Saints and Sinners, Ch. 6

The scene at the garrison was bedlam when D'Artagnan arrived carrying an unconscious Christine into the garrison. He met Treville who was holding back Bernard who was desperately trying to get into the infirmary to check on Adam. Both men froze as D'Artagnan came into view.

Bernard gasped when he saw her.

"What happened?" he demanded as he rushed over to him, Treville following.

"Not sure. Gavreau is dead," said D'Artagnan, as Bernard shot him a dark and knowing look that Treville did not miss.

Christine was pale, almost ghostlike as she lay in the Gascon's arms. She was covered in blood, a mix of Adam's, Gavreau's and maybe her own, Treville thought as he looked at her torn dress, the cut on her cheek and the violent bruising on her neck and chest.

"Not here," Treville said, removing his own cloak and covering her with it. "Bring her to my office."

"Not the infirmary?"

"No," said Treville, as he saw Aramis anxiously exit the infirmary wiping blood from his hands as he marched towards them.

D'Artagnan nodded and proceeded to ascend the stairs, Treville, Bernard, and Aramis following.

They settled Christine on the bed in Treville's office. Aramis covered her once more in the cloak and blanket, his shaking hand gently grazing her neck, eyes full of misery, before Treville turned to his men.

"How is Adam?" he asked.

"He's unconscious, but resting. The bullet did not hit anything vital. She managed to slow the bleeding and we got to him in time…barring any infection, he should recover fairly well," Aramis whispered as he stroked Christine's hair, his eyes never leaving her face.

Treville nodded. "Alright, you two. Speak," he commanded.

Bernard and D'Artagnan looked at each other and then at Aramis before D'Artagnan swallowed and began to speak.

"Sir, she begged me not to say anything, but I shouldn't have listened. Yesterday while we were returning from the palace, the Comtesse and I ran into Gavreau as he was heading out of the garrison."

"To get drunk more than likely," spat Bernard. Treville ignored the interruption.

"Upon meeting us, he began to hurl slurs and insults at Christine…he insinuated…he said…" D'Artagnan looked at Aramis and struggled for words. The marksman had grown very still.

"No need to go into specifics. I can image what crudities he might have said," Treville replied.

"Let's just say that he and I disagreed about how you speak to a woman. He left claiming I'd pay for striking him. Christine begged me not to say anything. She was afraid that…that Aramis might overreact if I told him, and that she might lose her position in the infirmary if you knew, over what were only words, she said. She said that this had been going on for a few weeks – since she began her role in the garrison, but it was only words and there was no point in causing discord in the regiment over ill words and hurt feelings. I…I…promised her I wouldn't say anything, and she swore she'd tell me if it happened again. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Aramis," he said, pleading to his brother.

Treville nodded and looked at Bernard who had paled considerably as D'Artagnan spoke.

Clearing his throat, Bernard began. "I had noticed the way he had been following her," he said, "And I had heard a few of the comments he had made while drunk, in the tavern, but when Etienne came to me about a week ago and told me about what he had walked in on, I started paying more attention to how he focused on her. How he watched for when Aramis was away from the garrison…"

"What happened a week ago?" Aramis interrupted. His voice sounded hollow, as though he were speaking from the bottom of a grave.

Bernard bit his lip. "Again, I'm not entirely sure. Etienne only said that he had walked into the infirmary and Gavreau had her backed up into a corner. He said she had been holding a tray and a scalpel almost like a sword and shield. She was shaken when Gavreau left, but she insisted that Etienne not say anything. She's trying to protect you, you see!" he said to Aramis imploringly. "She was afraid that you might react the way any of us would if we were in that situation. She didn't want to tell you, sir, because she was afraid that if you thought she was a distraction, you would release her from her duties," he said.

Aramis grit his teeth and clenched his fists. Treville looked as though he had turned to stone and with a great effort he nodded for Bernard to continue.

"This evening, Adam and I were walking Etienne back towards the infirmary – he had gone to ask Serge for some rosemary from the kitchen at her request. We heard her shout and something crash to the floor. We entered the infirmary and he was on top of her. He had her pinned to the bed. He was trying…" Bernard couldn't finish. His eyes fell to the floor as D'Artagnan roared his outrage. From the bed in the corner, Christine stirred, the cloak falling slightly to reveal the bruising on her neck and the torn sleeve of her dress. Aramis burried his face in his hands.

"Adam and I saw red. We tore him off her and threw him out into the courtyard. He swung out wildly knocking Adam off his feet as he ran from the garrison. I pursued him as Adam ran back to check on Christine. I only just got back."

"It would seem that he had been waiting for her," said Athos, who no one saw enter, each syllable dripping with fury. "He hid in the shadows like the vermin he was and pursued her as she exited the garrison. Adam must have seen her leave. He followed her and found them in the alley. She fought him, but Gavreau had a pistol pressed against her and was trying to force himself on her," he said coldly.

From the bed, Aramis let out a sob, his hand fisted in the sheets and her skirt.

"The people said Adam stopped him," Athos continued, struggling to control his anger in the face of his brother's misery. "He tried to negotiate, challenged him to a duel, to fight with honour and let Christine go. He lowered his weapon and Gavreau shot him. Christine managed to push him off as he fired, probably throwing the shot off. She stabbed him with her dagger."

Athos' words lay there like a body in the room.

"I'm sorry," came a soft whisper. "This is all my fault."

Five men's necks snapped as they looked at her. She had inched her way into the corner of the bed, the cloak clenched to her chest, her back pressed against the iron headboard.

"Christine" said Treville slowly as he made his way forward, taking a seat in the chair next to her. "None of this is your fault. None of it," he said firmly. "This should have been a place of safety for you – for anyone. The fact that you suffered this under my watch…"

"I'm sorry, I should have said something," she said as silent tears fell. "I should have told you," she said, her eyes boring into Aramis, who dropped his head and looked away. "I knew I should, - I wanted to but I was afraid...and I was embarrassed," she continued. "I never should have made you lie to your brothers," she said to D'Artagnan, "Or have made your brothers hide this from you," she said desperately to Aramis.

"I should have told you Captain. I should have trusted your judgement, but I couldn't. I was a liar and a coward and now Adam…and I…" she stammered, "I killed him…"

She broke off, her silent miserable tears overpowering her ability to speak as she stared at the blood that still stained her hands.