Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

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*Versailles/Orelans, France*

The con-man had been shot. 

He fell to the floor in pain, the bullet piercing him in the arm as the woman, laying on the floor after being tackled, looked at him. 

"Laurent!" She cried, shoving the man who had taken her down off her as she ran to him. 

The gun had fallen to Florence's feet and she reached for it, pointing it at the couple quickly while also turning to her saviour. 

"Theodore?" 

It was him, past the overgrown, dishevelled beard and long, unkempt hair - she recognised from his eyes and a sense of relief swept them, twinkling in the light. 

"Florence!" He came to her and they hugged, holding each other as tightly as they could. "Goodness...I never thought I would see you again..."

Florence smiled, at his head buried in her shoulder. "And I thought the same for you."

They pulled away and Theodore frowned at her appearance. "Where are your clothes?"

"We need to get help!" The woman suddenly cried, Theodore and Florence pulling away. "He's been shot."

"Oh...yes...of course..." Theodore replied as Florence pointed the gun at the couple on the floor. "First of all, tell us who you are?" 

"That's not important right now!" The woman cried but Florence held the gun up to her. 

"Tell us or there will be two shot people in this living room..." She warned as the woman hesitated, looking at the man on the floor and Theodore and Florence towering over her. 

"Last chance..." Florence cocked the pistol. 

"Helene Blanche!" The woman cried and Florence dropped the gun. "I'm Helene...and this is Laurent Rossaeau."

"Why would you tell them?" Laurent moaned, holding his arm as he slowly got up. 

"Because it is over..." She explained, holding him for support. 

They looked at Florence and Theodore - tall and proud. 

Their ruse was up. 

***

Tying up Laurent's injury after restraining him, Helene sat on the armchair, her hands behind her back as Florence fixed her appearance. 

"This will have to do until we get you to the hospital..." Theodore explained as Laurent moaned from the pain. 

"You're hurting him!" Helene cried as Theodore glared at her. 

"Does it look like I care?"

Florence sighed, looking at the three of them in turn. "Answers...now. From all of you."
It was Theodore who began. "I remember nothing but waking up here, handcuffed to the bedpost."

"I...took advantage of his inebriated state and bought him here, claiming to be his valet...." Laurent spoke, wincing from the pain that Theodore was deliberately inflicting on him as he tied up and cleaned his gunshot wound. "I...thought I could get away with being him and I did...until now."