Greetings from Salina, Kansas. It's been a grey old day but good for driving - or being a passenger, as in my case. About 400 miles today - same tomorrow. Very different scenery from what we've had so far.

So, just how long can Treville keep the others at bay? Here, Serge refuses to give up!

CHAPTER 10

When Tréville arrived back at the garrison, he knew that he would have a few hours' respite before the Inseparables were relieved of duty and would be back, wanting to know the whereabouts of their brother.

"I am busy and not to be disturbed until later today," he instructed Serge when he entered the kitchen. The old soldier was cutting carrots in preparation of a light meal for those who were spending the morning training, the exercise guaranteed to make the men hungry and he gave the Captain a withering glare as the officer picked up one of the raw vegetables and bit into it. It crunched noisily.

"What you're meanin' is that you're hidin' away in that office of yours so that those boys don't come pesterin' you with their questions until you're good an' ready to face them."

Tréville slammed the remainder of the carrot down on the table-top, his blue eyes flashing with barely suppressed anger.

"Do not presume upon our years of friendship to overstep the boundaries. I am not at liberty to tell you anything more, nor should I, as Captain of the King's Musketeers, have to explain myself to a cook! Do not push me."

He stormed from the room, leaving a wide-eyed kitchen boy, trembling at the unexpected outburst and Serge, who gave a disgruntled harrumph.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Jean-Armand?" he muttered at the closed door.

Indeed it did, and the furious Captain had not reached the balcony that led to his office before he came to an abrupt halt, his head bowed in self-recrimination.

Serge was right; of course he was. Tréville was deliberately avoiding the Inseparables. Was he being a coward? He had never thought such an accusation could be levelled at him. He had issued an order and, as Captain, any order from him had to be obeyed. Had he not had to obey a direct order given to him by His King on the advice of the country's First Minister?

In fact, had there actually been any direct orders or had the mission somehow evolved from suggestion, discussion and Athos' agreement? Tréville chastised himself for even attempting to divert responsibility.

No, he was far from being a coward. He could argue with himself that he was fulfilling Athos' request in delaying the friends and there was truth in that; he could justify his prolonged silence because it benefitted the assignment, but the real reason was a reluctance to be confronted by the wrath of the friends. Some of it would, quite rightly, be directed at him for allowing Athos to go on his own but most of their anger, borne of worry, would be reserved for Athos himself when they next saw him.

He was momentarily relieved that his first thought had not been if they saw him … and that allowed the emergence of his underlying fears. Such was the bond between the four that he dreaded their reaction if they lost one of their brothers. Their work meant that they were often at risk, but it was one thing to fall in the heat of battle and quite another to die alone and far from home.

Tréville shuddered at his pessimism. What was it about this mission that had filled him with dread from its inception? Why was this so different from every other mission on which he sent Musketeers?

He huffed in exasperation. He could think of many reasons but right now, he had to make an apology to a man he had known for years and whom he greatly respected.

As he reopened the kitchen door, Serge looked at the kitchen boy and instructed him to 'make himself scarce for a while'.

They both waited until the boy had disappeared from the room.

"I am sorry, Serge, about the way I spoke to you. It was uncalled for."

"You're right, it was," the cook retorted, "but then I shouldn't have gone on at you the way I did; an' for that, I'm sorry too. I've known you long enough now to understand that you don't send someone out on somethin' like this lightly. Lookin' at you, I reckon you've got your own bad feelin's about this mission."

Tréville sighed and ran a hand through his greying hair. He swore that this job and the men who served him were ageing him prematurely.

"I will be honest with you, Serge. I am uneasy for many reasons. I don't like the thought of Athos being on his own so far from us and there is much than can go wrong. He had valid reasons to stop the others from following him; I respect those reasons and also see the sense in them."

"'E's gone to be a spy then," Serge said abruptly.

Tréville chuckled. "Do you really expect me to answer that?"

Serge snorted; it was his version of a full-throated laugh. "I'll take that as a 'yes' then."

The Captain's humour faded. "You see now why I have to stall the others for as long as possible?"

Serge nodded.

"I don't like doing it to them," Tréville continued, "but I can see no alternative. Athos has the full support of the King and Richelieu in this enterprise and, believe me, he is the best man for the job."

"No doubt 'e is," Serge said, his face serious, "an' you've spent a lot of time and effort on that boy. Let's 'ope you'll not be 'avin' to find yourself a replacement lieutenant any time soon. It took you long enough to promote 'im."

Tréville did not need the salutary reminder. He could have made Athos his second-in-command nearly three years before but the problems of Athos' past and how he chose to deal with them had made the Captain hesitate. He had no doubts that the young man was suitable officer material and already harboured the hopes that the former Comte would eventually step up to succeed him in commanding the regiment, but Athos had to believe in himself and it was far from easy to convince him of his worth.

Treville was still bothered about his altercation with the cook.

"Are we …" and he paused. "Are we settled about earlier?" and he extended a hand.

"Course we are," Serge grinned and took the outstretched hand in a firm grip. "Now sit yourself down an' I'll get you somethin' to eat. That way you can hide out for as long as you can without fear of starvin'."