Greetings, all.
Thank you for reading and commenting on yesterday's chapter. Events are really beginning to kick off now and I am going to try hard to post a chapter a day to maintain the tension for you. Am busy trying to stay a few chapters ahead!
CHAPTER 77
I
Athos gave Richelieu the news of the large group riding towards Gaston's men and then informed him that a smaller party of insurgents might have broken away to come directly to the hunting lodge, their motives unclear as yet.
Richelieu pursed his lips and considered what he had heard. He stared hard at Athos.
"Captain Tréville keeps telling me about your strategic and leadership skills. There must have been some reason why he deemed you satisfactory material to be his lieutenant, so you'd better prove yourself by going through our current arrangements and making any necessary revisions."
Athos schooled his features, not reacting to the goading and denying Richelieu the pleasure of seeing even the merest flicker in a facial muscle. He would certainly not lower himself to remind the Cardinal of just what he had done on the Îsle de Ré during the 1627 siege of La Rochelle* and the more recent incident concerning the Treaty with the Spanish** or all the occasions in between when he had demonstrated his abilities in the service of the King.
So they had reached an unspoken truce. Athos reviewed the arrangements and lists of men, Musketeers and Red Guard, and revised the security details, increasing the number and hours of those on duty.
"I will summon Captain Planque and you can instruct him as to the altered arrangements," Richelieu declared.
Athos' heart sank. Why could Richelieu not tell the man himself? When, in the early stages of his recovery, Tréville had sat with him and updated him on events to provide some diversion, the Captain had made a veiled comment about Planque's surly nature. If he resented the Musketeer Captain being given seniority over him on this mission, how would he respond to new instructions delivered by a mere lieutenant?
He was right to be concerned.
He leaped to his feet in deference to the man's rank as Planque strode into the room.
"You wanted to see me, Your Eminence." He totally ignored the man standing to attention at a table to the side of the room.
Richelieu gestured to Athos with a wave of the quill pen he was holding
"Musketeer Athos has some new orders for you." The Cardinal resumed writing his letter.
Planque turned to face Athos, seeing him for the first time.
"And who are you to be giving me orders?"
Athos cleared his throat. "I am Captain Tréville's second-in-command. Whilst he accompanies the hunt, I have been instructed to work with His Eminence and review the security arrangements. We have had notice that a party of at least one hundred men are heading in the direction of Gaston's camp." He suddenly broke off, unsure as to how much Planque knew, and turned to Richelieu. "I presume, Your Eminence, that now we are in the field, Captain Planque has been fully apprised of what is happening?"
"Yes, Tréville fully briefed the Captain yesterday."
"Good," Athos resumed his report. "We also know that …"
"Excuse me," Planque interrupted, "but am I given to understand that this … ," and he pointed derisively in Athos' direction, "this underling has been privy to important information before I was?"
Richelieu slowly laid down his pen and fixed Planque with such a dangerous glare that Athos was convinced the man shrank visibly before him. When he spoke, his voice dripped with sarcasm.
"This 'underling', as you so delicately put it, is deserving of your respect, Captain Planque."
Athos' eyes widened. Was he hearing Richelieu correctly? Was the Cardinal actually defending and even praising him?
"He infiltrated the plotters at great risk to his own life and brought us back vital information, without which this enterprise could not have proceeded as it has thus far. He is still recovering from serious injury which is why he is here in this office rather than accompanying the hunt and he is useful to me, not that I should have to offer any explanation to you. You will heed his words well."
Planque's face burned red and Athos could not be sure if it was from gross humiliation, intense anger or a combination of both.
"Proceed," Planque spat out.
So Athos informed him of the small group destined to arrive at Versailles at any time and handed him a sheet of fresh instructions. He did not want to offend the man further by going through the minutiae.
"You will see from those details that we are further increasing the number on guard around the perimeter of the lodge and the camps," Athos said as Planque perused the instructions.
"This will put a strain on the men, longer duties, less time to relax and restore their energy."
"Relax!" Richelieu was vitriolic. "These men are not here for their health, man! They are here to ensure that their King is the one who remains healthy and alive, or had you forgotten that?"
"Certainly not, Your Eminence." Planque was flustered. "But there are many others who support the King who are close by. Can they not be prevailed upon to add to our security?"
Athos had begun to feel sorry for the man as he faced Richelieu's ire – until his last comment. All sympathy drained away in an instant. The man was an idiot!
He took a deep breath before launching into an explanation of what, to him, was obvious. "We are endeavouring not to reveal our hand at this juncture," Athos said pointedly. "The rebels are unaware that we know of their plot, that they have moved forces into the area. Some of those dissenters are here in the King's party and they have probably noticed the increased security, which would be enough to arouse suspicion, but not to the extent that they would then suppose that we have our own army of supporters close by. We want it to stay that way for a long as possible."
Athos was politeness itself, speaking without condescension, malice or any trace of sarcasm. There were plenty of times when he had employed all three and more but, on this occasion, he had been practical, to the point. Something in his manner, though, riled Planque even more or perhaps it was just that, having received what he perceived as an unfair reprimand from the Cardinal before a subordinate, Planque felt justified in pulling rank and lashing out, albeit verbally, to that same subordinate.
Dismissed abruptly by the Cardinal to go and implement the new measures, Planque turned on his heel to leave but altered direction to approach Athos.
"Stay out of my way, Musketeer," he sneered. "You may have found favour with the Cardinal but not with me. You have made a fool of me and I will not stand for it. You'd better make sure our paths don't cross again."
And he stormed from the room.
Athos sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was tangled – just like his life.
How, when he was following orders and just doing his job, had he managed to make yet another enemy?
A/N
* As told in 'Retribution'
** as told in the (as yet) unfinished 'Repercussions' (I will be going back to it - promise!)