Wonderland by Night

ONE

Book Three of the "Heroic Rogues" Series

Written by Marie Higgins

Copyright © 2013 by Marie Higgins

Something was not right.

Unrest flittered in Emiline Lucia's stomach, prickling the hairs on the back of her neck as her carriage rocked to a halt outside the family's two-story townhouse in Calais. Servants scampered from the house, carrying trunks as they loaded them on a coach.

Curiosity and determination to discover what was going on enveloped her as panic settled in her chest. She gave her hand to the footman as he helped her down from her carriage and headed toward the front door. Several French soldiers stood guard near the white wrap-around porch as if they expected trouble at any moment. They eyed her warily until she walked closer, and then their postures relaxed a bit. She was used to being surrounded by some kind of political figure or a group of soldiers considering who her uncle was, but today's display of guards greatly unnerved her.

After striding into the house, she tugged on the ties of her bonnet to loosen them. "Can someone explain to me why there are so many soldiers outside?" she asked as two of the servants rushed by.

"My Lady Sarah." The housekeeper scampered toward Emiline from the parlor. "Thank the Lord you are back, but you must make haste. There is no time to lose."

Inwardly, Emiline cringed. Lately, she'd been so sick of people using her first name instead of her middle name—Emiline—the very name her mother used to call her. But then again, since dreaming of her mother last night and how Emmie missed her, how could she not become nostalgic?

"I don't understand why—" Emmie's words were interrupted when the housekeeper hooked an arm around her elbow, whisking Emmie up the stairs toward her bedroom. As they passed by the first two guest rooms, the servants rushed around inside, shoving clothes into trunks.

Emmie glanced at Hester, still pulling her along. Lines of worry etched on the older woman's round face at the corner of her eyes and mouth. A sheen of moisture touched the servant's forehead.

"Hester, I beg you, please tell me what is amiss. Why are there so many soldiers about?" She glanced in another room and saw the same chaos. "Why is everyone so panicked?"

As they reached Emmie's room, Hester bustled in first, heading directly to the armoire. Already three trunks sat open on the bed. Emmie couldn't understand why they needed to leave. She and her father had only arrived from Paris five days earlier to stay for the summer

"My lady, your family is in great danger. Your uncle, Bonaparte, was just exiled to Elba. All of his family are in danger. Your father fears for your life."

Emmie slowly removed her bonnet as she tried to absorb the housekeeper's words. Although she didn't want anyone to know, she didn't approve of what her uncle had been doing all of these years. In her opinion, he should stop trying to conquer the world. Wasn't it enough that he'd killed so many people? "Pray, why would my father fear for my life, Hester?"

"Because your aunt is Marie-Louise, and she is in danger, as well. She and her son are fleeing to Austria." Hester fanned her red face. "Mobs are forming as we speak. They want to get rid of all of Bonaparte's relatives."

Terror climbed through Emmie's body, clutching her heart. Would the people of France really punish her just because her aunt married Bonaparte?

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she focused back on the housekeeper. "Are Father and I returning to Paris then?"