The confrontation begins to unfold!
Thank you for reading and responding to the last chapter. As you have possibly realised, we are approaching the end of this story; there are not many chapters to go after this one. 'Reliquary' will be next and the good news (I hope you think it is good anyway) is that ideas are unfolding for 'Reflections' to come afterwards.
CHAPTER 54
"Before we proceed," Richelieu said, his tone barely concealing his enthusiasm for what was to follow, even if his chiselled features remained impassive, "I wish to establish some things."
He glanced towards Tréville who, once again, went to the door through which Athos and the other witnesses had entered. This time, the newcomer was Ferdinand and he sat on a chair, provided by a Musketeer, that was set equidistant from the Captain and the King.
"We do not trust your interpreter," and Richelieu glared at Gallegos who stood, visibly quaking as the enormity of what was happening registered with him. "Instead, we will use the Cardinal Infante to act in such a role. I trust that as a high-ranking and much-respected man of God, as well as brother to your King and our gracious Queen, you would have no objection?" He was almost willing de Calatrava to disagree, but the Ambassador merely nodded.
"The Musketeer Aramis will continue to act as interpreter for your Captain Brondate and we will expect the Cardinal Infante," and here he bowed deferentially to the younger man who responded in kind," to point out any deviation or vagueness in the interpretation. Is that understood, Musketeer?"
He was addressing Aramis who had silently slipped in at the main doors, once his patients and Espinar had been admitted to the reception room and had taken up his place next to Porthos. Now, as Tréville gave a curt nod in his direction, he moved to adopt a new position between Athos and Brondate.
"I understand, Your Eminence," he confirmed loudly so that all in the room could hear him.
A scribe had entered behind Ferdinand and took his seat at a table set back against a wall and which had gone unnoticed by many in the room, their attention focused upon the unfolding drama.
"I would suggest, Cardinal," Louis interrupted," that chairs be made available for our wounded witnesses. They have, after all, suffered greatly in this incident and I would not wish for either of them to swoon when it could so easily be avoided. Do you require water?" he spoke directly to Athos and Brondate. Aramis whispered in the Spaniard's ear.
Athos' face began to burn with the attention. He wanted neither water nor a chair. "No, thank you, Your Majesty, but your offer is much appreciated."
He sat awkwardly as a chair was placed immediately behind him, touching the back of his legs and glanced up at the provider. Porthos grinned down at him before putting down a chair for the Spaniard. Espinar was shown no similar courtesy and looked decidedly uncomfortable, especially when Porthos glared in warning at him.
"And bring a chair for the Ambassador or should I say former Ambassador?" Louis ordered. "I will not have it said that the King of France forgets his manners. You will sit, de Calatrava, because I fear that we shall be here for some time and out of respect for the position you once held. For your actions, I refuse to acknowledge you any longer as an official representative of your country to mine."
"I am Spain's Ambassador until my liege says otherwise," de Calatrava declared somewhat bravely. "And I have always held that a man is innocent until proven guilty. I have not yet been given leave to defend myself against these false charges."
Louis stood and glowered down at the man who was now seated. There were times when Louis looked every inch the king that he was and now, face resolute and dark with fury, he cut a terrifying and imposing figure.
"Oh you are most certainly guilty. I have heard the evidence accrued against you and we are gathered now to lay it before you and for the benefit of the Cardinal Infante. You have been instrumental in the deaths of many in my kingdom, including your compatriot, a fellow Ambassador, and not forgetting your own nephew. What kind of man murders his own blood? And then you attempted to lay the blame upon us! You have been behind the plot to kill my brother-in-law and again sought to hold us responsible. Not only that, but you have callously shed the blood of those who are my subjects here on the streets of Paris."
He paused for breath as Ferdinand translated, and watched as the colour drained from the face of the disgraced Ambassador.
"You know the charges and will listen to the evidence. It will all be recorded in a document," and he indicated towards the scribe, "and a copy given into the safe keeping of the Cardinal Infante to be handed to King Philip when you are escorted back to Madrid. As much I would love to order your punishment here, it is better that you face the wrath of your King."
Louis, tirade over, resumed his seat and gestured to Richelieu to begin the formalities.
"We will go through the allegations and evidence in the order in which events occurred. At the outset of the negotiations between the Spanish Ambassador and myself, Mendez warned me of a faction vociferous in their opposition to the treaty and he gave me three names of the perceived ringleaders. Yours was one of them." He went on to a name the other two and allowed Ferdinand time to translate.
"He was always jealous of my power and influence," de Calatrava spat out. "Mendez was a doddering old fool who hated me."
"And he had good reason," Richelieu fired back. "He told me that you would stop at nothing to halt the treaty and he was under no illusion that he would live to see the successful signing of it. He expected to die and told me as such, hence the security around his return journey with the treaty signed by the King of Spain."
"And that was such a well-kept secret," de Calatrava's comment dripped with sarcasm.
"The breach in security was not from France," Richelieu continued, ignoring the Spaniard. "The only people privy to those travel details other than Mendez and myself was Captain Tréville. Captain, if you would."
Tréville stepped forward and explained how the trip was arranged, a circuitous route favoured by the Ambassador, and that three of his men – and he indicated to Athos, Porthos and Aramis – were to meet with Mendez near the northern border of France under orders to act as decoys with a copy of the Treaty, returning to Paris by an alternate route.
"Such was Mendez' conviction that he would be attacked and killed for the Treaty, he took the decision to hand the genuine version to my men. It begs the question as to why he thought that. When I examined the site of the massacre – for that was what it was – I was curious about several things that did not seem right."
He summarised his observations: that none of the Ambassador's men seemed to have drawn weapons; French coins had been scattered on the ground and that only one attacker, in ill-fitting French attire, had been slain, the position of his body and the fatal wound in his back at odds with the scene.
"I concluded that the scene had been made to look as if the perpetrators were French and that Captain Lorenzo de Calatrava had known his attacker, so that his guard was down until it was too late."
Tréville watched the accused man as his latest comment was translated and was satisfied to see de Calatrava stiffen. The man had made reference to his slaughtered nephew but had not mentioned him by name, a fact that had been gleaned from Brondate whilst in his cups. He turned to the young officer.
"It is for you to give your account now."
Brondate moved forward, Aramis at his side as he repeated what he had told the Musketeer. He spoke of the heated conversation Lorenzo had heard between his father and uncle and how, the night before Mendez' party departed for France, Lorenzo had come to him, expressing his concern that there had been a serious breach of security perpetrated by his uncle.
"That is hearsay, not evidence," de Calatrava objected.
"Perhaps," Richelieu seemed to agree, "but it is interesting in conjunction with everything else."
"What else?" the Spaniard continued. "This is preposterous! A mockery of justice."
"Is it?" Richelieu's demanded. "Let the prisoner step forward." He waited as Espinar stepped into view. "State your name."
"I am Miguel Espinar, former Captain in His Majesty's army and invalided out of service when I received this and other hurts." He indicated the unmissable scar that puckered up the skin on one side of his face. He glanced at Brondate, regret in his eyes. "I was also a former friend to Captains Brondate and de Calatrava and I betrayed them both."
It was just as well that the Ambassador was sitting down as he gasped, his face white, and clutched at the sides of his seat to steady himself. It was obvious that he had not known of this link between the three young men.
"What Captain Tréville has said is correct. I used my friendship with Lorenzo to my advantage. Although curious as to why I was there, he recognised me and allowed me to approach. When I gave the order to attack, it was too late for him and his men. I will never forget the expression on his face when he realised my treachery."
"But tell us how you came to be leading the attackers," Richelieu pressed.
"I was contacted in Madrid and invited to a meeting. I was gullible, tempted by an offer that suggested I would be able to prove myself capable of being restored to the military career that meant everything to me. What a fool I was!" he said bitterly.
"And the person with whom you met. Who was it?"
Espinar stared at Gallegos as he answered. "He gave me what I now know to be a false name, but he is that man standing there; Gallegos, the Ambassador's interpreter."
With guiding questions from the Cardinal, Espinar explained how he had gathered his group of mercenaries together, how they had travelled to French soil, gave the exact details of Mendez' journey and how the attack had been launched. He even spoke of how he selected the one man to be sacrificed as a 'Frenchman' and dealt the fatal blow himself.
"It begs the question as to how this Gallegos came by the information regarding Ambassador Mendez' trip," Richelieu declared, eyeing the little man disdainfully, especially when he saw that the Spaniard had begun to snivel. "Perhaps he will be able to enlighten us later."
His attention returned to Espinar as he continued his questioning. "You remained in France though?"
"Yes, along with a handful of men," Espinar replied. "We disbanded, although I knew how to reach them should the need arise."
"And what need might that be? Surely you had achieved your task. Mendez and all those with him were dead," Richelieu pressed.
"He – Gallegos – said there might well be subsequent work and that I should remain in Paris at an address he supplied. Besides, he had to pay me the rest of what I was owed. The initial instalment was to pique my interest and pay for the men I needed. I was to get the rest later, plus details of my potential reinstatement." Espinar looked crestfallen. "As I said, I was a fool."
"And you were to wait in Paris indefinitely?"
Espinar shook his head. "Ten weeks. I had enough left for basic food and lodgings but the promise of the rest and more besides was too appealing. As it happened, word came to me of another meeting well before the time had elapsed."
"And you met with Gallegos again?"
Espinar nodded. "At a tavern. He had more instructions for me and another monetary instalment."
"And what did he require of you this time?" Richelieu sounded strident as his argument reached a crucial point. Confirmation of the Spanish involvement in the attack on Ferdinand was about to be made.
All were watching the Cardinal and Espinar, breaths held as many of those present recognised the significance of the next words to be uttered.
So no-one saw Gallegos surreptitiously slide his hand inside his doublet to retrieve the short-bladed dagger.
The first anyone was aware of what he intended was when he launched himself at Espinar with an animal-like cry, the raised weapon momentarily glinting in the sun streaming in from an upper window in the high-ceilinged room.
The two men crashed to the floor.
There was a burst of activity as Porthos leaped forward, his own dagger in one hand as he sought to separate the men, struggling with Gallegos who fought against him like a madman, whilst Aramis pushed Brondate back and drew his weapon as he, Athos and Tréville – the latter bellowing orders to guard de Calatrava – formed a defensive wall in front of Louis whilst other Musketeers surrounded both Cardinals.
As suddenly as it began, all movement ceased, and the only sound was that of ragged breathing.
Drawn to the sound, all eyes were then on Espinar who lay on his back on the floor, chest heaving, eyes wide in agony, his fingers scrabbling uselessly at the ornate hilt of the dagger embedded in his stomach, and the patch of blood that blossomed on his clothing and spreading in a fascinating slow motion.