Celeste's blue eyes where flaming. She was dressed in her musketeer uniform and Aramis, who was standing quietly by the door, was holding her hat.
D'Artagnan whirled from the window. "What would have me do?"
Celeste stared at him for a long moment. "I…"
D'Artagnan turned back to the window. He stood up straighter.
The gardens below where now empty. But in the dusk, a lady walked. It was Anne. She looked up and saw D'Artagnan.
D'Artagnan pulled back.
Celeste sighed. She went over to Aramis and took her hat and jammed it on her head. She left without a word. Aramis right behind her.
D'Artagnan sat down heavily at his desk. He stared stonily at the open door for a long moment. Then he rubbed a hand roughly over his eyes. When he opened them again, a nun, one of the Queen's attendants, was standing in the door.
D'Artagnan stood to his feet. "What's…"
"She wishes a word with you."
Celeste threw the door to the Inn open and sat down hard at a table.
Porthos was waiting. He had no woman with him, which was a surprise. He was also sober. He set a dark brown bottle in front of her.
"I told him and told him and told him!" Celeste took a deep drink from the bottle. "He refused to listen!"
Aramis quietly filled Porthos in on what happened while Celeste drained half the bottle.
D'Artagnan approached Anne and bowed. "Milady…?"
"I understand you saved my son's life today."
"God smiled upon us," said D'Artagnan.
"And you were not hurt?"
"No, Milady."
"That is good." Anne kept her face a smooth mask as she turned and entered her room. She instantly dismissed all her attendants and sat down on the edge of her bed. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she thank God fervently for sparing the life of the one she loved. D'Artagnan.
Celeste tossed the bottle aside.
Porthos pushed another in its place. "She drinks like Athos, does she not?" he said to Aramis.
Celeste said nothing, simply brooded silently as she started in on her second.
"That she does," said Aramis as he watched her.
"We have to come up with a plan to get rid of him," said Celeste.
"Rid of who?" asked Porthos.
Celeste raised the bottle to her lips again. "Louis."