LAST TIME: Athos introduced his Musketeer brothers to an old friend.
In the Garrison the next day, Athos gave a brief overview of his evening with Claude at the Wren. It included at least one of the less embarrassing stories of some of the mischief that the two of them got themselves in.
"It's encouraging to sometimes be reminded of the fact that Athos was in fact not born sixty years old," Aramis quipped.
Unbeknownst to Aramis, D'Artagnan had been deeply involved in his revenge for his older brother.
Since Aramis, despite his constant proclamations of not liking to kiss and tell, often delighted in offering up the details of his various liaisons with every woman in Paris, D'Artagnan had a lead on another husband wronged by the master marksman.
After tracking one of them down, the man had expressed to D'Artagnan a great urge to speak to Aramis. The devious Gascon was only too glad to accommodate how the man could have his wish.
And now, with all four of them sitting at the Garrison table, D'Artagnan noticed the man as he entered the gate and asked the closest Musketeer a question. The Musketeer pointed to their table.
D'Artagnan broke into a roughish grin as the man approached them. Oh, this is going to be excellent, he thought.
The man asked, "Excuse me, Rene d'Herblay…"
Aramis rose, and said, "Indeed I am- Aramis, please. And you are?"
The man pulled Aramis into a tight embrace, then with deep emotion, choked out, "Eternally grateful!"
What in the world?, D'Artagnan thought.
"Your- relationship with my- former wife- opened my eyes to her true nature. I told her I wanted a divorce, to which she replied, 'oh, thank God!' It seemed she hated me and was thankful to be rid of me to continue her…" The man looked close to weeping.
D'Artagnan was aghast.
"Apologies," the man said, collecting himself. "If I hadn't discovered her treachery with you, I might still be married to that…"
And with that, the man staggered away, still emotional.
Aramis sat back down, smiling, and then said, "Well, it's nice to be able to do something for your fellow citizen every now and then."
Which really got the young Gascon's blood boiling.
"Oh yeah Aramis, you're a real pillar of the community," Porthos said.
"I wonder how he knew to track me down here?" Aramis wondered aloud.
D'Artagnan's face gave him away in an instant. It was an endearing combination of guilt and anger.
"Oh, I see! Was this retribution for what occurred yesterday?" Aramis asked.
As D'Artagnan squirmed in his seat, staying stubbornly mute, Athos asked Porthos, "Do I even want to know?"
'Nah."
"You just wait, Aramis!" was all D'Artagnan could think of saying, launching himself up and walking away.
Plan B in his revenge was clearly needed.
During a break of the day's activities in the Garrison, the conversation had turned again to Athos' old friend. He recited his profession, and a litany of the places that Claude had inhabited.
When Bayonne was mentioned, D'Artagnan said, "My father's best friend from his time in the military lived there. He- it was a very unfortunate situation. His daughter was raped by a man, who fled the scene and was never found. Even though she was very young, there was great shame placed upon the family, and no closure as the man left town quickly."
Then D'Artagnan blurted out the only other detail of the sordid affair that he could remember.
"I seem to recall that he was a solicitor as well."
Athos shot his protégé a look.
Shaking his head in bemusement, Athos said, "And that is relevant to Claude how?"
'It isn't. I was just-"
"My friend hardly deserves to be mentioned in the same manner as a rapist. D'Artagnan, watch your tongue."
"I didn't mean that! I just-"
"That my friend is beyond reproach should count for something. I believe I know if he were capable of such things, and I know that he is not."
"Of course D'Artagnan knows that, Athos," Aramis said. "He simply-"
"How do you know that?" D'Artagnan asked suddenly.
"How do I know what?" Athos asked.
"That he isn't capable of such a thing?" D'Artagnan answered, suddenly realizing that he did not wish to be dismissed so readily. Watch your tongue? What am I, six years old?
Porthos said, "Now wait a minute, pup…"
"No, really. I can probably discover the time that my father's friend's daughter was assaulted. Can you be certain that Claude was not in Bayonne at the same time?"
None of the Inseparables were quite prepared for Athos' response. He leapt to his feet, grabbed D'Artagnan by the collar, and simply whispered, "Watch yourself, D'Artagnan; I need not prove anything to you to exonerate my friend's good name. Now while you work on your apology to me and Claude, I find myself in need of some distance from you."
Aramis waited a moment before suggesting to D'Artagnan, "I believe you should drop this."
Bur D'Artagnan's stubborn side was now stoked. How could he get his claim confirmed or denied?
His Uncle Robert still resided in Lupiac. He should know something of his brother's- D'Artagnan's father's- best friend.
D'Artagnan decided to send a missive right away.
