969. Chapter 969

After Captain Kate and the Sorceress

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Je ne regret rein, except not owning Castle. Rating: M, here and there. Time: 18th Century

Kate slowly shook her head. "That is absurd on the face of it, Monsieur le Duc. One need only talk to me to discover that I am a gentlewoman of taste and breeding. Do you really think that I could be some ill- bred pirate? And my husband is a doctor and a man of science. Has he not talked to the intellectual luminaries of the court as an equal? I cannot prove that Alexis is my child of course, but if my Priscilla had been kidnaped, has she not had hundreds of opportunities to go to the authorities and ask for assistance?"

Foucoult nodded. "However, you are quite handy with a blade, and you do maintain a privately armed ship."

"My husband's ancestry is well known, in spite of the denials of the British government. He was nearly murdered as a young man and has escaped plots by his enemies many times since then. My skill with weapons and our ship are a testament to the inability of the British government to accept that their king is subject to the same desires as all men."

"But of course." Foucoult said. "His Majesty agrees that you have broken no laws in France." And have many friends at a court that is hostile to the English. He added to himself. "However, Sir Charles Gordon, the British ambassador has asked to meet with Lady Priscilla tomorrow, in my presence, to assure his government that she is here of her own free will. I assume that will be acceptable?"

The next morning Rick, Kate and Alexis got Priscilla ready to meet with the English ambassador and M. Foucoult.

"Don't worry, Priscilla. Rick and Alexis will be nearby along with Ryan and Captain O'Sullivan and his men."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll tell them that I am not married to this Desmond creature and that you are my own, dear mother. I'll be fine."

However, once inside Foucoult's office, Priscilla began to worry. Gordon was a large, red faced man with a distinct paunch and an ill-fitting wig. He rose when she arrived. "Lady Desmond, I am so happy to make your acquaintance. Now, we shall be off to London and your dear husband."

Priscilla drew away from him. "I do not know this Desmond person and I have no intention of leaving my mother, father and sister."

Gordon grabbed her arm and pulled her towards another door. "Come, young lady. I have a carriage outside to start us on our way to England."

Priscilla turned to face Gordon, which put her back to Foucoult. There quickly followed the sound of ripping cloth and a high pitched feminine scream. When Priscilla turned to face Foucoult, the top of her dress had been pulled down and her breasts exposed.

Foucoult gazed at the blonde's firm, round and quite large breasts. He noted that they were capped by two pink nipples that were beginning to stiffen. He felt an unaccustomed hotness in his loins before remembering that he was first and foremost a diplomat. "Please, Lady Priscilla. Cover yourself."

"Cover myself? This creature assaults me and all you can say is "cover yourself?" I demand that he be arrested."

Gordon, who had been dumbstruck, found his voice. "Monsieur le duc, I have done nothing….."

"Nothing? You call this nothing?" Priscilla screamed.

"Lady Priscilla." Foucoult said, trying to calm the situation, "I cannot arrest Sir Charles. He is the ambassador of the King of England."

Priscilla turned to Gordon. "In that case I demand satisfaction." She slapped Gordon across the face as hard as she could. So hard that her breasts were again uncovered, bouncing nicely, allowing Foucoult to wonder very briefly what they tasted like.

"Satisfaction?" Gordon said, confused.

"I shall have my friend call upon your friend to discuss the time and place of our meeting on the field of honor. I should warn you that I am an expert with the blade and pistol."

Gordon, who was useless with both weapons, babbled.

By this time the remainder of Priscilla's family were pounding on Foucoult's door.

Once the Rodgers family and their Irish friends were inside, pandemonium broke loose as Priscilla told her story. Then it seemed that they all wanted to duel with Sir George.

Foucoult stood and yelled. "If you please! My King will not allow a duel with the ambassador of a friendly foreign power. Sir Charles, it would be best if you left. Now."

Sir Charles did so.

After profuse apologies from Foucoult, the Rodgers and Kevin Ryan returned to their apartment.

"Priscilla, what happened?" Rick demanded.

Kate spoke before anyone else could. "I feel we should go on a picnic." She gestured to the walls to indicate that in the Palace of Versailles, the walls might have ears.

Everyone understood and they were soon in Lord Rodgers' fine carriage, headed for one of the gardens at Versailles, followed by a troop of Irish horsemen.

"Now what happened, Priscilla?" Kate asked, once their picnic was ready.

Priscila explained how she had torn her dress to make it appear that Gordon had assaulted her and embarrassing Foucoult into taking her part against the English ambassador. Although Rick and Ryan were horrified at what Priscilla had done, the ladies laughed.

That night, the ears behind the walls of the Rodgers' apartment had very little to keep them occupied. However, the man listening to the sounds of Rick and Kate making love decided that he was better off than his companion, who had to listen to two young ladies talk about some damned moons of Jupiter.

The ears that listened to Sir Charles were not behind a wall, but were attached to a very lovely young chambermaid named Marie who now shared his bed. As Sir Charles stroked her breasts, she assumed the expression of stupidity and awe that she had discovered Sir Charles desired from every woman. Believing, incorrectly, that Marie spoke no English, Sir Charles had taken to talking to her about his problems.

"London just doesn't understand what it's like here." He whined. "This is the most magnificent court in all of Europe. The clothing of the men and women are magnificent, the jewelry spectacular, he parties extravagant and the expenses?" He sighed. "The expenses are far beyond what the idiots in London pay me to represent them here. Oh, I'm a wealthy man, but why should I spend my own money when I should be paid by London? Why that little soiree that Lady Rodgers, or whatever her name is, threw last week, cost more than my annual entertainment budget. The family has millions, tens of millions, I'm sure."

Sir Charles stopped and thought greedily of all of that money. "So, when friends of Sir William Bracken and Lord Desmond offered me a sizeable sum for a little help, naturally, I took it. I deserved it, didn't I?"

Marie made no reply, but arranged her expression to show more stupidity than awe. Sir Charles never noticed.

"Actually, the death of those three peasants I helped enter the palace and my failure with that Priscilla could work to my advantage. Now Bracken and Desmond will need my help once more and shall pay once more." He laughed to himself. "I could keep them paying for quite a long while if play my cards properly. They seem quite determined to kill the Rodgers family and return that bitch Priscilla to her husband. I wish him luck with that cheap slut. But Bracken and his friends seem to have more money than sense and I hope to become much richer before seeing the last of those people."

Marie noticed that Sir Charles had managed to become hard. She realized that she would have to undergo the most unpleasant aspect of her employment as a spy.

The next morning, M. Foucoult asked that the Rodgers family come to see him.

Once they were all comfortably seated, Foucoult spoke. "I'm afraid we have a problem."

Kate at once replied. "I don't know what kind of problems you have, but I was assaulted by three criminals, accused of being a pirate along with my husband and daughter, told that my other daughter was someone else and had to see her physically assaulted by a man who got off scot free." Kate let Foucoult see the single tear that she shed.

"Again, my apologies, Lord and Lady Rodgers." Foucoult said, again going over in his mind the information he'd gotten from Marie and other spies in his employ. "But it seems you have powerful enemies in England. Do you know of Sir William Bracken or a Lord Desmond?"

Rick nodded. "We've heard of Bracken and from what Priscilla told us, this Desmond person believes he's her husband. Which is absurd, of course."

"Never the less, these are wealthy and powerful men who wish you, and your family, harm. His Majesty, naturally, wishes nothing to happen to his guests, but…."

"But it would be easier on the French King if we were to leave. "Kate said bitterly. "That way when we are all killed, the King won't look bad."

"Please, Lady Rodgers, we are not so heartless. We have an idea that may solve both of our problems." He smiled at the Rodgers family. "You are doubtlessly familiar with the French East India Company?"

"Of course." Kate snapped. "It's one of several European companies set up to trade with India and the East, such as the British, Dutch, and Swedish East India Companies. What does this have to do with us?"

"Our trading post at Mahe on the west coast of India has…problems. Our governor there has a great deal of influence here at court, but he is….less than stellar as an administrator. We propose to send you and your family, aboard your own ship, the Sorceress, under the French flag, of course, as a diplomatic mission to the court of the Sultan of Malabar. The Sultan, a Muslim, who rules over a mostly Hindu population, with a few local Christian communities who have been there since the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle, who arrived there in the first century of Our Lord."

"Why does France need a diplomatic mission to India?" Alexis asked.

"Sultan Ibrahim is old and not well. He has two sons that vie for the throne. The older son, Ismael, is a dissolute sort, who has been bought by English gold. His younger brother, Hassan, is anti-English and favors France. Regrettably, our governor, le comte d'Schlemming favors Ismael as they both enjoy the same vices. A most deplorable situation. We will, of course, provide you with funds so you won't have to use your own funds, and we'll outfit your ship with all that you'll need. Of course, you'll all be accredited as French diplomats."

"We'll consider your offer." Kate said, then stood and left, with her family following her.

This involved another family picnic in the gardens of Versailles. They discussed it for a long time, but they really had no option but to take Foucoult up on his offer.

Foucoult did do his best to outfit the Sorceress in splendid fashion. She got new sails of the finest canvas, entirely new rigging, and the best food, water and wine available. Her variegated guns were replaced with brand new guns from the French arsenals and her magazines will filled with the best powder and shot. She was taken into dry dock to be caulked and have her copper bottom repaired or replaced, as needed. Her strong room was filled with French gold for her expenses and Foucoult provided a generous letter of credit to France's bankers in India. Lastly, at Ryan's suggestion, fifty members of the Irish regiments in French service were taken aboard as marines, with Kevin Ryan commissioned as a captain in the French army. His second in command was a Lieutenant Pierre O'Toole, born in France of Irish parents, who had worked his way up through the ranks.

Soon, the Sorceress weighed anchor, leaving Le Havre and heading south. Heading into the unknown.