Rita had expected to wake up to pain, but that turned out to be wrong. Her eyes opened and slowly focused on an unfamiliar ceiling. This couldn't be the Jammy Dodger II! She was on a comfortable bed, and one not made from a sponge either. Wait…weren't they in Paris? At the...what was it Roddy had called it? The Hotel d'Invalides? That sounded familiar. Voices filtered into her consciousness. An elderly one with a Breton accent was speaking.
"…too long, Mr St. James. You need rest. You can barely stand." The figure talking was short, round and elderly, wearing a white coat.
"I'll be fine, doctor, really. I'm just…a little tired." It was Roddy's voice, but it didn't look like Roddy from the back. The speaker was tall and wearing black like Roddy, but gold sparkled on his sleeves.
"A little tired? Hah, yes, like she was a little under the weather. Get some sleep, Mr St. James, or we might have to put you in a bed as well. You have been here for two days."
"Just five minutes longer. Please?"
"Three. But ah! Maybe not- I think we are no longer alone in the room." The white-clad rat pointed. The black-clad one span around and Rita recognised him even as the smile spread over his familiar features.
"Rita! You're awake at last! Oh, thank heavens!" Roddy knelt by her bed, relief plain in every movement. Rita smiled weakly.
"I'm awake, Roddy…have you been here the whole time?"
"He has hardly left your side," said the doctor. "My name is Jean-Jaques. I am pleased to meet you. As I was just telling Mr St. James, he has almost hospitalised himself through worrying about you."
Rita turned her eyes to Roddy, who looked away, blushing.
"He is a good friend, is he not?" Jean-Jaques wrote something down on a clipboard. "I am glad to see you so well. I will keep you here for a little bit longer only. Shall I send for a nurse to help you dress?"
Rita looked at the pile of her clothes and realised that she was wearing a thin medical gown. "No, thank you. I can manage."
Jean-Jaques smiled. "But of course. Mr St. James? Could you come with me?"
Roddy nodded. He stood up. Rita laughed.
"Roddy? What are you wearing?"
He glanced down at the Royal Navy uniform he was wearing. "Oh, this? Well, it's funny you should mention that. There's quite a story to it…but basically, you were right when you said we might find my ancestor here."
Jean-Jaques coughed meaningfully. He was a patient sort, as all doctors are, but he had been severely tested over the last two days. Roddy patted Rita's hand and went with the doctor. Rita sat up in bed and reached for her jumper as they shut the door behind them.
"Was it the uniform?" said Roddy to Jean-Jaques as they waited outside. "I'm sorry, I just thought I should try it on."
The doctor shook his head. "No, no! It is yours after all. This is about August St. James' will. He granted us executive privileges in the absence of any direct relatives. So that privilege now falls to you."
"What does that mean?"
"Simply put, that his things are now your things to decide what to do with. Over the years there is not much left besides that uniform and the sword, but still, you should be told."
Roddy nodded, absorbing this. The door opened and Rita, fully dressed, joined them.
"Hello again, Roddy. Excuse me, doctor."
Roddy grinned. "Hello again. I'm sorry, doctor, can we possibly-"
"No! No! Back in there with you!" Jean-Jaques shooed them back into the room. "Tonight you can go, if I am satisfied that she is recovered! But not before. I am sure you have much to discuss."
Rita regarded him in amazement. "You did what?"
"Like I said, that was the only way to get the medicine. It wasn't so bad." Roddy shrugged casually. "A piece of cake. Roddy St. James saves the day. Again."
"But Le Frog? What did he want?"
"He said it was a family affair, whatever that means. It's a funny thing, but apparently his ancestor and mine worked together to found this place just after the war. Small world isn't it?" Roddy sat back and finished his tea. A nurse had brought them lunch and they were eating it in Rita's room. She was sitting on top of the bedclothes and getting visibly stronger with every bite.
"Anyway, it all worked out. And there's something you'll have to see. When we leave there's a place I want to take you. You'll love it."
Rita swallowed the last of her food and put the plate aside.
"So you've really been watching over me for two days?"
Roddy nodded uncomfortably. "Well, I didn't have anything better to do," he said.
"Thank you for that," said Rita quietly. "I mean…for everything. I think I owe you one."
"Does this mean you'll listen to me now?" asked Roddy playfully. Rita laughed.
"Pardon, Roddy?"
"I said, does that mean you're going to start listening to me?" he repeated.
"Pardon, Roddy?"
"I said, does that- oh, right. Very droll." The penny dropped at last. Those green eyes were laughing at him again. He smiled back. He still felt tired- two days without sleep following a night spent purely on adrenaline would demand payment with interest, he knew- but for now, with her, he had never felt more alive.
Jean-Jaques finally relented and let them go just before nightfall. He waved them goodbye as they walked down the corridor towards the front door. Rita was leaning almost imperceptibly against Roddy as they walked.
"You really fought off a cat with a flamethrower?" asked Rita.
"I wouldn't say that…actually, yes. That's true. All in a day's work." Roddy raised his chin proudly. Rita poked him in the ribs.
"All right, all right. You're not going to let me forget about this, are you?"
"What, that I saved your life? Oh, I think I'll be reminding you of that quite often from now on. With all due respect, captain."
"Such as when?"
"Oh, you know. Whenever you make me bucket out the hold. Mop the decks. Make me sit next to your grandmother. That sort of thing."
Roddy held open the hospital doors and they emerged into the drains. The Jammy Dodger II was moored nearby.
"Madam! Madam!" Rita turned. A nurse, one of the tall ones, was hurrying down the corridor, waving something.
"You left this in your room, Madam. I thought it would be important." She passed it over. It was a folded piece of paper.
"I found it under the bedside table," said the nurse. "I expect it had fallen off."
"Thank you," said Rita, puzzled. "But I'm not sure what it is."
The nurse shrugged and left. Rita examined it critically.
"It's some kind of note. Who could it be from?"
Roddy's heart stopped. He'd forgotten about the note! The one he wrote to her before leaving with Le Frog! How could he have been that stupid! He should have taken it back. But now she had it, and Roddy realised that his immediate future was no longer in his hands.
"Come on, we'd better be going," he said briskly.
"No, hang about. She seemed to think it was important." Rita opened the note. Roddy took her hand and tried to lead her toward the boat, but she stood her ground, shook him off and stared at the handwritten words. Roddy looked around desperately, but there was no escape route and little chance of a fortuitous pit opening up beneath him. Nor was there any denying what he'd written. Rita read it in silence, and looked up. Tears appeared to well up in her eyes and she threw herself at him, embracing him tightly.
"You see? Most of the time you're just…Roddy St. James of Kensington. And then you go out to risk life and limb for me, and you write something like this in case you don't come back!" She hadn't felt like this since that day in Kensington when he had handed her the jewels- the last time he had provided the answer to her prayers. He probably hadn't meant to this time as the note had all the hallmarks of having been forgotten. But so long as he meant what he had written, Rita couldn't have cared less.
"Well…I meant it." Roddy patted her back awkwardly. She raised her head and looked him up and down. Then she stepped closer.
"Uh, Rita…what are you doing?" Roddy hesitated anxiously. It wasn't that he wasn't enjoying the proximity, but he wasn't sure what happened next in this sort of situation.
"Leaving you a note, of course," she replied. She moved closer again and put a gentle hand on his cheek, drawing him closer to her. Their eyes met. Roddy could feel her breath, warm against his face…
"Ahem! I trust I am not interrupting something important, my Britannic acquaintances?"
Roddy could have sworn out loud. Of all the times! Of all the places! Le Frog had materialised behind them and had been watching them with an amused air.
"Important? Good heavens, no, what gave you that idea?" He glared. If anything, Le Frog's grin grew wider. Rita stepped forward, arms crossed and one of her looks on her face- the kind of look which made you wish it could have killed you, because what was about to happen would make that seem easy.
"What do you want, greenskin?" she demanded.
"Ah, I see she is as aggressive as ever! This is a private matter between myself and...ahah, the Commander 'ere. You can return to your own private matter with 'im soon. Normal service shall be, as you say, resumed." Le Frog beckoned at Roddy, who didn't move.
"What is it?" he said, wrapping his hand around the hilt of August's sabre. He had no idea how to use it and would probably be a danger to himself before being one to the wily mercenary, but it made him feel better.
"You remember our little tête-à-tête? My noble ancestor's medallion? The Legion of Honour?"
"What of it?"
"I am 'earing," said Le Frog. "That you are now executor of your ancestor's will. Such as it was."
"How could you possibly- no, I really don't need to know that." Roddy shook his head. "What do you want me to do about it?"
"I want you to give it to me," said Le Frog. "What do you think? We should use it for tiddlywinks?"
"Look, I'd love to. It means nothing to me. But I don't have it!" Roddy spread his hands innocently. Le Frog sighed, and pointed to his chest. Roddy looked down, and noticed the medal, which was hanging from one of his buttons. He shrugged, unhooked it, and passed it over. Le Frog, who had clearly been anticipating confrontation, seemed a little taken aback at this anticlimax.
"Well. Thank you. Maybe you English 'ave more 'onour than I thought." He put the medal into his inner pocket.
"So this is au revoir, my forebear's companion. I 'ope our next meeting can be as convivial." He bowed low to Roddy and turned to Rita. He took one of her hands in his, closed his eyes and made to kiss it goodbye. Frowning, she jerked it away at the last moment and Le Frog kissed his own palm for a long three seconds before realising what had happened.
"Nobody," he said threateningly, "saw that. Yes?"
"Saw what?" said Rita, sweetly.
Le Frog glared at her again, and departed with as much dignity as he could muster. Rita, suppressing hysterics, turned back to Roddy, who relaxed his grip on the sabre hilt.
"I guess you're not the only one who takes their family history seriously!" said Rita. "Come on. Let's go." She boarded the Jammy Dodger II and looked back. Roddy was standing by the gangplank.
"Well? What are you waiting for?"
He grinned, and stood to attention. "Requesting permission to board ship, Captain Malone, ma'am!"
Rita laughed and snapped to attention herself, pulling off a crisp salute in return.
"Permission granted, Captain St. James! Welcome aboard."
Roddy came aboard and pulled in the gangplank. "Well, thanks awfully," he said, tapping the gold braid on his sleeve. "But it's Commander St. James, not Captain. Don't worry, you still outrank me."
"Oh, Roddy," Rita smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "On this boat, I'd outrank you if you were the Queen herself."
"Now that's a theory I'd pay to see tested," said Roddy.
"You'd pay to see a lot of things," said Rita. "Now where was this place that I absolutely must see?"
"Oh…it's not far. It's on Jean-Nicot. About…three streets west." Roddy moved up to the controls to start the engine and realised he was standing on the pilot's side. He looked back to Rita, who sat down in the stern and made an expansive gesture with one arm.
"Lead on, MacDuff!"
Roddy bowed graciously and turned back to the controls. Rita watched him for a while, and pulled the folded note out of her back pocket. She read it again, a quiet smile spreading over her face.
An observer on the rooftops of the Rue Jean-Nicot would have seen an unusual sight. Two rats were sitting on the edge of a gutter, facing towards the Champs de Mars and talking softly. One wore a green jumper and Union Jack trousers, and her companion wore Royal Navy black. There were no observers, of course- nobody came up here except the ginger cat from the pharmacy, which had been strangely out of sorts since the unexplained break-in and in any case had decided to avoid all rats for the time being.
"I knew you'd like it," said Roddy. "As soon as I saw it I knew I'd have to bring you here."
"It's beautiful," Rita said. "I can't believe we're actually doing this, Roddy. Who'd have thought either of us would be here? Looking at the Eiffel Tower in Paris?"
"I hear it's the best place to look at the Eiffel Tower," joked Roddy.
Rita smiled and looked across the panorama. On the gutter ledge between them, their hands touched.
"This is perfect," she said.
"This isn't the best of it," promised Roddy. "Watch."
The sun set slowly, and, just as they had done two nights before, the lights on the Eiffel Tower blazed into life. Roddy watched Rita's face carefully, marvelling at how the spectacle was reflected in her green eyes. The lights of the city glittered.
"Amazing," she said quietly. Rita shifted closer to Roddy and leaned against him. He put an arm hesitantly around her shoulders as they watched the lights. Rita relaxed and then paused as she felt something.
"Roddy," she said coyly. "Is that a sabre in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?"
Roddy looked down, embarrassed.
"Actually, that is a sabre. Sorry about that. I forgot to take it off." Rita sat up and watched him fumble with the clasp, which finally opened and allowed him to put the ornamental weapon aside. He grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry, I'm not very good at this."
"There'll be time to learn," said Rita. "We've got a whole continent to explore. Something tells me that my family won't be waiting up for us to come back."
"You do want to go back, though, right?" asked Roddy.
"Oh, yes. But not quite yet. I've been in France for less than a week and spent most of that time unconscious."
"You think you've had problems. I've been here for less than a week and spent most of that time worrying about you. All those moments when I wasn't in mortal fear for my own life, that is. My dinner suit will never be the same."
She smiled at him. He smiled back, and this time words really weren't necessary. They leaned together and kissed. It had been weeks in the making and seemed almost as long in the executing, but it was clear from their faces when they broke apart that each one felt it had been worth the wait.
Behind them, the Eiffel's lights blazed, illuminating a night which for Roddy and Rita at least, was no longer so dark.