I braced my hand on the wall and took a deep breath and regretted it with the pain in my back. I felt a hand on each of my elbows and fingers linked with mine.
"We're right here" Aramis said with a smile I looked to the other side at D'artagnan "You really shouldn't be out of bed"
"I'm kind of understanding that now" I nodded grateful of the two of them holding me up
"What did Bonasieux want?" D'artagnan said as the two of them slowly walked me from the room
"He had sent letters to Constance, and she hadn't replied to him" I said as we stepped out into the hallway
"I just wish she would leave him" D'Artagnan said through gritted teeth "He doesn't treat her like a wife"
"You know she loves you" Aramis looked at him
"I know" He sighed as we rounded the corner Athos and Porthos had their swords unsheathed and Constance held the side of her face. Charles was across from them looking like he was in between a rage and being terrified.
"What's going on?' Aramis asked; Constance looked around and moved her hand showing a bloodied lip and handprint on her face. I felt D'artagnan stiffen, and I let go of him and he moved forward, and he drew Constance to him, putting his finger under her chin and turning her head to the light.
"I was trying to speak with my wife, who seems fit to run around with Musketeers and swan around in the Palace" Charles tried to make his voice sound convincingly strong
"He struck Constance before we could stop him" Athos said his steel cold voice was almost as frightening as the sword in his hand.
"I will kill you" D'artagnan growled putting Constance behind him
"It is nothing to do with you" Charles said frowning at D'artagnan
"Oh, it is everything to do with me" He began to move forward
"SO, I WAS RIGHT" Charles looked from me to D'artagnan and then to Constance "It was my wife that you wanted not her cousin after all" we all looked at each other "The whore of the Garrison didn't really interest you"
"HEY" Porthos barked
"Monsieur, Whilst I am ready to throw you from the Palace for what you have done to Constance, I will not allow you to talk about my wife in that way" Athos lifted his chin
"Wife?" Charles looked from Athos to where I was with Aramis holding me up.
"All of you stop" Constance said with a sniff "I need to speak with my husband alone"
"Constance" D'artagnan said as she walked around him
"Please" There was almost a pleading tone to her voice "All of you make sure Estelle is alright"
"Very well" Porthos and Athos sheathed their swords and Athos came over to me and he and Aramis helped me down the hallway. Charles narrowed his eyes and watched
"You lay a hand on Constance, and I will be your worst nightmare" D'artagnan pointed his finger at Charles. Porthos put his hand on D'artagnan's shoulder and steered him down the hallway toward my room.
"I'm sorry Charles" Constance said wringing her hands "but I am in love with D'artagnan, Estelle tried to make it seem like it wasn't him and I to protect me and as not to hurt you"
"I will ruin you; you are my wife, and you will pack your bags and you will come home" he demanded "and never see the Musketeers again"
"I'm not coming home; I do not love you" she shook her head "and I cannot just leave the Queen"
"You will bring shame upon your family" he snapped "You think that I will allow you and him to be together"
"I'm going to be with him" she said shaking her head "I love him, and he loves me"
"You will be branded a whore"
"Constance" the sound of the Queens voice made Charles stop in his tracks "Is there a problem?"
"No your Majesty" Charles bowed low "I was requesting my wife's presence that is all"
"From what I can see and what Porthos has just told me you do not understand what it means to love a wife" Charles opened his mouth "I did not say you could speak" The queen said tipping her head "I will have compensation delivered to you; for your wife is now to be my constant companion, I will have the Cardinal draft a letter of disillusionment for your marriage, also Constance's parents will also receive compensation for the Dowery they provided when you married her"
"But your" the Queen cut him off
"I am your Queen are you going to deny me what I request?"
"No; but"
"Monsieur Bonacieux, you do not love Constance; you see her as a servant, and she is a beautiful young woman that deserves to be happy and to have status in court. Constance come with me" Constance moved to the Queens side and they left Charles standing with his mouth open.
************************************************************
Aramis and Athos eased me down on to the bed I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as Athos got on the bed behind me and started to unlace my corset.
"See I knew you should have stayed here" Athos sighed "Aramis I think she has opened up a wound" I lay down on my stomach and Athos moved to allow Aramis to re dress my back
"D'artagnan" He looked around from the pacing he was doing "She is going to be fine" I hissed through gritted teeth as Aramis re dressed my back.
"Estelle is right" Athos said walking over to the wine jug and poured wine in to cups for all of us "I think we made it all perfectly clear to him that we will not stand for Constance to be treated that way"
"I just wish she could be free of him" D'artagnan sat down on a chair by the fire as Aramis loosely tied my corset back together.
"Thank you" I squeezed his hand and Athos handed me a cup of wine and pressed his lips to my head; the door opened and Constance walked in with the Queen D'artagnan got back to his feet and bowed to the queen with the others.
"I came to see how you are Estelle?" she smiled "I think it was very brave of you to come into court today" she walked over to the bed as Constance went over to D'artagnan
"She wished for the Cardinal to see that he hadn't broken her" Athos said looking at me
"I only wish that I had been there the day that the red guard arrested you, for I would not have allowed it to happen" she sat on the edge of the bed
"None of us every thought this would happen" Porthos said "We have at least made sure that that woman is out of the way, but we still have the Cardinal"
"I agree the Cardinal is a powerful man, but you have shown that you are all watching his every move" The queen said getting up and looking around the room "Both of Constance and Estelle along with the four of you and Captain Treville have been my most loyal friends" her brow furrowed "the people I can turn to the most" Her look fell upon Aramis "You all know everything about me"
"And everything stays with us your Majesty" Athos bowed his head to her
"That is why I have told Bonacieux that his marriage will be dissolved, and he will be compensated for it" we all looked at Constance and the shocked looking D'artagnan "I wish for nothing but the happiness of all of you and I will assist in any way I can" she put her hands on her stomach and looked at Aramis "because I know you will all protect my child as if it were your own".
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...
