head in his hands. He'd be mad if he hadn't considered all that before, but each time he thought of making things right his dear Margot would do something to show her utter contempt for him.

But now!

"I do see love in her eyes, John. At least, what I believe to be love, before we both go cold. If I can believe in hope, and that there's still something there..." He paused and sat up, fixing his lace but with no zest or zeal in the action. Quietly he murmured, "It is a terrible thing to be so alone, John. Surely you know. I thought it a gift from God when Marguerite showed up at the gates. I must fix this. I must."

[john_adams_1776]

"I know," replied John simply, though exactly what he was replying to was unclear. "If I can do anything to assist, as a gentleman or as a friend, please do not hesitate a single moment to ask. I would be most honored to render any service to a fine young man and his beautiful bride."

He could do no more than that, but John had to smile at the familiarity of Percy's determination. If anything, zeal was the food of love: passion in all things. It could topple mountains, part seas, conquer tyrants (and, on occasion, women) which was something the congressman had a passing acquaintance with... Oh, yes. John would lay decent odds that things would turn out all right for his aristocratic friend.

[yousir_mesir]

Percy's eyes flashed while his mind busied itself coming up with schemes and plans to win back his dear Marguerite, but only for a moment before his head turned to smile graciously towards Mr. Adams. "And indeed, you are a gentleman and a true friend, John. I could not be more fortunate to find such a companion in this, the strangest of places. I thank you."

He rose, beckoning for Mr. Adams to join him on his feet. He felt suddenly very much like himself again. "Come, sir, let me walk you back to your home. We'll discuss the thespians and the play in more detail." Sir Percy flashed a bright smile and gave a merry little laugh, returning his hat jauntily to the top of his head with a bow towards the congressman.