Deleted scene from: To Dance with the Earl
- Evie
- Mar 27
- 6 min read
The events in this deleted scene take place two years before the start of To Dance with the Earl. The hero of the book, Quin, Earl of Hanwell, doesn’t appear in the scene because he’s traveling around the world as part of a scientific expedition.
Gabrielle, the woman who loves Quin, is living in a château in the French countryside with her father and brother.
In Paris, the actions of the revolutionaries are becoming more violent…
The Duke de la Fontaine's château, France, August 1792
“Happy birthday, Felix.” The Duke presented his son with a beautifully polished wooden box.
“Happy birthday,” Gabrielle echoed, smiling at her brother.
“Thank you, Papa, Gabi.” Felix returned their smiles, but his expression was a subdued facsimile of his familiar cheerful exuberance.
Gabrielle’s underlying mood was no more buoyant than her brother’s, and she knew her papa’s calm demeanor also hid a deep well of sorrow.
The three of them were sitting alone in one of the smallest salons of the château. No guests had been invited to share the muted celebrations for Felix’s twelfth birthday.
It was less than a month since the Duchess had died after a lingering illness. Gabrielle was profoundly grateful her mother was now free from pain, but her own grief was still raw.
She knew the same was equally true for Papa and Felix. Sorrow had carved deep lines into her papa’s countenance. It was a long time since his eyes had twinkled with his customary amused good humor.
But today was Felix’s birthday, and Papa had decreed they would honor it with a small celebration.
They’d all worn deep mourning for the past three weeks, but Papa had asked Gabrielle to wear a more cheerful gown today. Her papa couldn’t bear to see her garbed in black any longer.
She understood.
She didn’t need to the outward symbols of mourning to remind her of their loss either. If anything, she would rather forget it for a while. So she’d put on a blue silk gown she hadn’t worn for over a year, and hoped it would help brighten everyone’s spirits.
“The outer case opens like this.” Papa showed Felix how to unfasten the catches placed low on each side of the box he’d given him.
“Like a domed cover over a plate of food,” Gabrielle murmured, leaning forward in anticipation.
Felix raised the top of the case to reveal a much smaller, richly decorated box sitting on the base of the larger case.
Gabrielle abandoned her chair to kneel on the floor beside her brother, while their father gently removed the top of the case from Felix’s hands.
Felix bent his head to study his gift.
“It’s beautiful, Papa.” He touched his fingers lightly to the exquisitely decorated little box.
“I’ve already wound it,” Papa said. “Push there.” He indicated a discreet lever on the front of the box.
Felix pushed it—
An oval cover popped open. A tiny bird sprang up, and began to swivel back and forth, flapping its iridescent wings as it twittered out a song.
Gabrielle watched in fascination…until the song suddenly ceased, and the bird disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared.
“It’s wonderful, Papa,” Felix exclaimed. “I will always treasure it.”
“Make it sing again,” their father said.
His expression had relaxed into one of amused affection. The sight of his pleasure at their happiness filled Gabrielle’s heart with a yearning love for the complete family they’d once been.
Felix triggered the bird again, and they all admired its performance for a second time.
“I ordered it from Switzerland a long time ago,” Papa said. “I’d almost forgotten about it until it arrived last week. I paid for it at the time I placed the order, so I suppose they had nothing to lose by sending it.”
“It’s lovely,” Gabrielle said, her eyes misting with the bittersweet emotions flowing through her. Her mother would never see this treasure, and Quin was still far away on the other side of the world, but at least she could enjoy it with her father and brother.
“I wonder how it works.” Felix lifted the box—
Somewhere in the château a door slammed.
Gabrielle raised her head. So did Papa and Felix.
Another door slammed. Gabrielle’s breath tightened. Her heart started thumping inside her chest, and she stood up.
Papa deftly replaced the outer case over the jewel-like singing bird box.
Gabrielle heard someone running toward their room.
Papa stepped forward, putting himself between the salon door and his children.
The door flew open two thudding heartbeats later to reveal Michel Gresset, their huntsman.
“I’ve found you!” Michel’s gaze was fiercely focused, his clothes disheveled, and he was panting. Gabrielle had never seen the huntsman in such a state of disorder. He was usually calm to the point of appearing half asleep. “You have to leave, now!”
“Why?” Papa demanded. “What’s happened?”
“There’s been a battle and massacre in the Tuileries.”
“The king—?” Papa began.
“I don’t know about him. One man said the king was under arrest, another said his head was on top of a pike—”
Gabrielle sucked in an appalled breath.
“I don’t know exactly what’s happening in Paris, but I know what’s happening in the village. Men have set up a gibbet in the main road and started shouting ‘Death and Liberty’. You have to leave, monsieur.” Michel gestured urgently. “I’ll get you safely away.”
“Papa?” Pale-faced, Felix clutched his birthday gift to his chest and stared at his father. “Are we leaving?”
“Yes,” Papa said. “Now.”
Gabrielle turned toward the door, and her hand brushed over her silk skirt. “I must change my gown—”
“No time.” Michel interrupted. “Come now, mademoiselle. I’ll find you better traveling clothes later.”
He rushed them through the château toward a side entrance.
In her haste, Gabrielle banged into the door jamb. She lost her balance and stumbled into the lavender bush growing by the path, and then Papa’s hands righted her again.
“Thank—” Her words died in her throat as angry, chanting shouts reached her ears.
“Come.” Papa pulled her along with him. Felix kept pace with them as they all followed Michel.
At first, Gabrielle’s trembling legs barely supported her. How could people she’d known all her life have turned into an angry mob that meant her harm?
But surely there were too many voices? Had their villagers joined with others who were marching across the countryside?
It didn’t matter. All that mattered was keeping up with Papa and Felix. She had to do everything she could to keep them safe.
The desperate urgency of the situation gave her renewed strength.
She surged forward, the scent of lavender wreathing around her as she hurried with the others through the shadowy gardens and into the meadow.
“We must go through the forest,” Michel said. “It’s the safest way to elude any pursuers.”
“Wait,” Gabrielle said. “What about Suzanne and Marie, the others…?”
She meant the other servants who lived and worked at the château. There weren’t as many of them now as before, and she’d started to wonder about the trustworthiness of some of those who remained, but it seemed wrong to abandon them.
“They’ll be safer once you’ve gone, mademoiselle,” Michel said. “We’ll all be safer once you’ve gone, and we no longer have to split our loyalties.”
Gabrielle heard Felix catch his breath at the huntsman’s blunt words.
“I will not return in the ranks of a foreign army,” Papa said quietly. “I won’t help any other country wage war against France in the hope of regaining my title and privileges.”
One of the acts of the revolutionaries had been to abolish noble titles. Gabrielle’s father was no longer to be addressed as the Duke de la Fontaine, but rather as Citizen Phillipe Rousselle. He’d accepted the change with a good grace. Many of his fellow aristocrats hadn’t.
“I did not think you would, monsieur.” Michel’s tone was more conciliatory.
They entered the forest, moving beneath the spreading, leaf-laden branches of the huge trees. Within a few paces, the evening sky disappeared from view.
An owl hooted above, and Gabrielle heard rustles and other small, unidentifiable sounds all around her.
She remembered the golden-eyed wolf she and Quin had crossed paths with all those years ago, and her mouth dried until she couldn’t swallow.
She wished Quin was with her now. She wished she was together with everyone she loved, and they were all safe somewhere in the sunshine.
Stay away, Monsieur Wolf, she begged in the ragged silence of her mind. Stay far from us tonight.
End of scene.
Once they reach England, Gabrielle becomes a governess to a little girl who hasn't spoken to anyone for several months, and her father becomes a fencing master. (Felix goes to school)
To Dance with the Earl begins when Quin returns to England, eager to reunite with Gabrielle.
