First, I need to apologize for several goofs I made the past 2 weeks. I posted a chapter last week that I had already posted the week before, and I called the Comtesse's friend, Helene in the first part of the chapter, and Yvette in the last half-lol. Her name will be Helene from now on.
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Aramis was again duty patrolling the palace grounds several days later. His brothers had been sent on a mission elsewhere by Trevelle, and Aramis had strongly protested that he was fine now, and should be included.
But Treville had made his mind up, and there was no budging his decision. Treville had then sent Aramis to the palace for patrol duty.
Keeping his eyes peeled for any possible threats to members of the Royal family, he dutifully made his rounds on the palace grounds.
He was looking off to the left at the King's small group, and almost ran into someone who had merged from another path right in front of him.
Removing his hat, he gave a small bow to the young noblewoman, whose head was lowered under the wide-brimmed hat she wore.
When she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, he recognized the attractive woman who had been walking with the Comtesse a few days prior.
She saw that he recognized her, and smiled.
"Do you always fix your attention elsewhere than the path you are on?" she asked, her smile taking any sting of criticism from her words.
"I am quite sorry to have nearly run you down," Aramis replied. "I am on duty, and the King and Queen are there," he said, pointing off to his left, where she could see Louis smiling and gesturing to the rest of his party.
"I see that you are sincerely dedicated to your work," she said. "But may I accompany you along your walk?" The day is beautiful, the birds are presenting us with a concert, and the roses are in bloom," finishing her light appeal with a radiant smile.
Aramis couldn't help but return her smile, linking his arm through hers.
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When he returned to the garrison later that evening, his brothers noticed the little smile on his face. When Porthos asked how his day had been, he just said 'fine', with another smile.
The other three exchanged knowing looks, and Porthos spoke again. "All right, who's the lady?"
Aramis just replied, "Why do you always assume it is a lady if I smile?"
D'Artagnan answered, " I haven't known you as long as Athos and Porthos, but it usually is," earning himself a dig in his side from Porthos and a grin..
Try as they would, they couldn't get anything out of him. Puzzled, they decided to leave the subject alone for the moment, and suggested an evening meal at their favorite tavern instead.
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Aramis had asked Helene if she would like to take a short drive out of Paris the following day, and she had agreed.
He met her as arranged where they had left each other the previous day. He arrived on his horse, and leading a second horse's reins.
When she had mounted, they rode off.
Leaving the city, Aramis found a large spreading oak overlooking a picturesque valley, and suggested stopping there. She agreed.
Dismounting, Aramis unwrapped the basket he had attached to his saddle, and they seated themselves under the tree's shade.
Aramis had coaxed Serge into making a meal for them, and when he opened the basket, he saw that the retired Musketeer had outdone himself.
Slices of succulent ham, just-made bread, small tarts and a bottle of red wine filled the basket, and the delicious aroma made both of them hungry.
Sitting together after their midday meal, they enjoyed a quiet time of gazing out on the beauty before them.
Then, Aramis turned to her, needing to ask her a question he had been turning over and over in his mind since he had first spied her.
"If you do not mind my asking, how did you come to know the Comtesse, Helene?"
She glanced over at him, seeing the seriousness on his face as he asked her the question.
"My mother and hers were lifelong friends, Aramis. I met Francoise when I was a child. We didn't see each other again, though, until we were grown. I would run into her at balls and parties, and we would exchange pleasantries, but we did not have what you would term a close, or intimate relationship.
I have heard, of course, of her lifestyle, her so called excessive joie de vivre, but then it is not much more so than many others in the aristocracy are guilty of, so I shrugged it off."
Aramis asked, "Are you then close friends?"
Helene laughed, saying, "Oh my, no. I accept her as a person as she is, as I said, but her interests and lifestyle, though they are shared by many of our class, nevertheless, not mine. It is difficult to put into words. You understand?"
Aramis affirmed that he did, although the relationship between the two women seemed a little complex. He silently thought that he was very happy that there wasn't a close relationship with a woman he considered now as an enemy, although that was not something he felt he needed to share with Helene-at least, not at this time.
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Aramis and Helene got to know each other a little more over the next couple of weeks, sharing likes and dislikes, interests, hopes and dreams.
Aramis was well aware that he was not in her social class, wondering at times, what would happen if her father were to discover her in a relationship with what the man would, no doubt, describe as 'a common soldier'.
He asked her about her parents, and she told him her father was a Comte, and that their estates were mostly located in Aquitane. Aramis realized that, if they developed a closer relationship, he would probably not see her for long stretches, as her family's lands in Aquitane were far distant from Paris.
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Helene received a note about a month after her relationship with Aramis had begun. Looking at the name on the front, she saw that it was from the Comtesse.
For some reason, a shiver began and spread through her whole body, like a foreboding. She didn't understand her reaction, and tried to quell it. When that didn't work, she determined to ignore it, as she could think of no reason for the feeling. The Comtesse was her friend.
In her note, the Comtesse requested her to ask the Musketeer to come with her to the house of Melisande, as she had explained when she had first asked her to befriend Aramis.
Refolding the note, Helene thought about it again, as she had when the Comtesse had first brought the subject up. Not seeing anything untoward in the request, she resolved to ask Aramis that evening at dinner.
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That night, Helene asked Aramis if he would accompany her to the house of a friend for a quiet dinner, and he agreed.
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When the Comtesse the next day read a return note from Helene with the news, she could barely contain her glee.
"At last!" she exclaimed aloud, not caring if her browbeaten, fearful servants heard her.
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The region of Aquitane, where Helene is from, is in the southwest of France, 504 kilometers/313 miles from Paris.