Chapter 15

It was no weather to be standing around amidst the dense forest, as even the thick overhead canopy provided no shelter from the torrential rain. Thunder rolled overhead and the way the lightning lit up the trees would have made the most hardened man shudder. This man was beginning to see shadows and enemies where none existed, and it was making him extremely jumpy; only his obsessive need for revenge kept him from running for the nearest tavern to enjoy a roaring fire and a cup of ale. That he had found another to share his fanatical hatred had been a boon he had not expected. It had been pure luck, or perhaps fate, that he had been recruited for this job. If there was more to it, then that was information he was not comfortable knowing; he was not interested in plots of state, just seeking his own form of justice. Two men sharing the same ideal could not be wrong; it fed his fixation. No matter how disagreeable, he would see it through to the end – this time one of them would die.

oOo

Athos and Aramis stood in the parlour watching the lightning flash illuminate the tree line in the distance. Athos was still not happy. He could feel the threat in the distance – even though he had seen no sign of it, it was there, he just did not know what form it would take.

Aramis had been pacing up and down the room, trying to take in what Athos had just told him. 'What do you want to do?' he finally asked. He could see no choice himself, but he needed it to be Athos' decision.

'You think I should tell Treville?' Athos replied, his voice low and measured. The swordsman lifted his head and watched Aramis, as he struggled to voice his opinion.

'It has to be your decision, though I cannot help but feel the Captain should be made aware of the situation. After all, this may be bigger than just you and her. We do not know why the Cardinal wanted to have her near.' He noticed how Athos flinched at the notion, and hoped it did not infer what he thought it did. That would be an insult too far for the man. He waited patiently as Athos stared out of the window, once more debating his next move.

'You are right, there are greater things at stake than my pride. I will tell him what he needs to know.' Athos' choice of words was telling, and Aramis could not help but wonder how much he still kept to himself, slowly eating away at his soul, minute by minute, day by day.

oOo

Milady had managed to smile sweetly had it proved necessary, but kept herself slightly removed whenever it was an option. She had never enjoyed the company of other women, taking very little interest in the latest fashion or gossip, unless, of course, it provided her with ammunition she could use to her advantage. But then men could be as frivolous, and just as boring. Inevitably, that led her thought process back to the man she knew was somewhere within the building; she felt his presence deep inside, even though his exact location was unknown to her, and she knew if she tried, she would find him, just like a swallow returning to the same nest. Angry with herself, she jabbed a pin into her hair, making her cry out as it pressed painfully into her flesh. Why did it always come back to him? Why must he always be the exception? Yet he always had been. Still, in the end he had betrayed her, allowing his male pride to dictate his decisions – she was a mere woman, it had to be her who was the liar and a traitor. Once she had allowed herself to wallow on her plight for a while, she felt her equilibrium begin to settle and her revenge overcome any higher feeling she might have for Athos.

Alone here in her room, she wondered if he was alone too. Should she seek him out? Her feline smile lit up her features as she played with a stray curl. Like a cat hunting a mouse, she knew just how to cause him the greatest pain, and it did not involve shedding any blood. If she died a little each time as well, she refused to acknowledge it.

oOo

Treville was tired. He had hoped once they were on their way some of his anxiety would lessen, but that had not been the case. He was uncomfortable in the lodge, it had been constructed merely to host the King's hunting expeditions, not the large retinue he had bought with him now, and ladies had never been part of the plan. The encroaching forest made him nervous. An entire army could hide out in those menacing trees, and they would have no warning until the last moment, trapped in a building never meant to be used for defensive purposes.

He threw his coat over the back of his chair, and poured himself a brandy from the bottle beside the bed. The rain still hammered against the windows, and the storm appeared to be heading back toward them yet again. For once he was glad, as no sane person would mount an attack under such conditions unless they had no choice and, on this journey, he feared there would be ample options to harm the royal party; there was no need to take unnecessary risks. But that did not eliminate the possibility of a threat from within; there was still something niggling at the back of his mind, and it was driving him mad.

When there came a firm but non-urgent knock upon the door, he frowned. Surely there could not be trouble already? Picking up his pistol, he opened the door just a fraction, and seeing Athos standing there his concern increased, until he took in the swordsman's expression. He was beginning to recognise that look and it never failed to make his stomach flip.

'Athos, what is wrong, can it not wait until morning?' He saw the man hesitate, as if trying to make up his mind. Treville knew that whatever it was, Athos probably wanted to put it off forever, and if he did not hear it now, there was a possibility he never would.

'Come in,' he said, 'take a seat.' Resigned to whatever troubled the young man, he poured Athos a drink, indicating once more that he should sit down. As usual, Athos hovered, uncomfortable relaxing in the Captain's company. 'Sit down, son, I am too tired to watch you hover.' Athos nodded and took a seat by the fire. He did not speak straight away, and Treville knew he was struggling to find a place to start.

'Why don't you just spit it out, I can tell it is not good.' Treville spoke kindly, in the hope it would encourage Athos to reveal whatever it was that was causing him such a dilemma.

Athos was indeed struggling. Unlike Aramis and Porthos, Treville was in possession of far more information regarding his past and position, and just how much more he needed to reveal he was not sure. He worried that if he allowed it to spill out bit by miserable bit, Treville would begin to doubt the swordsman's integrity. But no, perhaps it was time for the Captain to know the truth.

Athos locked eyes with the man he respected more than any other, and took a deep breath.

'The Queen has a new companion at court, Milady de Winter.' He took a drink from the brandy glass as Treville commented: 'Dark hair, eyes like a cat. Yes, I have noted her.' Athos listened to the Captain's description – like a cat, oh yes, indeed she was.

'That is the one.' Now for it, thought Athos. 'She is my wife, ex-mistress of the Cardinal and now one of his spies.' With it all said, he drained his glass and stared into the fire, not able to look at Treville, not wishing to see his expression: loathing, contempt, especially pity.

Had he, in fact, been observing the Captain, he would have seen nothing but shock, followed by dawning realisation, that this was what had been bothering him from the beginning. The Cardinal's unusual interest in Athos now made so much more sense. When he eventually spoke, his voice was quiet. He knew the revelation had cost Athos dear, and how to approach him now, he was not sure; this was all new to him. He watched the young man, and tried to imagine how he would have reacted if Athos had indeed been his son. What advice he would have offered? What could he possibly say to the man to make him understand this was not his fault? For he had no doubt that was precisely what Athos was thinking.

'Athos, this is the woman you discussed with Aramis?' Athos nodded, still not looking at Treville.

'I have to ask this Athos, I am sorry. Was it she who killed your brother?' Athos was shocked out of his reverie by the unexpected question. Brutal and honest, simply what he should have expected from the Musketeer Captain – a soldier.

'Yes,' was all he managed to whisper. Treville wiped his hand over his eyes – just when he had thought things could not get any worse.

'Is that why the Cardinal shows so much interest in you? Does he know?' Athos shook his head, finally finding the courage to look the Captain in the eye. He was relieved when all he saw was a man wrestling with a problem.

'She says he does not. She would have nothing to gain and everything to lose by admitting to her past.'

'I would have been happier to know that he did, at least that would explain his curiosity. Why is she here?' the Captain asked, dreading to think what games the Cardinal was up to.

'Though she says he knows nothing for sure, she is inclined to think he suspects there is some connection between us, but why that should interest him I cannot say. He has not revealed why he wants her with him.' Treville listened without interruption then simply rolled his eyes.

'There is more.' Athos admitted, and this time he did not look away. Treville stared in wonderment. What else could there be left to reveal?

'I believe she may have been the one who murdered Montmorency. Why I do not know, but Aramis confirmed he saw her at the ball the night he was stabbed. I smelt her perfume, I thought… I thought it was my imagination. I thought my wife was dead.' He admitted the last truth in a broken whisper, and Treville struggled to hear what Athos had uttered, suspecting he had said it more to himself than anyone else.

'Right, well the first thing we do is keep you as far away from her as possible. It is late and you may as well finish your duty here. Make sure you are never alone and as soon as it is daylight, re-join the men and send Harvé to take your place.' He hesitated before continuing. 'I am sorry, son, I know this cannot be easy, but you need to watch your back; you appear to have enemies coming at you from every angle. I know Aramis and Porthos will not leave your side, but we have a King to guard, and he has to be our priority.' Athos straightened as he stood and placed his empty glass upon the mantle.

'That goes without saying, Captain. I am well aware of my situation, but I thank you for your tolerance, though I must ask that what I have disclosed stays between us, Aramis and Porthos know only what they need to.' He made to leave, but Treville called him back.

'Athos, you do understand none of this is your fault? You did only what your rank and honour demanded.' Athos stared at the Captain, his face emotionless.

'It is all my fault, I made her.' With that, he left the room in two strides, quietly closing the door behind him.

Athos leant against the wall and took a deep breath. All things considered, he had managed far better than he had expected. It felt good for someone to know, for someone to understand the depth of her treachery. He suspected that Porthos was also aware of milady's presence by now, and he was grateful not to have to repeat the explanation. As he turned to leave the wing and find Aramis and Porthos, his heart hammered in his chest – standing at the end of the corridor was a figure, a woman. God, could she not leave him alone? He gritted his teeth and strode toward her, already decided upon his course of action. He would not let her get to him this time.

As the woman drew closer, he realised something was wrong; though the candlelight made her image shimmer and shift with the shadows, he knew instinctively it was not her. This woman had lighter hair, she was not so tall and was skinnier. As her face came into focus, he identified her as the honey blonde from the coach. He sighed with relief, ignoring the small stab of disappointment.

'Monsieur Athos, I am afraid I have lost my way. I was attempting to find the library so that I might find a book, as the storm is preventing me from sleeping. Do you know where it is?' Athos was so relieved it had not been her, he even managed to be charming.

'I believe I do, my Lady.' He was about to offer her his arm, when a violent clap of thunder broke overhead, the very floor beneath them shaking from the impact.

'Agh,' the woman cried throwing herself into the swordsman's arms. 'Oh, I am so sorry, Monsieur, what must you think of me? I am afraid that took me quite by surprise. Perhaps you would simply escort me back to my room.' The fact that she had not actually made any attempt to free herself from Athos' embrace was rather telling, but he nodded politely and took a step backward. Offering her his arm, she took it with a smile.

'I should not have allowed myself to sleep in the carriage this afternoon, I find I am now wide awake. Are you on duty, Monsieur?' Athos might not have been as accommodating as Aramis, or even Porthos, but he was no fool and understood her meaning quite clearly.

'I am, Madame, I am just about to relieve the Musketeers on the main door.' She pouted very prettily.

'Well it will be a very long trip, and I often find sleep alludes me, so perhaps you will be kind enough to show me to the library on another occasion?' They had now reached the corridor where her room was situated, and Athos delivered her to the door.

'I believe this is your room, Madame. I hope you manage to sleep well, we are travelling again tomorrow, and it is possible the roads will make it hard going. Goodnight.' He waited for her to close the door, which she did with a prolonged sigh and a swish of her skirts. He would have smiled at her antics, but right now he had more important things on his mind. As he walked away and retraced his steps, someone was watching, someone who was angry – furious in fact. He was her husband, and though she may no longer have him, she would be damned if anyone else would either.

Athos turned abruptly as he heard a door slam behind him, but with nobody in sight, he put the sound down to the draught from the storm.

Suzanne looked at herself in the mirror upon the dresser and pouted. She was a beautiful woman, she knew that, it was not vanity upon her part, merely a fact. She was not used to being spurned, however, and it made her all the more determined. There was something about the man that provided her with a challenge. He was handsome, but then so were many of the King's Musketeers; no, he had something different. He had a darkness, a ruthlessness, he was dangerous, and she found him exciting. The fact she may not be the only woman who thought so among their party, gave the whole situation an added dimension.

Athos hoped he would find Aramis and Porthos without any more women suddenly appearing in dark corridors. He imagined Aramis' face should he recant his discussion with the fair Suzanne – he had seen her name on the list the head of household had provided. He heard a bellowing chuckle coming from the foot of the stairs and smiled with relief, never had he been so pleased to see the two men as he was right at this moment.

When the two Musketeers noted who approached, they both ceased their chatter and waited, neither sure of the swordsman's mood. Athos gave them a wry smile. After all, they knew now and the worst was behind him; Treville had taken it well, and the reality was he actually felt a little lighter.

'What mischief have you two been getting up to whilst I was gone?' he asked, leaning upon the banister, arms folded, giving the two men an appraising look. Aramis broke into a broad grin and slapped him on the back, as relief flooded through him. Porthos guffawed, but then placed a hand upon his shoulder.

'We won't let 'er near you.'

Athos rolled his eyes. 'I suppose you will not let me be for the next few hours will you?' he replied, though the twitch of his lips told them he was grateful for their support.

'Try the next few months,' Aramis laughed, wiping all evidence of the smile from Athos' face as the reality of his situation finally hit home. Porthos chuckled, then a sudden clap of thunder shook the elaborate chandelier that hung above them in the hallway.

'Not sure this is good place to stand,' mumbled the big Musketeer, eyeing the swaying crystal with suspicion. Contented as they could be, the three men moved off to make a circuit of the lodge and check all was as it should be.

The rest of the night passed without incident. Athos and Aramis had finally taken their rest and left Porthos and Renier to attend to guarding the lodge.

The morning dawned bright and clear, though the damage done by the storm would not easily be righted by a sunny morning. There were likely to be flooded roads, downed trees and even rivers that had burst their banks. Treville emerged into the hallway and eyed the four men standing awaiting their orders. He noted the presence of Hervé, and guessed Athos had vacated the lodge and re-joined the rest of the regiment.

'Begin to prepare for our departure. Aramis, find Athos and ride out to check the state of the roads. Hervé, you are responsible for keeping an eye on the ladies' coach. Make sure they keep out of the way, we do not need any delays today.' Aramis and Porthos grinned at each other, Treville had chosen well. Hervé was a good man but he could never be described as attractive; nearing forty, he was one of the oldest Musketeers, but he kept himself to himself and worked hard.

The royal party sat down to breakfast. Milady, finding herself seated opposite Lady Suzanne, smiled sweetly across the table, whilst toying with the idea of tipping her drink over the woman's dress. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that the extra delay would not be appreciated, and she would probably get the blame. Instead, she offered her the butter and considered her options.

'It was a terrible storm last night, I hardly slept at all,' Angeline gushed at nobody in particular. Suzanne smiled at Milady. 'Indeed it was, I found myself lost in the corridors, trying to find the library. Luckily, I ran into Athos and he kindly took me back to my room.' The inference was clear and the other ladies stared at her wide-eyed. Milady shot her a look almost as icy as one of her husband's, but managed to maintain a thin smile.

'Really? I would have thought he had more important things to do, like guarding the King.' Suzanne fluttered prettily.

'Ooh, do not misunderstand me, he simply showed me to my room, he was very… understanding.' She gave Milady an innocent smile, but the other ladies giggled behind their hands. Milady was appraising the sharpness of the butter knife when one of the other ladies cut in.

'I think he is rather frightening. Nothing like Aramis, he is charming – such a lovely smile.' Suzanne made a great show of considering the remark.

'Really? I think there is something rather alluring about Athos, like a complex puzzle you have to solve, or a particularly difficult parcel you cannot wait to unwrap.' She deliberately eyed Milady, making a show of raising her brow, as the furious woman snapped the small bone comb she had been toying with whilst the others were assessing her husband.

'Presents can be disappointing, and some puzzles are impossible to solve,' Milady managed to force out through gritted teeth, not even noting the small trickle of blood that ran from the cut on her hand.

'Oh dear, you appear to be bleeding, my dear. You obviously do not know your own strength,' Suzanne trilled, cold eyes staring at the woman opposite. The King and Queen chose that moment to rise and the entire table rose with them. The Cardinal had been watching the two women, and though he could not hear what they had discussed their body language made their opinion of each other patently obvious. Interesting, he would have to find out more about the Lady Suzanne d'Angou.

Milady stalked out of the Château and headed toward the coach. She was still livid with Suzanne's arrogance, but she would bide her time and deal with the woman when the appropriate moment arose; she wondered if she could get away with killing her, but perhaps that would be a little dramatic. Still, there were many nasty accidents that could befall a woman in such unknown terrain. She fondled the knife secreted beneath her skirts and smiled, some of the anger being replaced by the thrill of future possibilities.

Athos and Aramis rode away from the lodge ever vigilant. The dark woods shone with the water hanging heavy upon their bows, and every now and then drops would fall upon the two riders as they passed beneath the laden leaves.

'If water runs down my neck one more time…' Aramis moaned, wiping the rain away.

'What will you do, shoot the offending branch?' Athos quipped, his voice thick with sarcasm. Aramis began to laugh.

'I will bear the suggestion in mind! So, do you think we will be able to travel?' He eyed the state of the road they were upon, and though nobody had ridden along it since they themselves had arrived at Versailles, the mud was thick, making it heavy going for the horses. The sun shone, but in the distance the sky was laden with more clouds.

'I am not particularly hopeful,' was Athos' only reply. Aramis scowled.

'I do not like the idea of being trapped here for any longer than necessary, there is something about this forest that disturbs me.' He eyed the trees around him as though they might suddenly tear their roots from the ground and attack. 'What is that noise?' A rushing sound began to filter through the trees and became louder the further down the path they rode.

'I fear we may be about to get an unpleasant surprise,' Athos informed the curious Musketeer.

As they rounded the bend in the road, both men pulled their horses up sharply. 'Whoa,' Aramis soothed his startled mount. In front of them the river had burst its banks and a torrent of water raged across the road ahead, logs and other debris tossed mercilessly by the swift current, as if they were nothing but twigs. The noise the water made was terrifying.

'You have come across this before?' Aramis posed the question as Athos did not appear in the least surprised.

'Once, back home. Many years ago,' Athos murmured.

'How long will it last?' the Musketeer asked, his brow furrowed at the now inevitable delay.

Athos looked at the frustrated man and thought for a moment, then turned his attention to the distant sky. 'If the weather had stayed warm, then it could have slowed within as little as a day, maybe two. But if those clouds bring more rain, then it may even worsen. It is possible for a river to flood for many leagues. We are lucky Versailles is situated upon a hill.' Aramis appeared horrified, and turned to examine the ever-nearing clouds as though they were an approaching army. A sudden noise in the trees had both men on the alert, but they were too late, as two men rushed from the dark tree line and made a grab at both horses.

Athos kicked out at the man who tried to pull him from his saddle, but Aramis was not so lucky. His horse, already skittish, reared, and between the slippery floor and the man grabbing at his boot Aramis could not keep his seat. Out of the corner of his eye, Athos saw him fall, and jumped from Roger to stand over the fallen Musketeer until he could regain his footing. Both men held pistols and when one exploded, Athos froze, waiting for the impact, but nothing happened. Hoping the bullet had not found another target, he wasted no time and lunged at the man with his sword. Aramis had managed to stagger to his feet though, now coated with mud, he found movement somewhat difficult. Athos was attempting to keep both men busy, though he, too, was finding it problematic staying on his feet as his boots slid in the thick mud – luckily his opponents were having the same problem. The man who had attacked Aramis was trying to pass Athos, but the swordsman was managing to engage both men sufficiently to make that impossible.

'Thank you, mon ami, but I think this one is mine,' Aramis shouted, as he brandished his sword at the man who had tried so hard to finish what he had started.

'About time,' Athos quipped, now giving his own opponent the full force of his attention. As it turned out, neither of the ruffians proved to be a real threat, and the fight was soon over.

Just a short time later, both of them were lying in the mud, one with Athos' sword through his heart and the other bleeding badly, as Aramis held a blade to his throat. Athos sauntered up to the wheezing man, sheathed his sword, then squatted down next to him. In his most superior voice, he addressed the injured bandit.

'Tell us who sent you and we will make it quick.' He stared at the dying man with a face that showed little sign of mercy. The man began to cackle, though the effort made him cough as blood bubbled from the corner of his mouth. His lung was pierced, and he would not last long, but it would be long enough to hurt.

'I will ask you again, but know this, we are not acknowledged for our patience, and you have ruined my friend's uniform. Answer my question and I will ease your passing. Refuse and I will hand you over to him.' Athos nodded toward Aramis, without taking his eyes from the nervous man. Aramis held a pistol in one hand and his dagger in the other, making a pretence of deciding which one to use on the uncooperative victim.

Deciding he had little choice, the man began to talk, though Athos had to lean in close to hear what he was saying.

'You don't stand a chance, there's more coming.' He began to cough, blood now coming thick and red as it bubbled and slid down his chin. Athos looked at Aramis.

'How many?' Aramis asked, giving the man a kick.

'Enough… enough to take 'im out,' the man managed before a coughing spasm took him. Then he lay still, his eyes staring but seeing nothing.

'The King!' Aramis shouted. Athos searched the man's pockets but found nothing that would help, whilst Aramis did the same with the other corpse. Satisfied there was nothing more to be garnered, they re-mounted their horses and made a hasty return. By the time they arrived back at the lodge, many of the guests were already seated in their coach; only the King, Queen and Richelieu remained inside in comfort.

Porthos and Treville took one look at Aramis and Treville was instantly alert. Porthos, though concerned, was trying hard not to laugh.

What happened to you two? barked the Captain.

'The river has burst its banks, the road is unpassable, and we were attacked,' Athos replied, succinct as ever.

Aramis looked at Athos and raised a brow. 'How, do you manage to make it sound so mundane?'

'It is a gift,' Athos retorted, though his attention was on the Captain.

'When the two of you have finished the theatrics, perhaps someone will tell me what happened,' Treville growled, not in the mood for the men's banter.

'Two men, hiding in the trees, not particularly skilled. One dead one injured, he told us there were more, enough to kill the King.' Athos embellished his earlier statement – just a little.

'Lord.' Treville rolled his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. 'So we are trapped?' The two men remained silent, assuming that the question was a rhetorical one.

'It is possible for two men to ride back to Paris and bring reinforcements,' Athos suggested.

Treville frowned as he considered the suggestion. 'It would leave us vulnerable,' he replied.

Athos shrugged his shoulders, 'Send two of the Red Guard, we can manage.' His statement was indicative of his opinion of the Red Guards' potential in a crisis, and the remark almost brought a smile to Treville's lips.

'Perhaps. I will have to inform the King. You had best advise the men to be on the alert. Aramis, Porthos, unload the coaches. Athos, supervise the men and allot them posts, they are to remain watchful.

Aramis began to explain to the waiting guests that the journey was cancelled. Athos heard the loud complaints from the courtiers, but as he gave the party a last glance, he saw only her. She watched him intently, a strange expression upon her face. As he turned and strode away, his heart racing, he was not sure if it had been a look of fear, or excitement.