I re read the letter each word was like a punch in the gut. I folded the letter back up and slowly looked at Athos, there was a hurt and angry look in his eyes.
"I thought she was dead" He snapped making me jump a little
"This is the woman with the Cardinal" He looked at me "This is the woman that has been asking about me" his eyes got a little wider
"What do you mean?" he pulled his chair in front of me
"There is a woman at court that is close to the Cardinal; she came up to me a day or so ago and she knew my name, she knew that I am something to you and the other musketeers; and then today she came to Notre Dame following Cardinal Richelieu" I handed him the letter back "This perfume is... very intense"
"She was with him today?" I nodded
"I couldn't resist in listening into their conversation" Athos hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck "Athos she wants him to find out about me; and she wants to know if there is something between you and I"
"Why would you risk listening Estelle; she is dangerous and you know that he is dangerous" he literally growled, he pushed the chair back knocking it over and he got to his feet
"Because I want to know what's happening, because it is about me and you" I yelled back at him "How the hell did I know she was your wife" he recoiled like I had slapped him "Even the Cardinal doesn't know she is the Countess de la Fere" a cold draught had us both look around to see Porthos and D'artaganan standing in the doorway
"You're married?" D'artaganan was wide eyed. Athos hung his head I got to my feet and poured a cup of brandy and knocked it back
"You need to tell them Athos" he glanced at me "For God sake they're your family, stop hiding your past, I need to go get Aramis he needs to hear this"
I moved around Porthos and D'artaganan and into Aramis's room where he was sitting with Captain Treville they both looked at me
"Is everything alright Estelle?" Treville frowned
"No can you both come to Athos's rooms because he needs to tell you all something" Aramis and Treville looked at each other and got to there feet. I caught Aramis's arm as he walked by me "I know you probably don't want to do this right now but this is serious" he squeezed my hand and smiled at me and I followed them back to Athos's room and closed the door behind me.
"Athos?" Captain Treville stood with his hands on his hips and tipped is head Porthos handed Athos a cup of Brandy I stayed at the back of room
"Captain Treville knew that I was married before I became a Musketeer" his hands shook a little as he was telling them something that he had never wanted to admit.
I listened while he told them the same story that he had told me about Anne and how he had ordered her to be killed because of her being a murderer.
My stomach was in knots, Milady De Winter was a dangerous woman and there was a serious history between her and Athos that I knew wasn't over yet.
"Estelle... Estelle" I took a deep breath and looked up all of them were looking at me Aramis frowned and stood in front of me "We all agree with Athos"
"Agree with him about?" I looked around his arm at Athos who was looking exhausted
"That you need protection" D'artaganan shrugged
"I don't; you all are protectors of the Queen and the King not the woman warming Athos's bed" Athos's head snapped up
"They all know you are much more than that" he got to his feet and came over to me "Much, much more" I looked down
"We will leave the two of you to talk" D'artaganan said ushering out the others "and Estelle you have no choice" he smiled as he closed the door
"Look at me... Estelle" I looked at him "do you really believe that you are just the woman warming my bed?"
"No" I shook my head "but your wife is unnerving me"
"She is not my wife; she was still married when we married so we were never truly man and wife" he drew me to him "I will protect you and I promise you that she won't hurt you" I put my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat "I love you" he murmured against my hair as he pressed a kiss to my head. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight
"You're going to have to see her aren't you?" I pulled back and looked up at him and he nodded
"I want to know what she wants, I want to make sure that she knows that you are my world" he held my face in his hands "I love you" he kissed me making everything in the world seem safe and warm
YOU ARE READING
Lost in the pages
RomansaHave 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...
