The author of I Will Repay is Baroness Emmuska Orczy. Before the French revolution, in 1784, the narrative begins. Rich Paul Déroulède insulted the youthful Vicomte de Marny by referring to his most recent fling, Adèle de Monterchéri. Déroulède had no intention of becoming involved in the argument, but he has the propensity to become involved in trouble by accident, which is ""no doubt a legacy left to him by his bourgeois lineage."" The Duc d'Orléans, the boy's father, is offended by the insult and dares his son to a fight. Vicomte, furious at his son's behavior despite being from a noble family, is no match for Désiré Dénouez-Drouot, who disarms him and murders him with bare hands. Juliette Marny sneaked her way into Citizen-Deputy Déroulède's home on August 19, 1793, and had her sign an oath to ruin him. She keeps planning retribution on her host since she doesn't realize that he merely wants to atone for the loss of her brother. Although Juliette has promised to ruin him, Paul Déroulede falls head over heels in love with her. She publishes a letter criticizing her host, but she ignores his affection for her. On their way from the courthouse to the jail, the condemned couple is rescued by the Scarlet Pimpernel and his companions.