Afternoon, all. Many thanks for reading and reviewing. Apologies for any errors that might have crept through here.
So, the encounter with Grenouille continues.
CHAPTER 96
I
"Am I hearin' this right?" Porthos was incredulous. "A Red Guard who isn't insultin' a Musketeer?"
"I know you prob'ly don't believe me, but he's already shown me that he's fair an' I'm ready to trust 'im. There aren't many men I've been able to say that about in my lifetime," Grenouille explained, his face and tone taking on an infinite sadness.
Aramis felt a sudden surge of pity for the man. His appearance would have repelled many before they took the time to get to know him properly, but he had a presence about him; they had seen evidence of it that day. "You have the attention of your peers though."
"Oh that!" Grenouille was dismissive. "I've got where I am because of my strength. I can throw a solid punch an' I can shout loudest."
"That's as maybe," Aramis agreed, "but men will only follow you so far out of fear and you can be as loud as you want, but if what comes out of your mouth makes no sense, men will soon stop listening."
Grenouille frowned as he thought hard about what Aramis had just said. Then his face split into the wide grin of acceptance that they had already seen. "That's deep, that is. I bet that's the kind of thing the Captain'd say. I can see why you're friends with him. Maybe we've misjudged your lot all these years."
It was Aramis' turn to grin broadly. "Steady on now. This is all happening very quickly; I can't envisage an immediate all-out truce between the regiments, even though it's be nice. Who'd be prepared to step in to fight with us on a Saturday night or foolish enough to join a card game with Porthos here? No, there are good and bad Musketeers, the same as there are good and bad Red Guard."
"Can we take it you're one of the good ones?" d'Artagnan dared to ask.
The giant guffawed at the question; it was a deep belly-laugh, genuine and heart-felt. The three Musketeers smiled warmly at his amusement.
"I'm tryin' to be a good one and, thanks to your friend, I'm bein' given the chance to make it so. I've 'ad a strong word with a lot of the others. They're suspicious an' resentful that a Musketeer's in charge but I've told 'em to give 'im a chance. 'E's different somehow. If any of 'em dare to give 'im any trouble, they've got me to answer to an' no mistake."
"You'd look out for him?" Aramis had to ascertain that he was hearing things properly.
"Too right," Grenouille declared.
The three Musketeers exchanged glances of hope, the same thought striking them simultaneously. In a decision born of helplessness and near-desperation, they were prepared to put all of their trust in a man they barely knew; someone who had a reputation as a troublemaker and who was a member of the Red Guard.
"Then we'd like you to do something' for us," Porthos began.
Between them, they gave him a truncated version of the risk Athos had taken on his fact-finding mission that had provided vital information for their present situation in Versailles; that when he was overdue, they had searched for him and found him near death, adding that he was, in effect, still recovering.
Grenouille gasped in astonishment. "It's incredible that 'e's up an' doin' what 'e's doin' then!"
"He is known to …. push himself beyond what is advisable," Aramis said tactfully.
"An' then there was a second attempt," Porthos began. "The bullet that killed your Captain was meant for 'im."
They watched as Grenouille absorbed the news, his anger visible. "Captain Athos said 'e knew who did it."
"Yes, and we have apprehended him. Athos and Captain Tréville are questioning him as we speak," d'Artagnan informed him.
"But there may be others intent on causing harm," Aramis picked up their tale. "We have no way of knowing and now that he has been seconded to your regiment, we can no longer protect him."
"Don't you worry," Grenouille asserted. "I've got 'is back. No-one'll get near 'im without my knowin'. I'd best go an' find 'im anyway; 'e wanted me to get some information for 'im an' I 'ave it 'ere."
"Thank you," Aramis said, meaning it.
Grenouille nodded and walked off towards the lodge, whistling happily as he went.
"Did that just 'appen?" Porthos asked.
"Which bit of it?" d'Artagnan asked. The pair looked after the departing lieutenant in amazement.
"'Ow about the bit where we seem to 'ave become friendly with one of the Cardinal's men?"
"And the bit where we untrusted the safety of our brother into his keeping," Aramis added.
II
Allaire had handed over the key that he wore around his neck and Athos and Tréville left him to go to the nobleman's room to retrieve the pistol.
"Before we get the pistol, may I suggest something?" Tréville said.
Athos looked at him quizzically.
In answer, the Captain gestured towards the young man's face and doublet. "You might want to clean up properly; it is a little disconcerting."
"I did try my best, but it was in a hurry and without water," Athos explained. "I presume I am still wearing blood and brains?"
"I was wondering how best to broach it," admitted Tréville. "You need somewhere with a mirror."
Ten minutes later they were letting themselves into Allaire's room. Athos' face was pink from the scrubbing he had given himself and his wet leathers glistened where he had rubbed at the surface. It was not perfect, but he looked and felt cleaner.
The pistol was where Allaire said it would be and the Musketeer Captain inspected it closely.
"It's been fired and not cleaned," he announced.
"We have him," Athos declared softly, meaning L'Hernault.
"There is no escaping this," Tréville went on. "We had best go and question him; see what he has to say for himself."
"You took Allaire; let me lead this one."
Tréville eyed the younger man carefully. "Agreed but I will remain in the room with you."
Athos raised an eyebrow. "You do not trust me; you think that I will let emotion overwhelm me and that I might do him some harm. "
"Not at all," Tréville replied quickly, "but I will be there as observer and listener. If he is apparently becoming more unstable, I want to ensure that he has no means of levelling any unfounded accusations against you, nor will I give him leeway to misinterpret your words. You confided in me about what happened in the past and said that you wanted your chance to talk with L'Hernault, to try to reach him. This is that opportunity, but I would hear what he has to say for himself. There is the additional advantage that after this meeting - when you relive it again and again, as I know you will - I can remind you of what actually transpired between the two of you."
Athos managed a slight smile. "You know me too well."
"There's another tip for you; a good leader does his best to get to know his men as well as he can."
"Hopefully, I won't be commanding the Red Guard long enough to put that tip into practice."
"You're not doing too badly with Grenouille," Tréville pointed out.
"He is only one man,"Athos said.
"A significant one though. You recognised his strengths and thought how best to use them to help you." Tréville could not suppress a broad smile. "And I loved how you informed Richelieu of the man's usefulness. I will never forget the look on the Cardinal's face when you refused to give Grenouille a lashing."
"I thought my Captaincy was over there and then," Athos admitted, the corners of his mouth lifting at the memory.
"I think he may have developed a grudging respect for you but take my advice; he remains a very dangerous man and will turn against you at the slightest provocation and without warning if it suits his purpose."
"I will never forget it," Athos acknowledged before adding quietly, "Thank you."
The gratitude he expressed was for so much more than the piece of advice and both men knew it.
Tréville broke the moment. "Come on then. Let's go and see L'Hernault."
"At least with him in custody, there is no risk of a repetition of the final confrontation that was between his father and mine," Athos said as they left Allaire's room and headed down the main staircase.
"That is definitely a welcome development," Tréville said.
He could not, however, dispel the niggling doubt that had started with Athos' last comment and had intensified by the time they reached the door to the room where L'Hernault was being held.