Through Darker Days
Chapter Six
The Avenue was lined with cherry trees, their branches heavy with blossom. The scent, though, was barely discernable over the normal city smells of refuse and horse droppings. D'Artagnan easily identified the house described by Porthos and stood in the shade of one of the trees on the opposite side of the street to observe it. The building consisted of three floors sturdily built from brick. The windows were glazed and the roof was black slate. A low fence separated it from the road and there was a small well-tended garden in the front. It was clearly the home of a wealthy man.
As he continued to watch the wooden front door opened and two women descended the three steps leading to the path. One was young, not much taller than five feet with light brown curls escaping from underneath a fashionable hat with colourful feathers in it. Her petite body was swathed in a sky blue cloak which almost entirely covered a pale yellow dress. Her companion's cloak was dull brown and she wore a white apron over her equally drab skirt. The younger woman was talking animatedly, not waiting for any response from her servant. They both entered a carriage and soon had disappeared from sight.
There was no further activity so d'Artagnan walked along the street and approached a man and woman who were coming in the opposite direction.
"Excuse me, Sir. Madam." He bowed slightly. "I was wondering if you could help me."
"What is it you want?" The man took the woman's arm protectively before looking d'Artagnan up and down.
He, like Porthos, had removed his pauldron and had left his more conspicuous weapons back at the garrison, so he could imagine what the man was thinking. In his worn leathers he looked out of place on this prestigious street. No doubt the man was worried that he was to be accosted for alms.
"There is no need to be alarmed, Monsieur. I only wish to ask a question." He turned slightly and pointed to the house. "Do you know who lives there?"
"What is your interest?" the man asked suspiciously.
"My master sent me with a message but I have forgotten the name of the gentleman I am to give it to." D'Artagnan did his best to look embarrassed.
The well-dressed gentleman looked down his nose at him. "Your master should beat you for your carelessness."
D'Artagnan ground his teeth together and tried to look contrite. "He surely would if he found out." He turned wide eyes upon the woman who gave him a nervous smile.
"Where's the harm, Emile?" she said.
"Servants should know their place."
"I appeal to your kindness," d'Artagnan said bowing his head submissively, although what he really wanted to do was punch the smug bastard in the face.
"Oh, very well. The house belongs to Yves Lacroix."
"His mercantile carries the finest silks in all of Paris," the woman added with a note of envy in her voice.
"I am grateful for your assistance." D'Artagnan stood to one side to let them pass before turning and heading for the palace. Now he had a name and an occupation, and it occurred to him that Constance might know the man.
TMTMTM
"When can I get up?" Athos asked querulously.
"Tomorrow, if you do as you are told today."
Athos looked mutinous but he didn't argue much to Aramis' relief. He ladled warm broth into a cup and carried it over to the bed. "Can you manage?"
"Yes." Athos took the cup awkwardly with his left hand, hesitating before lifting it to his lips. After taking a couple of sips he became noticeably paler.
"Your stomach is still unsettled?" Aramis asked.
"It will pass."
Aramis retrieved the cup. "We will try again later."
Athos swallowed heavily. "Shouldn't d'Artagnan be back by now?"
"Stop worrying about him."
There was a disgruntled sigh before Athos relaxed back against his pillows. "Tell me about Milady and the King."
"Are you sure you want to hear this?"
"She means nothing to me. I only want to try to understand why I have blocked out the memory."
Aramis didn't believe him although it wasn't a debate that he wanted to have while his friend was so weak and vulnerable. "Do you remember when d'Artagnan and the King were kidnapped by slavers?" To his relief Athos gave a slight nod. "Surprising though it might be Milady played a part in their rescue."
"She was with them when we found them. The King pardoned her without knowing her nature or the number of her crimes."
"That's right. Well, a few days later she turned up living at the palace as his mistress. The Queen was distraught. It was particularly difficult for her because the Dauphin had been very sick…close to death." He would never forget his feeling of dread when he had learnt his son had been taken ill. He had spent many hours praying for the child's survival and had given joyous thanks when the news came that the fever had broken.
"It was a difficult time for you. I was relieved when news came that he had recovered."
"You remember that?" Aramis asked hopefully.
Athos looked puzzled. "Yes. We had been dealing with the Spanish and their explosive powder. Porthos was wounded and captured. You were…distracted. There was a battle in the marketplace. Innocent people died."
Aramis bowed his head to hide his expression. That fiasco had been of his making. He had hesitated to shoot the Spanish general because he was caught off guard by the sound of a crying baby and the whole situation had quickly gone to hell. "That's right."
"Why can't I remember the rest?" Athos asked in frustration.
"Perhaps because you are not immune to Milady and her rather dubious charms."
"Don't be ridiculous."
Aramis gave a small smile and shook his head. Like it or not there was still a connection between Athos and his wife even if he wouldn't admit to it. "The day you were attacked you had an encounter with her at the palace. She flaunted a necklace, an expensive piece of jewelry that was a gift from the King. She taunted you, saying that you had never been rich or important enough to buy her a present like that. You didn't respond but I could see that she had touched a nerve."
"Why? I have no care for wealth or position."
"I was left with the impression that she was comparing the necklace to a gift you had once given to her."
Athos frowned and stared off into the distance. "It was a family heirloom. A single flawless sapphire on a heavy gold chain. She told me that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever possessed. Knowing her history now I'm sure she was telling the truth. But, even as a Comte I couldn't compare with the King. She has risen high. From a street thief and assassin to the mistress of the King."
Aramis could hear wistfulness in his friend's voice. It appeared that he couldn't break the chain that bound him and Milady together. Not even the death of Thomas could completely erase what had been between them. "You shouldn't be over taxing yourself. Rest now. I should report your progress to Treville. He is worried about you."
Athos turned away from him. "Will you give me something to help me to sleep?"
"Of course," Aramis said, surprised by the request.
"Some memories are too painful," Athos said in a broken voice.
And that, to Aramis' mind, explained why Athos had been unable to handle the knowledge that Milady had seduced the King. He hastened to brew the sleeping potion which Athos drank eagerly. He waited until his friend had succumbed to its power before leaving to give a progress report to the Captain.
TMTMTM
Aramis returned to the yard just as d'Artagnan walked through the gates. Porthos emerged from the stables and they congregated around the table under the Captain's balcony.
"From the grin on your face I'm guessin' you found something useful," Porthos said.
"I did. The man's name is Yves Lacroix. He's a very wealthy merchant who imports the finest silks which he sells to the nobility and anyone else who can afford them. Want to guess where he gets them from?"
The pieces began to fall into place in Aramis' mind. "Spain."
"And the King's just given the order that no-one is to trade with Spain," Porthos said.
"That's right. It will ruin Lacroix. Apparently he started life as the first mate on a ship that traded between Le Havre and Spain. Rumour has it that he killed the captain and took the ship for himself. Now he owns two ships. He exports wheat and corn in exchange for silks."
"How did you find all this out?" Aramis asked.
"Once I found out his name and the nature of his business I went to speak to Constance. I thought she might know of him through her husband. She said that Lacroix is known to be ruthless in his business dealings and is seen as a leader and spokesman among the other merchants."
"I wonder if he was one of the merchants who petitioned the King a few days ago."
"That wouldn't surprise me, Porthos."
"So perhaps he's decided to take matters into his own hands," Aramis said thoughtfully.
"Maybe so but we still don't know what he's planning."
"We should arrest him," Porthos said.
"On what grounds? We have no proof that he was involved in attacking Athos and if we bring him in it will only drive the other conspirators underground." Aramis ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "We need to catch them in the act."
"There might be a way to find out what's going on," d'Artagnan said. "I saw a young woman leaving his house this morning. Constance told me he's engaged to be married."
"He's not likely to share his plans with his fiancée," Porthos said. "Even if he did what's to say she'd tell us?"
"I could try to get close to her. She might know something."
"It can't do any harm," Aramis said. "Porthos, you continue to watch Roland. He certainly seems to be involved in this. D'Artagnan can try to get acquainted with Mademoiselle…?
"Nathalie Aubert."
"Is she pretty?" Porthos asked, bumping a shoulder against d'Artagnan.
"In an insipid sort of way."
"Nothing compares to Constance, eh?"
"Don't tease him Porthos," Aramis said with a smile. "You know how sensitive he is about that subject."
D'Artagnan's countenance darkened. "While we're running around Paris investigating Lacroix what are you going to be doing?"
"I, my friends, have the hardest job of all. Sitting on Athos to make sure he doesn't interfere and get us all killed."
Tbc