When Pascale Auber is forced out of the airship of the evil Dr. Simpelstur, she finds herself rescued by a handsome Ruritanian diplomat, Theo von Hentzau. Pascale soon realizes that Theo is hiding something - something to do with the evil doctor, th...
Baudoin has all the looks in the family; his eyelashes are long and sooty, and his eyes themselves look like so much chocolate-coloured velvet. Not that you would have been able to see his eyes as I stepped out of the flivver; he gave every appearance of being fast asleep on my doorstep.
A curious Theo at my heels, I shook my baby brother's arm. "Wake up, Baudoin," I ordered.
I was rewarded by a fluttering of Baud's extravagant lashes and a lazy yawn. "Hullo, Pascale," he said, sleepily.
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I took him by the arm and hauled him up onto his feet. "And just what do you think you're doing here, young man? You're supposed to be away at school!"
Baudoin glared up at me. "I don't care!"
I felt the warmth of Theo's breath on my shoulder as he came up behind me. "Who's this, then?" He asked, sounding amused.
"My little brother. My naughty, mischievous little brother, who has clearly run away from school for the second time this term." I looked from Baud to Theo and began the introductions. "Theo, Baudoin Auber. Baud, this is Theophilus von Hentzau. He is a friend of mine who works at the Ruritanian Embassy."
Theo took a step aside, and contorted his tall frame into one of those bows I was beginning to find terribly endearing. "I am pleased to meet yet another Auber," Theo said.
I smiled slightly at Baudoin's reaction – utter surprise, followed by a suspicious glare in my direction.
"Since when did you have a beau, Pascale?" Baudoin demanded.
I shrugged, but I could feel heat blossoming on my cheeks.
Theo burst out laughing, but eventually managed to say, "Your sister is too pretty to suffer from a lack of male attention. I am sure she has had her share of suitors."
Baudoin's glare now turned on Theo.
Theo smirked. That is to say, he smiled a particular smile which he believes looks utterly innocent and guileless. He is wrong about this impression. Very wrong.
Baudoin's expression grew darker.
I decided that I needed to defuse the situation before my baby brother decided that he needed to defend my honour. I put one hand on each of Baud's shoulders, and pulled him back, turning him to face me.
"Baudoin." I said. He looked up at me with a surly expression. "You're going straight to bed. And in the morning, I am sending a telegram to mother."
This latter threat was more than enough to distract Baud. "Don't telegram mother!"
"Do you really think that the school hasn't already informed our parents that you've gone missing again, young man?" I began to steer him up the steps towards the door.
"Maybe not yet," Baudoin replied, stubbornly pushing back against the pressure I was putting on his shoulders.
"And at breakfast, nobody will notice that you're not in the refectory?" Baudoin looked away. "I'm sending that telegram, Baud."
"But mother will be furious," he pleaded.
"You should have thought of that before you ran off," I replied.
Baudoin's lower lip trembled. For a moment I thought that he would burst into tears. Then he caught sight of Theo, and the tears melted away almost instantaneously.
"If you wire mother," Baud said thoughtfully, "I shall tell her about your beau."
