Morning, all. Thank you for reading and commenting on the previous chapter. Here, at last, we discover what Brondate told Aramis.
CHAPTER 43
I
It was after midnight when Tréville and the three Inseparables were in his office seated around the desk and eating a makeshift supper thrown together by Serge. There was no denying the Captain's relief when he saw Athos lead the way into the room, evidence that he had encountered no serious issues in following Gallegos. Tréville wondered what that report was going to entail.
"I appreciate that Porthos had an uninspiring day outside the Ambassador's apartment because nothing happened but, Aramis, I am eager to know what you found out from Brondate," the Captain set the agenda for the meeting as he spooned up more of the pottage that the garrison cook had reheated for them.
"I know we were surprised that Brondate got drunk so quickly, not least me when I was with him and realised what was happening, but it would not have taken much. He was exhausted after the journey, for reasons that he went on to explain," Aramis began. He was, no doubt, eager to reinforce with Tréville that he was not responsible for what had happened to the Spaniard.
"The Ambassador was adamant that they would travel with the smallest party possible," he went on.
"He did state that he wanted to draw as little attention to them as possible," Athos reminded them all.
"But Brondate was on tenterhooks the whole time, fearful that there were not enough of them to give adequate protection to the Ambassador and the Cardinal Infante after what had happened to Mendez. He now had a smaller contingent of manpower, so it presented him with a worrying headache as it made more work for him and the reduced escort."
Aramis explained that the Ambassador's insistence that he travel without an entourage of servants had initially appeared to be a good thing but when it was clear that they would be camping at night, his demands upon the escort became almost untenable and he rapidly alienated the men who were there to protect him. It had fallen to Brondate to motivate his men and maintain the peace.
"That's probably why that pair guarding the Ambassador weren't too observant," Porthos broke in.
"What was that?" the Captain wanted to know more.
"The guard for de Calatrava were somewhat lackadaisical in their duties," Athos added. "It is understandable if they have little respect for the man but not excusable."
"Even Brondate admitted that he did not like de Calatrava. Initially, I thought it was just because of what he had had to endure from the man on the way here, but it turns out that it goes a lot deeper than that." Aramis looked at the three men listening to his report, satisfied that he had their undivided attention.
"He is a man who is grieving the loss of a friend. At one point, he became very morose and suddenly asked if I had any specific friends amongst the Museketeers, so I told him about you two," and here he glanced towards Porthos and then Athos. "I said we were as brothers and he told me that he had known that intense brotherhood for himself, until recently. They grew up together, were both from good families, and decided to train for the military together. Then that friend captained a mission a few weeks ago and never returned; he and his men were wiped out."
"That's sad," Porthos commented. He understood the constant fear that the same might befall him and his brothers at any time.
"There's more, isn't there?" Athos pressed, his mind already making a link.
Aramis nodded. "His friend's name was Lorenzo. Lorenzo de Calatrava."
There was stunned silence.
"The Ambassador's nephew," Tréville said softly.
"The very same, and it turns out that Brondate has a very bad feeling about that mission," Aramis continued.
"Other than them all endin' up dead, you mean?" Porthos asked.
"Lorenzo visited Brondate the night before the Mendez party departed and they had a last drink together. It seems that he was very uneasy about the trip."
Tréville frowned. "How so?"
"Firstly, he was wondering what the Treaty meant for Spain. His uncle had come to dine with the family one evening several weeks before and the atmosphere was very strained between his father and uncle. Anyway, the two men retired to the study to have a 'quiet conversation' but it was not long before Lorenzo heard raised voices. He was unsure whether or not to intervene and hovered outside the door for a while and overheard some disjointed things that were not meant for his ears. The overall impression he got was that his uncle was not in favour of the Treaty with France at all."
"The Ambassador must have made his feelings a little more public at some juncture for Mendez to distrust him and write his initials in blood," Athos said thoughtfully.
"If they were de Calatrava's initials," Porthos pointed out. "There's still Richelieu to think about."
Tréville shook his head. "Too much of a coincidence if they were not the Ambassador's and I don't believe in coincidences too easily these days."
"There's more," Aramis said grimly. "A few days before Lorenzo left, his uncle paid him an unexpected visit at the garrison. Lorenzo was out checking preparations for the trip to France when he got the message that de Calatrava was waiting for him in his office. He had been working on details for the trip and had left the pile of documents on his desk."
Tréville sucked in a breath at the lapse of security.
"But he told Brondate that he had locked the door," Aramis insisted.
"So how did de Calatrava get in?" Athos asked.
"A sergeant welcomed the Ambassador, knew who he was and didn't want to appear rude by leaving him outside. He found Lorenzo's lieutenant first and borrowed the officer's spare key to admit de Calatrava. Neither of them knew that Lorenzo had left out such sensitive documents.
"When Lorenzo joined him, they talked for some time and de Calatrava seemed to have so great an interest in Mendez' trip that it made the Captain feel uncomfortable. His uncle had never had reason to visit him at the garrison before and he tried to give answers that were as vague as possible. It was only after the Ambassador had gone and Lorenzo resumed work on the plans that he thought anything was amiss. He couldn't swear to it, but he did not think that the documents were in the same order as when he was looking at them before."
Tréville grew thoughtful. "We have long suspected that the security breach happened in Spain and it looks as though that's when it happened."
"It made Lorenzo uneasy enough," Athos said.
"He had never had reason to distrust his uncle before but what he said certainly gave Brondate misgivings, especially with what ultimately happened to his friend. He certainly does not trust de Calatrava." Aramis finished his account and sat back in his chair.
"And nor do I," Tréville declared. "If I had reservations about the man before, they've just increased ten-fold, especially if he seemed to have no qualms about giving orders that led to the death of a member of his own family."
"It appears his commitment to Spain comes first above all else," Athos cut in. "Sounds like someone else we know."
They all knew he was referring to Richelieu.
"And we are still none the wiser regarding his involvement in the attack upon you three," Tréville said bitterly.
"Unfortunately, I doubt that we will ever know the full truth there," Athos commented.
"Not unless we ever find this mystery woman." Porthos' fist clenched at the notion.
Tréville gestured towards Athos. "And what about you? What happened when you followed Gallegos?"
Quietly, succinctly, Athos gave his report. The mood, already sombre, intensified when he finished his account as to how the little interpreter had met with a scarred Spaniard and money had appeared to change hands.
"So what 'appens next?" Porthos growled. "We just wait an' see what, if anythin', 'appens? Or do we cancel the Mass so that offends the Ambassador an' he makes a big thing of refusin' to sign the Treaty, thereby gettin' what 'e wants anyway? Or do we arrest the Ferret at dawn, interrogate 'im in Richelieu's chamber of 'orrors, make' im tell all, arrest de Calatrava and 'ope that Ferdinand'll sign the Treaty?
"Nicely put," Aramis grinned at him.
Tréville merely groaned and rubbed a hand tiredly over his face as he contemplated Porthos' blunt but appropriate options. At this moment, he felt decidedly ancient.
"I suggest that we try and get some rest for now and we'll see Richelieu first thing in the morning. Whatever we are going to do, we have to make that decision in the next few hours. Time is running out."
II
The following morning, the Ambassador, Gallegos and Ferdinand went, as arranged, to the chapel where Mendez lay to pay their respects and for the young Cardinal to lead the prayers.
Aramis and Porthos waited respectfully outside. To the Spaniards, they were Louis' élite men, tasked with maintaining a high level of protection for the foreign visitors, a visible and well-meant gesture from the French King indicating that he took their safety and the success of the Treaty very seriously.
It was partly true, but they were also there to watch the Ambassador's party for any subterfuge. The two of them would separate and go different ways if Gallegos saw fit to go off on his own again.
Meanwhile, Tréville and Athos were with Richelieu in his cold and cavernous office updating him on the details of their midnight meeting.
The Cardinal sat in contemplative silence, his fingers steepled. Eventually he spoke.
"We are in a difficult position here and any reticence on our part or attempt to alter the order of events will give de Calatrava the excuse he needs to withdraw from signing of the Treaty. He will argue that we clearly do not have an invested interest in the agreement. We will proceed as planned."
Tréville's jaw dropped. "I cannot guarantee the safety of the Ambassador if the procession and service at Notre Dame goes ahead."
"That is understood."
The two Musketeers exchanged looks of surprise; they had never expected the Cardinal to accept their reservations so readily. Normally, he would have been heatedly demanding the impossible of them and manipulating the King to expect the same.
"If problems arise, my focus and that of my men will immediately be to the well-being of their Majesties," Tréville insisted. "We have a sworn duty to protect them at all costs."
"Of course. Let de Calatrava take his risks; he has demanded that his escort be with him in the procession so let them look to his safety," Richelieu continued.
"If I may," Athos began and waited for Tréville's nod of permission to continue. "If de Calatrava has plotted something, he is not going to take the chance of being fatally injured himself, although he may be willing to take some hurt to substantiate any claim he might make that the French are responsible. If he is preparing for some sort of attack, I doubt that anything would be directed at our own King and Queen, the repercussions of which would be unthinkable."
"Unless it were to give credence to our suspicions that the English or Dutch might have a hand in it. He could attempt to apportion blame there," Tréville reasoned.
"Possibly," Athos agreed, "but perhaps it complicates things unnecessarily."
"How do you mean?" Richelieu demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"We are forgetting one crucial element here, an unexpected one as far as we were concerned but de Calatrava has had the advantage of this knowledge for several weeks, during which time he could have made specific arrangements. Those same arrangements have, once he arrived in Paris, been finalised and communicated to the scarred man by none other than the Ambassador's interpreter. He is obviously a much-valued assistant in more ways than one.
"As you have said, Your Eminence, the Ambassador appears to have manipulated us into acquiescing to his demands as to this morning's vigil and the proposed Mass for the dead at Notre Dame, insisting on them happening ahead of the signing of the Treaty. It would be churlish of us not to act upon his suggestions, but they are, as we rightly suspected, delaying tactics for him to put his plans into operation."
"We know all this," said Richelieu impatiently. "What of this 'crucial element' that you mention?"
"An unexpected visitor, brother to the King of Spain and the Queen of France," Athos announced and awaited their reaction.
"Ferdinand!" gasped Tréville. He looked from Athos to the Cardinal. "It makes sense."
"You think de Calatrava means to have something happen to the Cardinal Infante?" Richelieu was horrified.
"What better opportunity to destroy any hope of the Treaty? It angers Spain and France, sets us at loggerheads, perhaps even initiates war, and also attracts the abhorrence of the church in Rome," Athos said quietly.
At his words, a stunned silence filled the room.