“We will leave with the tide,” Simon continued. “Please prepare yourself and call in two of the others. We will need a smaller team, just the four of us here and two more.”

“The four . . .” He kept glancing at Scarlet but did not address her. She found this amusing.

“Lord Courtenay, is there a problem?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No—well, I don’t think so. I was not aware of your knowledge of the league plans.”

She nodded her head and sat behind her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out her ring. “You are not aware of a great many things.” She held out her ring, motioning for him to take a look.

He did and his eyes widened. “How did you get that?”

Andrew snorted, turning his head to smile at the wall.

“It has been in my family for nearly a century; grew the little red pimpernel flower all over our northern estate. This ring belonged to my father and his before him.”

Lord Courtenay’s blank stare would have amused Scarlet, but the time grew short now, and their sport at his expense was over.

He smacked his hands together. “Lord Cavendish! Why did I not see it? Of course he would be involved.”

She opened her mouth and closed it again. “No, my dear Lord Courtenay. He passed away before the Pimpernel came to be. I fear this will come as a bit of shock to you, even with evidence right before your eyes, but I am the Pimpernel. Me.”

His blank stare continued.

“But we are losing time. As Simon explained, we go out with the tide. Which, we learned on our last trip from Calais, waits for no one. Gather the men. We will convene on the ship tonight.” She stood as if to dismiss them, and the men rose. “And, Lord Courtenay, we guard this secret closest of all. Every life depends upon my identity remaining a secret.”

He nodded, following Andrew and Simon to the door, and then he paused, his back stiff. “I will not do it.”

The men stopped.

“You are a woman! Our very lives, as you said, are in your hands.”

“And capable ones they are, let us remind you.” Simon’s eyes held a sharp glint.

Lord Courtenay shook his head. “It is by miracle alone we have survived thus far.”

Scarlet let out a long breath. “You may choose to step away, of course. We have no room on our league for any but the most loyal. But let me ask you: Are you willing to sacrifice for those who cannot help themselves? Place your very life at risk to save another?”

“Of course.”

“Then nothing has changed. You are a great addition to our league.”

Simon clapped him on the back. “Come, man. It takes some getting used to. If it would help, you may continue to think of her as a man.”