I picked up my cloak and pulled it on. I made my way out of the room and headed to the stairs as Captain Treville came out from his rooms
"Estelle good morning?" he smiled
"Good morning" I nodded as we both walked down the stairs "Do you think I would be able to go see Constance at the palace, I need to talk to her"
"Well I am heading to the palace now to meet with the King, I think that Constance will be glad to see you" he signaled to the stable boy to saddle another horse "I was hoping that Athos would come with me" Treville said as I was helped up into the saddle and we headed from the courtyard
"He is sleeping, the four of them were up all night talking" I said with a weak smile "I think it has been a difficult week for him"
"So you know that he is the Count de la Fere" He looked at me and I nodded "He struggles with that whole issue of his past"
"I know, he opened up to me about a lot of it, I want him to talk to the others and let them in"
"The Musketeers; my dear are the best soldiers but there is something deep within all of us that has made us as reckless in our lives as we are" he sighed
"So are you telling me that I shouldn't expect anything from him?"
" I am not saying that but know that there is a dark side to him"
"Yes he ordered his wife killed" I tipped my head "as I said Captain; he told me a lot of his past more I think than he has told anyone before, I am not going to pull him away from the Garrison, I respect what he does; but I am not going to apologize for falling in love with a Musketeer" Treville looked at me and raised his eyebrows.
"I did not mean to offend you" he offered me a smile "I just do not want to see you hurt if Athos has a black day"
We rode into the grounds of the palace there were people walking around even in the chill of the winter sun, the king was being followed by a group of people and I spotted the Cardinal talking with a strikingly beautiful blond woman away to the side and he passed her something that she slipped under her cloak.
"Captain Treville, who is that with the Cardinal?" I asked as two grooms came hurrying out to us and took the reins of the horses
"Apparently her name is Milady De Winter. I think personally she is a spy working for him" Treville said with a furrowed brow as he lifted me from the horse "I have been trying to find out more about her but I hit nothing but walls when her name is mention.
"Milady" we both watched as the King waved away the people with him and he hurried forward toward her, his face lighting up in delight as he reached her and he lifted her hand and kissed it
"Well that can't be good" I looked at Treville
"Hmmm" he frowned "I need to talk to the King, You go find Constance" I nodded and walked away from him as Milady linked the Kings arm and walked with him toward Captain Treville.
I made my way into the palace and to the apartment of the Queen and knocked on the door and waited. Members of the red guard were walking through the palace making me nervous and the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The door of the apartment opened and Constance was looking at me
"Estelle" she reached for my hand and pulled me inside and closed the door and hugged me "I am sorry that we didn't get to speak last night"
"It's alright, I spoke with Aramis" she inhaled deeply and looked around and pressed her finger to her lips as two of the Queens ladies in waiting walked through the room "Come with me" she lead me through in to the Queens sitting room where there was a fire blazing in the hearth "Her Majesty is sleeping but we can speak in here" she closed the doors behind us "What did Aramis say?"
"Just what he had, well how he and..." I rubbed the back of my neck as she poured tea for us "He is distraught and confused"
"He's a fool" she handed me a drink and sat next to me shaking her head
"He's a man; that has fallen in love with someone that he shouldn't. Of all people you should understand that" she looked at me "I'm sorry that was wrong" Constance let out a sigh
"No, you're not wrong" she put her hand over mine and gave it a squeeze
"Aramis is in love" we both jumped at the sound of the Queens voice and moved to get up " No, stay sat please" she gave a weak smile
"Yes your Majesty" I nodded
"He has told you what happened between the two of us" I nodded "I love my husband, I really do" she took a chair by the fire and looked at the flames "but the love is that of a sister for a brother. I do not find him attractive in the way I am supposed to. We were betrothed when we were children and I married him three days after first coming here. I am the daughter of a king so I am to marry for alliance not love" I looked down feeling sorry for her "My husband comes to my bed once a month to try to give me a child" she got up "Am I wrong to seek the arms of another man for comfort in a time of danger?"
"No, your Majesty" I shook my head "It should be the right of everyone to find the love of their lives" She looked at me and smiled
"And yet out of the three of us in this room there is only you Estelle that is able to find their true happiness" the Queen looked at Constance
"Well we all have good taste" they both looked at me with confusion "We have all found a Musketeer that is special"
"You always amaze me with your words, it is almost like you have a disregard of what people think" Constance chuckled
"Well where I am from women stand up to men and the idea of conformation" I shrugged "Hence the reason I think I have been slapped by more men since coming here than I had in my entire life" The queen got up and walked to the window and looked out
"Does anyone know who the woman is with Treville and The King?" I got up and walked over and stood next to her
"All I know is her name. It's Milady De Winter"
"She is beautiful" the Queen chewed her lip. "I wish to see Aramis again"
"Your Majesty, it is to dangerous right now" Constance said getting to her feet
"I think you should give it a few days Your Majesty. You are both a little raw and this isn't to sound horrible but Aramis would he beheaded for treason if anyone finds out" the Queen closed her eyes and took a deep breath "Maybe you tell people you are unwell after what happened at the Convent with your nerves, it will give you both time to dispel any rumor or thought"
"Again you are wise" she smiled at me "Would you take him a letter for me?"
"Of course" I nodded she hurried to her writing desk and I returned to where Constance was "I also had a visit this morning from Charles" Constance's head shot up "He didn't like what I had to say to him and he almost got himself run through by all four of our Musketeers"
"Why?" she looked shocked
"He was looking for you, and he believed that you were with D'artaganan"
"But I was here with the Queen" she paced the floor
"I told him but he didn't believe me; and accused me of lying about it being me that liked D'artaganan" she hung her head "But once more we both played it up; much to the surprise of Porthos and Aramis" I chuckled "He was warned off but I think you need to see him just to placate him"
"I will and thank you" she held my hands
"Well it was just a good job that I was alone and not with Athos or it may have been a problem"
"Estelle" I looked around to the Queen as she placed her seal on the letter to Aramis and reached into the draw of her desk, "Will you take these for me?"
"Of course" I nodded taking the letter and an ornate set of Rosary beads from her
"Thank you I will forever be in the debt of you and of Constance" she wrung her hands as I slipped the letter and the rosary inside the bodice of my dress.
"I'll go back to the Garrison now" I reached for my cloak and put it on
"Would you also tell Charles to come here and see me?" Constance asked I nodded before walking out
YOU ARE READING
Lost in the pages
RomanceHave you ever got so lost in a book it's as if you were actually there. Estelle Bennett was left a little Old bookstore that used to belong to her grandmother, it was a place that Estelle had loved since being a child and her Grandmother had always...
