Chapter 9: An Ally?

He took the time to pop off the buttons of my shirt with the blade in a delicate way, observing in the same time my reaction. Once my shirt was opened, he ran the instrument against my torso like a feather come to tickle a face. It made me shudder.

"Leopold, stop playing with our guest," the capitán exclaimed, a tiny bit irritated by my serene expression... In fact, I wasn't.

"Very well," the old man sighed by moving back the instrument.

The blade came closer once again, more dangerously under the perverse, smiling look of the officer.

...

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. Leopold took one step back, grumbling in a low tone about this interruption.

"What is it?" the capitán yelled, turning to the door.

"Madame De la Boissière would like to converse with the new prisoner," a soldier asserted firmly as he opened the not so locked door.

The capitán turned to me scornfully and I hid my amusement. I didn't like the señora, but it had to be said that she arrived at the right moment.

"You don't lose anything to wait... Leopold, put away your instruments, they wouldn't even scare a child."

The old man obeyed quickly and untied me afterward.

"It's a real pity," I heard him whispering with disappointment.

To go back to the prison without being remarked, the capitán made me take another way.

"It's very kind of you to show me round," I joked.

"You speak French very well for a Spaniard."

"Maybe I have to thank my grandma and my French cousins," I lied easily as I didn't deny that I was Spanish.

"You would have French origins?" the capitán questioned, skeptical.

"Indeed," I asserted while we met a soldier whose hands were bandaged.

The soldier was on attention as soon as he saw the capitán. I felt his unease when we passed at his side and I had a feeling of déjà vu.

Could he be last evening's aggressor, I wondered.

"If you say anything about your situation I will have the pleasure to make you suffer," the capitán whispered to me as we arrived at the last staircase leading to the prison.

"Come on, Captain, are those words to say to your prisoners?" I asked too quickly.

It was the drop for the French officer who caught me sharply and pushed me violently against the wall. My breath away, I fell on the floor and rolled down the stairs, thinking, very fortunately, to protect my head.

"What is the meaning of this?" the harsh voice of Madame De la Boissière asked when I stopped down.

It's my opinion that the capitán must regret his unfortunate move.

I had the surprise to see Joseph and Jeanne running to my sides to help me get up. I was aching a little all over, but I could move freely. When the capitán passed at my side, he looked at me with a mocking look. I saw Señora De la Boissière struggling against a dizzy spell, which puzzled me then. What could she have?

As she recovered, she went firmly closer to the officer.

"Madame, what a surprise to see you here... This young man..." he began with a falsely syrupy voice.

"Captain!" she interrupted him. "You know my standing, isn't it?"

"Yes," he stammered ill at ease after having cleared his throat.

"So, no pretences with me! This young man is now under my responsibility," she insisted by pointing to me and letting me puzzled. "If you raise your hand on him once again, or if I learn that you abuse your position, I will dismiss you from your duties. Is that very clear?"

"Yes, Madame," he retorted by bowing before leaving like a wounded dog.

"Aldric," she called then.

"What can I do for your service, Madame?"

"It won't please you, but I like you to stay to the fortress in order to keep an eye on the captain... and on the prisoners," she added with sweetness looking to Marcos. "Jailer?"

"Y... Yes," he stammered by getting up.

"Put back Monsieur Goupil behind the bars. And if ever something happens to one or the other you will be held liable for it."

The jailer obeyed without saying a single word. Although puzzled by the behavior of the young lady, I let myself be led in cell. I was restrained at the very last time by the little Jeanne who was teary-eyed.

"Monsieur Goupil," she cried.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," I said to reassure her before doing the final step which put me behind the bars.

Then the jailer locked the door.

"Doctor, I will let you look at him after my talk. If you don't mind letting us alone for a moment."

"Yes, Madame," he answered, taking his daughter with him.

"Aldric..."

"But, my Lady..."

"Please..."

"As you wish," the tall fellow answered as he caught the jailer just before following the doctor.

Alone with us, she went to take the jailer's chair that she dragged along toward the cell. She didn't have the strength to carry it and it puzzled me even more. Marcos, silent watcher, went finally close to me. He must have felt that the lady of his thought had important information to communicate to us.

"Señores," she began as she sat down on the chair.

"Madame," I saluted cynically.

As a result, I received an elbow hit from Marcos which made me wince.

"I don't expect you to understand my gesture," she continued in an almost perfect Spanish. "But I know Captain Brutus Guarette and I know that his cruelty to those of your... people... is without limits. I don't tolerate his ways and until then we didn't have proof of his actions. At least it's what I was told. I have the feeling that things are hidden to me because of my femininity. However, know that as long as I will be here, I will do everything to prevent the worst."

"Why?" Marcos questioned.

"Simply because I don't like injustice," she justified herself. "Señor," she said then turning to me.

"This joke is soon over, I dare to hope," I said in a so perfect French that I saw Marcos frown. The difference is he didn't know so well this stranger language.

Laetitia De la Boissière observed me a moment.

"Aldric told me about the prowess you achieved in the doctor's house last evening. Was it before or after your stroll on the ramparts?" she asked, hoping to trap me and continuing to question me in her native language.

"I don't see what you're talking about," I said with such insurance that she sighed.

She tried another approach and asked me what affaires were leading me here, at Villefranche de Conflent?

"I come from America. My father and my mother constantly told me about their different cultural traditions. I'm here to improve that knowledge, amongst others," I explained.

I saw her smiling ironically.

"Oh! Aren't you worried about a close parent?"

To this question, I got the conclusion that Joseph must have related to her a part of what I told him.

"Exactly," I answered quite quickly. "It's my grandmother. She told me so many stories that she got muddled in her mind and asked me to go looking for a fabulous treasure which would open the door toward the lost city of Atlantide. I saw that she didn't have all her reason. So I decided to take benefit of my pilgrimage to find a remedy which would cure her. On my path, I've been told about a French doctor living to the bottom of Mount Canigou."

"Monsieur Goupil... Is that so?"

"Indeed."

"I unfortunately can't free you today. You fought with blades and duels are forbidden from the law. It's my duty to let you ponder upon your act all night."

"Ye gods! ... Why, it will leave me time to make more acquaintance with this gentleman," I said by indicating Marcos.

From her look, I saw that she wasn't duped.

"All the same, Señor, for a Spanish man you speak well our language," she said using Spanish.

"I return you the compliment, Señorita," I retorted still in French.

"Be careful to you in the future, Señor... Aldric," she called then quietly.

In spite of all, the latter arrived nimbly.

"My Lady?"

"I ended with the prisoners. Go tell the doctor that he can come."

"At your command."

While Aldric went upstairs in twos we saw the señora tottering.

"Señorita, is everything alright?" Marcos inquired.

"You are in the same state as me," she retorted.

I saw Marcos wincing of worry; he had understood the hint but not me. I looked at my friend briefly. I didn't yet know what or when, but the answers were going to come.

The doctor and the little one arrived quite quickly, putting a definitive end to the talk.

"Thank you," she said to Joseph when he passed next to her.

"You're welcome. One last thing, Madame. Without ordering it to you, go to rest and don't force with your right arm for a time."

This advice didn't escape my keen ear as I went lying on my coat. I saw Aldric coming back, on his belt was the key of the cell. Señora De la Boissière remarked it also.

"Where is the jailer?" Joseph asked looking at me quickly.

"I sent him back home until new orders," Aldric explained with a clever smile.

"You're incorrigible," the señora expressed as she stood up but remained leaning on the chair's back.

"Madame De la Boissière, if I could permit me, you would be more at ease to rest in a real bedroom rather than in one of the ramparts' rooms. So I invite you to wait for me and propose you the peace of my humble home."

"I thank you, Monsieur, but I can't accept your offer. I have to remain close to the place where my men will come to find me when they will arrive."

"Very well. Before I forget, here is a remedy that you should take. I have cleaned and treated your wounds, but now you have to fight the illness from inside," he said as he lowered his voice and taking out a little vial from his bag.

I didn't know more afterwards. The doctor kept on speaking with the señora; then Madame De la Boissière went away after having thanked him one last time. Aldric, limping, went closer to the cell and opened it to the doctor.

"Messieurs," Joseph saluted us.

Marcos went back lying in his corner and kept an eye on us. Aldric locked the door behind him and he sat on the chair after having place placed it near the little table at the bottom of the stairs.

"How are you, Monsieur Goupil?" Joseph asked me.

"I'm feeling a little black and blue all over after this fall," I admitted.

"Take off your shirt so that I can have a look."

"It won't be very difficult," I answered.

It's true that without buttons a shirt is quickly pulled off. Nonetheless, I winced by obeying him.

"What happened after the duel?" I asked.

The doctor saw at first sight both bruises on my left side. The first was at the level of my ribs, the second one on my left shoulder. There were also numerous little scattered contusions which would heal quicker.

"Madame De la Boissière watched you going away as she put away her weapon. Exhausted, she fell on her knees and held her right shoulder," Joseph began to relate me.