The Laughing Cavalier (1913) by Baroness Emma Orczy is a prequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel, set in the Netherlands in 1623, during the early 17th century. It follows the adventures of Percy Blakeney's ancestor, Percy Blakeney, aka "Diogenes", a charming and daring soldier of fortune who gets caught up in political intrigue, romance, and danger.