 Call all hands, speak to quarters! I didn't worry to please Captain Bush. Pointes on target! Linz stop, ready? I'd see as foresters, indomitable man of the sea, a ratio hornblower. It's easy to see that my refusal to go to Vienna was one of the most... Yet if I could have my time over again, I'd still refuse. Even at the cost of hurting Barbara again. As I hurt her that night in Paris. As we drove to another of the endless receptions. It's probably the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, dear. Am I expected to be there then? Oh, but of course! You're a person of great importance now, remember? My God! Drawing rooms, bowls, salons, the ballet, the opera... You better go, it's your duty, but you don't need me. I'd be the skeleton of the feast. No, I'll go to Smallbridge. To Smallbridge it was I went. Well, I found that intolerable too. And then? Get in the letter from the Count of Grasse. Now that peace is with us, will you not come again? And allow us the pleasure of offering you the open hospitality which we were unable to extend when you and Lieutenant Bouge and your servant Brown were fugitives from Bonaparte. Brown? Brown's up to it, damn it. Pack clothes for both of us. Pack for an indefinite stay. Order the chaise. We're going to Nevers. Nevers, my Lord? You mean to the Chateau de Gracie, my Lord? Of course I do. How soon can you make the preparations? I'll do it in two shakes of a rope sensor. Well, my Lord, leave it to me, sir. Lummy, I can't do it quick enough, my Lord. I was almost afraid to face the reason for my eagerness to reach the Chateau again. Now that Bouge was dead, the Count de Gracie was probably the man nearest to me in the world. If I could not hide from myself the thought of seeing Marie again. A more cheerful arrival than your last, my Lord. Ah, more cheerful indeed. Then we were fugitives carrying poor wounded old Bouge, dirty, salt and hunted. But must I be, my Lord, to you, my Lord? I shall call you, or issue, then, if you will permit. And you, Marie, please. Yes, or issue. Ah, that is nice. Or issue. I'm here with Felix with wine. Do your happy return, or issue. Does it, Marie? Now beside me, now opposite, as we changed places in the dummy. And twice I made minor slips in play. Even when after two robbers married, he did tiredness and left us. The ordeal was not ended, for the Count proposed that we, too, should pay picket. As Marie had left the card table, one glance had passed between us. A glance which, though it did not endure for more than a tenth of a second, had been long enough for each to tell the other. Or I played picket as badly as I'd played wist. And at the end, the Count was rueful and apologetic. I fear this has been a disastrous evening for you, or issue. This is a discourteous way to treat a guest. Oh, I'd rather lose in this house than win in any other. That is too high a compliment. But with you here, I do not care whether I win or lose. I trust you will be making a long stay. Well, like the fate of Europe, that rather depends on the Congress of Vienna. This house is yours. Marie and I both wish you to look on it as your own. Poor child, she's lonely here and finds little companionship but mine. I've often wondered that she's not remarried. I too. It is six years since my son died and I know he would have wished it. But she is loyal to me and will not leave me, despite my suggestion that she should live in Paris. But you are tired after your journey. Let me ring for your candle. Thank you. Ron was waiting, sleepily, for me in the sitting room of my little sweet, but I just missed him at once. There, inconspicuous in the corner was the door that led to the little hall outside Marie's suite in the turret. Well, I remember that. Generations of the Ladon, Counts of Grasse, had conducted intrigues in that shatter. Perhaps kings and princes had passed through that door on their way to their ladies. To sink into our arms. Was to sink into peace and happiness. Illimitable peace. Like that of the sea at sunset. I knew that I was cruel to come back and claim her like this. And it was selfish to make her suffer again if she had suffered four years before. I knew too that she would not have it otherwise. Love you so, Horatio. Time goes so fast. But we have only this little moment. Oh, sweet. We make time stand still. This is our moment. The world spins, but... Yeah, there is no time. It's only us. Pour some coffee first. Thank you, Brian. I'll just leave it there, will you? Yes, my lord. May I speak to you, my lord? Well, of course, what's the matter with you this morning? Anybody who didn't know you would think you were shy, Brian? Well, sir, I mean, my lord... I don't rightly know. Is it the thing your lordship wants to know about? I mean, I don't want to presume, sir, but my lord... Well, spit it out, man, and call me, sir, if it's any comfort to you. Thank you, sir. It's this way, my lord. Sir, I'm wanting to get married. Married? Yes, sir. That's what I thought, my lord. Well, I always thought you were a terror for women, but I never thought of you getting married. Who's the lucky woman? Annette, my lord. Jan's daughter. And it's me as is the lucky one, sir. Jan's daughter? Oh! Of course, the pretty one with the dark hair. Yes, sir. Well, I can't see anything against it. You're a man of sense. You needn't ask me about those things. I'm sure you've made a wise choice and you have all my wishes for your happiness. Thank you, my lord. Well, Annette can cook as well as her mother. You're a lucky man indeed. I've been there. I've been thinking, sir, that if I was to continue in your service, your lordship might like to engage Annette as a cook. Well, that's myself. Yes, it's an attractive prospect, Brown. The cooking at Small Bridge could certainly do with improving, but no, Brown, I can't give an answer to that. Her ladyship will have to be consulted. Tell me, this seems to have been a lightning courtship, isn't it? Well, not really, sir. When I was here before me and Annette, well, you understand me, lord. Well, I do now. So that's why you were so anxious to come back. I thought there was something. You cunning dog. When do you plan to marry? Just as soon as the law of the country allows me, my lord. Well, we'll soon find that out. Yes, well, I'll get up. I can't stay in bed after all this excitement. We must tell the Count. I'll come through with a handsome present, but... Oh, thank you, my lord. I'll bring your hot water, sir. Even if I perhaps envied Brown the public way in which he could claim his love, now he and I were forced to be a little 30. I was troubled that the Count might feel that I had abused his hospitality should he discover our secret. I was troubled no less on Barbara as a Count. I knew that she would know. I'd say nothing, but that was in the future. And the present was the lovely spring weather and the ecstasy of absolute love, unalloyed without reservations. After all my years and tribulations, it had come to me at last. No shadow crossed our happiness until one morning when the Count entered my room unexpectedly and early. He was haggard and disheveled and still in his dressing-gown. My friend, pardon me, but I could not wait. There is bad news, the very worst. What has happened, Count? Bernard Parties in Paris. The King has fled and Bernard Parties embror again. All France has fallen to. While my stricken old friend was speaking, my mind was struggling to take in his news and all that it implied. It meant war again, that was certain. Whatever the other great powers might do, England could never tolerate the presence of that mighty and dangerous Prince of the Channel. It was 22 years ago that the war had started. It was possible that it might be another 22 before Bernard Parties could be torn from his throne again. Another age of misery and slaughter. The prospect was hideous. I struggled against the idea. But the people do not want him, sir. We know that now. The people's wishes do not weigh against the armies. The use of power has already made his thirst decrease. The classes of 1815 and 16 are to be called out. The household troops are disbanded. The Imperial Guard is reconstituted. The Emperor is ready to fight Europe again. I can hardly accustom myself to the idea. I've heard the news. Are we leaving, my lord? Yes, help me address. If you know the roads, do you think we could reach La Rochelle in two days of hard riding? Yes, I should think we could, sir. Count has a great name. No one will venture to arrest him or his party without direct orders from Paris. We might bribe a fisherman to take us out to sea. We might steal a boat for that matter. Yes, my lord. It does go against the grain to run away from that basket. Yes, I know. Well, we shall see. Well, perhaps we shall be able to take a more active part than merely running away. Oh, good. I just thought... What about Annette, your wife? I hope she'd come with us, my lord. I'll leave her. I may never see her again. Well, can she ride? She will, my lord. Well, go and see that she gets ready. We can carry nothing more than the saddlebags. She can attend Madame Lavie Contest. Yes, thank you, sir. I'll go and tell her. Yes, well, I'm coming down now, too. It was a sorry business saying good-bye to the household. There were tears from the women. Though the men trained in the historical school of gentleman service kept silent. We rode out of the courtyard and down the road along the river. It was ironical that it should be a lovely spring day with fruit blossom raining down upon us. At the first turn in the road, the spires of Navarre came into sight. And at the next, we could clearly see the ornate Gonzaga Palace. I looked at the tower, blinked and looked again. Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the white Bourbon flag flying over the palace? It is certainly a white flag. It seems hardly possible. Bourgar, the prefect pair, declared at once for Bonaparte. So my messenger said, and he is a reliable man. Come, let us talk. We shall know soon enough. Those soldiers at the gate, if they are the gray musketeers of the household troops. Then they're all is not lost. I've seen the gray musketeers in attendance at the king at the twilleries. Hope! Hope! We're like birds. He's eye. Louis-Antoine Hector Savignin de l'Anon. Compte de Grasse and his suite. You may pass, Monsieur de Compte. Rola Hannes is at the prefecture. Why Hannes? I was through the night with my squadron of musketeers. Ah. Never, I changed back to my side quickly enough. The king is still in arms of Grand Lille, and the south has risen under my husband the Duke. Do you think that a rising can succeed? A rising? It is Bonaparte who heads the rising. I'm suppressing rebellion. Let us not waste time upon definitions, madame. Do you think there's strength enough in France to drive the madman out? He is the most hated man in the country. That may be your Royal Highness, but Bonaparte has an army, and he takes an army to defeat an army. Where is one to be found? The old soldiers are devoted to the usurper, and even if the civilians would fight, there is no time to train and arm them. Oh, you are in a pessimistic mood, my lord. Do you then suggest that M. Le Compte here should submit Temé to usurper and wait until the armies of Europe should reconquer France? I do not recommend acquiescence. I recommend resistance. It is truly, lord, on Lord's duty to save himself and his talents for England. Oh, I'll say with M. Le Compte if he will permit me. But I assure you... Lord M. Le Compte, we thank you and gratefully accept your kind offer. Oh, very good. Well, that is settled. Now, as to Madame Lavie Compte, you will, of course, accompany her Royal Highness. I shall do nothing of the kind. Lavie... You will need every man, and I am as useful as a man. I know every Ford and Bridey pass around here. I too shall stay with M. Le Compte. Oh, yes, that is sound sense. And then, my lord, I leave you to plan your campaign while I prepare for mine. Thank you. I need maps. Maps of roads, rivers, forests. Maps, maps, and then more maps. Marie, I did not oppose you in Council just now, but... Now I must tell you that I wish you to accompany her Royal Highness to Bordeaux. You... You do not want me with you. I want you more than anything on earth. I love you more than anything on earth. But there's no love where we are going. Only hardship, hunger, pain, probably death, a miserable, unheroic death. That I know, Horatio, and I would rather share it with you than live without you. Horatio, there are some things we have not spoken of. I have always known that our love must end in tragedy. Marie. It's a thing I have nerved myself to bear. I must give you up, either to death or to your wife. But until then, I will be beside you in whatever is to come. There are worse things than death, Marie. There's nothing worse than to lose you. God help me, Marie. I cannot refuse you. I need you too. Horatio. I knew that this was inevitable. Dimly, I could see the tragedy that the future held. But it was war again when I was a man of war. Even with Marie in my arms, I was still planning and scheming the campaign. And if my heart was heavy with foreboding, my blood was sterling too with the cold warms. Out in the forests of the Loire waited my destiny. Death or victory.