Dear all, thank you so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter. It continued being a strange and worrying week with global events unfolding as they are and I couldn't settle to writing anything but today has been much better.
I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones stay well and safe at this time. I know some of you, like my sister (a Sister), work in hospitals and I thank you all for your commitment and hard work.
CHAPTER 74
Tréville stood waiting by his horse, temper controlled as he pulled on his gloves. The morning had started well with food to break the fast and then muster, followed by ensuring that the first duty changes of the day went smoothly.
He had met briefly with the Captain of the Red Guard. Planque – Alain Planque. That was the man's name and Tréville had a feeling after their meeting that he would never have a problem remembering the man's name again. He was stiff, unyielding and clearly reluctant with regards to the Musketeer Captain's authority over him, acceding to him only because Richelieu had ordered it. The two officers did not like or trust each other; that much was clear and Tréville hoped that the man and the soldiers serving under him would not prove to be a problem. There was already the concern that the Cardinal's female spy had managed to avoid those on guard around the camp's perimeter to gain access to Athos, for Tréville firmly believed what the Musketeer had been saying about a presence in his tent. Too much was happening at the moment to presume that it was a mere coincidence, a bad dream, the effect of medicine or a flight of fancy.
As if on cue, Athos materialised at his side. His brothers were close by, leading their horses for they were to accompany the hunt. There had already been an argument between them all so far this morning when Athos refused to have one of them remaining at the camp with him.
"I would not be responsible for you being down a valuable man on the hunt," Athos insisted, his expression resolute.
"And I have given the instruction that you are not to be left alone," Tréville persisted.
But Athos stood on his own, confronted by his brothers and the Captain who had arranged themselves in a united semi-circle against him.
"One of the understandings we reached about my coming to Versailles included not creating any more work for you."
"Well that became irrelevant the moment someone entered your tent."
Porthos and d'Artagnan looked at each other in puzzlement for they both still believed that Athos had been in the throes of a nightmare. Aramis had not shared with them his finding of the open bottle of sleeping draught.
Athos sighed. "I can help Serge with preparing food."
"And how long is that going to keep you occupied?" the Captain demanded. "How long before you start wandering the camp and hunting lodge, checking that those on duty are maintaining alertness, that all security measures within the lodge itself have not been compromised?"
Athos remained silent for he had contemplated doing just that whilst the hunt was in progress.
"I know you well," Tréville added. "I shall give thought to what I would have you do whilst we are away. I shall give you orders before we leave."
Now, Athos was patiently waiting for those orders.
"The Cardinal is not joining us on the hunt today. You will, in my place, review with him what we have done, the reliability of our security measures as the hours pass and the schedule of things later in the day. You are also to act as his secretary and accompany him if he visits the Queen or anyone else. In short, you are to do anything that is required as long as you remain within sight of the Cardinal at all times. It has been arranged."
Athos' eyes widened but he said nothing.
Porthos snorted, amused. "That sounds like a fun day. Glad I'm going on the hunt."
"You will report to me on my return and tell me everything that has transpired during the day with the Cardinal, every document you've seen and the content of every conversation you have with the man. Understood?"
"Understood," Athos answered. One eyebrow lifted. "I presume you do not expect me to accompany him to the water closet or vice versa."
Tréville gave a wry grin. "I might permit you that privacy as long as neither of you takes too much time. That might be considered suspicious." He adjusted his horse's reins in his hands and grabbed the saddle, preparing to mount.
Tréville was congratulating himself for 'stopping two gaps with one bush.' He had made it clear to Richelieu that he suspected him and his agent in some way for incriminating Athos in a false charge. He had also been explicit in what would happen if Athos were to suffer anything else. Richelieu would never take direct action against Athos on his own and now it was his responsibility to protect the Musketeer from his agent, or there would be consequences.
The arrangement kept Athos under control and occupied in using his mind and skills and also gave Tréville some means to monitor the Cardinal through this time. He did not anticipate that it would be easy to persuade the Cardinal to take Athos into his service for the day, and perhaps longer, but Tréville had chosen his moment - when he and Richelieu had a brief, private audience with the King as Louis was eating his first meal of the day.
"My Lieutenant has disregarded medical advice to be here in the King's service at this time of threat. We already know that there is no limit to his loyalty to Your Majesty, but he is still recovering from the terrible injuries he sustained whilst on the mission to garner vital information. It is all thanks to him that we learned as much as we did regarding the plot. He cannot ride to the hunt, but he has keen strategic abilities. As he is my second-in-command, I suggest that he act in my stead, continuing to work with the Cardinal on ensuring that there are no flaws in our arrangements to keep Your Majesties safe."
The King had deemed it a wonderful solution. Richelieu had blustered indignantly for a while but had been overruled by Louis. The Cardinal had then glared at Tréville with intense fury and the Captain had struggled to keep a straight face even when he was feeling so smug.
He had even steeled himself to face more opposition from Athos, but it had not happened. He had a momentary stab of uneasiness when he thought that it might have been a little too easy but perhaps Athos knew when he was beaten by reason.
Athos may even have seen benefits in the arrangement as well.
"In short," he said carefully, deliberately, echoing the Captain's words, "you wish me to spy upon the Cardinal."
Tréville was in his saddle before he looked down upon the Musketeer and thought before he responded. He had to be very particular in the way he phrased himself for Athos could twist things in his favour.
"I would not go as far as to openly use that vocabulary but, as long as you stay with Richelieu, I give you leave to interpret my order in any other way you please."
A/N
I was looking at the origin of 'to kill two birds with one stone.' Ovid used the idea of achieving two objectives with a single effort nearly two thousand years ago, but the first known citing of our familiar expression was Thomas Hobbes in a work on liberty in 1656, which is a bit too late for this story.
However, related phrases were to be found in both English and French literature in the 16th century and in John Heywood's 1546 collection of proverbs, he includes the one that I have use above about gaps and bushes. Fascinating!