Musketeer's Daughter:Unanswered Riddle

Chapter 31: Truth

Holding the lantern in his hand, Philippe assisted her in the search for the missive after she revealed what Mathieu had told her. Each little drawer was searched. Every missive scanned. Still, none presented the very one Mathieu had seen.

Ysabeau dropped to Andrién's chair with a troubled sigh, watching Philippe replace each item with great care. As fate would have it, he was unaware of the declaration of death of any bastard child to Marguerite, which meant Philippe was never informed and the secrecy surpassed anything that he knew.

"This will take all night."

He set the lantern down and smiled. "Then let it. I rather enjoy our naughtiness."

"Ah, Philippe, what a pleasant thing you are. Here I thought men like you did not exist."

"I, too, feel the same—of you. What of the chest?" He indicated with the point of his chin the very chest she had believed it to be.

"We could try."

"Do you have the key?" He moved on quiet feet and lowered to his heels, his fingers grazing along the lock.

"I have several here. We may try." She stood, feeling as if she walked the long pathway to the guillotine. "Philippe?"

"Oui?" He lifted his eyes from the lock and looked at her.

"I am frightened."

"And I cannot blame you one whit. This missive will place all things into perspective, for there are events unclear to me yet regarding you."

"I shall ask you after discovering its contents. I do not wish to spoil my emotions right now and lose my only opportunity at discovering the King's intention as to my death."

"Frightening indeed. I shall go through every missive, then, and you sit there. Is that acceptable?"

Her heart warmed and she nodded. "Very. Merci."

The next thing Ysabeau knew, Philippe nudged her. She sprang awake from a fitful sleep, her eyes wide, heart pounding. "I was dreaming."

"A very horrible dream," he added. There were dark shadows entertaining his face and the emotion he emitted was sorrow.

"What has happened?" She glanced into the open chest, the missives and every last one of them bore the seals of the king. This was it. The moment she awaited her entire life. The answer to every wild mystery she horded. A shock of trembles chilled her bones and she fisted her fingers. Her gaze traveled to him, he knelt before her, missive in hand. "You have found it!"

He gave her a single nod, and reached across her knees and squeezed her hands.

Her throat crushed an involuntary breath and she gazed at the parchment. "I do not believe I could read it." Ysabeau shut her eyes and turned her head aside. "Have you, Philippe? Have you read what the King wrote?"