The clues were there all along, each absence corresponded with a period that Blakeney had been notably absent from society. A few inquiries showed that Blakeney ship, The Daydream, had pulled into port at before some of the escapees had been presented in society, inquiries in Dover would, he wagered, produce similar results. And Blakeney certainly had the funds to pull off such an enterprise. If only he had proof positive that Blakeney was the Pimpernel... a note, a witness...

Blakeney was the Pimpernel, he was sure of it. The silhouette, the his contact with the suspect, the voice as he remembered it was reminiscent of Blakeney� when his agents returned to the embassy shortly before dawn, Desgas reported that Lady Blakeney left the soiree, accompanied only by her lady�s maid and that Blakeney was nowhere to be found for the remainder of the evening. Chauvelin�s best chance for cornering Blakeney, if it was Blakeney, was through Armand. Armand would serve as bait to draw Blakeney in and capture him.

Chauvelin lifted his eyes as his aid rapped on the open door jamb, �The coach has arrived, citoyen.�

�Louise Danou and my daughter are ready to depart?� Chauvelin asked.

�They are.�

�Excellent. Then have them go down into the carriage and send a courier to Dover to book passage to Calais.� Chauvelin swept the proofs he had been reading over up and stuffed them into his folio, then rose to stretch his stiffened muscles. He looked at his reflection in the window, against the back drop of the pre-dawn sky � he looked older somehow from the countless sleepless night, in fact he was still wearing his dress suit from the previous evening. He would have to change in Dover or on the voyage between Dover and Calais. The one thing that was certain was that he could afford no delays, no chances for Blakeney to slip by him and steal his prize before he could make the best use of Armand.

Chauvelin scooped up his coat, hat, and folio and left his office.

Chauvelin closed his eyes and leaned his head back, planning as the carriage jostled on, his eyes occasionally fluttering open at a nasty lurch. They would be in Dover by night fall at least, hopefully in time for the tide, but if not they could book a room and sail in the morning (weather permitting). He wondered where Blakeney was, probably ahead of him for all that he had left the previous evening, but Chauvelin�s advantage was that he knew exactly where Armand was. And either way, the time would balance out. Blakeney never would have made Dover by the morning tide, so he�d have to wake for evening. If he took the evening tide it would be too late to ride to Paris and he would have to find someplace to stay the night, which cut down a bit of his advantage � and that was assuming he took the shortest route. If he set sail from London or docked in Dunkerque or Boulogue, then he wasted more of his advantage. As it was, Chauvelin had sent a messenger ahead to book passage for Chauvelin and his charges in Dover and to travel to Calais and arrange rooms and transportations.

Still with all of his preparation, Chauvelin was nervous. Blakeney was unpredictable and still had the head start on him. The Scarlet Pimpernel�s resources were still not fully known, and until Chauvelin was in Paris and in charge on the scene, he would not be completely satisfied.

Chauvelin felt a tug on his sleeve and opened one eye to see his daughter tiny hand clutching the arm of his coat. �Are we going home, Bibi?� Fluerette�s large eyes blinking up at him.

�Yes. We will be on a boat tonight or tomorrow morning, then you and Louise will return to Dauphine and I will go on to Paris,� Chauvelin explain, his heart contracting at the hurt expression on his daughter�s face.

�You are not going with us?�

�There are matters I must take care of in Paris. I will visit you as soon as I can.�

�Why can we not stay with you in Paris, Bibi?�

�It is not safe there,� he replied and closed his eyes signaling that the topic was ended. He felt her eyes on him for several minutes - she was as stubborn as he was. Then he felt her eyes leave him as she sighed. He knew that it would not be the last he heard on the matter.

Chauvelin turned to his daughter, her little arms crossed resolutely over her chest and her jaw set. "I'll return when my business is done," Chauvelin said, somewhat more coolly than he had intended. "There are things that I must do that are important to the country, that will make life better for us. I know you wish to stay with me all the time, but these things I do are for the best."

The crossing to Calais was the least turbulent he�d experienced in sometime. The only disturbance came from Chauvelin�s too-strong-willed daughter who had resolved not to speak to him the entirety of the trip. This was her form of protest against their parting, she would be very repentant when they finally parted company and wouldn�t see each for several days or weeks. But then she needed to be more mature and realize that he had other obligations. He was hunting the biggest prize in his life� the possibilities were huge!

So excited was he of the chase that he was off the ship the moment it put to port, leaving Louise to see Fleurette off. Beaucarnot followed sharply on his heels,. �I need a chaise to Paris ready immediately, and lodgings the child and her guardian for the day and transport ready for them on the morrow,� Chauvelin commanded. �I want you to ride ahead and arrange for a change of horses on the road, the only stops I wish are only to be long enough to change horses.� Time was crucial now. Blakeney had the head start and was sure to take full advantage. Chauvelin�s only assets were the powers of his position and the fact that he knew exactly where Armand was. Every day Blakeney spent search was a day Chauvelin had to prepare his trap.

�I will have you my elusive Pimpernel,� he muttered under his breath.