Duplicity
Chapter Five
D'Artagnan waited nervously outside the garrison. Constance had agreed to meet him and he always harboured the forlorn hope that she might have decided to leave her husband. It was torture to see the woman he loved but could never have. Knowing she loved him too only added to his misery.
When she arrived she looked every inch the self-assured courtier. Her pale blue dress and darker blue cloak were the height of fashion. Her hair was elegantly styled and fastened with jewelled pins. Yet he wasn't fooled. She was still the same warm-hearted woman who had taken in an injured stray when she could have just left him lying unconscious on the ground in the marketplace.
Her smile was tentative. "Hello, d'Artagnan."
"Thank you for meeting me."
"What can I do to help?"
His brief message had, from necessity, lacked any details. All she knew was that there was a problem that he wished to discuss. He looked around before drawing her further away from the archway.
"It concerns our new Captain. He's had little military experience and a history of unnecessarily sending soldiers into hopeless situations." As he put their concerns into words he realised that their argument lacked force. From within the regiment the problems were clear. It wouldn't be so obvious to those on the outside. He tried again. "He seems determined to force out the more senior…older members of the regiment. He appears to have attained his position thanks to Rochefort and we all know Rochefort would be happy to see the regiment disbanded. We were hoping you might ask the Queen to intercede."
"Surely none of this is unusual? Being unfit to command doesn't seem to stop certain men rising high. I wish there was something I could do. The King and Queen rarely meet outside of formal occasions. Despite the birth of the Dauphin her influence over him has waned. She thinks he may be in some way blaming her for the unrest against the Spanish. I think it's all Rochefort's doing. The King listens to no one else."
"You won't speak to her?" He couldn't hide his disappointment.
"Embroiling her in a dispute between you and your Captain could do her irreparable harm. I'm her friend and I won't put her in that position."
Although he didn't like it d'Artagnan could understand her concern. "It appears I have wasted your time." The words emerged unintentionally stilted.
"Don't be angry." She reached out to touch his arm, naked longing on her face.
He stepped back unwilling to engage in any intimacy that could only end with more heartache. "I'm not. Your loyalty is to be admired." He could see that the double meaning hadn't escaped her notice. Was he referring to her vile husband or the Queen? He wasn't sure himself.
"I should be getting back." She hesitated but, when he gave her no encouragement, turned away with a sigh.
He couldn't watch her leave. On the short walk back to the garrison he wondered how his friends would take the news.
TMTMTM
"Constance is right. We shouldn't be involving the Queen," Aramis said. "Her position is tenuous."
"Would it have hurt Constance to at least speak to her?" Porthos asked. "I thought she was our friend."
"She is." D'Artagnan was quick to defend her. "She has her reasons," he finished lamely.
Athos sighed. Aramis was protecting the Queen and d'Artagnan was protecting Constance. Meanwhile they were no further forward. "It certainly sounds as if there is little the Queen could do even if she was aware of the problem."
"Is there nothing else we can do?" d'Artagnan asked.
Athos had spent many hours turning the problem over in his mind without finding a solution. They could hardly go and complain to the King, and it seemed unlikely that LeGrange would weary of his post and resign. "We are out of options, at least for the moment. We will have to watch and wait, being ready to take advantage of any openings that present themselves."
"That's not goin' to help Claude, Philippe and the others," Porthos said.
"I'm open to suggestions," Athos said.
Porthos scowled. "I'd like to beat him to within an inch of his life."
"How would that help?" Aramis asked.
"It wouldn't." Porthos conceded. "But it'd make me feel better."
"It would also leave you unemployed," Athos said. "We are due to report for duty in a few minutes. We will have to continue this conversation later."
TMTMTM
It has been over a week since their attempt to speak to the Queen had failed. Although they returned to the topic several times no new ideas had emerged. Frustration led to short tempers and the relationships became strained. LeGrange had paid them little attention, being immersed in his plans to clear out the veteran soldiers and cadets. Morale continued to plummet. It was, therefore, an unwelcome surprise when he sent for them.
Despite having summoned them to his presence LeGrange didn't appear to be in any hurry to acknowledge their presence. He left them standing to attention while he perused the regiment's book of accounts. Athos wondered irritably why it was always incompetent men who achieved the highest offices. He knew the answer of course: money, birth or connections. He had become the Comte de la Fere solely because he was the first-born son of the previous Comte. LeGrange was their Captain due to his friendship with Rochefort, and Rochefort's influence over the King.
It was no hardship to wait. As soldiers they were used to standing unmoving for many hours. It was, however, annoying when there were other useful things they could be doing.
After an interminable wait LeGrange slammed the book closed. "Treville did not keep intelligible records." He glared at them as if daring them to contradict him.
Athos, who had often assisted Treville with the accounts, knew that to be false. He wisely decided not to express an opinion.
LeGrange picked up a letter and held it out to Athos. "You will deliver this to the Captain of the Esperance de Dieu in Calais."
"You require all four of us to go?" Athos asked. "That seems unnecessary."
"Are you questioning my orders?"
"Of course not."
"It is a letter from King Louis to the King of England. It contains sensitive information and cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. You will guard it with your lives."
Calais was three days hard ride away. It would have been simpler and quicker to send the letter from Le Havre, although the sea crossing between the two countries was considerably shorter from Calais. As LeGrange had named a specific ship Athos could see no tactful way of suggesting any amendment to the plan.
"I expect you to return within the week. You are dismissed."
They filed down the stairs to the yard. Once they were safely away from the office Aramis turned to him with a frown.
"Are you looking to be court martialled? Whether we like it or not he is our commanding officer."
Athos bore Aramis' ire without any apparent emotion. "It was a valid question. Sending four men to deliver a letter is excessive. I have the feeling he wants to get us away from the garrison."
"Why?" Aramis challenged him.
"I have no answer for you."
"Whatever his motives, we have a job to do," Porthos said. "It's a long journey and it looks like it's goin' to rain, so I suggest we get on the road."
TMTMTM
They spent the first night at a ramshackle country inn. Porthos' prediction of rain had been fulfilled and they were all wet and miserable when they arrived. After drying off as best they could they convened in the small taproom. Athos had slipped into a morose mood, discouraging conversation. The other three moved to a separate table after an entirely forgettable meal and settled down to play cards.
"I'm worried about Athos," Aramis said, keeping his voice low. He glanced at his cards, sighed and laid them facedown on the scarred wooden table. "He is obsessed with LeGrange and I fear he doesn't believe we share his passion."
"Surely he knows we want rid of LeGrange as much as he does," d'Artagnan said.
"He sees plots even when they don't exist. Why would the Captain want us all out of the garrison?" Aramis asked.
Porthos shrugged. "It may not make sense but that doesn't mean Athos is wrong."
"He is risking his career. He antagonized LeGrange the first time they met and things haven't improved since then." Aramis picked up his cards although his mind wasn't on the game. He pushed a small coin into the centre of the table.
"It's his choice." Porthos matched Aramis' bet.
"You'd stand back and watch him throw everything away on a lost cause?" Aramis asked.
"If nothin's done it's the regiment that'll be a lost cause."
Aramis' frustration grew. "There's nothing we can do, Porthos."
D'Artagnan leaned forward. "Fighting among ourselves isn't going to help."
"You're right. My apologies, Porthos."
"Mine too." Porthos grabbed the wine and poured it into the three glasses. "This whole mess has me right on edge."
"We will just have to learn patience." Aramis drank, screwing up his face at the sour taste. "Let us hope we find more congenial accommodation when we reach Calais and that no disasters befall the regiment while we're gone."
Tbc