Truth and Consequences, Part 3

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and concepts do not belong to us. We’re just borrowing them for the time being. The plot and all original characters, however, do belong to us.

Authors: Shirley Long and Jim Guy

Rating: 2 ½ Swords/PG-15

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Previously…

Within the hour, the Dulaman was underway towards France. Geoffrey immediately made his way towards sickbay and, after ejecting Faith’s pathetic excuse for a surgeon from the room, proceeded to treat Jacqueline’s injury himself. On closer inspection, he found that the head wound wasn’t quite as bad as it had seemed on the cliff. A few stitches were enough to stop the bleeding, and the rest was up to her. Feeling a rather distinct sense of déjà vu, Geoffrey settled himself into a chair next to the bed to wait.

Chapter 46

Now that she was once more in familiar territory, the only thing Faith wanted to do was sleep. Between almost getting blown up, actually being shot, and nearly being tossed from a cliff by her cousin’s own men, she figured she deserved at least a week’s worth of rest. Cian had proved himself more than capable of running things, and with half the people on board upset over that bastard DeMolay, it was probably better that she keep to the background…at least until she could settle things with the princess.

Her normal cabin was currently occupied by King Louis’ mother, so, after a quick stop to raid her personal rum stash, Faith made her way to one of the cabins that wasn’t currently in use. She dropped onto the bed, taking a long swig of the rum while forcing herself to ignore her protesting shoulder. A moment later, there was a knock on the cabin door.

Faith groaned. “Go ‘way,” she called, kicking off her boots and stretching out on the bed. The knock came again. “I said—” The door opened to reveal her First Mate, who didn’t look very happy. “Oh, it’s just you. What do you want, Al?”

“I prefer to be called Fuiseog, and I want to know why the hell Cian is still up there running things when you’re back on board.”

She rolled her eyes, taking another swig of the rum. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I ain’t exactly in top form at the moment. And after the hell G and I just went through, I think I bloody well deserve a break. Besides, that cock-up in Spain’s got half the folks on board lookin’ for my blood. Best to just lay low, at least ‘til I get a chance ta smooth things over with Princess Marie.”

Fuiseog shook her head. “But I’m your First Mate! Why not leave me in charge and stick Cian with the Musketeers where he belongs?”

“I’m really not in the mood for this, Al,” Faith growled, glaring. “The crew trusts Cian, and while you may be my second, he’s got more experience. His grandfather sailed with the Dark Lady of Doona, didn’t he? And Cian learned from him.”

“His grandfather sailed with Grace O’Malley…so what? What does that have to do with him?”

The captain sighed. “You’re still young, Al. I trust you to watch my back, but you’ve got a long way to go before you’re ready to run things solo.”

“You weren’t that much older than I am when you took command.”

“That’s different. I’ve spent most of my life at sea. You’ve only just started. Trust me, this is for the best.”

“But—” Faith stared at Fuiseog, eyebrow raised, and the younger woman fell silent.

“This ain’t up for discussion, Al. Until I say otherwise, Cian is in charge. I expect you to listen to him as you would me. And if I hear that you’re givin’ him a hard time, you’ll be in for the bollocking of your life. Am I makin’ myself clear?”

Fuiseog nodded. “Aye, Captain.”

“Good. Now, if ya don’t mind, I really need ta get some sleep. Dismissed!”

“Yes, Captain.” The First Mate turned on her heel and left the cabin, muttering under her breath. Shaking her head, Faith took one last swig of the rum before setting it aside and closing her eyes. A few minutes later, she was fast asleep.

Fuiseog stormed to her cabin and slammed the door behind her. She walked over to the sea chest and pulled out a flask and took a big swig of grog. "Wish I had some Uisce Beatha. An Irishman needs the Water of Life." Sitting down on her bed, she took a few more swigs and before long she too was fast asleep.

Soft tapping on the door followed by more insistent banging woke Faith. She sat up and shook her head to clear the cobwebs from her brain. "Come in." She was startled to see Luis in the door way. "Just what I need. Can't anyone leave me alone?"

Luis closed the door behind her. "Do you want to hang?"

"What difference does it make? The King will hang me as soon as we get to France. The only reason he doesn't do it now is that my crew would throw him overboard."

Luis shook her head. "No, Louis won't hang you, but he might turn you over to Spain. Ever heard of the Inquisition?"

"Yeah, it made Cromwell look like a bloody school boy. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Faith, tell me what happened. I am the only one on this ship who can keep you from hanging or worse."

"Why should you care?"

"You know I am Princess Marie Therese of Spain. It is my country that wants you and DeMolay. The fact that you helped DeMolay meet his demise weighs in your favor."

Faith moved over so Luis could sit down. "Alright, I will tell you…under one condition."

Luis frowned. "And that is?"

"I am the captain of the Dulaman and what happens on this ship is my responsibility and mine alone. You will take no action against anyone in my crew."

Luis nodded. "Agreed."

"DeMolay met Fuiseog while we were in port and he promised to pay a hefty sum for passage to England. She was only seventeen and naïve, and the crew was low on funds. When she agreed, she brought him to the ship but he used the name of Lighthorse. We were just short of Brest when the scum tried to seduce Fuiseog…well, more like tried to take her by force. She fought back and he damn near killed her. He managed to get away by diving overboard in the fog. I thought he had drowned until I saw his body in England. Geoffrey told me a bit about DeMolay, and I learned from Cian’s letter what he’d done in Spain. If I had known about all that then, I would have thrown the money in his face and hung him from the yardarm by his cajones."

Luis looked Faith in the eye. "I want to hear what Cian and Geoffrey think of your story. Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"On deck to find Cian first." The two women came on deck and stopped at the steps of the poop deck. They saw Cian and William talking to Fuiseog.

****************

Barely two hours after leaving Faith’s cabin, Fuiseog woke up. Still upset and a little hung over, she staggered up to the main deck. Cian and William stood on the Poop deck as she walked up the steps. William saw the look on the girl's face and turned to her husband. "This does not look good. Be careful."

Before he could respond, the girl launched into him. "Thanum o'n Dhoul."

"Pog Mo Thóin, Fuiesog. What's got your knickers in a bunch?"

"You have taken control of the Dulaman."

She swung at him, and he quickly stepped back to avoid the blow, putting his hands up. "Whoa. Calm down. I did no such thing. Faith asked me to stay on board until she healed from her injury. I want to get back to Musketeer duty."

She looked at him, having expected a different response. "Did your grandfather really sail with O'Malley?"

Cian nodded. "Yes and both Meallá and I served under him for awhile. Why?"


"Faith said you had more experience than I did, which is why you are in charge instead of me."

"Look, I did not ask to continue as captain, but I do have more experience. You are a good First Mate, but you have a lot to learn. Faith knows that. If she didn't have a bullet hole in her, she would be in charge. Besides, there is a little matter of DeMolay."

"What do you think will happen to her, now that she is under arrest?"

"She is not under arrest. The King asked her to stick around. Besides, this is still her ship and the Spanish Government are the ones after her."

"But she didn't do anything wrong." She swallowed hard and lowered her voice. "It is all my fault. I brought him on board, not Faith."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I only wanted to help the crew. We were short of money and I met this man Lighthorse while we were in port. He said he wanted to get to England and offered more money that we had seen in ages. I agreed and brought him back to the Dulaman. Everything was fine until one night he came to my cabin and tried to—" She gulped. "He grabbed me and hit me, then tied and gagged me and started to chant. I don't know what he was saying, but I felt strange. Suddenly, the door was kicked open and Faith charged in. Lighthorse took off and I heard he dove over the side somewhere near France. We would have gone after him, but the fog was real thick. Later we found out the man's name was DeMolay and Spain wanted him for unspeakable crimes."

Cian shook his head. “Sounds like a strange story. Why should we believe you?"

“Because I believe her.” Cian turned to the sound of the voice and saw Luis and Faith. “I heard the same story from Faith. We were getting a bit of fresh air before we went to see Geoffrey and then you, but this will have to suffice.”

Cian looked at Faith. “This is just some scheme to lay blame on someone else.”

Luis shook her head. “Au Contraire. Faith has taken full responsibility as captain of this ship and is prepared to hang. Does that sound like someone placing blame?”

William touched her husband’s arm. “I think she is right. Why else would she take full blame if it weren’t true?”

“Because Faith appears to be a responsible captain.”

Cian looked to the stairs to see a lady standing in the shadows alongside a male figure. “Your Highness, I did not realize that you were there.”

“I asked Gaston to accompany me above decks for some air. We overheard everything.”

“Mother!” They all looked up to see Louis in the shrouds of the Mizzen mast.

“Don’t ‘Mother’ me in front of our hosts. We will discuss this privately. I, for one, believe Faith and Fuiseog, and I expect you to do something.”

Louis dropped to the deck and straightened his clothes. “That was fun…oh, yes….” He turned to Luis. “Marie Therese, Princess of Spain, I find that the charges against these two ladies are not conclusive and I will not turn them over to the Spanish Government." He folded in arms in defiance.

The Princess walked up to him. "Fine, I will be sending a letter to my Father and notifying him that…." She paused. "That I have investigated the charges and find them to be false. They are free to go."

Louis nodded. "Captain Porter, Fuiseog….As King of France, and with the concurrence of the Princess of Spain, all charges have been dropped. You are free to go."

Faith hugged Luis and then hesitated. "First Mate, trim the sails. We are headed to Barbados."

Louis's face turned pale. "Couldn’t you wait until you drop us off in France?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." She winked at him. "Fuiseog has never been to Barbados, so we might end up in the Greece." She laughed as the King finally got the joke.

Louis laughed. "Good one. Now what about Captain Greyhawk?"

Chapter 47

Below deck, Geoffrey sat in a chair next to the bed that was occupied by Jacqueline. He knew that if she had a concussion, she should not sleep, but the woman had not regained consciousness since she had hit her head. Geoffrey glanced at the sleeping form of his guard sprawled out on the floor and chuckled. "Some guard…but then again, where would I go except overboard?” He sighed. “Maybe I should just take a leap and join Duval and Porthos."

"It's not your fault," grumbled D'Artagnan. "Now will you shut up and let me sleep?"

"Thought you were supposed to guard me."

"I think that was to protect you as long as Jacqueline is in danger. I know you won't leave her side."

“You’re right…I won’t.” His gaze drifted back to the woman in question, and he gently ran his thumb across the back of her hand. After a moment, he turned back to D’Artagnan. “Look, maybe you should go back to your cabin and get some sleep there. I’ll be fine, really.”

D’Artagnan sat up, giving his comrade a questioning look. “I don’t know…the King’s orders were pretty clear….”

“Send another guard if you must, but it seems to me that you could really use the rest.”

“I could say the same thing about you, Geoffrey. When was the last time you had a decent night’s sleep?”

Geoffrey shrugged. “I’ll sleep when I know that Jacqueline will be okay.”

D’Artagnan was about to comment, but quickly thought better of it. “Fine. I’ll go, but only if you promise to stay in here.”

“I already told you, I’m not going anywhere.”

The legend’s son nodded. “Good,” he said, standing up. “I’ll see you in the morning.” With that, D’Artagnan turned and exited the room, leaving Geoffrey alone with his wife.

As D’Artagnan made his way out of the cabin, Miette and Will made a dash from under the bed and got through the door before the Musketeer had a chance to stop them. He caught sight of them as they raced down the hallway and down the gangway towards the Orlop deck with Will in the lead. The Musketeer barely made it to his cabin and onto the bed before he was fast asleep.

Fifteen minutes later, Ramon came out of his cabin and heard snoring coming from within so he closed the door. “I think I had better head to the galley before the cook stirs. These cravings of Nikki’s will be the death of me yet.” He crept down the gangway, unaware that two predators prowled the darkened deck. Grabbing a lantern, he headed for the galley. Just as he walked by the store rooms, he heard a noise and saw a huge rat race out of the room, down the hallway, and right into the jaws of Miette.

Will strolled out of the room, also with a rat in his teeth. The ocelot looked at Ramon and turned away from him. “I just lost my appetite. Glad it’s Nikki who is hungry.” He carefully moved around Miette and went into the galley, searching for anything. After a brief search, he found a smoked ham and sliced off a few pieces. Then he noticed the blood pudding that Nikki was craving. “Well, she wanted boudin, which is French. I guess it is the same on this ship.” Tucking them in some oil paper, he left the galley to take his booty back to his wife. The cats appeared from out of nowhere and followed him.

A short time after D’Artagnan left, there was a knock at the door. Geoffrey turned in time to see Ana let herself into the room. “Are you alright?” she asked, gently laying a hand on his shoulder.

He shook his head. “I’d be better if she was awake. Then I could find out just how badly the blow to the head has affected her. You have no idea just how hard it is…sitting here, unable to do anything to help.”

“I understand better than you think, young man. There have been a number of times when I’ve had people come to me for help, and I could do nothing for them except to maybe ease their pain. It’s not easy.”

“So what do I do?”

“Perhaps it would be best if you went and got some sleep yourself. There’s nothing you can do for her at the moment, and you’ll be no good to her when she wakes up if you drop from exhaustion.”

“But I promised D’Artagnan I’d stay here. The King doesn’t exactly want me wandering about at the moment.”

Ana nodded. “You let me worry about them. D’Artagnan’s already learned his lesson about arguing with me, and I’m sure I can persuade His Majesty to be reasonable.”

“But—”

She held up a hand. “Don’t argue with me, young man. It’s obvious you need sleep. So I would strongly suggest you head to your cabin right now and rest. Or do I have to carry you there?”

Geoffrey snorted, certain she had to be bluffing. “No offense, but I doubt you could even pick me up, let alone carry me.”

“Don’t be so sure. I’m a lot stronger than I look.” Ana glared, and, after a moment, Geoffrey finally relented.

“Okay, okay…I get the point. I’m going.” Standing up, he backed away from Ana until he reached the door, then turned and went through it. However, once he was out of the room he realized that Faith hadn’t actually assigned him a cabin yet, given the situation with Jacqueline. Shaking his head, Geoffrey decided to just find one on his own. Faith’s ship wasn’t that dissimilar to the Rose, so he doubted it would be too difficult. He made his way towards where he knew the cabins would be, only to come to an abrupt halt when he saw a group of his former crewmen standing in the corridor. They caught sight of him almost immediately, and he soon found himself surrounded.

“What’s the matter?” Joshua demanded. “You lost? I could’ve sworn His Majesty ordered you to stay in sickbay with your wife. Tired of her already, are you?”

Geoffrey growled, clenching his fists by his side while forcing himself not to respond to Joshua’s taunting. “There’s not much I can do for her at the moment, so I was just looking for a cabin where I can get some sleep.”

“A cabin, eh? Well, why didn’t you say so? It just so happens we’ve got one all ready for you.” Before Geoffrey could even begin to wonder what he meant by that, several of the other men grabbed hold of his arms and practically dragged him down the corridor to an empty cabin. It was one of the smaller ones, and only contained the bare necessities. Glancing around, Geoffrey saw a bed on one side and, much to his shock, a length of chain attached to one end of that bed. He immediately began struggling against his captors, but to no avail. They forced him into the cabin, snapping a set of manacles on his wrists before shoving him onto the bed and locking the other end of that chain onto his right ankle. Once they were satisfied that he was secure, the men turned and left the room. “Pleasant dreams, traitor,” Joshua sneered before following after the others, locking the door and leaving Geoffrey alone.

With no one watching him, the young pirate took a few moments to examine the chains, hoping to find some way to free himself. No such luck. They’d used the kind where the key worked like a screw, which were damn near impossible to pick…at least not by any means he was aware of. Geoffrey sighed, dropping his head into his hands. ‘Why am I even bothering? This is probably the least of what I deserve. If it weren’t for that stupid engine, Uncle Porthos and Captain Duval would still be alive. Why doesn’t the King just hang me again and get it over with?’

****************

As Ramon came up the galleyway, he heard Joshua and some cronies laughing at how they had captured the traitor and hidden him. “No one will ever find him on this ship,” one of them bragged. Forgetting about Nikki, the Spaniard went to the main deck and found Faith in conversation with Cian, Luis, William and Fuiseog.

“Faith, you need to get control of your crew. Some of them have taken Geoffrey and hidden him where he can’t be found.”

Faith spun around. “Who of my crew?”

“Some cabrón named Joshua.”

“He’s not my crew, he was on the Rose.” She growled, grabbing Ramon’s shoulder with her good hand. “Lead me to him. He will tell me where G is, or I will slice off a body part or two.”

Louis stepped forward. “Someone has taken Captain Greyhawk? We must rescue him. I won’t stand for this vigilante justice of theirs.”

“My turn first, Your Highness. This is my ship.” She walked rapidly towards the gangway. The two cats looked at each other and bounded after her, ahead of the humans. Storming down the gangway, with Ramon, Cian, and William following, Faith found the rescued sailors lounging on the Orlop deck drinking grog. “Who told you that you could get into my supply of rum and, more importantly, where is Captain Greyhawk?”

Joshua sneered. “Don’t get high and mighty with us. Your cousin was walking around looking for a place to sleep, so we showed him where.” He looked at his mates. “What are you going to do about it, Missy?”

He barely got the words out before he found himself slammed against a bulkhead, pinned by a one-armed girl. Joshua could only move his eyes to look down on the woman. Tears came to them as he felt pain in both legs. “I ain’t gonna tell ya. You can’t kill me. I don’t belong to your crew.”

“Is that right?” She stepped back and released him. “Will, Miette…attack!” The man screamed as claws slashed at his legs and crotch. “Alright, alright! I’ll tell ya! Get these demons off me!”

Faith whistled. “Will, Miette…down.” The cats looked at her before sitting down at her feet while they licked their bloody claws. “You had better come out with it, now, and he’d better be in good health. These cats belong to him and his wife. They don’t take kindly to having their people abused.” Narrowing her eyes, she leaned in so her face was only inches from his and latched onto his collar with her good hand. “Now…where is my cousin?”

“He’s in a cabin somewhere…I-I don’t remember exactly where. It was dark.”

She looked at Will and Miette. “Find Geoffrey.” The kittens immediately took off running down the corridor. Faith hauled Joshua back to his feet and followed them, dragging her captive behind her. His men attempted to intervene, but one angry glare from the female captain halted them in their tracks. She glanced over at Cian and William. “Get this lot down to the bilge. They can join Francois. Ramon, come with me.” Faith shoved Joshua into the Spaniard’s arms before racing after the kittens. Ramon was a few steps behind her, holding onto the struggling crewman with both hands.

It wasn’t long before the kittens located their quarry. Miette started pawing at the door, crying, while Will paced back and forth in front of it, waiting for the humans to show up. As soon as he spotted Faith, the male kitten raced up and started pawing at her legs. She gently shooed him away before turning her attention to his sister. “Good work, you two. Alright, scumbag,” Faith growled, grabbing Joshua back from Ramon. “Unlock this door…now!” Nodding quickly, the crewman did as ordered, fumbling for only a moment with the key before getting it into the lock and opening the door.

Peering into the room, Faith was shocked to see her cousin sitting on the bed in chains. She whirled on Joshua. “Get them off of him!”

“Faith…” Geoffrey called out.

She shook her head, continuing to glare at Joshua. “Not now, G.”

“Faith,” he repeated, more insistently. “Leave it.”

Faith turned around, giving her cousin a confused look. “What?”

“You heard me. I said leave it.” The expression on Geoffrey’s face was enough to tell her that he was serious. Rolling her eyes, she searched Joshua’s clothing until she found the key to the manacles, then pushed him back to Ramon.

“Take this filth to the bilge with the others.” Nodding, the Spaniard hauled his prisoner away with both kittens following behind, leaving Faith alone with her cousin. Once she was sure they were all gone, she closed the door to the room before turning to glare at him. “Always have to play the bloody martyr, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Faith.”

“Bullshit,” she growled, pacing for a moment before sitting next to him on the bed. “You’ve been like this for as long as I can remember. Every time you make a mistake, you act like it’s the end of the bloody world…like you deserve to be punished, even if you weren’t really at fault.”

Geoffrey shook his head. “This wasn’t a ‘mistake.’ People are dead because of my invention…good people. One of them my own uncle. Frankly, I’m surprised Louis has allowed me to live this long.”

Faith slammed her good hand against the nearby wall, making her cousin jump. “Damn it, G! When will you get it through your thick skull that this wasn’t your fault?”

“Faith….”

“No! Listen to me, Geoffrey.” His eyes went wide at the use of his full name, but he simply nodded, knowing it was better to just keep his mouth shut for the moment. “This may come as a shock to you, but the sea ain’t exactly like your lab. Out here, shit happens.”

Geoffrey snorted. “Real tactful, Faith. That’ll be a great comfort to Captain Duval’s family. I’m sure Mimou and Andre will be ever so grateful to know that they lost their favorite uncle because, as you so eloquently put it, ‘shit happens.’”

“You know what I mean, G.”

“Do I?”

“Look, you can’t control everything that happens when you’re out at sea, and you sure as hell can’t predict everything. You’re just a man, G, not a flamin’ god.”

He sighed. “I’m the captain, Faith…at least, I was. As captain, it’s my job to look out for the best interests of my crew, not use the ship as my own personal experiment. I lost sight of that because of the damned engine, and now people are dead. Lafette’s attack isn’t the issue here. That engine left the ship more vulnerable than it would’ve been otherwise. I failed as captain, and being locked up in here is probably the least of what I deserve. So please…just leave this alone, Faith.”

Shaking her head, Faith shot up from the bed. “You stubborn jackass.”

“It’s my decision.”

“Fine. You want to stay in here, chained up like a bloody animal, be my guest. Just don’t come crying to me when you finally realize how stupid this is.” Growling, Faith stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Chapter 48

Shortly after Geoffrey left sickbay, Jacqueline finally began to stir. She sat up, putting a hand to her throbbing head. “Ugh…what hit me?” Slowly opening her eyes, Jacqueline glanced around to find herself not alone. However, the company was not exactly what she’d expected. “Ana?”

The older woman smiled. “You remember me?”

“Sort of…everything is still kind of fuzzy, but I think some things are starting to come back to me. I suppose getting hit on the head was a good thing…this time, anyway.” Still rubbing her head, she stared at Ana for a moment. “You’re a midwife, right?”

“Among other things.”

Jacqueline nodded. “Where are we, anyway? Last I remember was being up on that cliff.”

“We’re on Captain Porter’s ship, the Dulaman.”

“Captain Porter…Geoffrey’s cousin?”

“That’s right.”

“So she’s not in trouble, then?”

Ana shook her head. “She’s not, but I’m afraid I cannot say the same of Geoffrey.”

“Oh no…” Jacqueline gasped. “But it wasn’t his fault.”

“That is for the King to decide. In the meantime, we’re headed back to France.”

The female Musketeer sighed. “I see….Where is he? Geoffrey, I mean.”

“I sent him to go get some sleep. He looks like he hasn’t had any in quite some time. Technically speaking, though, Geoffrey is under arrest until this whole mess is straightened out.”

As Ana spoke, the two of them heard scratching noises at the door. The older woman opened it, and a pair of kittens came bounding into the room, leaping into bed with Jacqueline and snuggling up against her. Though a bit startled at first, she couldn’t help but smile at their antics and soon found herself stroking the female, who was a bit more demanding of her attentions than the male. She wasn’t sure how she knew that the unfamiliar one of the pair was male, she just did. Another memory trying to resurface, she supposed.

“Are you alright?” Ana asked, gently laying a hand on her arm.

Jacqueline nodded. “I-I think I remember finding these two,” she said, indicating the kittens. “It was late at night, I heard a strange noise, and Geoffrey and I discovered them in the cellar of the cottage. I’m not sure why Geoffrey was in the same house as I at that hour, but….”

“Go on….”

“You’ll probably think I’m being silly.”

Ana’s eyebrow shot up. “I can see things that haven’t happened yet. There’s not much you can say that would shock me.”

She sighed. “It’s just….I feel…connected…to Geoffrey somehow. I can’t explain how or why. But ever since ‘meeting’ him in England, I can scarcely imagine him not being there. It’s almost like he’s part of me. Silly, I know, but I can’t help it.”

“It’s not that farfetched, Jacqueline. I believe that you and Geoffrey are what my people—the Romany—call ‘corthu.’ It’s a term that means ‘one being’ or ‘joined.’ What you might call ‘soul mates.’

“Soul mates?”

Ana nodded. “It would certainly explain the connection you say you feel. The two of you were destined to be together, it seems, and even your current situation cannot change that.”

Jacqueline fell silent, her mind awhirl as things started to fall into place. Ana’s soul mate theory, Geoffrey’s earlier words about her marriage….She glanced up, meeting Ana’s eyes.

“Geoffrey…he’s my husband, isn’t he?”

“You remember?”

“Not exactly, but it fits with everything else I’ve been told. I’d just like to know why he lied to me about it.”

“Well, what has he said to you on the matter?”

Jacqueline ran a hand through her hair, wincing slightly when she accidentally brushed against the bump from where she’d been hit. “He said that it wouldn’t really be fair to either me or my husband if I went back to him simply because I felt obligated to fulfill my part of the vows.”

The gypsy smiled, gently laying her hand over the younger woman’s. “In other words, he wanted things between you to be real.”

She shrugged. “I suppose….”

“Well, how do you feel? Now that you know, I mean. Will you go back to him because of vows you no longer remember, or do you really feel something for him?”

“I-I don’t know. I think I feel something for him, but I’m not completely sure it’s love…not yet. I’ll need to talk to him.” She sighed, glancing around the room once more. “Where is he? If he really cared for me, he’d be here…wouldn’t he?”

“Like I said, Jacqueline, I sent him off to get some sleep. The lad looked as if he were about to drop. He’d been in here since you were brought on board, and that was hours ago.” As she spoke, the kittens suddenly leapt from the bed and headed to the door. They paused, glancing back towards the humans.

“MRAOW!”

Jacqueline laughed. “Do you think they understood us?”

“Don’t be so surprised. They’re quite intelligent.” She paused, meeting Miette’s eyes. “I think they want you to follow them.”

“What for?”

“Only one way to find out.” Not waiting for a response, Ana gently pulled Jacqueline to her feet and nudged her towards the door. “Go on, then. The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll find Geoffrey. I’m sure of it.” ‘And the sooner you’ll have your answers,’ she added silently. Nodding, Jacqueline opened the door and the kittens immediately raced down the corridor, leaving her little choice but to follow.

****************

D’Artagnan’s nap was interrupted by something blowing in his ear. After a few swats at the annoying mosquito, he opened his eyes and found himself looking down the low cut bodice of a very well-endowed female. He looked up to see who it was. “Violete, what the hell are you doing?”

Vigilanti grinned. “Bringing you back to reality.” Her grin faded. “Look, I know you have always been smitten by Jacqueline. Yes, she is married, but from what I hear she doesn’t know who her husband is. What will you do if she doesn’t regain her memory?”

He looked her in the eyes. “If Geoffrey doesn’t tell her, I will.”

She climbed on the bed and straddled him. “And if she doesn’t want to be married to him, what will you do?”

“With our history, you want to know if I will pursue her. Well, there was a time that I would have said yes, but that was before I met you. Don’t get me wrong, I do love her…but not in that way. We have fought each other and fought side by side as comrades.” He paused. “The woman I want is a woman known as Vigilanti.”

She grinned. “Good choice, D’Artagnan. She leaned down and kissed him.

****************

Following after the kittens, Jacqueline soon found herself almost running headlong into Faith, who had just stormed out of one of the cabins. “Watch where you’re…J?”

Jacqueline’s eyebrow shot up. “You’re not using my proper name anymore?”

“Don’t sound so bloody offended,” Faith chuckled. “I give you a nickname, it means I like ya.” She grinned, and Jacqueline rolled her eyes. “Anyway, it’s good ta see ya up an’ about. G was really startin’ ta get worried.”

“Just him?”

“Okay, so maybe I was too. We all were.”

“Well, I’m feeling much better now. Even starting to remember a few things.”

Faith nodded. “That’s good. So what are you doing wandering around?”

“Looking for Geoffrey. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

“Yeah, as a matter of fact I do.” Faith scowled. “Some of his former crewmen decided it would be a good idea to chain him up in that cabin. And if that wasn’t bad enough, my idiot cousin has gotten it into his head that he actually deserves it. I tried to convince him otherwise, but he won’t bloody listen to me. Here,” she said, thrusting something into Jacqueline’s hand. “Maybe you’ll have better luck. I’ll be in my cabin.” With that, Faith stalked off down the corridor, leaving Jacqueline alone.

Opening her hand, the female Musketeer saw that Faith had given her some sort of key. With a shrug, she stuck the key in her pocket and went into the cabin the captain had indicated, the kittens following behind her. They tried to rush in, but she gestured for them to stay and, to her surprise, they obeyed. She saw Geoffrey sitting on the bed, manacles hanging from his wrists and a chain tethering his ankle to it. He was slumped over, elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging down. “Go away,” he muttered, not even bothering to look up at the person who’d entered.

Quietly shooing the kittens away, Jacqueline went the rest of the way into the room and closed the door. “Geoffrey?” she asked softly.

On hearing her voice, Geoffrey shot to his feet. “Jacqueline?” He rushed over to meet her, only to be stopped short by the chain tethering him to the bed. She moved to meet him instead, gently brushing aside the stray hair that was hanging in his face. “You’re awake.”

“Obviously,” she chuckled. “And some of my memories are starting to return.”

“That’s wonderful. So…what memories came back? Anything special?”

Jacqueline smiled. “The night we found the kids comes to mind.”

He stared at her for a moment. “The kids?”

She laughed. “I thought I was supposed to be the one with amnesia. Will and Miette? Four legs, fur, spots…ring any bells?”

“Oh yeah….” He shook his head. “Sorry. I just got so used to hearing you refer to Miette as a kitten that it threw me. So does this mean you remember…?”

“That you’re my husband?” Geoffrey nodded. “Well, not exactly. I kind of figured it out, with a little help from Ana.”

He groaned. “That woman…doesn’t she know how to mind her own bloody business?”

“Be nice,” she admonished. “I already had my suspicions from that memory—why else would we both have been in the same house that late at night—and Ana merely helped to confirm them.”

“Wait…what do you mean she helped confirm them? Helped how?”

“Sit down,” Jacqueline said, gently guiding him back to the bed and pushing him onto it. Once he was seated, she joined him. “This may sound kind of silly, but Ana has this theory that we are…well, I forget the word she used—some gypsy word or other—but basically, she thinks we’re ‘soul mates.’”

Geoffrey’s eyebrow shot up. “Soul mates?”

She shrugged. “If you believe in that sort of thing. Do you?”

“I-I don’t know. Not very scientific, is it?”

Jacqueline scowled. “Not everything can be explained by science, you know.”

“I know,” he sighed. “Where would she get an idea like that, anyway?”

“Because I told her that I feel connected to you somehow…which, by the way, is true. I never mentioned it before now because I wasn’t sure you’d believe me. My memories of our time together are still rather fuzzy, and yet I still feel as if I’ve known you forever…almost as if you’re a part of me.” She smiled, brushing her fingers across his cheek. “A bit clichéd, perhaps, but it’s the God’s-honest truth. And Ana’s theory is the only one I’ve heard so far that makes any sense. I mean, how could I feel so strongly about someone I barely remember knowing if there wasn’t a divine hand behind it?”

Geoffrey shrugged. “Perhaps your unconscious mind still retains those memories, and it’s only your conscious mind that’s blocking them out. Sorry, but I can’t believe that love is merely the result of some omnipotent puppet-master yanking us mere mortals around by the proverbial strings.”

“So you don’t believe in soul mates, then?”

“I didn’t say that, exactly. I just think it’s a bit more complicated than just some sort of divine intervention, that’s all.”

“Do you think Ana is right?”

“Do you?”

“Like I said, it makes sense. The way I feel about you….”

“And what way is that?” he asked, somewhat hopeful.

“I….” Try as she might, Jacqueline just couldn’t find the words to describe it. Finally, she leaned towards Geoffrey, surprising both him and herself by kissing him on the lips. He was a bit shocked at first, but he went with it. Soon, what started out as a fairly chaste kiss grew intense and passionate. And for Jacqueline, it was enough to dispel any lingering doubts she might have had about her feelings. Their alleged marriage aside, she knew he was the one she wanted to be with.

As the kiss continued, flashes of others they’d shared went through her mind—including the stolen one in Tortuga and the rather infamous public one that had taken place after he’d received his Royal pardon. And more memories followed those. His proposal, the wedding, the wedding night….The time between 1651 and that day in Tortuga was still mostly a blank, but everything about her relationship with Geoffrey was now clear as a bell.

They finally parted, Geoffrey looking rather pleasantly stunned. “That was…wow….”

She smiled. “You have no idea….” They stared at each other for a moment, then she sighed. “I’m sorry.”

His own smile faded a bit. “What for?”

“For treating you the way I did before you left for Le Havre. I should never have kicked you out like that. You were only trying to protect me. Maybe if I’d acted a bit more rationally, that bastard DeMolay would never have gotten the chance to do what he did.”

Geoffrey looked at her quizzically as her words sank in. “You remember that?”

She nodded. “I remember everything now…everything about us, anyway. I still have no idea what happened between being on the farm with Father and Gerard and kissing you in Tortuga, but I know who you are now. And I think I love you even more. You didn’t have to come after me after the way I treated you, but you did. And you could’ve taken advantage of my memory loss, but you didn’t. You were willing to give me up to make sure I was happy. I’ve never known anyone nobler.”

He shook his head. “If I was so bloody noble, I’d never have left in the first place. It’s me who should be sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jacqueline said, running a hand through his hair. “That’s all in the past now. What matters is that we’re here together.”

Geoffrey chuckled. “No offense, but you sound like you’ve been reading too many bad comedies.”

“You know what I mean,” she laughed.

“Yeah. So what happens now?”

Her grin grew wider. “What do you think?” A devilish gleam in her eyes, Jacqueline kissed him again, gently pushing him down onto the bed as she did. Shifting position so that she was straddling his hips, she slyly grabbed hold of the manacles still hanging from his wrists and, breaking the kiss, moved them over his head and managed to hook the chain onto the bed frame.

“Hey…” Geoffrey half-heartedly protested. “No fair.”

She shrugged. “Pirate.”

“Isn’t that my line?”

“Not today.”

“Touché….You do have the key to these things, don’t you?”

“Why? Faith told me you weren’t interested.”

“Well, under the circumstances, I’m willing to reconsider.”

Jacqueline laughed. “You’ll just have to find it then, won’t you?” She leaned down to kiss him, and soon the reunited lovers were lost in their own private world.

****************

The couple was so focused on each other that neither of them noticed a smiling Ana easing the door shut. As always, the cards had been right—nudging the couple back together was the key to restoring Jacqueline’s memories. The ritual DeMolay had attempted to use required the subject to be completely isolated…cut off from all worldly connections. But he obviously hadn’t counted on how deep the Greyhawks’ bond really ran. The two were true soul mates, connected on every possible level—physical, spiritual, emotional….He’d managed to sever some of that, which is why the ritual seemed to have taken hold. However, it couldn’t last because she still felt connected to Geoffrey on at least one level, even if she couldn’t explain why. And by re-establishing their physical connection, she broke down the last of the mental barriers that the ritual had created, and now it would only be a matter of time before her memory came back in full. ‘Never underestimate the power of true love,’ Ana mused as she returned to her cabin, the kittens following close behind, since they’d been effectively banished from the one that belonged to their humans.

Chapter 49

Ramon shoved the last of the bilge rats into their new home. "Enjoy,” he growled. “And be happy that you’re not hanging from the yardarm for mutiny."

Joshua spat. "You don't know who you are holding. Porter has no right—”

Ramon frowned. "No right? I may not be a sailor, but I do know that a ship’s captain is the master of their ship. This is her ship and is not owned or beholding to any country. Even the King of France must do what she says as he has no jurisdiction."

The mutineer glared. "They’re all bloody pirates. If Porthos were here...."

"Well he isn't here, and it’s a good thing he isn't. Porthos was a pirate before he became a Musketeer. If he were here, guess where you would be. And before you say another word, remember that Greyhawk is mi amigo y mi compadré. You didn't complain when he was paying you…and paying you rather well, from what I understand."

"But he..."

"He did nothing wrong. The engine was sound and the only reason that it exploded was that the ship was under attack, isn't that so?"

Some of the fire left Joshua. "Well, that maybe true, but…."

"But nothing. Was there any trouble before you were fired upon?"

"No."

Ramon nodded. "Good, now we are getting somewhere. Now, where were Capitan Duval and Porthos during the fight?"

"Manning the gun crews."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Most dangerous place when you are hull to hull."

"Did Greyhawk order them to man the guns?"

"Technically…no. He asked them, and they agreed."

Ramon shook his head. "Do you know what your mission was?"

"We were to rescue the Princess and then Greyhawk's wife."

"Do you know who kidnapped them?"

"I think it was DeMolay, the one Porter got out of Spain."

Ramon sighed. "Whose ship was it that fired on you?"

"Captain Lafette."

"You mean the same Lafette that attacked you before? And yet, you still maintain that Greyhawk is to blame. Joshua, tu es un idiota. I personally think you should be fed to the sharks." He turned and left the bilge, shaking his head as he walked away. Suddenly, he realized that he hadn't seen his other comrade, D'Artagnan. “That man could sleep through anything.” Walking down the hallway to the cabins, he opened the other Musketeer's door and froze. The naked back of a woman faced him. He backed out of the cabin and quietly closed the door. Feeling his face growing warm, he raced back to his own cabin and rushed in.

Nikki stared at him. "Ramon, where have you been? What has happened?" The Spaniard sat down and shivered. He sighed as Nikki walked over to him. Looking at his wife, he took her into his arms and kissed her as he carried her to the bed. "Ramon!" She giggled as she removed his shirt.

An hour later, Ramon's soft snoring disturbed Nikki. What was worse, her cravings had come back, since her husband had neglected to bring back the food she’d asked for. A swift elbow to his side brought the lanky Spaniard awake and alert. "What?"

"You were snoring. Now, where is the food?"

"It's in my jacket." He looked around. "I must have dropped it on the way back from D'Artagnan's cabin." He slipped out of bed and pulled on his pants and boots. As he opened the door, his jacket a seemed to float into the room. Frowning, he picked up the coat to find two kittens underneath, one with a hunk of ham in its mouth and the other some boudin.

Nikki laughed. "Well…get it from them."

Ramon shook his head. "No way, I would lose a hand. Besides, you don't know what else they have been eating, and I do."

"Then you’ll just have to go get some more. Try not to get distracted this time." She watched him as he crept out the door. Before he could get it closed, Will and Miette were right behind him, tails in the air and heads up.

As he snuck back into the galley and sliced off more ham and some boudin, he looked at the kittens who sat patiently waiting for more food. “Forget it, you already had yours. Now scat. This is for Nikki.” Heading back for the cabin and his wife, he noticed a figure climbing the gangway. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that was Luis, but in a dress. And if it is, I don’t think His Majesty will be getting much sleep tonight.”

****************

Luis paced back and forth in her cabin, thinking about all that had happened in the last few months. Her ire reached a boiling point. Pulling on her jacket, she stormed out of the cabin and headed for The Queen’s, only to run into Faith.

The captain of the Dulaman stopped. “Whoa, slow down. I don’t know if you are racing around my ship as Luis the Musketeer-sailor or the Princess of Spain. What put a bee in your bonnet?”

“I don’t know who I am; I just know that I need to talk to the King.”

Faith nodded. “Then I think you need to do it as Princess Marie Therese. I know you don’t have any dresses with you, so come with me. There should be some items below that you can use.” Faith grabbed a lantern and led her down two decks to a storage room. Shining the lantern around, she found the chest she was looking for, then set the lantern down so she’d have a free hand to open it with. When she lifted the lid, the Princess gasped. “These are exquisite. Where did you acquire them? No…wait…I don’t think I want to know.”

“Don’t worry, they didn’t come from Spanish ships…at least not when I got them. Come…we can’t go anything with your hair, but there is a wig in the trunk that should suffice.”

“Faith, you are an amazing woman. This dress and wig will do fine. I just wish I had some jewelry to go with it.”

Faith smiled. “Try the other chest. The small one. Lord knows I’ll never use them.”

Marie opened the chest and found a box about a foot long. Her eyes shone when she opened it to see jewels fit for a high-born lady. “You know Faith, you have been holding out on me. Cian loaned me a simple dress once before, but I had to pick one out of an armoire and this outdoes that one by a long shot.” Twenty minutes later, the Princess looked the way a princess should look, except for the knee high Musketeer boots underneath and the Musketeer pants. The two women headed up the gangways to a point where Marie would go alone. As Faith started back to her cabin, she saw Ramon with the kittens following him. “Watch it friend, you may lose your eye sight and tongue if you mention what you just didn’t see.”

Ramon shook his head. “If I don’t get some food back to my wife, I will be dead by morning anyway.” He looked at the kittens sitting attentively. “You two go away, you already ate.”

“MROW!”

Louis sat on his bed, contemplating the events of the last few days. Two of his Musketeers were missing and presumed dead. His Privateer was under arrest under charges of dereliction of duty, and the captain of the ship he was on had been wanted by the country of the woman he was supposed to marry. He looked at the ceiling. "Why me?" He jumped as the door of his cabin flew open and a noble woman marched in. "M-M-Marie, is that really you?"

"It is. You and I are going to have a little talk, with no interruptions and no distractions."

He pulled the bed covers up to his neck. "I am the King! How dare you speak to me like that?"

"I am the daughter of the man who will order his soldiers to march into Paris."

Louis stared at Marie. "What do you want to talk about?"

"For one thing, there will be no other women flaunted in front of me."

"But I am King…all Kings have mistresses."

"You take a mistress, then I will take a lover and you will have no legitimate children from me. Capice?"

Louis gulped. "I-Is that all?"

Marie smiled. "In your dreams. You will pardon both Geoffrey and Faith. One of the reasons that Geoffrey sailed the Rose was to rescue that Mancini woman. Then, and only then, did he look for his wife. Faith just happened along and loaned Geoffrey her ship."

He nodded. "Agreed, but there is nothing to pardon them for as they did not do anything wrong."

"Then give them your official blessing in public."

Louis nodded. "Anything else?"

She turned and locked the door. "Take off your clothes." She grinned at the look on his face as she blew out the lantern.

"Wait…there is one thing that I have to consider, Marie. Did Geoffrey lie about how safe that engine was?"

Marie sighed. "Louis, let me just ease your mind. Would he have risked his wife's life for an engine? Remember, the engine blew up because cannonball slammed into his ship. Maybe there is something that he could do on a second ship that would safeguard the engine. Now…shut up and turn around." As Louis turned around, he felt himself being pushed forward, his face into the pillow and a knee in his back. His hands were quickly tied behind him and, as his face came off of the pillow, a gag was forced into his mouth. He listened as she whispered into his ear. “You would be wise to never take another mistress while I am alive.” She patted him on the head and smiled as she left the cabin.

****************

Ramon headed back to his cabin with his requisitioned food while the kittens stalked him. Seeing the cook headed down the gangway, he went down the hallway to another gangway that led him past the King’s quarters. He stopped and listened until he realized that the noises coming from within had the sound of lovemaking. He picked up speed to get to his cabin, then looked behind him to see the kittens sitting at the King’s door with their heads cocked to one side and then the other before they followed their meal ticket. Ramon barely got into his cabin before the kittens’ forward momentum was impeded by a closed door. They sat at the door for some time until Miette's ears twitched. In an instant, both kittens went into their hunting mode and followed the soft sound of claws as a large rodent raced down the length of the ship. It reached a gangway and headed into the bowels of the ship, unaware that only one hunter was following, as the other had taken another path and was waiting in the dark.

****************

Louis could not believe what had happened. He tried to call for help through the gag, but to no avail. He even tried to bounce up and down on the bed to make noise, but a Captain's bed had only a mattress, no springs. Somewhere during the night, he fell asleep. As exhausted as he was, he did not hear the door open and a figure approach. Within seconds, the gag and the wrist ties were removed. When he awoke, he was unable to find any proof that anyone had assaulted him. He got dressed and went to the poop deck where he saw Luis standing, facing the bow sprit. "Your behavior last night…that was outrageous."

The disguised Musketeer frowned as she faced him. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Tying me up and leaving me naked and gagged on my own bed."

"Your Highness, I have no idea what you mean. Maybe you had a bad dream. I was in my cabin."

Louis’ eyebrow shot up. "Are you saying that you didn't tell me that if I had a mistress I would not have a legitimate heir?"

"Moi…threaten my king? How can you believe that I would do that?"

Louis scratched his head. "Well, I was there."

"Look, I think that maybe all the excitement and sea air is causing you to have bad dreams. You should really stay below until we get back to France. I will tell the captain to raise all sails and get home quickly." She took his arm and called one of the crewmen over. "The King needs to retire to his cabin. Please help him."

The seaman nodded as he led the meekly protesting King to his cabin. When the cabin door was closed, Louis flopped himself down on the bed, face down.

“Just put your hands behind your back and I’ll tie you up again.”

Louis sprang from the bed and looked at the speaker. “Marie…why are you doing this?”

The disguised Musketeer laughed. “Because I can….Call it retribution for Mancini. Did you enjoy last night?”

Louis shook his head. “Then it was real? I wasn’t dreaming?”

“No Louis, it was real.” She laughed. “I told you it was retribution, but now that is over. We have issues to attend to, as we discussed.”

“Issues?”

“Captain Greyhawk and Captain Porter.” She sat down in a wooden chair and put her booted feet on the writing desk. “I had some time to think about what happened.”

Louis sat down on the bed. “I did also. If Greyhawk knew the engine was volatile, then he would have to pay for his dereliction.”

“I can’t believe that he did. Like I said before, why would he risk the lives of people he cares about for the sake of some invention?”

The King nodded. “You’re right. Aside from the whole ‘pirate’ thing—which wasn’t exactly his fault to begin with—he’s never given me a reason not to trust him. So why shouldn’t I believe him now?”

Luis smiled. “That’s my Louis. Let’s go find Faith and Geoffrey.” In her Musketeer uniform, she played the soldier to a ‘T’ and opened the door for the King.

Chapter 50

While the King dealt with his unhappy future bride, Geoffrey and Jacqueline lay together on the small bed in his cabin, their energy finally spent. The chains had been removed some time ago, and the Musketeer-pirate had his arms wrapped around his bride, still trying to assure himself that this was real—that she was there, and her memories of him had truly returned.

Jacqueline began to stir and Geoffrey smiled, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “Morning.” Returning the smile, she started to turn towards him, only to wind up sliding out of the bed onto the floor. “Are you okay?” he chuckled.

She scowled, pushing herself up on her elbows. “Next time, remind me to put those side rails up before we do anything.”

“Will do.” He sat up, pulling his trousers back on before sliding himself out of the bed to join her on floor, figuring that was probably safer than trying to squeeze back into the bed. Shaking her head, Jacqueline pulled her own clothes back on and moved next to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they leaned back against the bed frame. “So…about last night….”

Jacqueline laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not having second thoughts or anything. I told you, I remember everything about us now.”

“I know…I just don’t understand how that’s possible. One minute you only have the memory of the kittens to go on, and the next everything is suddenly crystal clear. It just seems too good to be true.”

“Well, I think it had something to do with when I kissed you. Perhaps Ana was onto something…kissing you must have re-established our connection to each other, and that connection allowed the memories to return.”

“Maybe. But what makes you so sure it was the kiss?”

She shrugged. “We hadn’t kissed each other since…since before that fight. Who knows…perhaps if we had tried it earlier, the memories might have come back sooner. But trust me…it was the kiss. I could feel it. Couldn’t you?”

He nodded, then frowned. “Nothing else besides the kiss?”

She blushed. “Well…the kiss started it. Speaking of which….” Grinning, she shifted onto his lap and leaned down, placing another passionate kiss on his lips, which he eagerly returned.

“I love you so much, Jacqueline,” he breathed, once they parted.

“I love you too.” She sighed, and her expression suddenly changed.

“Something wrong?” Jacqueline gave a slight nod, moving to sit on the bed once more. After a moment, he joined her. “Jacqueline?”

“Why are you doing this to yourself, Geoffrey?”

“Doing what?”

Shaking her head, she picked up the discarded manacles. “This. What Faith told me last night…it still bothers me.”

“What did she tell you?”

“That you believe you actually deserve to be chained up and punished. I’d like to know why.”

He sighed. “You know why.”

“No, I don’t. You’ve done nothing wrong, Geoffrey. No one could’ve predicted what happened. There’s nothing you could’ve done to change it.”

“That’s not true, exactly.”

Jacqueline turned to stare at her husband, eyebrow raised in confusion. “What?”

He turned his gaze to the floorboards, too ashamed to look her in the eye. “When I built that engine, I knew full well that there were risks. I knew that there was a good chance that it wouldn’t hold up if we were attacked, given the combustible elements involved in its operation.”

“Mon Dieu…why didn’t you say anything?”

“Pride, I suppose. I wanted so badly to make it work…figured that the potential benefits outweighed the risks. So I didn’t bother to mention the risks to anyone. To be honest, I was afraid that if I did, His Majesty would halt the experiment before I could even begin.”

****************

As Luis and Louis walked out of the cabin and down the passageway, they collided with a very wet Faith coming down the gangway. Not even seeing who it was, Faith swore. "Someday, someone is going to build a ship with the head inside."

Luis laughed. "What happened, did you fall overboard?"

"No, a blasted wave slammed over the bow. Haven't you paid any attention? It's storming out there. Cian better take care of my ship in this weather." She wiped water from her face. "Oh, Your Majesty, it’s you. Sorry, I wasn't seeing straight."

The King laughed. "Captain Porter, you look like a drowned rat. I probably would feel the same way you do if it happened to me. In my case, as King I would order the waves to be calm." The women glared at him. "Alright, I would pray that the waves be calm just in case HE is listening. Captain Porter, I am glad we ran into you. Will you please take us to Captain Greyhawk? I seem to have misplaced him."

"Right this way. Maybe you can talk some sense into him if Jacqueline can't." Louis nodded, and Faith led the two of them to the cabin where her cousin was currently staying. Not wanting to be rude, she knocked on the door. No answer. Slowly, she opened the door and peered in to see Geoffrey and Jacqueline sitting on the bed, in the midst of what appeared to be a rather serious conversation. Being slightly shorter than the pirate, Louis slipped under her arm to peek in as well.

“…I didn’t bother to mention the risks to anyone. To be honest, I was afraid that if I did, His Majesty would halt the experiment before I could even begin.”

On hearing Geoffrey’s confession, Louis saw red. Not only was the inventor well aware of the dangers his engine posed, he’d outright lied to him about it in order to keep the experiment moving forward. Practically growling, he shoved Faith aside and stormed into the room. "Captain Greyhawk, do you presume to dictate what I think?”

Luis came in behind him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, Louis. Give him a chance to explain.”

“Explain what? You heard what he said. He lied to me—his King—about his invention, and now people are dead because of it. What could he possibly say to justify that?” He glared at the privateer. “Well?”

Geoffrey hung his head. “Nothing, Sire. There is no justification for what I did. I knowingly endangered my crew for the sake of my latest experiment, and masked the danger from you in order to gain your blessing on it.”

“I see….” Louis strode forward, coming to stand next to Geoffrey. “So you confess yourself guilty of dereliction of duty, both to the crew of the Rose and to your King?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And you acknowledge that your actions with regard to your invention are at least partially responsible for the destruction of the ship and the deaths of Captain Porthos, Captain Duval, and the other French citizens who were lost when the engine exploded?”

“I do.” He turned to Jacqueline, silently begging her not to argue. Reluctantly, she held her peace, taking his hand in hers.

Nodding, the King turned to Faith. “Captain Porter, would you send for some of your crewmen to come and collect Monsieur Greyhawk? I want him brought to the main deck and held there somehow, at least until I can decide how he should be punished for the crimes he has just confessed to.”

Faith shook her head. “You can’t ask me to do that, Your Majesty…not to my own cousin. And as long as he is on my ship….”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you placed Cian in command until you’ve recovered from your injury, did you not?”

“That is true, Your Majesty.”

“And Cian is still a Musketeer, is he not?”

“He is….So what?”

Louis smirked. “As a Musketeer, Cian is bound to follow my orders above anyone else’s. Which means that anything you won’t do, he most certainly will. Including a slight change of course to Spain, if I so command.”

Faith stalked over to the young King, eyes narrowing dangerously as she stared him down. “Is that a threat?”

“It could be,” Louis shot back, not appearing the least bit intimidated. Thinking quickly, Luis stepped between them.

“Calm down…both of you,” she commanded, practically daring them to argue. “Faith, since your cousin did confess, perhaps it would be best to just do as Louis asks…for now. And you,” she said, turning on her future husband, “I would strongly suggest that you return to your cabin and take some time to cool off, before you do anything you might end up regretting.”

“Fine,” the King snapped. “But I won’t be changing my mind. Greyhawk WILL be punished. No one makes a fool of the Sun King and gets away with it.”

Jacqueline stood up, unable to keep quiet any longer. “Surely you don’t mean to kill him, Your Majesty. He hasn’t broken the terms of his pardon.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Seeing the genuine fear in the female Musketeer’s eyes at that pronouncement, Louis softened slightly. “Rest assured, Madame, I won’t be sending your husband back to the gallows for this…though by the time I’ve finished with him, he may wish I had.” Turning on his heel, the King stormed out of the cabin and back to his own.

Faith turned to Luis, fear for her cousin creeping into her eyes as well. “You’ve got to do something,” she said quietly, so only she and the princess could hear. “I can’t just stand back and let him hurt G, no matter what he’s done.”

Luis nodded. “I agree, but I’m honestly not sure what I can do. Louis…he may have come of age, but he still has a child’s temper, it seems. I may not be able to dissuade him.”

“But you’ve got to try…please. At least get him to go for some lesser punishment than whatever it is he’s cookin’ up now.”

“Alright,” Luis agreed, after a moment’s thought. “I can’t make any promises, though.”

“Thank you. If this works, I…I’ll give up the sea…come serve you at the palace as your personal bodyguard…or whatever you need.”

Luis stared at the female pirate, somewhat taken aback. “Geoffrey really means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

“G’s the only real family I’ve got left. I don’t know what I’d do if anythin’ happened to him…though if you tell him I said that, I’ll deny it.”

“Well, if by some miracle I do manage to talk Louis down, I just might have to take you up on that offer. In the meantime, though, you should probably do what he asked…to keep the peace if for no other reason.”

Faith nodded. “Alright.” Luis headed off after the King, and the pirate captain turned to her cousin. “I’m really sorry about this, G.”

He shrugged, standing up and moving to join her. “It’s fine. Lead the way.”

With a grim nod, Faith gently steered him out of the cabin with her good arm. She paused, looking back over her shoulder at Jacqueline. “Don’t worry…I won’t let nothin’ happen to him. I’m sure Louis will be reasonable once he’s cooled off a bit. You should probably head down to the galley for now…get something to eat. No offense, but you look half-starved.” With that, Faith escorted Geoffrey to the main deck as the King had requested, and Jacqueline, after a moment, decided to take Faith’s advice and head to the galley, though she doubted that even a good meal could relieve her of her worry for her husband.

As Faith led the way, she stopped by her cabin. “Al, get some of the crew on deck and do it quietly.”

Fuiseog frowned. “What is it?”

“Just do as I say and watch me. Make sure everyone is repel-ready.” She closed the door and headed to the main deck, walking Geoffrey over to the bow. Stars were now out and as she and her cousin watched them, Cian came up. “I heard what’s going on. Captain Porter, I hereby relinquish the Dulaman into your hands.”

Faith nodded as she looked back at the stars. “Did you forget how to navigate, Cian?”

“No Captain Porter, I did not.”

Faith nodded. “Cian, go raibh maith agat.” (Thank you)

Cian grinned. “Tá fáilte romhat” (You are welcome.) An mian leat dul ar ais arís in Éireann? (Would you like to go back to Ireland again?)”

Faith nodded. “Cian, you are a good friend.”

He smiled again. “After this, I may be looking for a new home.”

“You will always have a place on the Dulaman and so will Mell.”

Chapter 51

Below decks, Louis stormed into his cabin, followed by Luis. “How dare he? He lied to the Sun King! He’ll pay for that. By God he will hang…no, better…I will throw him out of the Musketeers and send him to the slave galleys.”

“Louis, you can’t send him to the slave galleys. You outlawed slavery, remember?”

He scowled at her. “A mere technicality. I will reverse my position on slavery, but only for him. Actually, it will be a prison ship not a slave ship, so I could win that one.”

“The people will see how you favor those who don’t tell you the truth.”

He shook his head. “Then it will be hanging from…what do they call it? Oh yes, the yardarm.”

“Other than the men you had locked up, who do you think will haul him to the yardarm? The crew? I doubt that Faith would allow that.”

He laughed. “Then it is a good thing that Cian is still in charge.”

“But you promised Jacqueline you wouldn’t kill him. Does your word mean nothing anymore?”

Louis scowled, knowing she had a point. “Fine, I won’t kill him. But he still has to pay.”

Shaking her head, Luis walked to the windows and opened them. She stepped out on the small balcony and looked up. “Louis, do you know how to navigate a ship?”

“Of course not. Why?”

“No reason, just asking.”

Louis looked at the stars. “You know, for the loss of Duval I can permanently revoke his Letters of Marque, and dishonorably discharge him from the Musketeers.”

“Yes, you could. However, there are some issues there also.”

“What are you, his barrister?”

She grinned. “Just playing Devil’s Advocate. Captain Duval volunteered to join this expedition on a private ship. Yes, you can revoke the letters for any reason, but that would probably make him a pirate. Or he could become a privateer for any country. As for discharging him from the Musketeers, officially, wasn’t he already out? Then again, you may lose more than just him.”

Louis frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Geoffrey is part of a very tight cadre within the Musketeers, as I’m sure you’re well aware. In fact, don’t you feel that D’Artagnan, Geoffrey, Ramon and Jacqueline are more like your personal guards? If he is out, they may all leave…even Cian and Will.”

“They wouldn’t!”

“Oh yes they might, especially Jacqueline. Do you really expect her to stay if you discharge her husband?”

He shook his head. “That can’t be helped. Besides, that’s a tad immature, don’t you think? Threatening to resign just because I’m handing out a just punishment for a crime he’s confessed to? Any other Musketeer guilty of the same crime would get at least that much, if not worse. Or would you rather I hanged him?” Luis scowled, her answer obvious. Nodding, Louis paced the floor. “I can have him flogged one hundred times by his former crew.”

Luis’ scowl deepened. “That would kill him.”

“Well, I could reduce it and Captain Lennane’s crew would carry out the orders.”

“You mean Captain Porter?” She looked at the stars again.

“Must I remind you that Captain Porter turned her command over to Cian? Until he turns it back over, he will do as I say.”

“Are you so sure?”

“Absolutely. That is my decision, then. Since you are dressed as a Musketeer, please have Captain Lennane assemble all hands on deck. Oh, and will you ask my Mother to join us?”

Luis nodded. After a quick conference with the Queen, she walked up the gangway and found Cian. “The King wants all hands on deck as he announces his decision about Geoffrey.”

“Do you know what it is?”

She shook her head. “He said he made his decision, but didn’t say what that was. Cian, when did you change the ship’s course?”

He smirked. “Before I handed the ship back over to Captain Porter. At the moment, it would be best that you don’t tell anyone.”

A few minutes later, the King stood on the Poop deck and looked out over the assembled crew. The Dulaman’s crew to the right, the Rose’s crew to the left. “For lying to the King and causing the loss of two great men, I had a choice of hanging Captain Greyhawk from the yardarm or sending him to be a rower on a prison ship for five years.” He listened to the rumblings. “Unfortunately, there is no one to hang him.” Some of the crew of the Rose—the very ones who had been arrested—yelled that they would do it. The survivors started to yell ‘Hang him!’ Louis’ face got redder. “However, I did give my word that he wouldn’t hang. And since it seems that both crews have their own agenda, I have decided to have him flogged forty times and then dishonorably discharged from the Musketeers. Furthermore, his Letters of Marque are hereby permanently revoked. When we return to France, he shall be imprisoned in the Bastille for a period of six months, after which he shall be permitted to return to his wife, strictly as a private citizen. Do you understand?” he asked, turning to Geoffrey. The disgraced Musketeer nodded, reaching back and gently squeezing his wife’s hand as he steeled himself for what was to come.

Louis stepped back a pace. “Captain Lennane, tie the prisoner to the mast.” Cian nodded and appointed two men to carry out the order. Geoffrey didn’t put up a fight when they took hold of him. He gave Jacqueline what he hoped was a reassuring look, then allowed the men to bring him to the mast and tie him to it. “Quartermaster of the Rose, you may commence with the punishment.”

The quartermaster, who had not been involved with the mutiny, ripped Geoffrey’s shirt from his back. “I am sorry about this, Captain.” As he walked backwards, he did not see a movement to the side. He looked over to see that Jacqueline was being restrained by two men, obviously not as willing to comply with the orders as her husband was. Shaking his head, he flipped the cat out to loosen the strands, then raised his arm and lashed out. Too late, a figure raced out in front to protect the prisoner.

“No!”

The crowd gasped as the cat struck the figure and caused her to fall to the deck. Louis raced down the steps and went to the woman. He looked at three bloody strips across her face. “Marie! Why?”

The future Queen of France looked up. “B-because you are wrong. I tried to talk to you down below, but you wouldn’t listen. Perhaps now you will.” Ana raced up to her with a rag and clean water. She smiled as she put the wet rag against her face. “Thank you Ana. Now I won’t look like some pampered Princess, will I.?”

“Don’t worry my dear, there will be no scaring when I get through with you.”

Louis helped her up. “Secure the prisoner, Captain Lennane. Put him back in his quarters and chain him.”

Faith yelled. “Belay that.” She faced Louis. “Your Majesty, Captain Greyhawk will be treated as a guest while on my ship, not as a criminal.” She nodded to William, who cut him loose from the mast and helped him back to his cabin. Jacqueline shook off the men holding her and followed them, unwilling to let Geoffrey out of her sight again.

Watching them head below, Louis fumed. “Must I remind you that Cian is the acting Captain and follows my orders?”

Faith put her hands on her hips. “Actually, command was returned to me about an hour ago, Your Majesty.” She walked up to him. “I suggest we take this to my cabin for some privacy. Fuiseog, please escort our guest to the Captain’s cabin.”

As they started to leave, Faith turned to Cian and the elder D’Artagnan. “Can I trust that you will control the crew of the Rose?” She saw the Queen standing under the Poop deck by the wheel. “Your Majesty, would you care to join us?”

Anne nodded. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

When everyone was assembled, Faith nodded to her First mate. “What course heading are we on?”

“At the moment, we are headed to the New World.”

”Good.” She turned to her guests. “Now…we will discuss this as reasonable people. It is a long swim back to France.”

Louis faced the woman. “How dare you speak to me like this?” He turned to Luis, but was stopped by her icy stare. Desperate for allies, he looked pleadingly towards his mother, who had joined the group.

“Oh Louis, shut up!”

“Mother! How can I do kingly things if you tell me to shut up? I am the Sun King.”

Anne walked over to Louis. “You will never show your greatness if you don’t listen to the advisors you have around you, people you trust.”

“I trusted Greyhawk and he betrayed me.”

“No. If he had betrayed you, he would be safe and you would have been on that ship. He has taken more responsibility than he needed to. He may have exaggerated the engine’s safety, but he couldn’t have foreseen the possibility of being attacked. Surely you can see that.”

“But he lied to me.”

“Louis, people have lied to you many times, but you never responded this way. Even your Cardinal Mazarin lied to you.”

Louis started whining. “But he was one of my favorite Musketeers and he lied to me.”

Faith slammed down her hand on the desk. “He is not one of your toys or a possession. He is a man who would willingly give his life for you, and this is how you treat him? I don’t know why they take the risk. I wouldn’t.”

The elder D’Artagnan watched with interest. “Geoffrey is an honorable man. Hell, the man is an inventor and inventors will do anything to get their projects finished.”

Louis pointed at the aging Musketeer “See, even he admits that Greyhawk is a liar. I can’t trust him anymore. How can I be sure that his friends are just waiting for a chance to kill me?”

Faith pulled a dagger from her boot and stuck in the bulkhead near where the King stood. Immediately Ramon, Luis, D’Artagnan and Will drew their swords, ready to defend him. “That is the reason. Don’t you see? At the slightest inkling of an attack, they are ready to defend you, and Geoffrey is the same way. I don’t know why, but he does.”

The King looked at the older Musketeer. “You defend him after he killed your friends?”

“Sometimes a soldier strikes out in grief, but then listens to reason when the initial grief passes. It is the same reason that a man continues to fight when his comrade falls. There is time to grieve after the battle. I believe I understand that young man. I wasn’t exactly someone who thought things through when I was young. Neither were Porthos, Aramis and Athos, or even Duval. We were all a little reckless. We felt that we couldn’t die or be harmed. I’m sure Geoffrey feels the same way. Faith is right. If you were in danger, Geoffrey would be the first to protect you, even now.”

Louis shook his head. “He will never have that opportunity. He’s no longer a Musketeer or a privateer. He’ll spend the next several months in prison…maybe even longer, if I have my way. If he ever captains a ship again, it will undoubtedly be as a pirate and I will have him hunted down. My mind is made up.” He froze as he heard the CLICK of a pistol. Slowly he turned to see one pointed at his head, held by…. “Marie?”

“I don’t know whether to shoot you or let you sink by yourself. I swear that if you proceed with your vendetta against Greyhawk, I will return to Spain." She uncocked the pistol and put it down. "Louis, go change your pants."

The King looked down to see a wet spot growing on the floor. "Now see what you made me do? Fine, go to Spain. You can even go to Britain and marry Charles II, for all I care."

"Fine, I will…and the first thing I’ll do is have England and Spain attack you. You can't fight a two front war. I’m sure the Germans would be happy to join in as well, leaving you with three fronts. Your kingdom will fall, and that will be the end of the Sun King."

Scowling, Louis went behind a dressing screen and took off his clothes. Taking his robe off the clothes rack, he wrapped himself in kingly fashion. "All of this threatening makes it more imperative that I deal with Greyhawk harshly. In fact, I may decide to have you all thrown out of the Musketeers."

Faith laughed. "I am not one of your Musketeers, nor is Luis or your mother. D'Artagnan has retired, we are on my ship in the middle of the Atlantic, and I would hazard to guess that you can't navigate by the stars."

"That may be true, but I will compromise. You take me to France immediately, and I won't have Greyhawk flogged. But hear me out. You will be allowed to leave. However, if you ever come into French waters again, I will have you shot on sight."

"Fine, but you listen to me, Your Majesty. You will rue the day if Geoffrey is harmed." Faith stormed out of the cabin and headed for the main deck. The others watched her leave and then in silence followed suit, leaving Louis standing in his robe near a puddle and Luis by the door.

She shook her head. "Congratulations, you have alienated most of you supporters. Your life will be very lonely. Now I suggest you clean up that mess or this room will smell." With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the cabin.

Chapter 52

As soon as William returned him to his cabin, Geoffrey dropped onto the bed, hanging his head. He couldn’t believe that Marie had jumped in front of him like that. How could she have been so foolish? It wasn’t as if he didn’t deserve the punishment. With a heavy sigh, he reached over and picked up the discarded manacles from before, along with the key that had been left next to them. He opened them up and was about to put them back onto his wrists when he heard someone else enter the cabin.

“What are you doing?” Jacqueline demanded, kneeling down in front of him and grabbing hold of the cuffs.

“What does it look like? It’s what the King wants, isn’t it?”

She shook her head. “Weren’t you listening? Faith said you were to be treated as a guest, not a prisoner.”

“It’s not really her call, love. Faith may command this ship, but I answer to Louis, not her.”

Jacqueline sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “How many times do we have to go through this, Geoffrey? It was an accident. The only one who deserves punishment for this is already dead.”

“The ship wouldn’t have blown up if it hadn’t been for that damned engine. Lafette may have been the one to attack, but it’s my fault Porthos and Duval are dead.” Gently pulling away from her grasp, Geoffrey finished locking the manacles onto his wrists, ignoring his wife’s protests. “Trust me, Jacqueline, this is for the best.”

“Best for who? Do you really expect me to just stand by and watch while Louis chucks you into the Bastille? I don’t want to lose you, Geoffrey…not after we just found each other again.”

With a sad smile, Geoffrey brought a hand up to her cheek. “You won’t lose me, Jacqueline…I promise. It’s only a few months. They’ll be over before you know it, and we can get on with our lives.”

“A few months? Can you really be that naïve? I’ve heard the stories. How can we be sure Louis won’t just leave you there to rot?”

“Because you won’t let him,” he grinned, kissing her on the cheek.

“Alright…I suppose you have a point there. But do you honestly think it’s going to be that easy? That you’re just going to come home after your release and everything will be exactly as it was before? I mean, what are you going to do with yourself? You’ve been kicked out of the Musketeers, your Letters of Marque are gone….So what are you going to do? Become an inventor full-time?”

He shook his head, a dark look creeping into his eyes. “No…that part of my life is over. I’m never inventing anything ever again. Nobody else is going to get hurt because of something I created.”

“You can’t give up your inventions, Geoffrey. They’re part of who you are. Without them….”

“Without them, I’ll just be a normal guy. And that’s just fine by me. I can open a shop or something…make some real money for a change. Everything will be fine, Jacqueline. I promise. It’s hardly the end of the world.”

“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”

“I’m sorry…but this is the right thing to do.”

“It’s not going to bring Captain Duval or your uncle back.”

“I know….” He sighed. “I don’t expect you to understand, Jacqueline. Just trust me…please.”

“I do trust you,” she said, gently running a hand through his hair. “I’m just not entirely sure you’re thinking clearly at the moment.”

“Believe me, I’ve never been more clear in my life.”

“And this is the only way?” He nodded, and she scowled. Jacqueline was about to comment when—

“Mraow!”

She turned and looked at the two felines who had come into the room. “You two talk some sense into him. I give up.” With one last look at Geoffrey, she stood up and walked out of the cabin. She was halfway down the passageway when she ran into a certain dark-haired Musketeer. “D’Artagnan, right?” He nodded. “Good. Get your sword and meet me up on the main deck.”

“What for?” he asked, a genuinely confused look crossing his features.

“Rumor has it that I can out-fence the son of the Legend. I want to see if that’s true. Now come on.” Not waiting for an answer, Jacqueline turned and headed above, stopping briefly to borrow a rapier from one of the other Musketeers on board…some Irishman whose name she couldn’t recall.

Faith stormed onto the deck and paced until she stopped at the bow and looked up at the stars. She turned on her heel and stormed back to the helmsman. "What is our course?"

"Straight to Tortuga as ordered, Captain."

"Damn. Helmsman, a new heading. Turn around and sail to France, best possible speed."

As the helmsman spun the wheel, Faith leaned against the bulkhead. "Captain, we should be coming up on Le Havre in two days time." She nodded.

“Keep her steady. I’ll be below."

Jacqueline walked up the gangway to the main deck and started stretching as she made her way to the bow. She heard the swish of a blade and turned to see her opponent repeat her own motions.

She faced D'Artagnan with her right foot forward, left foot back and perpendicular to the right. As she saluted the Musketeer, he moved forward, trying to take advantage of a surprise move. She retreated quickly and deflected his blade while using a spinning motion to throw him off.

The Musketeer regained his balance. "Come on Jacqueline, cross blades." He grimly smiled when she obliged. Crew members found places to watch the two spar. The main deck was not an open deck as there were cannon, cannonballs and other equipment that the two had to wind around. D'Artagnan swung his rapier at his opponent’s legs, only to see her jump and land on the carriage of a cannon. "Hey…what are you trying to do, fly?"

"Well, I couldn't find a cow to go under." She frowned. "How did I know that?"

"Gee…rub it in. You did that trick the first time we fought."

"I did not. Jacques did it." She shook her head. "Wait…I am Jacques."

The Musketeer paused. "You are remembering. That’s a good sign. It's why I’ve been so hard on you."

She laughed "You call that hard? Gerard was better than that the day after he twisted his ankle while chasing a pig when we were kids."

D'Artagnan rolled his eyes and pressed his attack.

Keeping the point of her blade close to her opponent, she thrust and parried D'Artagnan's attacks until he miscalculated and thrust the tip of his blade into a bulkhead. As he attempted to free the blade, he felt the point of steel at his neck. "I yield." He turned around as the pressure relaxed. “Well you haven't lost your touch. You are ready to return to the Musketeers."

"Never. The King is determined to throw Geoffrey into the Bastille and forever out of the Musketeers. The worst part is that Geoffrey is willing to let him do it without a word. He blames himself for the loss of the Rose and the deaths of Porthos and Captain Duval. He even says that his inventing days are over as well."

D'Artagnan leaned on the hilt of his sword. "What will he do, hire out as a common laborer?"

"No. He said he would be a shopkeeper."

The Musketeer laughed. "I know him. He has been a Musketeer, a pirate and an inventor. It is all he knows." He looked at Jacqueline. "What will you do?"

"I love him, D’Artagnan, and I can't bear to watch him mope around. It would destroy both of us. No, if he is bent on self destruction, I will either sail away with Faith or become a nun." He snorted, and she glared at him. “What?”

“No offense, Jacqueline, but I can’t see you laying down your sword to become a nun.”

She looked at him for a moment, then chuckled. "Alright, I suppose you have a point. I can’t really see myself taking Holy Orders either.” She sighed. “So…what will you and Ramon do?"

He shook his head. "I don't know about Ramon, but I am beginning to have doubts about risking my life, and I’ll bet that he feels the same way."

Jacqueline stared at D'Artagnan and then hugged him. "Thank you." Releasing the Musketeer, she turned and with determination marched to the gang way.

"That was some speech. Did you mean what you said? Would you leave the Musketeers?"

He turned to see Vigilanti, who must have been using the head when they came to duel. "It is a possibility. Then you and I could leave in peace." He wrapped his arms around her as they kissed.

She broke the kiss. "If you do leave the Musketeers, there is still that position that I offered you."

He kissed her again. "I have a better position in mind." He took her hand and led her below decks.

Opening Geoffrey's self-proclaimed prison, Jacqueline found the man chained to the bed and the ocelots sitting on the foot of the bed, watching him. She slammed the door and the kittens scattered. "Geoffrey Greyhawk, as long as you refuse to defend your actions, you will never find me in your bed." She opened the door. "Miette, Will…come." The kittens poked their head out from their respective hiding places and raced to the open door.

Geoffrey watched as his entire world crumbled with Jacqueline and the kittens leaving. Not that he could really blame her for going. Why would someone like her want to stick around with a failure like him, anyway? ‘No,’ he reasoned, ‘it’s probably better this way. When the truth about who Duval was comes out—as it most likely shall, sooner or later—she’ll hate me. I know it. And I couldn’t bear to see that happen…to see the love flee from her eyes when she looks into mine.’ He sighed. ‘The sooner she moves on, the better off she’ll be.’ Shaking his head in a vain attempt to clear out the increasingly morbid thoughts, Geoffrey curled up on the bed, already fighting a losing battle against the tears threatening to spring forth. After a seeming eternity, he finally found himself drifting mercifully into sleep.

Ramon sat in a chair in his cabin, watching Nikki sleep. He heard a soft tap at the door and went to open it. Ana's face came into view, but before he could open his mouth, the woman motioned for him to be quiet, pulled him into the corridor and closed the door. Ramon frowned. "What is it?"

Ana shook her head. "What is it? You know what is going on with your friend. I see that things will not go well."

"What do you mean, woman? Quit talking in riddles. I am sure the King will do the right thing."

"I see a hangman's noose and a man covered in blood with a woman weeping. I see danger to the King and I see dead men walking."

Ramon's face paled. "What else do you see?"

Ana rubbed her temples. "Ramon, the only thing I see for certain is that your wife is several months with child and you will become a father next month."

"Wait…Nikki isn’t due until November."

The gypsy smiled enigmatically. "We shall see.”

Chapter 53

Jacqueline stood on the starboard side of the quarterdeck, watching the sea. She turned as she heard several footsteps to see D'Artagnan, Ramon, Cian and Will. "What are you doing?"

D’Artagnan motioned to his companions. "We have been talking about what to do if the King punishes Geoffrey when we get back to France. If he is thrown out of the Musketeers, the King will have to find others to stand his guard. We won't do it."

Jacqueline shook her head. "I’ve been giving this some thought. What good would quitting do? He would have you all arrested and disgraced."

"You aren't really going to remain with the Musketeers?"

"I will until my enlistment is up in six months. You know I didn't quit after that little problem with that damn magical sword."

Ramon scowled. "You remember that?"

She shrugged. "I guess so. I also remember when that woman had you men all under a spell and I was the only Musketeer who wasn't. Times have been tough sometimes, but I never quit. Just because the King is abandoning me, doesn't mean I will abandon my oath."

D'Artagnan looked at her. "You do have a point. Alright, we will fulfill our duties until your enlistment is up, then we all leave. Maybe by then Geoffrey will come to his senses."

"If he doesn't, then our marriage is done anyway. I hope Faith can use a good sword."

****************

Lost in his thoughts, Louis pondered releasing the blonde Musketeer/Privateer or hanging him. Then he thought about what would happen to his four Musketeers. With Geoffrey gone, Jacques would be gone also. Ramon and D’Artagnan would surely follow, leaving Cian and Will. It had already come to his attention that Cian had been offered a position on the Dulaman, and where Cian went, so would Will. With his cadre of Musketeers gone, all he’d have left would be common soldiers.

After a long time, the King realized that the decision to punish Geoffrey was based on the loss of Duval. If Duval and Porthos had not been lost, he would never have lashed out at Geoffrey. He looked up to the ceiling. “Why can’t I make a decision? I have changed my mind several times. Is this the way a King would act? Is this the way Father would have acted?”

He heard a knock on his door. “Yes?”

“Pardon, Your Majesty. Le Havre is in sight. We will be dropping anchor in three hours."

Sure enough, three hours later the Dulaman finally pulled into the harbor at Le Havre, docking in the same space the Rose had once occupied. Geoffrey, however, was unaware that they’d reached their destination. He hadn’t left the cabin since Jacqueline walked out—he wouldn’t have even without the chain tethering him to the bed—and no one had even bothered trying to talk to him. People occasionally came by with food, but they usually left him alone without saying much more than a couple of words, if any.

Of course, Geoffrey wasn’t the only one getting the cold shoulder. No one had spoken to Louis since that day either, save for that crewman who’d come to inform him of their impending arrival in Le Havre. Not even his own mother had paid him any attention. The Musketeers listened when he gave orders, but lacked the enthusiasm in carrying them out that had been there before the incident with the Rose.

Shortly after docking, a couple of crewmen whom Geoffrey didn’t recognize entered his cabin. “It’s time, Greyhawk,” the taller of the two said, while his partner unlocked the cuff around his ankle. With a grim nod, Geoffrey stood up and allowed the men to escort him above decks. His comrades were all there, as were his cousin and the Royal family, and none of them looked pleased. Louis, in fact, appeared quite angry. Geoffrey tried to catch Jacqueline’s eyes, but she turned away. Only the kittens appeared sympathetic, but it wasn’t as if they could do much to change the King’s mind.

As the men led him to the gangplank, Geoffrey thought he caught some movement in the corner of his eye. A flash of blonde hair, a glint of metal…maybe it was just him, but it looked as if someone was climbing up the side of the ship, right near where the King stood. “Y-your Majesty?”

Louis scowled. “Silence!”

“B-but…” Geoffrey stammered, now almost certain someone was trying to climb aboard.

“I said quiet!” Louis turned his back to the rail, glaring at his prisoner, and that’s when the climber struck. Geoffrey knocked his guards aside and pushed the King down just as the knife-wielding blonde leapt over the rail with a piercing scream, heading right for Louis. In spite of the chains hindering his movements, the former Musketeer managed to catch her mid-flight and slam her against the nearby bulkhead, knocking the blade from her hand. She retaliated with a knee to his gut, knocking him back a few feet, then tried to go for the King again. Geoffrey quickly recovered and grabbed her waist, throwing her down to the deck. Loathe as he was to harm a woman, he was willing to make an exception if it meant Louis’ life. She got up again, and this time he managed to hook the chain between his hands around her neck, pulling just tight enough to let her know he meant business.

Thinking he’d won, Geoffrey turned his attention to the King. “Are you alright, Sire?” Louis nodded, then his eyes went wide. Too late, the ex-Musketeer realized what was happening as the woman pulled a wooden fid from the bag at her side and, after an elbow to the ribs to loosen his hold, turned and shoved the bone instrument—normally used for undoing knots and punching holes in canvas—into the small of his back. Geoffrey felt his knees go weak as she stabbed him three times, then found himself being shoved down the gangplank and tumbling to the docks below with the weapon still in his back.

Screaming her husband’s name, Jacqueline tackled the blonde—who she recognized as DeMolay’s insane girlfriend, Shell—to the deck. Definitely not under the same restraint as Geoffrey when it comes to dealing with a female opponent, she slammed Shell’s face into the wood, breaking her nose, then rolled her onto her back and wrapped a hand around her throat. Shell clawed at her arms, visibly struggling for breath, but Jacqueline couldn’t bring herself to care…not after what that woman had put her through.

“LePonte!” At Louis’ call, she eased up a bit, turning to face the young monarch. He turned his gaze to the docks, and that was all she needed. Leaving Shell for her comrades to take care of, she rushed down the gangplank to Geoffrey’s side, sliding the last foot or so on her knees.

“Geoffrey!” she cried out, fumbling for the key that Faith had given her a few days before. She unlocked the manacles, then moved so that she could see his face. Amazingly, he was still conscious. “Are you okay?”

“I-I can’t…feel my legs….Can’t feel…anything…below the waist….”

“Oh no….” Jacqueline frantically started looking him over, and found the fid still embedded in his back. “Maybe if I pull this out….”

Geoffrey shook his head. “If you pull it out now…I’ll bleed to death….”

“Alright,” she nodded, wiping away the tears stinging the corners of her eyes. She looked up to see Faith standing at the top of the gangplank. “Get some men down here, quick! He needs help!”

Not needing to be told twice, Faith ordered her crewmen down to the dock. With extra care not to jostle him more than necessary, the men lifted Geoffrey up and carried him to sickbay, laying him in one of the beds on his stomach so as not to cause further damage from the bone instrument. The surgeon came in right behind him and, after a rather cursory examination, shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Captain, but there’s nothing I can do. The wounds are too large, and if I pull out the weapon, I won’t be able to stop the bleeding. All I can do is give him some rum…try to make him comfortable….”

“Like hell!” a voice broke in. They all turned to see Ana standing in the doorway, glaring at the surgeon. “I’ll take it from here, ‘doctor.’ That boy will be just fine.”

“Do you really think you can do better than me? I trained at the best medical school in England!”

Ana snorted. “Is that where they train you to use leeches and bleed people to death to cure illness? No wonder you couldn’t get a job on land. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a patient to tend to.” She pushed past the surgeon and went to examine Geoffrey herself. He tried to follow, but Faith stopped him.

“I believe the lady asked you to leave.”

“I don’t take orders from some bloody gypsy.”

Faith glared. “No, but you do take them from me. Now get out! In fact, you’re fired! If you’re not off this ship in the next five minutes, I’ll have my gunners set you adrift on a barrel and use you for target practice…savvy?” All the color drained from the surgeon’s face, and he quickly ran from the Dulaman and into the streets of Le Havre.

Kneeling by Geoffrey’s side and holding his hand, Jacqueline turned to Ana. “Is he—?”

“He’s going to live. Whether he’s ever going to be whole again, though….”

“W-what do you mean?”

“What she means,” Geoffrey answered, “is that she can’t guarantee whether or not I’ll be able to walk again. The fact that I can’t feel anything below the waist right now is not a good sign. It means that whatever she hit me with must have cut into my spine, keeping my brain from sending signals to my legs so I can use them.”

“Huh?”

“Remember my frog experiment?” She nodded, and he couldn’t help but smile a little in spite of himself. Her remembering such a small, insignificant incident had to be a good sign. “Well…think of the brush as the brain and the wires as the spine. Now imagine what would happen if someone were to cut the wires. Would the current be able to get through to make the legs move?”

“No.”

“Well, it’s the same thing, only not so easily fixed.” He twisted his head around to look at Ana. “How bad is it?”

“I can stop the bleeding from the first two wounds, but the third is right up against your spine. That is probably what is causing the loss of feeling. The fid could have nicked the spine, severed the spinal cord or even lodged between vertebrae.”

Jacqueline looked at Ana. “And this means?”

“One is a temporary paralysis, one will take longer to heal and lots of exercise, and the third, I’m afraid, is permanent.”

“So what will happen to my husband?”

Ana looked at her. “Best case, he will recover completely and quickly. Worst case is that it is permanent and he could be dead in a couple of weeks.”

“Dead?”

“The paralysis could affect his bowels and the poisons could spread rapidly throughout his body. Also, if I can’t stop the bleeding, he will be dead within the hour.”

Geoffrey laughed harshly. “Ana, you are full of good news. Do what you must.” He squeezed Jacqueline’s hand. “I guess this is all for the best. If I die, you will be free.”

“Geoffrey Greyhawk, don’t you even talk like that. If you die on me, I will never speak to you again.”

She heard a set of footsteps and turned to see a pale King Louis enter. “Will he be alright?”

Tears falling down her face, she looked at the man who had condemned her husband. “What do you care? If he recovers, you will throw him into the Bastille and if he dies, your hands are clean.” She saw Faith behind the King. “Faith, please escort the Royal guests off the ship and set sail.”

Faith frowned. “And where to, Captain?”

“Anywhere…if my husband dies, he should be buried at sea and not in France.”

Louis’ mouth moved in protest, but no words came out. He was too stunned as Faith led him ashore. “Sorry Your Majesty, but I would say this is a stressful time for Jacqueline.” She looked at Shell, being held by Musketeers. “What will become of her?”

“Well…there is the gallows that was built for a certain pirate. In fact, I think that would be appropriate. Lenanne, please acquire a facility so that we may have a trial before we hang this woman.”

Cian nodded and looked at Ramon. “How about the Inn? I would ask Nikki, but she and the Queen are already there.”

Louis was shaken. “After this, you let my mother and your wife go alone?”

Ramon smiled. “No Your Majesty, Musketeers and loyal crew members from the Rose escorted them.”

“Very well. De la Cruz, bring the prisoner.” Louis stepped out towards the Inn, with Musketeers all around him. He glanced back as Dulaman was preparing to pull away from the dock. “God speed, Greyhawk,” he muttered under his breath.

Chapter 54

Down below, Ana pulled Jacqueline aside. “Look, I know you want to be with him, but I need you to get me something and you are the only one I trust to do it. Can you do that for me and Geoffrey?” Jacqueline nodded. “Good, let me write a list. You can get them from Nikki’s Inn.” She wrote out a list and gave it to her. “Be quick, now off with you.”

Jacqueline kissed her husband’s cheek. “I will be right back.” She raced out of the cabin and up to the deck. Running down the gangplank, she saw the Musketeers and the King leading Shell away. “Wait! Your Majesty, may I have a word with this woman before you take her away?”

Louis frowned. “Why? After you threw me off of the ship? Me, the King of France?”

“She was involved with my kidnapping, and I want to know why.”

“I repeat, why should I grant you a favor?”

Jacqueline’s face grew red. “Because my husband, the man you are willing to throw away, risked his life to save yours and is now on that ship, quite possibly on his deathbed.”

Louis paled. “You may question her…just don’t kill her.”

Jacqueline bowed her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I-I’m sorry I was disrespectful, but it has been a stressful month.”

Louis nodded. “I understand. I too have been under some stress. I made some assumptions and decisions that I should not have. I doubted a man who willingly sacrificed himself when a lesser man would not have. Your husband will not go to prison. You may interrogate the prisoner.”

Nodding, she dragged her nemesis into the alley behind the Inn and shoved her against the nearest wall. With her hand around Shell’s neck, she got within an inch of the blonde’s face.

“Well, well, well…looks like the tables have turned. Now, either you tell me what I want to know, or I start paying you back in kind for what you did to me on that ship.”

Shell snorted. “Yeah, right. You ain’t got the—” Her taunts were suddenly cut short by Jacqueline’s fist ramming into her stomach. The female Musketeer followed up by bending Shell forward and slamming her knee into her ribcage. As she gasped for breath, Jacqueline pulled her upright and pushed her into the wall once more.

“Alright…let’s try this again, shall we?” Shell nodded quickly, hoping to spare herself more pain. “First things first…why did you attack the King?”

“That pipsqueak don’t deserve the crown! It should’ve been my Claude! But your husband went an’ killed him, didn’t he? So I figured I’d even the score…you take my King, I take yours.”

Louis paled. “C-Claude? Does she mean…?”

“DeMolay? Yes. They’re the ones that kidnapped me and took me to England. And frankly, I’d like to know why. What exactly did he have to gain by doing that ritual and trying to marry me off to Charles II?”

“Y-you remember that? But…the ritual….”

“Obviously, it didn’t work as well as DeMolay hoped. Now answer the question!”

“L-look,” the blonde stammered. “I-I only knows what ‘e told me.”

“So enlighten me. What was his oh-so-brilliant plan?”

“It weren’t his plan, exactly…his dad and some cardinal came up with it before you were even born. In fact, it’s why you were born, innit?”

Now Jacqueline was confused. “What are you talking about? You think Claude Roget would’ve done anything to help either Richelieu or Mazarin?”

Shell giggled. “You’re bleedin’ hilarious, you are…you really think some no-name farmer could’ve bought that cross you’re wearin’?”

Jacqueline glared, tightening her hold on the insane blonde. “What are you saying, exactly? Are you trying to tell me that the Rogets aren’t my real parents?”

“Boy, you catch on quick, don’t you?”

She shook her head. “That’s impossible…surely they would’ve said something….”

“Hate ta break it to ya, but it’s the God’s-honest truth. See, Claude’s mum was Louis XIII’s first cousin. At the time, it didn’t look like Louis an’ Anne were gonna have any kids, so Claude Sr. and Richelieu figured they’d take advantage of it by advisin’ the King to name my Claude heir to the throne. Claude was already a teenager, and Louis didn’t trust him for some reason, so he said no. But ‘e did agree ta name any other kids his cousin might have in the future as his heirs if he didn’t have a kid of his own. Probably figured he wouldn’t need ta bother. Anyway…after that, Claude Sr. and Richelieu came up with a new plan. They arranged for Claude’s mum ta get herself pregnant by some random soldier at the harvest festival, since his dad weren’t up ta the job no more. No idea how they did it, but it worked. Claude told me that the plan was for the Order to raise the kid themselves, so that when the time came they’d have their own little puppet ruler. And Charles I was part of the Order, so the plan involved England, too. If the child were a boy, they’d have him sign some sort of treaty with England after he took the throne to unite the countries under one crown, with the Order runnin’ things behind the scenes. An’ if it were a girl, she’d marry Charles’ son when the time was right an’ do the same thing.”

“Fascinating…but what exactly does this have to do with me?”

“Ain’t you been listening?” Jacqueline’s eyes narrowed, and Shell sighed. “The kid, if you ain’t already guessed, was a girl. But after giving birth, Claude’s mum knew she was dyin’ and couldn’t bring herself to go through with the plan. She sent the kid to ‘er real dad instead, and died shortly after. Claude Sr. was right bloody pissed off when he found out, but there weren’t much ‘e could do but tell the bleedin’ cardinal. Richelieu sent one of ‘is priests ta kidnap the kid back, but the priest never returned. It weren’t ‘til a few months ago that anyone knew where the kid ended up.”

“What are you talking about? Make sense, damn it!”

“Do I hafta bleedin’ spell it out for ya? The bloody kid was you! Claude saw your cross at that party a few months back and it weren’t too hard to figure out who you were after that. He decided to set his dad’s plan back inta motion, only he planned to get himself crowned instead. Figured all he’d have ta do is get you away from Greyhawk, get rid of your memories so you’d be the perfect bloody puppet, and arrange an ‘accident’ for his dear cousin Louis. Since he don’t have any kids yet, you’d be next in line. He was going to put you on the throne, marry you to Charles II, get you to name him your heir, then arrange another ‘accident’ for you two and claim both crowns for himself, with me as his queen. And it would’ve worked if that bleedin’ pirate hadn’t stuck his nose in.”

“Wait…what are you saying? That the lunatic who kidnapped me was my own half-brother?”

“Took you bleedin’ long enough,” Shell giggled, earning a punch in the jaw.

“Why should I believe you? What proof do you have?”

“Your cross, of course. It belonged to Claude’s mum…well, your mum too.”

Frowning, Jacqueline took the cross from around her neck and stared at it, trying to decide whether or not Shell was really telling the truth. After a moment, she found Louis at her side. “May I?” Nodding, she handed the cross to the young monarch, who began to examine it himself. “Well, I’ll be…she’s right.”

“What?”

“This cross…I’ve seen it before. My father kept a portrait of his cousin in his chambers, and in the portrait, she’s wearing this same cross. It disappeared after she died, and we never did find out what happened…until now, that is.”

“You mean…?”

Louis nodded, smiling. “It would appear that you and I are related…second cousins, I believe. Now…do you need anything else from this woman, or may I go ahead and have her hanged?”

Jacqueline shook her head. “Actually, Sire, I have a better idea. She’s clearly not in her right mind, so perhaps she’d be better off at the sanitarium with the good sisters.”

At that, Shell’s eyes went wide. “Oh no…I ain’t goin’ with no bleedin’ nuns! I’d rather hang!”

Louis and Jacqueline shared an amused glance at the blonde’s protests. “Well, that settles it. I’ll make the arrangements immediately, and we’ll just have to find someplace to keep her out of trouble until they can pick her up.”

“How about Nikki’s wine cellar?”

“Perfect.” He stuck his head out of the alley and signaled to Ramon, who was waiting nearby. Ramon immediately took charge of the prisoner, leaving the reunited cousins alone. “Come, Jacqueline…we have much to talk about.”

“But…Geoffrey….”

“Will be just fine. I have every confidence in Ana’s abilities.”

“Ana…oh no….” Jacqueline muttered, fumbling through her pockets until she came across a certain scrap of paper. “She gave me this list…things she needs to treat Geoffrey. I completely forgot….”

“Don’t worry about it. I saw Fuiseog come through here a little while ago, while you were busy intimidating the prisoner. My guess is that Ana gave you that list to get you out of the way for awhile so she could work.”

“You really think so?”

He nodded. “I’m sure she’ll send someone to get you when it’s alright for you to come back.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she sighed. “But what about Geoffrey’s sentence?”

Louis smiled. “Like I said, I have no intention of sending him to prison…not after he put himself in harm’s way to save my life. Whether or not he’ll be able to return to the Musketeers depends on his condition, but if he’s unable to, then his discharge will be an honorable one. I’ll be returning his Letters of Marque, and I’ll probably even give him a medal when he’s well enough to attend the ceremony. Now…let’s head inside, shall we? As I said, we have much to discuss.”

Jacqueline smiled, giving a slight bow. “After you, Sire.”

“Thank you…cousin. And you may call me Louis, at least when it’s just us. You are, after all, family.”

“Yes, S—Louis.”

“That’s better.” Laughing, the two headed into Le Chat Noir, finding someplace private where they could talk without worrying about eavesdroppers.

****************

As soon as Jacqueline was out of the cabin, Ana went to work. She walked to the door and grabbed a passing crewman. “Get Fuiseog here and quickly.”

Geoffrey turned his head towards her. “What is going on? You aren’t waiting for Jacqueline?”

“Hell no. All I need is a hysterical wife, especially one who is trained to kill, hovering near me as I work. Ah…Fuiseog. Get me a needle, thread and a hot poker. Also get me some of that salve out of the cockpit that the surgeon had.”

A few minutes later, Ana looked at the wounds on both sides of the patient’s spine. The two wounds were not deep, so she was able to sew them up after cauterizing them with the poker. “Get me a lantern and hold it where I tell you.” Using her fingers, she pressed around the blade. Geoffrey groaned. “Relax my boy. You are lucky.”

“Lucky? I have a fid in my back and no feeling below my waist.”

“What you have, my dear boy, is a fid that has nicked a vertebrae and is causing not only the paralysis but also the swelling. Fortunately, when I slowly remove the blade, there should be little bleeding. What I am going to do is remove the blade and patch you up. I will warn you, there will be no feeling at this time, but you won’t bleed to death. Now clamp the bite stick in your teeth because this will hurt.” She looked at the First Mate. “Hold him down.” Deftly Ana removed the Fid and packed the wound with gauze. As the gauze soaked up any blood, Ana put salve on the other wounds to help in the healing process. Taking the bite stick out of Geoffrey’s mouth she wiped the sweat off of the now unconscious man’s brow. “We will need to keep him still when he wakes up.”

The First Mate stood up and got some rope that was in a sea chest in the corner. “Good thing this used to be used as a storeroom. What will you do now?”

“First, help me tie him to the bed and then go to the Inn. There is a small building behind it. That is an ice house. Take a bucket with you, fill it with ice, and get back here quickly. Let no one stop you. I will wrap the ice in burlap and place it on his back to help the swelling go down.”

When Fuiseog returned with the ice, Ana wrapped several large chunks in the sack cloth and placed it on Geoffrey’s back. The wounded man started to squirm. “Don’t move. I am putting ice on your back to help with the swelling.”

“Why tie me down? Will that give me my legs back?”

“That, I am afraid I cannot answer. Only time will tell, but I think that with work, you will be able to get around with a cane. I tied you down because I need you to be still. I had to cauterize the first two wounds and the blade was in the spine. Hopefully, the damage was minor. The ice should help with the swelling. Now if you prefer plain ice instead of sack cloth, I think I can oblige.”

“No, the burlap will be fine.” Geoffrey chuckled mirthlessly. “So I become like the man I killed. How is that for ironic?”

“At least you are alive and will be able to get around.”

The cold spread across Geoffrey's bare back and where he could feel, felt good. He turned his head. "Ana, get Faith."

"Only if you promise to lie still."

"I promise."

As Ana started up the gangway to the main deck, she saw Faith coming down. "Geoffrey wants to see you."

"How is he?"

Ana shook her head. "Better than I thought it would be, but he could still be permanently paralyzed. I have a feeling that he wants to discuss something important." She pointed with her head. "What's going on out there?"

"Jacqueline went to have a little chat with the woman who stabbed G. The King was there also and when they came out of the alley, the two of them went to the Inn."

Ana frowned. "She went to the Inn, instead of coming back here? That is not a good sign."

As Faith walked into the cabin, she noticed that her cousin was tied down. "Why the ropes?"

Ana stood by the door. "In case he tried to move. He will heal, but it will take time. How good his recovery will be is anyone's guess. I will leave him tied for a few hours until the ice has a chance to work."

Geoffrey turned his head. "Faith, come here and sit. I need to talk to you." He watched his cousin sit. "Where is Jacqueline?"

"She and the King went to the Inn after she finished interrogating Shell."

“Shell Dockley…she was the one who attacked me?”

“Apparently.”

"Will she hang?"

"That’s the strange part, cousin. They’re sending Dockley to an asylum run by nuns."

He chuckled. "Good. Now, I want you to slip the Dulaman out of Le Havre before Jacqueline comes back."

"Why? I heard the King say that he was giving you back your Letters, freeing you and allowing you back in the Musketeers when you are healed."

"Until the next time I mess things up. No, it will be better this way. Faith, I have seen men who broke their back falling from the rigging. They died within a few days. I can't bear for her to see me this way. I want you to take me to St. Michaels and leave me with the monks to die."

Ana scowled. "Why do you insist that you will die in a short time?"

"Ana, if I am unable to move, the poison will start to kill me."

"Then we will just see that it doesn't happen. You have three days in bed, then you will start recuperating."

Faith left for a moment, then came back with a full bottle of a liquid and helped Geoffrey drink it. Within a few moments, he was asleep. She held up the half empty bottle. “Glad he wasn’t thirsty.”

Ana frowned. “What was that?”

“Laudanum. Now we will keep him settled.” She walked out of the cabin and up to the deck. “First Mate, prepare to cast off. Hoist sails.”

Fuiseog came up. “Where are we going, Captain?”

“A little spin in the harbor and then drop anchor. Greyhawk wants to be at sea…well, he will be as far as he’ll be concerned.”

“He is a sailor, surely he can tell the difference.”

“Not when I keep feeding him laudanum. We will keep him out until Ana says he can be released.”

Chapter 55

Once inside the Inn, Louis escorted Jacqueline up to one of the rooms in order to ensure that they wouldn’t be disturbed. “So…just out of curiosity, how long have you had that cross?”

“All my life. Only time I’ve ever been without it is when I gave it to Gerard for safekeeping after Mazarin made him a fugitive.”

“Gerard…your brother?”

She nodded. “Maybe not by blood, it seems, but in all the ways that really count.”

“I understand. Personally, I wouldn’t want to claim Claude DeMolay as family either if I could avoid it. For some reason, relatives I can actually trust seem to be in rather short supply. Most of them don’t care about me as much as they care about how my status as King of France can benefit them.”

“Well, you won’t have to worry about that with me. I won’t be looking for handouts or anything, I promise.”

“Good to know. Excuse me….” Before Jacqueline could ask what he was doing, the King had walked out of the room. After a bit of searching, he managed to locate his mother and the princess in one of the Inn’s other rooms. Neither one of them was paying attention, so he quietly stepped inside and cleared his throat.

“Oh…it’s you,” Marie muttered. “What do you want?”

Ignoring the slight, Louis straightened up and looked them both in the eyes. “Mother, Marie…would you both come with me, please?”

The princess glared, crossing her arms. “What for? To watch you throw an innocent man into prison, even after he saved your life?”

Louis sighed. “If you must know, I’ve already decided not to send Greyhawk to the Bastille after all. As you said, he did save my life. He’s more than proven his loyalty, so as far as I’m concerned, the matter is closed. Now…would you please come with me?”

Marie opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again when she felt Queen Anne’s hand on her shoulder. “Lead the way, Louis,” she said softly, silently daring the princess to argue. Marie stared at her future mother-in-law for a moment, then nodded, following after Louis as he left the room.

On reaching their destination, the King paused in front of the door. “Mother, Marie…I’d like to re-introduce you to someone.”

“Re-introduce us?” Marie exclaimed. “What…are you going to try and introduce us to someone we already know? I thought this was going to be something important.”

“It is…trust me.”

“Famous last words.”

“Look…I know I’m not your favorite person at the moment, and frankly I don’t blame you…not after the way I acted. But please, just humor me for a moment.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

Grinning, Louis pushed the door open. “May I introduce Jacqueline Greyhawk…our long-lost cousin.”

Jacqueline flushed, not having expected to be ambushed by the whole Royal family, while Marie and Anne looked at her skeptically.

“What are you on about, Louis?” the Queen asked. “I thought she was the daughter of some farmer…no offense, dear.”

The female Musketeer shrugged. “None taken, Your Highness.”

“I know it sounds strange, Mother, but it’s the truth. Remember when you told me about cousin Bridgette…the one who died under ‘mysterious circumstances’ a few years before I was born?”

“The one who married that awful DeMolay?”

Louis nodded. “That’s the one. Did you know she was pregnant at the time?”

“Well, there were rumors, of course. The gossip was that she’d gotten with child by someone other than her husband. Why?”

He grinned. “As it turns out, Jacqueline is her child. Bridgette died shortly after giving birth, and sent Jacqueline to her real father just before she passed to keep her from her husband, who was planning to use the child for his own nefarious ends. DeMolay’s partner-in-crime, Cardinal Richelieu, sent someone to kidnap her from her father and bring her back to them, but somewhere along the way, she ended up in the care of the Rogets.”

“And how do you know all of this?” the Queen asked, still skeptical.

“The woman that attacked me…she had helped the younger DeMolay to kidnap Jacqueline, and she told us everything.”

Marie, who’d stayed quiet until that point, could hold her peace no longer. “And you believed her? The woman is insane! How do you know she was telling the truth?”

“Because of this,” Jacqueline answered, her voice almost a whisper. She took the cross from her neck once more and, bowing, handed it to the Queen. “I’ve had this all of my life, Your Highness. And according to your son, it had once belonged to your husband’s cousin, and has been lost since she died. How else could I have come by it if it wasn’t a gift, passed from mother to child?”

Anne looked at Louis. "Do we really know what happened when she was missing? She could have been given that information by DeMolay." She looked back at Jacqueline. "Do you have any other proof?"

The Musketeer frowned. "Your Highness, I don't wish to be rude, but I am not claiming anything. Shell is the one who gave us this information and the King jumped on it. As far as I’m concerned, I am the daughter of a farmer named Claude Roget, as well as a Musketeer.” She sighed, shifting her weight to her left foot, as the right had been bothering her since the alley. “If you don't mind, Your Highness, I need to take off my boots. I seem to have gotten a rock in one of them." Jacqueline sat down on a nearby chair and removed her right boot. She upended the boot and a rock came out. Putting the leather down, she began rubbing her foot.

Anne watched the young woman, secretly happy that, if it was true, Jacqueline was not jumping to be Royal. As the Musketeer rubbed her foot, Anne noticed a mark on the heel. "Where did you get that?"

Jacqueline stopped and frowned. "Get what? My foot? I was born with it."

"No…that mark on your heel."

Jacqueline looked at the mark. "It is a birthmark. My father always said that a cross on my foot was a good sign of God's favor."

Anne turned to her son. "Louis, take off your right boot."

"Mother! I am the King!"

Anne pursed her lips. "Alright, oh mighty King, please sit down and take off your boot. A mother outranks a King."

Louis nodded and did as she bade him. He looked at his heel, then at Jacqueline's. "Mother, what does this mean?"

"It means that Jacqueline Roget is of Royal blood. Your Father and Grandfather had the same mark. I do believe this proves that she is indeed Bridgette’s daughter.” She walked over to the Musketeer and hugged her. "Welcome child." She shook her head. “These clothes are not the proper clothes for Royalty.” She glanced at Luis. "Sorry Marie, but you are no better. Dressing as Musketeers. You need dresses." Anne laughed as both women frowned.

Jacqueline pulled her boot on and stood up. "Your Highness, I am a Musketeer and a married woman. I have dresses in Paris that the King bought me when Geoffrey and I were married. Jacques LePonte could use some clothes, however. I had some things on the Rose, but those are gone.”

Louis snapped his fingers. "Wonderful, I will have a tailor come immediately."

Jacqueline shook her head. "Thank you, but I’ll have to pass. I can shop for Jacques myself, as I know what the proper Musketeer wears."

"You wish to remain Jacques?"

"Well…in some ways, it is safer.”

Louis nodded. “I suppose you have a point, there. It would certainly make things easier.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, confused by that last comment. “It would make what easier?”

“Well, as far as we know, you appear to be the last surviving heir to Claude DeMolay’s estate. I have been holding onto it since his death, as I had believed him to be the last in the line. But now that you’re here….At any rate, it is far easier to pass the estate onto a male heir than a female one, so keeping Jacques around may be a good thing.”

Jacqueline stared at Louis for a moment, not quite sure she was hearing right. “Estate? What estate?”

Louis smiled. “Well, there is a rather large chateau in Nemours, surrounded by a few hundred acres of good land. I would imagine he had quite a bit of wealth stored up, though I cannot be sure of the amount. There is also the title of Duc d’Nemours, passed down through your mother’s side of the family, as well as the Black Musketeers.”

As Louis spoke, Jacqueline had to sit down. After being poor for so long, finding out that she had land, money, and a title to her—well, Jacques’—name was overwhelming. “You…you’re sure about this?”

“Absolutely. You don’t need to decide now, though. I know this must be quite a shock. Take your time, think it through…consult your husband if need be. Whatever you decide, it won’t change the fact that you’re part of the family.”

She nodded. “Thank you. Far as the Black Musketeers go, you can have them disbanded. Having two groups of Musketeers just causes more problems than it solves.”

“Consider it done. What about the rest of it?”

“I-I don’t know. I really should discuss this with Geoffrey, once he’s up to it.”

“Of course. In the meantime, I’ll go ahead and send for that tailor.”

Jacqueline shook her head. “I told you, I can shop on my own.”

“I insist. Duc or no, Jacques LePonte should have clothes befitting his station as my cousin, and those cannot be found in a shop.” Not giving her a chance to argue, Louis stepped out of the room and made the arrangements. Within the hour, the finest tailor in Le Havre arrived at the Inn and began fitting ‘Jacques’ for some new suits of clothing, not much different from the kinds Louis preferred.

As the tailor finished the fitting and started packing his things to leave, Jacqueline glanced out the window to see the sun setting. “Mon Dieu…why hasn’t anyone come to get me? I must go." She grabbed the Musketeer coat the princess had returned to her a few days before and put it on as she raced out of the door, Marie right behind her. After a moment, Louis shrugged and went after them. Jacqueline ran to the edge of the dock and her heart stopped. The Dulaman was nowhere to be seen.

Jacqueline turned to face the princess as she came up behind her. "He's gone,” she gasped, fighting back tears. “The only reasons for the ship to be gone are that either he is dead or he soon will be." Luis hugged her as the King came up.

"Jacqueline, I am so sorry."

"One of you Greyhawk?"

Jacqueline turned to see a man in a longboat. "I am."

"Captain Porter said that if you were to come here, I was to row you out to the Dulaman. She is anchored out in the bay."

"Why did she move the ship?"

The man shrugged. "I am just a member of the crew. Don't mean to be asking the Cap'n stuff like that. She would tan me hide."

Louis arrived, trailed by six Musketeers. “Co…Jacqueline, is it safe?”

She turned to a Musketeer. “Loan me your sword and baldric. Four of you, come with me. We are going for a boat ride.” Doing as they were told, after a nod from the King, the four men and Luis climbed into the boat. Two other crewmen were waiting in the craft. As they rowed away, Louis looked at the two remaining Musketeers. “I think we should retire to the Inn. I feel a little exposed with one sword between the three of us.” He grinned as they went back to the Inn.

Fifteen minutes later, the longboat came up to the ship. The crewman stood on the bow. “Ahoy the Dulaman.”

A woman’s voice responded. “Peter, why are you being so formal?”

”Heck, Fuiseog, ain’t never been no coachman so it seemed proper.”

“Well, come aboard.”

As a cargo net was lowered over the side, Jacqueline started climbing until a hand grabbed her wrist and helped her up. “D’Artagnan…what are you doing here?”

The Musketeer smiled. “Vigilanti and I were a bit…preoccupied…during all the excitement. Next thing we knew, we were anchored out here.”

“Where is he?”

“Down in his cabin, tied to a bed.” He saw her start for the sword at her side. “Easy there. Ana wanted to make sure he didn’t move around yet. Oh, and don’t expect any response. Faith drugged him up with laudanum.”

“Laudanum?”

“It ensured that he wouldn’t move. Ana can tell you more.”

Keeping her hand on the hilt of the sword, she raced down the gangway until she came to the cabin. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. “What have you done to my husband?”

As Faith backed up, Ana stood between the two women. “Saved his life. It was a serious wound, but not as bad as it could have been. The blade came to rest on the bone, so he should recover. The other two wounds had to be cauterized and will be painful. I have salve on the burns and he has been drugged to keep him still. You can talk to him, but I wouldn’t tell him anything that you want him to remember.”

Jacqueline pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed, taking his left hand in her right while stroking his hair with the other. She stayed with him for three days, alternating sleeping and sitting. By the third day, she had been sitting by his side for four hours until she felt him stir. “Stay still Geoffrey, I am here and I love you.”

“Jubahilne, ish that you?”

“It’s me. Stay still.” She smiled as he went back to sleep.

Ana, who had left them alone for the most part since Jacqueline came back on board, chose that moment to re-enter the room. “It’s been three days. You need some proper rest yourself or you won’t be of any good to him.”

Jacqueline nodded and stood up. She bent down and kissed his head. As she straightened up, she froze. “Ana, he moved his foot.”

“That is a good sign. If he was paralyzed, he wouldn’t be able to do that. We will leave him drugged up for a few more days.”

“Ana, keep him under as long as necessary. I need to see the King.” She walked out on deck and saw Cian and Will. “Are you coming back ashore?”

Cian shook his head. “No. Jacqueline, I don’t know who the Musketeer Commander is, so please deliver this letter to the King. Meallá and I are resigning.”

“What are you going to do?”

“We’re going to remain with Faith. Our grandfathers sailed with Grace O’Malley, remember, and the sea is where we belong...it’s in our blood.”

“I will miss you, Meallá. You, Marie and I are the only female Musketeers. What am I going to do without you?”

“Same thing you did before we came along. You are a good role model. Besides, you have a husband now, and who knows what your life will be when he is better.”

Jacqueline laughed. ‘If only you knew.’

An hour later, she was back on the dock and headed for the Inn. She heard her name being called and turned. “D’Artagnan, what are you doing here?”

“Well, Vigilanti and I came ashore last night and I got buttonholed by the King.”

“Oh?”

“He told me that Geoffrey has been reinstated and received his letters back. All he has to do is get well.”

“So you are staying?”

“Well, with Duval gone, the Musketeers need a Commander, and I have been appointed acting Commander for now. Once we get back to Paris, I will recommend my father to be Commander. Let him do the paperwork.”

“Well then acting Commander D’Artagnan, here is a letter for you.” She handed him the letters from Cian and William.

He opened the letters. “Damn. I knew this was coming. I hate to lose them, but I think the trip to Italy woke up their sea-going memories. Faith will have two more good people.”

She looked at him. “Do you think Ramon will resign now?”

“You mean since Geoffrey has been exonerated? I don’t know. I’m not sure how Nikki really feels, and a lot of what she feels may be because of the baby. You know, she really is growing. Can’t wait to see you that way.”

“Some friend you are…wanting to see me fat and bloated. Nikki waddles when she walks.”

The acting Commander laughed. “So when are you going to have kids?”

Jacqueline stopped and whirled on him. “You are a good friend and we have been though a lot, so I will say this only once. I may not be able to have children due to that injury when I almost died. Do not bring up me having children again. Capice?”

“God, Jacqueline, I am so sorry. I hope you are wrong, but I will never mention it again.” They started to walk again. “So why are you here and not with your husband?”

“I’ve been wearing the same clothes for days. I want a bath that is not sea water and the King has graciously had a tailor make me some new clothes.”

“I hope they are regulation clothes and not the frilly stuff he wears. The frills do get in the way of a sword fight.” He sniffed, scrunching up his nose and making a face. “You’re right about one thing…you do need a bath.”

“D’Artagnan, if we were close to any amount of water, you would be in it.” As they walked past the fountain that was in the square near the Inn, Jacqueline pushed the Musketeer into the water. D’Artagnan went flying face down. Sputtering, he surfaced. “I will have you on report for striking a superior officer.”

“There has to be a superior officer to strike.” She grinned. “Better dry off before you go into the Inn. Nikki doesn’t like the floor to get wet.”

Chapter 56

Leaving D’Artagnan sputtering in indignation, Jacqueline continued on to the Inn. Louis must have gotten the message she’d sent earlier, as his servants already had a bath ready and waiting. It was more than she’d expected, seeing as she had only mentioned wanting to get cleaned up before meeting with the tailor again, but at this point she wasn’t about to argue.

About an hour later, Jacqueline finished her bath and, dressed as ‘Jacques,’ sought out her Royal cousin. She soon found him waiting in his room with the tailor.

“Glad you could join us, cousin. Monsieur Beauchamp has finished with your new clothes, and now he just needs to make sure they fit.”

She nodded. “Of course. If you’ll just give me the clothes, Monsieur, I can go put them on so you can satisfy yourself that they are sized correctly.”

Monsieur Beauchamp was a bit confused, being used to a more hands-on approach with his clients, but at the King’s nod he quickly did as asked. ‘Jacques’ went to one of the other rooms to change, and returned several minutes later looking almost like a different person. She’d kept the tall boots, having remembered how uncomfortable the hose she’d ‘borrowed’ from that nobleman a few years before had been, and was now wearing them with a pair of black velvet breeches that were just long enough to tuck into the boot tops. The rest of the suit consisted of a white silk shirt that was slightly ruffled at the collar and sleeves—though not nearly as fancy as what Louis preferred—a black velvet vest, and a dark blue silk coat with gold buttons and gold brocade stitching. Thankfully, the King hadn’t insisted on a wig. She already felt slightly foolish in those clothes, and a wig would’ve just made it ridiculous.

When she re-entered the room, Louis clapped his hands gleefully. “Excellent job, Monsieur Beauchamp! My cousin looks just like royalty.”

The tailor grinned. “That was the idea, Your Majesty.” He clucked over ‘Jacques’ for a few minutes, but it didn’t take him long to declare his work a success. “If it pleases Your Grace,” he said, giving ‘Jacques’ a slight bow, “I can make you several more like this and have them sent to your estate.” Jacqueline glanced over at Louis, silently pleading for help.

“That will be just fine, Monsieur.” He handed the tailor some coins and, with another bow, the man left the room and headed back to his shop.

“W-what was that all about?” Jacqueline stammered. “I don’t recall giving you an answer yet.”

Louis shrugged. “I only told him you were a duc to make absolutely sure you got the best he had to offer. Don’t worry about where the other clothes will be sent. I’ll make those arrangements once you’ve told me your decision.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“No need to thank me, cousin. You’re part of the family, now. And please…call me Louis.”

“I-I’ll try to remember that…Louis.”

He chuckled. “There…that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I suppose not.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll get used to it, eventually. Now…don’t you have a husband to be getting back to?”

“Of course. Shouldn’t I change first, though?” she asked, glancing down at the fancy clothes she was still wearing.

“Why? I didn’t have those made so you could shove them in a wardrobe and forget about them. Besides, what you were wearing before has just about had it, I think. Probably should be burned at this point.”

She laughed, his comment reminding her of the one D’Artagnan had made earlier. “Okay, point taken. So, if it’s alright with you, I’ll just be taking my leave.”

“Go on, then,” he said, waving his hand. “Before Captain Porter decides to send out a search party or something.”

Giving him a slight bow out of habit, Jacqueline turned and left the Inn, making her way back to the docks where Faith was waiting.

“Welcome back, your Lordship. Finally decided to grace us commoners with your presence again?”

Jacqueline glared. “Funny…now knock it off.”

“Aww, come on…I was only teasin’. You can’t suddenly show up in fancy garb like that and expect me not ta give ya a hard time about it.”

“Well cut it out…before I have to cut something out for you.” Her hand moved to the hilt of her sword, and Faith’s quickly shot into the air.

“Okay, okay…I’ll lay off.”

“Good. Can I see Geoffrey now?”

Faith bowed, sweeping her hand towards the waiting longboat. “After you…your Lordship.” A wicked grin spreading across her features, Jacqueline got into the boat, ‘accidentally’ knocking Faith into the water as she did. The female pirate surfaced moments later, coughing and sputtering. “What the bloody hell was that for?”

Jacqueline shrugged. “Oops.”

Glaring, Faith managed to pull herself back into the longboat with her good arm. “If that was an accident, then I’m the sodding Queen of Scotland.”

The female Musketeer grinned. “Your Majesty.” She handed Faith an oar, then grabbed one herself and prepared to row. Rolling her eyes, Faith put her oar in the water, and soon the pair were on their way back to the Dulaman.

****************

Two days after coming ashore, Nikki and Ramon moved back to the cottage they had been staying at before their cruise to Ireland; where they settled down to relax. The next day, there was a knock on the door and Ramon found a messenger. “What do you want, señor?”

“I have a message from Señora de la Cruz, your mother.”

“Mi madre? She is in Spain.”

“Not as of this morning. She is staying at Le Chat Noir. Do you know it?”

“I should. My wife owns it.”

“Good. She says for you to report to her at once, alone.”

“Tell her that if she wishes to see me, it will be the both of us or she can go back to Spain.”

“Señor, you would say this to your mother?”

Ramon smiled. “No. You will say this to my mother. I did not invite her here and she made it perfectly clear that I was no longer welcome in her house.”

Nikki came up behind him. “Tell Señora de la Cruz that we both will be there.” She looked at Ramon. “Clean up and let’s go.”

An hour later, Ramon and Nikki arrived at the Inn. Luis stood at the door. “Your mother is in the back room. I thought about having her wait in the loo, but decided against it. She treated me like a servant.”

“She treats everyone like that. I am sure she is here because of you, in her sick twisted way.”

"Well, she had better learn that I am not a servant. Come, we will go in."

The three walked in, with Luis acting as an escort. Ramon stopped a few feet from the dowdy woman. “Mother, what are you doing here? You made it perfectly clear that you wanted nothing to do with me."

"I told you to come alone, but since you didn't, I will have my say. I have searched around and have found a girl for you to marry, one from a proper family."

"You may not remember, but I am already married."

She frowned. "That sham of a marriage means nothing. I have made some very powerful friends in the Church hierarchy and have arranged to have your so-called marriage dissolved."

"What?" Nikki pushed forward. "You would make my child a bastard? How dare you come here and interfere with our family, you overweight slovenly cow!"

Ramon's mother struggled to get up. She pointed at Luis. "You there! Take that puta out of my sight! I will have you know that I am a very good friend and confidant to Queen Elizabeth of Spain." She looked at Luis. "I told you to do something and I will be obeyed."

Luis smiled. "You are a friend of the Queen of Spain? How is my dear mother?"

Señora de la Cruz's mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.

"Mother, may I introduce Princess Maria Therese of Spain and future Queen of France. Currently, she is serving as a Musketeer with King Louis' knowledge. Now sit down and listen to me."

"That is not the Princess."

The door, which had been left ajar, opened. "Actually, she is the Princess and my future wife. I am Louis, the King of France. Madame, would you mind telling me why you are harassing one of my Royal Musketeers?"

"I am his mother. We have a proud family…one with pure blood. What do we know of this woman?"

"I know that she is a very good woman and a brave one." Louis pulled up a chair and sat down. "I actually know quite a bit about your family and why you are here. My informants tell me that you are in financial difficulties, and the way to save your honor is to marry Ramon to a wealthy family. Well, I too have powerful friends in the church hierarchy and I can guarantee that there will be no annulment."

"Liar! You are no king, you are a boy. I will go see the real King. I know the Queen Mother and she will see to it that my son will be free of this puta."

At that moment, the Queen Mother walked into the room. "Magdalena de la Cruz, you are an arrogant cow! How dare you insult my son and his future wife? What's worse is that you insult not only your son and his wife, but your grandchild as well." She looked at Luis. "Yes, my child, I know her. She was once one of my ladies-in-waiting until she insulted my mother and was sent home in disgrace. Ramon, you may not be blood related, but you are a part of our family. You have served my son and myself, risking your life many times. Nikki, you have graciously opened your home to us and I apologize for this miserable old woman."

Señora de la Cruz stood up. "Anne, is it true? This really is your son? I thought Ramon had his friends try to make a fool of me."

"You will address me as ‘Your Majesty.’ No one needs to make a fool of you, you do that well enough on your own. Louis, I think you should send her back to Spain."

Ramon bowed. "Your Majesty, with your permission." Louis nodded. "Mother, you will accept Nikki as my wife or you will never see your grandchild. Your name will be stricken from the Holy Bible as my mother."

The blood drained from Magdalena's face. "You wouldn't dare…on the grave of your father, you wouldn't dare."

"Yes mother, I would and will. Nikki is my wife and the mother of my child. You will respect her. Now you have a choice."

"Get out of my room! You are no longer my son."

Nikki took Ramon's arm. "Señora, this is my Inn and I believe it is my right to tell you to get out. You may sleep in the street, just not near here."

The old woman looked at Nikki. "You would throw an old woman into the street? How cruel are you?"

"Cruel enough to protect my husband and child from the likes of you. Go back to Spain, you miserable hag." Nikki turned and walked out, Ramon following behind. With a shake of his head Louis left with his mother, leaving only Luis.

"Señora, I am only going to say this one time. You will beg for your son's forgiveness, or by the time you reach Spain, The King of Spain will know about you." She turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Ramon was angry, Louis was seething, Marie livid, and Nikki was surprisingly calm, while Anne’s heart held much sorrow. As the five gathered in another room, Anne took control. “Poor Magdalena. She wasn’t always like that. Once upon a time, before she was sent home in disgrace, she was one of the nicest and cheeriest people I have ever known. We were great friends.”

Marie frowned. “What happened?”

“A boy she took a fancy to got married and was later killed by a runaway team that ran him over. Shortly afterwards, word came that she was to marry a man thirty years her senior. That fell apart when she was sent home. Secretly I think she did it deliberately. I later heard that she had married a noble from Almeria who had come north to Castille.”

She paused and looked at Ramon. “I actually met your father once, Ramon, when he sold some horses to my husband the King and brought them here himself. He was a tall man, and you remind me of him. And he was an honorable man as well. One of the mares died on the trip and another one delivered a foal. Normally, if a horse dies in transit, there is no deduction but if a foal is born, the buyer has to pay for the extra animal. Not your father. Not only did he refund the amount paid for the dead horse, but did not charge for the foal.”

Ramon looked at the Queen. “Are you telling me I should not have reacted the way I did?”

“Not at all, although I think I know you well enough to know that you are a compassionate person. Maybe after the baby is born, you might reconsider and allow your mother to see him or her.”

Nikki took Ramon’s hand. “Thank you Your Majesty. We will consider it, but I will make no promises now.”

Anne smiled. “I agree, don’t make promises that you can’t keep for sure. Just considering the matter shows you are as compassionate as your husband.”

Louis cleared his throat. “All this talk has made me hungry. Can we eat?”

Nikki laughed. “Ramon, would you escort our guests to the private dining area in the back while I see to the food?” She looked at Louis. “It’s a good thing that you are Royalty.”

Louis frowned. “Why is that?”

“Because Ramon will be on his best behavior and let you be served first, otherwise you might not have anything to eat.” She grinned as she walked out of the room.

Chapter 57

On board the Dulaman, Geoffrey was coming out of a drug-induced sleep. He lay there for some time, pretending he was asleep, and listened to the shipboard sounds. Ana came in and shook his shoulder. “Geoffrey, time for your medicine.”

His hand flew up and shoved the bottle out of Ana’s hand, shattering it. “No more. I need my head clear.”

“But you need to heal.”

“I need to heal with a clear head. I know you have been giving me laudanum and I won’t take any more.” Without thinking, he rolled over on his back, sat up and swung his legs over the side. He stopped and sat stunned. “I moved. Sore, but I moved.”

Ana frowned. “Wiggle your toes.”

He looked down and moved the toes on his left foot. The right one remained motionless. “My foot feels numb…like a large chunk of mud under the ball of my foot.”

“The fact that you have feeling is a good sign. Your body may need more time to heal.”

He slid himself to the head of the bed and leaned up against the bulkhead. “When is Jacqueline coming back?”

”The King felt she needed some new clothes, since she has been wearing the same ones for several days. Why…going somewhere?”

“I miss her, and I also need some crutches so I can get around.” He stopped. “That was the sound of a longboat coming alongside. Maybe it is my wife.”

“Might be. You stay where you are and surprise her.” Nodding, Geoffrey lay back in the bed to wait. Moments later, a dark-haired nobleman appeared in the doorway.

Geoffrey frowned. “Excuse me…are you lost?”

The noble stared at him for a moment, then laughed. “Geoffrey…it’s me.”

“Jacqueline? What are you doing dressed like that?”

She shrugged, taking a seat on the bed. “Funny story, actually. As it turns out, I’m the King’s cousin.”

“What? How did that happen?” Grinning, she repeated the story as it had been told to her, more or less. Geoffrey listened patiently, mentally comparing it to what Captain Duval had told him. Everything seemed to fit together, but he still wasn’t completely convinced. “Wait…Shell told you this?”

“Yes. And I know what you’re thinking…but don’t worry. I’m not just taking her word for it. There’s proof.”

“What kind of proof?”

She reached inside her shirt and pulled her necklace out. “This, for one thing. It belonged to my real mother, and she left it with me when she sent me to my father…whoever that is. Louis recognized it from an old portrait he’d seen of her.”

“And your real mother is also DeMolay’s mother?”

“Yes.”

“So your own half-brother is the one who kidnapped you?”

She nodded. “So it would seem.”

“Lovely,” Geoffrey muttered. “And I thought my family tree was screwed up.” He sighed. “So what other proof do you have?”

“Remember that odd-looking birthmark on my heel?”

“The one that looks like a cross?”

“Yeah. Apparently, Louis has the same birthmark in the same spot. It’s a family trait.”

Geoffrey nodded, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he’d managed to marry into the Royal family. “Still doesn’t quite explain the suit. I’d think Louis would be buying you dresses or something.”

“Well…that brings me to my other big news. You know that DeMolay was a duc.”

“Duc d’Nemours, right?”

“Yes. And since the title was passed down from his mother’s side of the family, I…well, Jacques…is next in line.”

“Why Jacques?”

“Louis says it’s easier to pass the estate on to a male heir than a female one.”

“That’s true. So you’re a duc, now?”

Jacqueline sighed. “I haven’t officially accepted anything, yet. I wanted to talk it over with you first.” Unknown to the couple, two four-legged Mouseketeers, clearly having fed well, wandered in and took up nap-time positions. They curled up, watched their humans for awhile, then fell asleep.

Geoffrey’s eyebrow shot up. “You haven’t accepted it. And yet, the fact that you want to talk about this leads me to believe that you’re seriously considering it.”

“Is that really such a bad thing?”

“Why would you want to have anything to do with that bastard or the crazed cultists he was involved with?”

“DeMolay may have been a bastard, as you say, but the estate came to him through his—our—mother. Louis’ side of the family. It has nothing to do with the Order. That was his and his father’s mess.”

He sighed. “Perhaps…but I still don’t like it. Feels too much like a bloody handout.”

“How is it a handout if I’m inheriting it?”

“My point exactly. YOU are inheriting it. I’d just be leeching off of your wealth.”

“Geoffrey,” she breathed, running a hand through his hair. “It wouldn’t be like that at all. You’re my husband, so what’s mine is yours, and vice-versa.”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t quite work that way. I’m married to Jacqueline, not Jacques…not officially, anyway. And if the estate is going to Jacques….Why are you so adamant about this, anyway? I thought money didn’t matter to you.”

“It doesn’t, not really. But I know you tend to get worried about it. I mean, you sold one of your inventions to buy me a ring.”

“And you think this is the answer? Getting yourself a title and some fancy country estate?”

Jacqueline scowled. “I didn’t plan on it, Geoffrey. Like I said, the estate is coming to me from my real mother by way of my insane half-brother. Besides,” she said, crossing her arms. “How exactly is this different from you changing back to your real name from ‘Siroc’ and inheriting not one, but two ships?”

“Well, I didn’t exactly inherit the second one. Porthos gave it to me.”

“Exactly. You don’t seem to mind ‘handouts’ from your side of the family. So why do you suddenly have a problem getting them from mine?”

“You didn’t even know that Louis was your cousin until a few days ago.”

“And you didn’t know Porthos was your uncle until last year.” Geoffrey opened his mouth, as if to try and argue the point further, but she quickly cut him off. “I thought we were supposed to be equal in this marriage.”

“We are.”

“Then why can’t you understand that I want to do this for you…for us?”

“Is this about my legs? I don’t want your pity, Jacqueline.”

“It’s not pity. Damn it, Geoffrey…can’t you just let me take care of you for a change?”

“Take care of me…like a bloody invalid, you mean.”

“No…like my brave husband who was hurt trying to protect the King. Need I remind you—again—of our vows? ‘For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, ‘til death us do part.’ I’m not going anywhere, Geoffrey. If I take this inheritance, we won’t have to worry about money anymore, and you can focus on getting better.”

“Don’t you understand? I don’t want your bloody money, Jacqueline. I still have my dignity.” Not even thinking, Geoffrey got out of bed and started for the door. Unfortunately, he only got one step before a couple of furballs tripped him up. He crashed to the floor while the kittens consoled each other.

Jacqueline stood up and looked down at her husband, who was only wearing a nightshirt. “Yes, I can see how dignified you are. Now, should I help you up, or would you rather just stay there?”

Resignedly, Geoffrey rolled on his back and held out his hand, allowing Jacqueline to help him back up. “Thank you, Your Grace,” he muttered, once he was back in bed.

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you start, now. You’re almost as bad as Faith.”

“Does she know about…?”

“About the duc thing? No, not yet. She just started teasing me because of the fancy clothes.”

“I see….I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”

Jacqueline sighed. “If circumstances were different, I’d probably tell Louis to find someone else. The facts of my birth aside, I still consider the Rogets my real family. They were the ones who loved and cared for me my whole life, not Madame DeMolay or whoever my mysterious father is. If I do accept the inheritance—which, in all honesty, I probably will—I would be doing it to try and make things better for us. With you unable to serve in the Musketeers, our money is going to run out fairly quick. I don’t think one Musketeer’s wages will be enough to support both of us and the kittens. But with what Louis says I have coming to me, we should be set for a good long time. You would be able to focus on recovering, as I said before, and I won’t have to spend all my time worrying about where our next meal will be coming from. But that’s all it is, I swear. I could care less about the title, the chateau, and whatever else is part of the package. I’ll take them if it’s the only way to get the money we need, but they won’t change who I am or make me forget where I came from. I promise.”

“You mean that?”

“Of course. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?”

“Not really, no.” He stared at her for a moment before finally cracking a smile. “So…does this mean I’m now a kept man? Might not be so bad, now that I think about it.”

She chuckled, shaking her head and playfully taking a swipe at his. “You saying you just want me for my money now?” she teased.

“Of course not. That’s just one of the perks.”

“Alright…come here, you.” She reached out and, taking care not to aggravate his injuries, pulled him into a hug. At least, she tried to. As they closed the space between them, the couple heard some loud ‘Meow’s and glanced down to see the kittens sitting on his lap. They looked at each other and started to laugh. Geoffrey reached down and scooped the furballs into his arms.

“Aww…what’s wrong? Feeling left out?” The kittens purred, nuzzling their heads into his sides. Miette then lifted her head and licked Geoffrey’s nose, Will copying the gesture a moment later.

Jacqueline chuckled, leaning down and giving her husband a kiss. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright with this?”

He nodded. “It’s not ideal, but I think I can live with it.”

“Really?”

“Really. Besides, if it’s as big an estate as I think, it’ll give these two plenty of space to run…far more than they had at that cottage. And how could I possibly say no to these cute little faces…could you?”

Jacqueline smiled, reaching out and scratching Miette behind the ears. “Alright…if you’re sure. Faith is probably going to kill me for making her go back out again this soon, but I think I should go find Louis and let him know what I’ve decided. Then, when you’re feeling up to it, we can head out to the estate…wherever it is…and start settling in.”

“Sounds good. Just don’t be out too long, eh?” She nodded, giving him one more quick kiss before leaving the room and going to find Faith.

****************

In a small room at Le Chat Noir, Vigilanti watched as D’Artagnan got dressed. “Where are you going?”

He leaned over her and kissed the top of her head. “Uh…Musketeer business, of course. After all, I am the Acting Commander and I have to make sure the Musketeers in Le Havre are protecting the King.”

She smiled as he left. “Musketeer business my bum. He is up to something.” She heard a noise in the hallway and got up. Slipping on a dressing gown, she went to the door and opened it. Nikki was waddling down the hallway. “Nikki, are you all right?”

The pregnant woman nodded. “Just met my mother-in-law.”

Vigilanti frowned. “I take it that things went badly. Come in and sit.”

“Thanks. ‘Went badly’ doesn’t even describe it. She started off by stating that she would have our wedding annulled, as she had found a more fitting wife for Ramon.”

“What window did you throw her out of?”

“If I wasn’t this far along, I would have. Fortunately, Ramon and Marie were there. Fortunate for her sake, that is. That woman actually thought Luis was her personal servant and then started dropping names. Said that she was close friends with the Queen of Spain. Marie loved that. Eventually, the Queen and the King entered the fray. When they finished, I told her to get out of my Inn.”

“So what happens next?”

“Well, at the moment, the woman is banned from seeing our child and the King told her to get out of France. Maybe…just maybe…after the baby is born, we will give her one more chance.” She looked around. “Where is D’Artagnan?”

“He left, saying it was Musketeer business.”

“Does he always conduct Musketeer business without his sword?” Vigilanti frowned as she saw what Nikki had, the man’s rapier in a corner.

“I knew he was up to something. I wonder if he left here to go woo some other woman.” She retrieved the rapier. “I’ll kill him.”

Nikki laughed. “Relax…he passed me as I was coming up the stairs. I think he went to get something to eat.”

They turned as there was a knock on the door. Vigilanti opened the door, rapier in hand, to find D’Artagnan standing there with a tray full of food. “Whoa…hey, I didn’t cook this. So if it isn’t to your liking, the cook is down stairs.”

“You brought me breakfast? Why, what have you done wrong?” She winked at Nikki.

“Vigilanti, you are a stór mo chroí my anam cara (You are the love of my heart, my soul mate). Thabharfainn fuil mo chroí duit (I'd give you the blood of my heart). He took the cover off of the plate, dropping down to one knee. “An bpósfaidh tú mé? (Will you marry me?”)

She gasped as she saw a claddagh ring. It had two hands cupping a heart with a crown on top. “Cinnte pósfaidh mé thú? (Yes, I will marry you.)” She pulled him close and kissed him until they heard Nikki chortle.

“I don’t know what you said, but I can guess.”

D’Artagnan laughed. “Cian has been teaching me Irish and I guess William has taught Vigilanti also.”

She looked at him seriously. “B'fhearr liom thú nó céad bó bainne!”

The Gascon chuckled. “You prefer me to a hundred milk cows?”

His fiancé blushed. “I guess I wasn’t paying attention to all of the lessons.”

"Where did you find a claddagh in Le Havre?"

Still laughing, the Musketeer looked at Nikki. “I have been sailing on a ship with former pirates, many of whom are Irish. Cian and William hooked me up with a metal worker with a lot of skill. He made the ring for me. Like it?"

As Vigilanti kissed him again, Nikki got up. “You are going to have to teach me that one about the cows. Ramon is always throwing sayings at me in Spanish, so maybe I can return the favor in Irish. You two have a lot of planning to do, so I will leave.” She got to the door. “When is the wedding?”

D’Artagnan shrugged. “We haven’t discussed that yet, we just became betrothed. We’ll let you know.” He turned to Vigilanti. "I think it is time to see my father."

"It is not something that I am looking forward to, but for you my love, I will go."

Chapter 58

An hour later, the couple walked up to a small house on the edge of Le Havre. D'Artagnan knocked on the door, stepping back as it opened. Comte D'Artagnan stared at his son. "I hear you are now the Acting Commander of the Musketeers."

"For now…not that I want it at this moment. I have other things in mind."

The older man nodded. "Don't you always? Well, my home is not a cat house; go find your own place." He started to turn away when he was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Father, this is my fiancé Violete."

The Comte snorted and went into the house as his son followed. "Get rid of her. She is not good enough for you."

"Not good enough? Hell, you don't even know her.”

“They are all alike. Did she dazzle you with her womanly charms?"

"Father, it is not like that. You do not even know her. Could you at least not embarrass us both by acting like an ass?"

The older man looked at him. "Alright, bring the trollop in."

"Father, you will act like a gentleman."

"I said fine…bring her in, already.”

A minute later, D'Artagnan and Vigilanti stood in front of the older man. "Father, this is my fiancé, Violete d'Herblay."

The older man's eyes opened wide. "Who was your father?"

"My father is René d'Herblay."

The Comte squinted. "Where is he now?"

"He is a lay priest south of Paris."

The Comte's nostrils flared and he stormed out of the room, his son right behind him. "Father, what the hell is going on?"

"That woman is the daughter of Henri d'Aramitz."

The younger man cocked his head. "Who?"

"Aramis—as in one of the Three Musketeers. We haven't spoken in many years, not since he joined… well, let’s just say he turned against us."

"What do you mean, turned against you?"

"He joined a group known as the Brotherhood."

"He worked for Mazarin?"

The older man shook his head. “No, the Brotherhood of the Cross is a secret society dedicated to preservation of the True Cross of Christ. They bear a tattoo on their shoulder of an upside-down Cross. I argued that our duty was to defend the King, but Aramis said that his duty was to God first. That was why he left the Musketeers. The last I heard, the Brotherhood had dissolved due to too few members. Aramis was the only one left and he had joined another group, but I could not determine what group that was or to whom they owe allegiance. All I know is that I haven’t seen or spoken to Aramis in over twenty years.”

The Musketeer frowned. “So you hold Violete responsible for your falling out with Aramis? She is a brave young woman, and you would be wise to accept her since she will be your daughter-in-law and the mother of your grandchildren some day.”

“So that’s it, you have her in the family way.”

“No, I am talking future…like in a few years. I am also going to ask the King to find a permanent replacement for Captain Duval. I am not a scroll and quill pusher.” He turned and went back to his fiancé. “We are leaving.” He offered his arm to her, which she took, and they left. As they walked down the street, they did not see the man across the street hidden in an alley, watching.

****************

D’Artagnan stood at the window, watching his son and future daughter-in-law leave. He also noted the man in the alley cross the street and disappear. A few minutes later, he spoke. “Nice of you to join me. You could have warned me, you know.”

“I swear, I didn’t know he was coming here. What did he want?”

“He wanted to introduce me to his fiancé, your daughter.” He turned to Aramis. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I swear old friend, I didn’t know. What did you tell them about me?”

“I told him about the rumor that we hadn’t spoken because you joined the Brotherhood. I don’t even know why we made that rumor up.”

Aramis looked out the window. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.” He turned to D’Artagnan. “Come to think of it, the idea came from Athos. No wonder he moved to Marseilles.”

****************

As they walked down the street talking about their wedding plans, D'Artagnan glanced to his left and saw a man furtively duck into an alleyway. Frowning, the Musketeer led his fiancé up two blocks and took a right turn. "Violete, wait here a second." Cautiously looking around the corner, he saw the man approach his father's house and go in.

"D'Artagnan, what is it?"

"Someone is up to no good. I have to go back."

The woman tapped him on the shoulder. "Go down the back way." She started walking down the way she’d indicated before D'Artagnan caught up to her. As they came to the back of the house, they heard three voices. The Musketeer crept into the house and walked to the parlor. Stepping in, he drew his sword. The three men turned and the two with his father drew theirs.

"Father!" Violete came up behind. "What are you doing here?"

D'Artagnan looked at her. "Father?"

She nodded. "My father, the famous Aramis. Uncle Athos? Is that you?" Walking over, she pushed their blades away and hugged them.

The Musketeer sheathed his own blade. "Alright, what is going on here? My father and yours are supposed to be enemies and Athos lives in Marseilles. I want the truth."

The Legend motioned to the furniture. "Everyone have a seat and we will attempt to fill you in. For one thing, we are all still friends and never became enemies. We did this for many reasons. After the King died, we had to protect the Queen. There was a small group of men known as the Brotherhood and we decided that Aramis would join them. There weren't many and they kept managing to get themselves killed until Aramis was the only one left. We then formed the Secret Service for the Queen."

The Musketeer stood up. "Is that when you slept with her?"

Vigilanti looked at him with a shocked look. "D'Artagnan, what a terrible thing to say."

The Legend smiled. "Terrible yes, but it is the truth. Yes, we fell in love and I did sleep with her."

The Musketeer shook his head. "It isn't a surprise; I already knew that…just not all this other stuff. Remember, we had this discussion when you and Porthos…." He stopped. "Porthos is dead. He and Duval drowned when the Rose was sunk."

"Son, we already knew that,” Aramis informed him. “The Queen told me the night you all docked."

The Musketeer looked at Aramis. "I know you, but you were going by another name. In fact, I have seen you several times. The last time was when you were in the corner of a bar where a man named Wolfe held court."

"Yes, I was there. Watching you as a member of Les Combattants de Anne."

"I know your voice. But it wasn't your face. It was the face of someone I knew, but not." He snapped his fingers. "Lee Stetson."

****************

On returning to the docks—this time courtesy of one of Faith’s crewmen—the first thing Jacqueline saw was a bound and gagged Shell being wrangled into the back of a wagon and carted off to, presumably, the sanitarium. Grinning at the sight of her former tormenter getting what she undoubtedly deserved, she failed to watch where she was walking and almost ran right into the King.

“Oh…Your Majesty…I-I was just coming to find you.”

“And I was on my way to see how your husband is doing. Pretty good timing, huh?”

“So it would seem.”

Louis nodded, glancing around to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard. “So…what was it you wished to see me about?”

“I have reached a decision regarding…what we discussed earlier.”

“Oh?”

She smiled. “I think that ‘Jacques LePonte, duc d’Nemours’ has a nice ring to it.”

“Excellent,” the King beamed. “So your husband is supporting this decision, I presume.”

“We discussed it. He wasn’t exactly enthusiastic at first, but we eventually agreed that it was for the best. Now…would you mind telling me exactly where this fancy chateau is?”

“Of course. In fact, I will make the travel arrangements myself, once your husband is up to it. Speaking of which…do you think he’d mind a visitor?”

“Depends. What are you planning to say to him?”

“I just want to apologize, cousin. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my behavior towards him over the past week or so has been rather appalling.”

“Well, he already knows you’re not sending him to prison. I believe Faith spilled the beans on that one.”

“Still…he deserves to hear it from me personally.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Shall we go, then?”

“Yes…please,” Louis nodded. Returning the nod, Jacqueline escorted the King to where the longboat was waiting. The crewman manning it seemed a bit annoyed at having to head back so quickly, but changed his mind when he realized who his second passenger was.

On reaching the Dulaman, Jacqueline and her Royal cousin were greeted by Ana and Faith, neither of whom appeared particularly pleased at the King’s presence. “What the bloody hell are you doing on my ship?” Faith yelled.

Louis was shocked. “You would dare raise your voice to me? The King?”

“You’re not my King.”

At that point, Jacqueline quickly stepped between them. “That’s enough, Faith,” she commanded. “Lo—His Majesty isn’t here to cause trouble. He just wants to see Geoffrey.”

Now it was Faith’s turn to be shocked. “Whoa…wait a bleedin’ second, here. You’re defending him now? Last I checked, you were about ready to skin him alive.”

“Things change.”

“What things?”

“Long story. Now back off…or else.”

“Or else what?” Faith asked, drawing her cutlass. “Do you really think you can take me, little girl?”

Smirking, Jacqueline drew her own blade. “I can out-fence D’Artagnan practically in my sleep. A second-rate pirate should be no problem.”

“Second-rate? Why I oughta….”

“ENOUGH!!!” Startled, both girls lowered their blades and turned to face Ana, who did not look happy. “This bickering is getting us absolutely nowhere. Faith, I can sense that this young man’s intentions are nothing but honorable. I understand that you want to protect your cousin, but in this case it’s not necessary. Understand?” Faith nodded, returning her blade to its sheath as Jacqueline did the same. “And you,” Ana continued, turning to the female Musketeer. “Sooner or later, you really should tell the others what is going on. There’s no reason not to share your good fortune with them.”

“I will, Ana…soon. I promise.”

“Good.”

“Wait…what good fortune?” Faith asked, confused.

Jacqueline shrugged. “Like I said, I’ll tell you later. Now, if you don’t mind, I believe His Majesty and I were on our way to look in on my husband. Excuse me….” With that, she made her way back down to sickbay, Louis following close behind.

“How did Ana know about your inheritance?” Louis whispered, once they were out of earshot of the gypsy.

“How does Ana know anything? Must be some of that gypsy magic of hers.”

Louis nodded, not quite sure how to respond to that. Before long, the pair reached sickbay and Jacqueline knocked on the door.

“Come in.” At that, she opened the door to find Geoffrey sitting up in the bed with the kittens playing on his lap.

Jacqueline grinned. “Feeling better, I see.”

“I have excellent nurses who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. So…what are you doing back so soon? Not that I don’t want you here…I just figured it would take longer.”

“That would be my fault,” Louis chimed in, entering the room from behind his cousin. As soon as he did, the kittens leapt down from the bed and placed themselves protectively between him and their human. The King quickly raised his hands, hoping to show them that he meant no harm.

“May I help you, Your Majesty?”

“Actually…I came here to apologize.”

Geoffrey shook his head. “No need for that, Sire. I deserved what I got.”

“No, you didn’t. What happened was a tragic accident. The only ones deserving punishment for it are already dead. I overreacted out of wounded pride, and nearly cost you everything in the process. And yet, you still threw yourself in harm’s way to save my life, when any other man in your position would’ve simply let the lunatic have me. I owe you more than I could ever possibly repay…though I hope you’ll allow me to at least start with this.” Reaching inside his coat, he pulled out a familiar-looking bundle and offered it to Geoffrey. “Your pardon and your Letters of Marque, no strings attached this time. You’ve more than proven your loyalty, so I see no more need for any conditions on your freedom.”

“Do you really mean that? I mean, you’re not just saying this because my wife happens to be some long-lost relative of yours, are you?”

Louis smiled. “Like I said, you’ve more than proven your loyalty. Even if Jacqueline were not my cousin, I’d still be standing here doing what I am now.”

Geoffrey glanced over at his wife, silently asking for reassurance. She nodded, and he returned his attention to the young King. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Your generosity is…overwhelming.”

“You deserve it, Captain Greyhawk…and more. In fact, as soon as you’re able to leave this ship, I have every intention of holding a grand feast in your honor.”

“You really don’t have to do that, Sire.”

“I insist. Face it, Geoffrey…you’re a hero.” Grinning, he turned to his cousin. “Keep me posted, will you? I’m not about to let him duck out of this one.”

“Of course, cousin. He’ll be at that feast…even if I have to carry him there myself.”

Geoffrey’s eyes went wide as he stared at Jacqueline. “You wouldn’t.”

She smirked. “Try me.”

Chuckling to himself, Louis quietly ducked out of the room, leaving the couple alone. The kittens watched him leave, then snuck out of the room themselves in search of more prey.

“Traitor,” the pirate mumbled, pouting like a petulant child.

Laughing, Jacqueline sat next to him on the bed, running a hand through his hair. “Come on…you know Louis will get what he wants one way or another. Easier just to go along.”

He sighed. “Fine…I’ll go to the bloody feast. But I won’t enjoy it.”

“Keep telling yourself that, dear, and maybe someday you’ll believe it.”

“I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

“Not by a long shot,” she grinned. “Now behave yourself while I go get Ana…see about getting you back on your feet.” Dropping a quick kiss on his forehead, Jacqueline turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

“Yeah…good luck with that one,” Geoffrey muttered to no one in particular. He took a few tentative pokes at his slowly recovering legs, the mud ball still being noticeable in his right foot, then rolled over onto his side and pulled the covers over his head, hoping to get at least a few moments of peace before the optimist’s club returned.

Chapter 59

Geoffrey was just dozing off when the door to the cabin was thrown open and Ana, Faith, Jacqueline, Cian, and two burly sailors walked in. Jacqueline pulled back the covers. “Get your bum up, we are going home.”

The dazed Privateer grabbed at the covers. “What are you talking about? I am in no condition to travel.”

Faith stood next to Jacqueline. “Surprise, cuz. I am throwing you off of my ship, but first there is going to be a memorial for Captain Duval and Captain Porthos so you need to be dressed and standing up. Cian made a pair of crutches so you can move around a bit.” She smirked. “Try not to fall on your face.”

“Do you expect me to go in my nightshirt? I don’t need a blooming audience while I get dressed. Everyone out…except Jacqueline, of course.”

As they all turned and left, Faith leaned towards Jacqueline. “If you aren’t out in five minutes, we are coming back in and I will dress him.”

Geoffrey frowned. “I heard that.” He watched as his cousin closed the door. “Well don’t just stand there, give me my pants.”

At five minutes, the door slammed open and Faith charged in only to find her cousin standing erect with the help of the crutches and Jacqueline pulling up his boots. “I don’t believe it.”

“Believe it cousin, now let’s go.”

The party made its way to the bow of the ship that had been moved to the center of the harbor. Geoffrey noted that besides the regular members of the Musketeer cadre, King Louis, Queen Anne and the others had been joined by three other men standing next to the Legend himself. He turned to D’Artagnan. “Who are they?”

“Former Musketeers who were friends of Porthos. They are Athos and Aramis, who came to pay their respects to fallen comrades.”

The blonde looked dumbstruck. “The original Musketeers? I though they weren’t speaking to each other. Who is the one with the long nose?”

“It was a ruse to protect someone. Please don’t ask any more because I cannot say whom. The other one is some guy named Cyrano, but you would be wise to not make reference to his nose. He is very sensitive, and he is a killer when it comes to sword play…even better than my father, me and your wife together.”

Geoffrey nodded and hobbled to the bow as King Louis unrolled a scroll. “We are gathered here to honor the memory of two of the finest Musketeers to have served the Crown, Captain Isaac de Portau, also known as Porthos, and Captain Martin Duval.” Louis paused, then began to read from the scroll in his hands.

On this day we do dedicate this monument to those who have gone before.
Our brothers, our comrades in arms.
Be not ashamed that you loved and miss them.
take what they have given us by their dying.
and learn from them how precious our freedom is.
we do now rededicate ourselves to our world
to our families to our neighbors. By virtue of our
humanity and our lives, we are brothers and the sons of our ancestors.
Let us never forget them and may our children
never forget them.

Louis rolled the scroll back up. “In honor of the lives lost at sea, a floating lighted tribute will be now released. Look over the side.”

Geoffrey looked over the side to see three longboats full of men, each with a small paper boat with a lit candle. One by one they put the boats in the water and all watched as the boats were moved out of the bay in the dark by the tide. As the little boats winked out of existence, Jacqueline walked up. “Are you ready to go home?”

“Home? To Paris?”

”No, to Nemours.”

“Jacqueline, I can barely stand with the help of crutches. How can I ride a horse?”

Faith walked up. “Hey cuz, ready for a boat ride?”

He shook his head. “The last I heard, Nemours is inland, and I don’t think the Dulaman will make it.”

“You are right, you can’t ride a horse and my ship won’t go there, but a barge will.”

“A barge?”

“Yes, you can take a barge down the Seine to the Haute Seine to Nemours. Then a carriage ride to wherever you are going.” She looked at Jacqueline. “Hey…where are you going, anyway? You did say the family farm, didn’t you?”

Jacqueline sighed. “Faith, would you have Cian, William, D’Artagnan, Ramon, Nikki, Violete and Ana come over here?”

A few minutes later, they gathered around. “There is something I need to tell you. Unbelievable as it may sound, I’ve recently discovered that Claude DeMolay was my half-brother through his—our—mother, which also means that I am second cousin to King Louis.”

At that, everyone’s jaws dropped in shock. Only Geoffrey and Ana didn’t appear to be surprised by the announcement.

“Whoa,” D’Artagnan exclaimed, once he’d regained the ability to speak. “Are you serious? You’re related to the King?”

She shrugged. “So it would seem.”

“How…I mean…what about the Rogets?”

“I still consider them to be my real family, but there’s no blood relation. My cross is proof of that. It once belonged to my real mother, who happened to be Louis XIII’s first cousin. The King himself confirms it.”

“So who’s your real dad, then?” Faith asked.

Jacqueline shook her head. “Honestly, I have no idea. From what I’ve been told, my birth was the result of a drunken encounter at a harvest festival. My ‘real’ father could be anyone. Not that it really matters. I know who my family is and the facts of my birth can’t change that.”

“Good for you, J…but what’s this got to do with you guys going home?”

“Well…according to the King, as the last surviving member of DeMolay’s family, I…well…Jacques, actually…stands to inherit the title of ‘duc d’Nemours,’ as well as Claude’s estate and whatever wealth he’d accumulated. And I’ve told His Majesty that I accept, so Geoffrey and I will be heading to Nemours.”

“Wait…you accepted?” D’Artagnan asked. “I thought you didn’t care about that sort of thing.”

Jacqueline sighed. “I don’t…not really. I’m just trying to do what’s best for my family. With Geoffrey hurt, that money is really going to come in handy. And the estate will give Will and Miette plenty of space to run around and hunt. Believe me, I could care less about having a title and all of that.”

“She’s telling the truth, D’Artagnan,” Geoffrey chimed in. “I was skeptical too, at first, but this really is for the best. Okay?” The Gascon nodded.

“Thank you, Geoffrey. Now…I know Ana will probably be joining us, as Geoffrey will still be needing her help for awhile, so…Ramon, Nikki, you’re welcome to stay at the estate too, if you’d like. It would certainly be more convenient, rather than having Ana travel back and forth all the time.”

The couple conferred privately for a moment, then turned back to Jacqueline. “We’d love to,” Nikki answered. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Anyone else? D’Artagnan?”

He shook his head. “Tempting, but I do have a garrison to run…at least until I can find someone else to take over. You all have leave, though…just to make it official. Take as much time as you need.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Jacqueline grinned. “Anybody else?”

Faith stepped forward. “I’m in.”

“Really? But what about your ship?”

She shrugged. “Cian and William can handle it…can’t you?”

“Of course,” Cian nodded. “Are you sure?”

“Positive, mate. Someone’s gotta keep G outta trouble.”

“Well…I guess that settles that. Everyone who’s going, get packed. We’ll be leaving as soon as I can arrange a barge.”

Cian saluted Faith in an exaggerated manner. “Turas maith, Safe Journey.”

“Hey, I am turning the ship over to you to run. It is still my ship and I will return. Can’t stay on land all the time. Just don’t go pirate on me.”

“What gave you the idea of me being a pirate?” Cian asked.

Faith stared at him. “Your grandfather sailed with Gráinne Ní Mháille.”

William smiled. “Good point. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on seeing the father of my child hang.”

Cian’s mouth dropped as the group congratulated the couple. Jacqueline hugged William. “When the time comes, I want you to come to the chateau.”

“I would like that, but for now, the sea calls.”

Louis approached. “Is this a conspiracy? All of my Musketeers and their spouses hugging makes me nervous. I have a sneaky suspicion that I will need to replace my cadre.”

D’Artagnan bowed. “Only temporarily, Your Highness. Ramon and Nikki will be joining the Greyhawks at the chateau, while Cian and William will be at sea. I’ve officially given them all leave for as long as they need, so we might need to recruit a couple more into our little band.” He looked around. “Your Majesty, will you be returning to Paris by coach or by barge?”

“I think by barge. It is much more enjoyable and will allow me more time to get to know my cousin better.”

D’Artagnan held up his right hand as he took Vigilanti’s in his left. “Before everyone goes in different directions, I too have something to share. Violete d'Herblay has agreed to become my wife. Her father has been informed.”

Jacqueline frowned. “Who is her father?”

“I am.” A voice boomed from behind her.

She whirled around. "May I have your name Monsieur?"

“Aramis.”

Ramon looked at him. “Aramis? As in the Musketeer Aramis?"

The Legend and two other men walked up. "One and the same, Ramon. Let me introduce you to my companions, Athos and Cyrano. We were all friends and comrades of Porthos and Duval. It is fitting that we be here at the memorial."

"Ahoy the Dulaman." A voice yelled from out of the dark.

Faith ran over to the side. "Ahoy. How many are you?"

"Just one. I can carry thirty people. You may come aboard when you are ready."

"We will board by daylight."

"Fair enough. I will be waiting."

Faith turned around. "Alright everyone. The barge is here and we will board by daylight. Get your things together. Cian, William, I need to discuss some things with you in my cabin before we leave."

Jacqueline turned to her cousin. “Your Majesty, I was wondering just how I am to claim my property. I can’t very well ride up and say ‘I am Jacques LePonte and I claim this land.’”

Louis laughed. “You have a point. I will draft the necessary documents on the way and then once we arrive in Paris, I will make a trip to your new home. By carriage I should get there about the same time as your barge.”

Chapter 60

Down below, Faith finished writing in the ships log. Putting the quill down, she looked at Cian and William. “There, now everything is legal. I, as the owner of the Dulaman, appoint you two to sail the Dulaman and operate within the law. One other thing…I will expect you to report to me in Nemours in six months. By that time, Cian, your wife will be almost due. Turas maith, Safe Journey.”

“You also, Captain. By the way, where do you want me to deliver the spoils we take?”

Faith growled. “There will be no spoils.” She stood up. “But…if you liberate any ill-gotten goods from others, you will know where to find me.” She winked before pulling out a sea chest. “Better leave before I have you do the packing.” As she turned to the chest, she heard two pairs of boots retreat from the cabin.

As Cian and William raced up the gangway, the new captain spotted the King. “Your Majesty, as the new captain of the Dulaman, there is a matter we need to discuss.”

Louis furled his brow. “What is it, Captain?”

“There appears to be some property left in the bilge that belongs to you.”

“Property?” Louis looked perplexed.

“The mutineers. The ones who tried to kill Captain Greyhawk.”

“Yes, I do remember them. Have them brought up.”

A few minutes later, the rabble were brought up to the deck and forced to kneel in front of the King. He looked at them. “You are a sorry lot. I should have you all hanged, and your families as well. Yes, that would be a most fitting punishment.”

“Please, Your Majesty, not our families. I have a little baby at home.” A man whined. “You already punished that miserable Greyhawk. I heard it myself.”

“You are Francois, if I remember…the one who led the mutiny. Well, I have a better idea. Captain Greyhawk will have the honor of setting your punishment. He has been restored to his previous position. His slate is wiped clean.” He crouched down. “Tell me Francois, if Greyhawk was right here and someone tried to stab him, what would you do?”

“Me? I would hold Greyhawk still until the blade killed him.”

“That’s the difference between the two of you. Someone tried to kill me and, while condemned and with no thought for his own safety, he stood in the way and took the knife intended for me. He proved his innocence and his bravery.” He saw Greyhawk on the front of the ship. “Your punishment will be decided by Captain Greyhawk himself. Captain will you please come here?” He watched as the man swung between the wooden legs of the crutches. “It appears that there was some unfinished business regarding the mutineers. Since they were your crew, not mine, you will decide their fate.”

Geoffrey surveyed the men as they shrank back. “So, here are the brave men that were bound and determined to kill me. I heard you crying out to the King for mercy when he said he would hang your families. Actually, I was thinking more on the lines of sending you men overboard in a shark infested area.” A movement at the gangway caught his eye and he smiled as he saw Miette and Will lying down with their heads on their front paws. “Let me tell you a story. When Faith and I caught up with the men who had kidnapped my wife, I had a little help. You have all seen Miette and her brother Will on the ship, chasing rats. Well, Miette is the one who killed DeMolay by ripping out his throat. Your Majesty, what would you think about letting them rip out the throats of these men?”

Louis clapped his hands. “Just like the Roman Circus. I like it.” Making sure the men couldn’t see, Louis winked at Geoffrey.

Greyhawk stood in front of the mutineers. "Tell me Francois, what is the punishment for mutiny?"

Francois looked up at Geoffrey. "Hanging, but I am not a mutineer. The Rose was already sunk and Porthos and Duval dead by the time we took action."

"Technically, you could be right, but your actions almost cost Jacqueline her life. Do you really think that I would risk my wife's life after all I did to rescue her? Do you think Porthos or Duval would let me?" He turned away. "Even though the mutiny charge might get dismissed on a technicality, attempted murder and assault will not." He saw Jacqueline standing in the shadows. "I am not going to punish you. If I am able to sail again, I would allow you to become members of my crew once again." He turned to Francois. "Francois, I am sorry, but I will not sail with you again as I could not trust you. I won't condemn you nor will I hold you responsible."

Francois stood up as Geoffrey hobbled to where Jacqueline watched. "See, I told you he was a weak coward. Doesn't even have the stomach to hang someone." Before any of the men could stop him, Francois ran to the main mast, grabbed a cudgel, and attacked the unarmed Musketeer. He stopped two feet from his intended victim and looked down to see a foot of steel sticking out his chest. The mutineer turned as the blade was removed, but his glazed eyes could not see the person who had killed him before he dropped to the deck.

King Louis XIV wiped his rapier on the dead man's jacket. "This man clearly did not know the difference between cowardice and mercy. He was the coward, Captain Greyhawk is the merciful." He sheathed his blade as he looked at the Privateer. "Are you sure you want to sail with them?"

One of the men stood up. "Captain, my name is Pasqual."

Geoffrey nodded. "Yes, I remember you."

"I sailed with Captain Porthos for a long time, and maybe I should have said something, but I didn't."

Geoffrey nodded. "Whatever you have to say, say it now."

"Francois had a cousin by the same name who used to sail with Lafette, but was kicked out of the Navy. He was one of those responsible for the murders of the Spaniards in Le Havre last year."

Geoffrey looked at Pasqual. "Thank you. That makes things a bit more understandable." He took Jacqueline's hand. "I think it’s time to go home."

The next morning, as Geoffrey was ready to disembark the Dulaman, he turned to Cian and William. "Go mba fada buan sibh."

"Live long and prosper to you also Captain. ‘Til we meet again." Cian watched as the barges were rowed toward the mouth of the Seine. "Raise anchor and hoist sails, we are headed for deep water."

As Faith watched the sails unfurl on the Dulaman, Geoffrey came up behind her. "Don't worry Faith, the Dulaman will be in good hands."

"I know, but I have sailed her for a long time." She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well…the sooner I get you back in shape, the sooner I can return to the sea. How long ‘til we reach Paris?"

"Three days if we travel all day and night, but since the canals are treacherous at night unless there is a full moon, we will anchor each night."

On the second day of the trip, Louis called Jacqueline and Geoffrey to his cabin. He rose when they entered. “Cousin Jacqueline, Captain Greyhawk. Thank you for coming.” As Jacqueline curtsied and Geoffrey bowed, Louis waved it off. “I wanted to talk to you about the change of ownership of Chateau DeMolay.”

Jacqueline frowned. “Is there a problem?”

“Oh no. Please, please sit down. While women can inherit if there are no male heirs, I want to make sure that there are no issues that may come up. You have already said that Jacques LePonte will be the owner, but my question is how will you explain your presence and your husband?”

The female Musketeer nodded. “Jacques is my brother. For reasons of his own, he took the name LePonte after he left the Rogets. I stayed behind until the Cardinal stopped at our farm. When Jacques is away on Musketeer duty, Jacqueline will be taking care of her husband. When Jacques is home, Jacqueline will be recovering from the terrible kidnapping. When and if it becomes necessary for Jacques to disappear permanently, maybe he will sail away on the Dulaman.”

“You must have thought this out, but how will I announce this?”

“Jacques and his sister are the new owners and while Jacques has his Musketeer duties, Jacqueline Greyhawk and her husband will be in residence with a few friends at Paradis du Mousquetaire. When Geoffrey goes back to Musketeer duties, Jacqueline will go along with him and once again take up residence in the cottage.” She stopped as two furry friends crept in and jumped into the laps of their humans. “Your Majesty.”

“Louis.”

Jacqueline nodded. “Louis, I would like to ask you a favor.”

“Please.”

“I would like to take Will and Miette to see Bast, their mother.”

“Whenever you wish, of course. Naturally, the mother can’t be let loose as she is a wild animal, but these Mousketeers are socialized.” He started to put out his hand to pet the Mouseketeers but stopped. “They won’t bite me will they?”

Geoffrey laughed. “They took a liking and a licking to Ramon since he has been known to eat a chicken or three. He must have changed his habits as they don’t follow him as much anymore. They do know who is allowed near us, it seems.” He picked up Will. “Be nice Will, he is the King.” Will looked at Geoffrey then stuck his head out so Louis could scratch the ears. Miette moved forward on Jacqueline’s lap and purred.

Louis’ face showed that he was enjoying the moment. “Cousin, when you do come back to the Musketeers, who will watch the Paradis du Mousquetaire?”

Jacqueline smiled. “By then, we hope to have a number of friends who will visit and watch the place. We do hope to open the doors to the Musketeers as a rest center for men who are recuperating from injuries.”

Louis clapped. “That sounds like a marvelous idea. Now I must get some sleep. The rocking of the barge puts me to sleep easily.”

Geoffrey put Will down, took up his crutches and stood up. “Goodnight, Your Majesty.”

Jacqueline shooed Miette off her lap. “Good night, Cousin.”

The King watched as his visitors left, followed by the cats, who turned and looked at him. “Mrow.”

He smiled. “Good night to you too.” He looked up. “Jacqueline, may I see you for just a moment? There is one minor thing I need to discuss, cousin to cousin.”

Geoffrey nodded. “I will meet you in the cabin.” He leaned over and kissed her.

Louis waited until they were alone. “I wasn’t sure how much you wanted to tell your husband or how much you knew about this new life you are about to enter. Chateau DeMolay is not just a Chateau, but in reality a duchy-fief. I see you are a little confused. A duchy-fief is a territory ruled by a duc or a duchesse. DeMolay was a duc and in order for him to hold the title, he also had to own the fief. The fief and title were formalized for the peerage by Parliament when he inherited it from his mother. While peerage is normally handed down the male line, there are exceptions. Nemours was actually created in 1528 as a “female peerage,” but became a male peerage when DeMolay inherited it. It now will revert to a female peerage. In the public’s eye Jacques will be the duc, but Jacqueline will be the duchesse. Oh, and did I mention that the minimum income of a fief is 24,000 livres from all the estates of the fief. You are a very wealthy woman, cousin.”

“I don’t understand all of this.” She sat down.

“Quite simply, I already sent the letters of patent to Parliament for confirmation and the letters were formalized. Surprising, as it usually takes them a year to do such things. I guess I caught them unprepared. You might want to break the news to Geoffrey slowly.”

Jacqueline nodded. “You are right about that. But how could I be a duchesse? I’m no expert, but I thought a noblewoman lost her nobility if she married a commoner. And last I checked, Geoffrey wasn’t exactly a noble.”

Louis smiled. “Well, that’s why we have ‘Jacques.’ You are correct in that Jacqueline can’t be a noble if she’s married to someone who isn’t also a member of the nobility, but Jacques has no such restrictions. You, me, your husband, and your friends will all know who really runs the estate, but officially the duchy will belong to Jacques, while Jacqueline can live quietly on the estate with her husband while he recovers from his injury. And I’m sure I can find some loophole that will allow ‘Jacqueline’ to inherit the estate should ‘Jacques’ need to disappear for good, but we don’t need to worry about that just now…do we?”

She shook her head. “No, not at the moment. And if such a situation ever should arise, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Good. Now…I think I’ve kept you long enough. You should probably be getting back to that husband of yours.”

She smiled. “Thank you.” With a slight bow, Jacqueline turned and left the room to go find Geoffrey.

Chapter 61

After another uneventful but pleasant day down the Seine, The King, his mother and fiancé disembarked the barge and the rest headed for Nemours. It was only fifty miles, a three day trip as the Haute-Seine was not as wide as the river. In the meantime, the Royal party switched to the Royal carriage and by pushing, were able to travel thirty miles a day, arriving a full day before the new owners of the DeMolay chateau.

Jacques and Geoffrey walked to the bow as the barge wound down the canal into a wide bend. The pilot pointed to the land on both sides. “This is Nemours. See that castle with the round pointed spires? That is the Chateau DeMolay. There is a smaller canal that leads up to the chateau and a dock. I have been here before, and usually Madame Yvette is waiting for the barge to anchor. She is a sweet old woman. You will love her. Been around since before DeMolay was born.”

Geoffrey and Jacques looked at each other and exchanged an unspoken concern.

As the barge came to the dock, they took in the enormous garden leading from the dock to the chateau. True to the pilot’s word, a short plump woman stood on the dock. She curtsied as Jacques stepped foot on the land, Geoffrey a few paces behind, struggling with the crutches. “Welcome, Your Grace,” she said, addressing Jacques directly. “We had word that you were coming.” She came up to Jacques and took notice of the cross around the new duc’s neck. “I am Yvette, Your Grace. Between you and me, I am glad there is a new hand on the till as it were. The former duc was not an easy man to work for. Black-hearted, he was. Not at all like his mother, God rest her soul.”

Jacques laughed. “Yvette, do you realize that you are speaking English?”

“Pardons, Your Grace. We were told that Captain Greyhawk was English and I was born and raised in England.” She looked around and lowered her voice. “Nice to speak the King’s tongue, as it were.” She stepped back. “Welcome home.” She glanced down as two four legged critters bounded onto the shore. “What is this? You have wild cats? Oh, I do love cats. What kind are they and do they have names?”

Jacques bent down and picked the kids up. “This is Miette and this is Will. They are ocelots, not your normal cats, and they are the Royal Mousketeers by order of King Louis.”

Yvette held her hand out for the kittens to smell. “You get a nice whiff of Yvette, I will always have a nice treat for you.” She turned and walked towards the chateau. As soon as Jacques put the kittens down, they bounded after Yvette. The Greyhawks marveled at the large open area and the well maintained grounds.

Geoffrey furled his brow. “This place reminds me of a fiefdom.” Jacques looked up in the air with a façade of innocence. “What is it that you aren’t telling me?”

“I swear, I did not know until just before Louis got off the barge. DeMolay was a duc, as you know, and based on the letters of patent that the King already forwarded to Parliament, I am the new duc and, unofficially, Jacqueline the new duchesse.”

Geoffrey shook his head. “Any idea what this all entails?”

“Well for a start, a minimum of 24,000 livres a year. With that, you can build your own ship.”

“Jacqueline, you know how I feel.”

“Yes, but this would be a family affair.”

Geoffrey laughed. “I married a very sneaky woman.”

She smiled. “You don’t know how sneaky. Come, let us see our new home.”

“Wait….Why did you say that Jacqueline is unofficially the new duchesse?”

“Because I married a commoner, I cannot hold that title myself. That’s why we need Jacques.”

Geoffrey nodded in understanding. “Well, it doesn’t really matter. All it means is that you don’t have to play the noble all the bloody time. I can have you all to myself sometimes.”

She smiled. “Well, that is certainly something to look forward to.” She leaned in to kiss him, but thought better of it, remembering that they had an audience waiting nearby. “We’ll finish this later,” she whispered, discreetly stroking his goatee before composing herself and moving to rejoin Yvette. Geoffrey, getting tired from the crutches, sat down on a stone bench to wait for the others. Jacqueline gave him a concerned look when she realized he hadn’t followed, but he quickly waved her off. With a shrug, she turned back to Yvette. “So…what else can you tell me about the estate?”

As Yvette escorted Jacques around the rear of the mansion, Geoffrey got bored and stood up before he hobbled up the left pathway towards the front. As he came face to face with the main entryway, he froze and whistled at the castle, as a castle was the word he was thinking. What he saw took his breath away. While he had seen a tower from the barge, he was not expecting two more towers and he expected that if he continued, he would find a fourth. The towers were made of rubble stone and capped with candle-snuffer roofs. Between the towers was a parapet set on the fifth level of the chateau.

He continued his way up to the twenty steps of the twenty foot wide entrance, carefully maneuvering the crutches on the granite steps. He paused at the massive oak door with heavy wrought iron hinges. He tried the door latch and pushed. The door swung open to reveal an inlaid diagonal parquet floor and, further on, a suspended oak winding staircase in the center. To the right was a large lounge which he entered. Going through one door to the next, he discovered two smaller lounges a kitchen, a bakery and even a chapel. Retracing his steps to the main entrance, he explored the area to the left of the staircase. Here he discovered a dining room, another kitchen and a linen room.

Meanwhile, Yvette led Jacques to the rear of the mansion. "There are four outer buildings to the rear of the chateau. To the left are the stable and servants’ quarters. On the right, the building is divided into the Caretaker's cottage and my quarters as the housekeeper. The furthest away is the storage area. In the basement, you will find a wine cellar complete with a wine press.” She opened the door to the rear of the mansion. “Visitors go through the front door so as not to see the manor in disarray. The residents need to see what is behind the glamour.” She grinned.

As Geoffrey wandered towards the back of the house, he ran into a man in the kitchen, hanging two freshly killed pheasants. "You look familiar. What is your name?"

"Alexander and I should, Siroc. I was a raw recruit when you were just joining the Musketeers. Do you remember a young soldier giving you some cheese and bread before you went to meet Captain Duval? "

"Siroc was the name I went by then, but my real name is Geoffrey Greyhawk. I remember…you looked even younger than me." Geoffrey looked at Alexander. He was only about five years older than himself but looked ten, especially with the eye patch over his left eye. "What happened?"

"A little run in up in the Pyrenees Mountains against the Spanish. I was young and stupid. I saw some men up near the front near my unit's position. It turns out the men belonged to DeMolay and they were being very secretive. I went to investigate and ran into a Spanish soldier sneaking through the break left by DeMolay's men. Not thinking, I yelled and charged. I finally got the best of the Spaniard and ran my blade through him, but with his dying strength, he slashed at my face with his rapier. In the darkness, I didn't see it coming.

“I felt hands on my body and was carried away to the surgeons who could only stop the bleeding. To cover himself, I am sure, DeMolay declared me a hero for defeating an enemy and offered me a position since I could no longer be a soldier. That damn DeMolay and his men left their posts to let the Spaniards in so they could flank us. If I hadn't come at them, my entire unit would have been wiped out.” He paused. "I am good with my hands, as my father taught me to be a carpenter. If DeMolay's men hadn't left their post, I would still be whole. I found out later that there was a reason I didn't see it coming…the Spaniard didn't take my eye. It was that damn DeMolay. He came at me during the fight and struck me down. When I didn't die, he made it look like I was the hero, otherwise I might have told what I saw happen. As it was, I was in the hospital for three weeks." Alexander snapped his fingers as if suddenly remembering something. "That's right. I heard you killed DeMolay."

Geoffrey shook his head. "No, I did not kill him, but I was there. No human hand killed him."

"He was struck down by the hand of God?"

"Let's just say he got what he deserved. A guardian took him." He saw a flash of two ocelots running into the kitchen. They stopped and stared at the two plucked birds that hung from the rafters, sitting still with just their tails twitching. "Will, Miette. You stay away from those birds." They looked at him.

"MROW."

Alexander looked at the animals. "Let me guess, these are the guardians. I am glad he got his from one of them. Sort of poetic justice. Before you ask, Yvette is my mother's sister. The only reason I am here is that I felt it was my duty to protect her from that bastard. I bring her fresh birds and she bakes me pies."

****************

As Yvette led Jacques into the house, two fur balls raced by and down the hall. “There must be something in the kitchen. My nephew Alexander brings me game that he catches. He was a soldier, you know, until he was wounded. Come…we will go up the back stairs to the living quarters.” Yvette opened the door to a very large and magnificent bedroom and let Jacques enter first. As the housekeeper closed the door, she glared at the Musketeer. “Alright, out with it. Who are you really?”

Jacques frowned. “I am Jacques LePonte, a Musketeer and now duc of this mansion.”

“You may pretend to be DeMolay’s brother, but I know that cross. It was given to the child my mistress had and that child was a girl. I should know, I helped deliver her and it was me that spirited her away.” She pulled out a knife. “Now who are you really…answer or I swear you will not see the light of day again.”

Jacques sighed, raising her hands in surrender. “I am Jacqueline Roget. I took the name Jacques LePonte after Cardinal Mazarin’s man killed my father and had my brother arrested. I killed the Cardinal’s man and had to hide. I’d always wanted to be a Musketeer and that was perfect. I have earned my rights.”

Yvette put the knife away. “Who else knows of your secret?”

“D’Artagnan, Ramon, Nikki, Violete, Faith, King Louis, Princess Marie Therese and Queen Anne.”

The older woman laughed. “You sure know how to surround yourself with good friends. Are those kittens really wild cats?”

“Yes, and Miette killed DeMolay, or so I’ve been told. I should mention that Captain Greyhawk is my husband and yes, he knows of my double life.”

“Honey, I would hope so. I have a little surprise for you, one that DeMolay never knew about and one that his father kept from him.” She walked to the fireplace and looked at the shield and crossed swords on the wall. Twisting the tip of the left blade, the wall opened and gave way to a passageway. “This passage leads to every room on this level. It also has stairs leading to the floors below. On the lowest level there is a bolt hole leading to the stables. From there, a tunnel large enough for a man to lead a horse that comes out about a half a kilometer away at the family crypt.”

“Why are you telling me this? I could be making up the story.”

“Jacqueline, I helped bring you into this world. I would know if you were not telling me the truth.”

“Well, I am glad as this will help. Because of the laws of inheritance, the land and title go to a male, which would be Jacques. Louis knows all about this. I will need to be able to come and go without discovery, as Jacques and Jacqueline can never be seen together.”

“Girl, you have my word that your secret is safe with me. Now let me give you the grand tour.”

Jacqueline heard a yell and went to the window. “I think the tour will have to wait as our friends are here and I think the King of France is with them.”

“Well, then this is a good time to take the hidden stairway.” She took a torch and led the way downstairs.

As they reached the first floor, Yvette extinguished the torch and slid a hidden panel back for Jacques. They emerged at the rear of the staircase and walked to the foyer. Jacques opened the door and greeted the visitors. In the front were Louis, Marie and Queen Anne. At the foot of the stairs were Ramon, Nikki, Ana and Faith. Jacques bowed low with a sweep of her hand that held her hat. “Your Majesty, welcome to Paradis du Mousquetaire.”

“Jacques, I trust you had a relaxing journey. We would have been here sooner, but an axle on the carriage broke. I see the troops were waiting for an invitation.” He grinned.

“Your Majesty, this is Yvette, the housekeeper.” She leaned closer. “She is a keeper of other secrets as well, since she was the midwife to Madame DeMolay.”

Louis nodded. “Then it is a good thing that she is a loyal housekeeper.”

“Aye. That I am, Your Majesty.” She turned her head when she heard the thud of Geoffrey’s crutches and saw Alexander with an ocelot under each arm. “Here is my nephew, Alexander, who served you as well in the Army.”

Alexander bowed. “Your Majesty. If I release these two, I am afraid that the pheasants that I brought would not be there for dinner.”

Louis nodded. “Well, I do hope we can find something for my honored Mouseketeers.” He walked over and as he scratched each behind the ears, they purred.

Jacques waved the rest of her visitors into the house just as a rumble of thunder was heard. Faith looked at her. “About time. It’s ready to pour.”

Jacques looked out and saw the carriage men standing by the coach. “The stables are behind the manor. There will be food and drink for you after you feed the horses.” She closed the door and faced her Royal cousin.

Louis smiled. “There aren’t many places that I go where my carriage men and horses are taken care of.”

“Just common courtesy, cousin.”

“Well, show us the manor house, Jacques. Tomorrow, we will make the announcement in the town square. I was going to do it today, but why get wet?” He turned to Yvette. “Madame, since this is your house, would you do the honors?” He winked at Jacques. “Remember this, the title to the manor may be yours, but the housekeeper owns it.”

As the rest of the newcomers followed after Jacques and Yvette, Faith walked over to Geoffrey. “Are you alright, G?”

He shook his head. “I really need to sit down somewhere. My armpits are killing me.”

“There’s a lounge over there,” Alexander chimed in, turning his head to the right since he couldn’t actually point while holding onto the kittens. “Nice soft chairs, big fireplace…you should be pretty comfortable.”

“Thanks,” Faith nodded.

He shrugged. “No problem. Say…don’t I know you from somewhere? You seem kinda familiar.”

“I should hope so,” she chuckled. “You couldn’t have been that bloody drunk.”

“Huh?”

“Aw, come on Xan…don’t tell me you don’t remember. It was…what…two, maybe three years ago? That tavern in Barcelona? You told me it was the best night of your life.”

Alexander stared at her for a few moments, and it finally clicked. “Faith?”

She smiled. “In the flesh, luv.”

Geoffrey sighed, glancing back and forth between his cousin and the carpenter. “Am I missing something here?”

“Small bloody world, isn’t it, G? Believe it or not, I had the honor of making a man out of Xan here.”

Alexander flushed. “Say it a little louder, why don’t you?” he muttered. “I don’t think they heard you in Normandy.”

“Don’t be like that, Xan,” she laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Believe me, you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Geoffrey coughed. “As…fascinating…as this conversation is, I think I’m going to go find that lounge. Excuse me….” With that, he turned and headed in the direction Alexander had indicated.

Looking rather uncomfortable himself, the soldier-turned-carpenter squirmed away from Faith and started in the other direction, still holding onto the kittens. “I’m going to go too…figure out some way to keep these two away from those pheasants.” With that, he turned and bolted, leaving Faith alone in the foyer.

“What’d I do?”

Chapter 62

A short while later, as Alexander walked past Geoffrey maneuvering into a chair, he noticed the glare from the Musketeer-turned-privateer. “What? It was a long time ago and it was mutual.”

Geoffrey held up his hands. “I said nothing. Faith is a woman of her own mind. I am not her keeper.” He reached out and caught Alexander’s arm. “But if you hurt her, Will and Miette will be feeding off of you. Speaking of which…where are they? If you just let them loose…”

Alexander stepped back. “I dropped the kittens off with the gamekeeper. He had a couple of game birds that were pretty torn up from the gunshots and would not have been presentable to the King. They are in a pen out back, under shelter of course.”

“I wouldn’t leave them alone for long, they do like to explore.”

The carpenter nodded. “You know, I would never hurt Faith. She was the one that left, as a matter of fact. Didn't even say goodbye."

"Well, that sounds like my cousin."

"You…you aren't mad?"

"What for? Faith does her own thing, always has. Now that you two have met up again, where will it go?"

Alexander shook his head. "I have no idea." He looked at Geoffrey as the Musketeer tried to stand up. "You look mighty uncomfortable. You know, I might be able to come up with something that would make your getting around easier."

"What are you, an inventor?"

Alexander laughed. "Well, somewhat with wood. I hear you are a better one than I am."

Geoffrey snorted. "Right. My inventions tend to blow up in my face…literally.” He sighed. “What did you have in mind?"

"Something that would help you move better."

The ex-inventor frowned. "Like a chair with wheels?"

"Exactly. Not quite sure how it would work, though. I know one was invented in Spain, but you always need someone to push you around."

“To hell with that. I’m not about to spend the rest of my life being treated like a bloody invalid.” He paused for a few moments, thinking. "Say…what about one with big wheels that I could roll and smaller ones in front to steer? Can you make that?"

"Give me a day or so. In the meantime, please keep your cousin away from me."

Geoffrey laughed. "No promises, but I will try."

****************

While Geoffrey and Alexander were discussing an invention, Jacques and Yvette showed the King, Marie and Queen Anne around the mansion. Nikki, Ana and Ramon followed behind. At the top of the stairs, Jacques turned to her fellow Musketeer. “Ramon, there are bedrooms on each side of the hallway. I think Nikki might feel more comfortable with a nap."

Nikki laughed. "If only you knew. I am exhausted and a nap would be great."

“Well, go right ahead and pick a room. As the Spanish say, mi casa es su casa.”

“Gracias,” Ramon responded, giving the duc a slight bow. “Now…which room is yours, just out of curiosity?”

“The Master bedroom, of course. It’s on the third floor…takes up most of it, actually. So feel free to pick any room on this floor that you wish. Wherever Nikki will be most comfortable.”

Ramon nodded, putting an arm around his wife’s waist and escorting her down the hall to the right, Ana following behind to make sure Nikki was alright. Louis watched them go, then turned to his cousin.

“What about us?” he asked. “Where should we sleep?”

“Your Majesty is welcome to use my room while you’re here, of course. A night or so in one of the other rooms won’t kill me.”

Louis nodded. “Thank you, Jacques. You are most generous. And what of my mother and Marie?”

“I believe there are some smaller bedrooms attached to the Master that they can use…is that right, Yvette?”

“That’s right. Glad you were paying attention. If Your Majesty wishes, I can show you right now.”

“Mother, Marie…why don’t you go ahead and look at the room with Yvette. I need to speak with Jacques in private.”

The Queen and Marie followed the housekeeper upstairs, leaving Louis alone with his cousin. Once they were gone, Jacqueline turned to the King, a confused look on her face. “Sire?”

“How many times do I have to tell you…call me Louis.”

“Sorry. But what is this about?”

“Look, I know you just got here and haven’t really had a chance to settle in yet, but I’m going to need you to come back to Paris.”

“What for?”

“Jacques LePonte, duc d’Nemours, needs to be formally introduced to the court. It will only be for a few days, I promise.”

She sighed. “Is this really necessary? No offense, but I really don’t need all that fuss.”

“I understand how you feel, cousin, but it’s the best way to stake your claim to this estate and the title…keep anyone from attempting to challenge your right to inherit them.”

“How?”

“Well, in order for Jacques to officially be duc d’Nemours, he needs to be received by Parliament. Until then, the title is only yours on paper, which can still be rejected. It’s really just a formality.”

Jacqueline nodded. “You’re not expecting me to join those sycophants at court, are you?”

“Of course not,” Louis laughed. “I would like it if you’d attend the occasional Royal function, but you’re certainly not obligated to spend a lot of time at court…unless you want to.”

“I’ll pass. Honestly, I don’t really think I’d make much of a courtier.”

He shrugged. “Oh well…up to you. You know…I think I’m going to go find my mother and Marie. And you should probably go talk to your husband…let him know what’s going on. We can leave in the morning, after we make the announcement to the people of Nemours. Hopefully, by then this rain will have let up.”

“Of course, Si—Louis. I shall send someone up to inform you when dinner is ready.” She gave a slight bow as he headed up to the Master bedroom, then made her way downstairs to figure out where Geoffrey wandered off to. A quick search led her to the downstairs lounge, where he was deep in conversation with Yvette’s nephew. She cleared her throat, drawing both men’s attention.

“Jac…Your Grace,” Geoffrey said. Alexander, who either didn’t hear or chose to ignore the slip, stood up and bowed, echoing the greeting.

“May we help you?” he asked, still bowing.

She chuckled. “First of all, you can stand up. I don’t really go for all that ceremony, anyway.”

He rose up, glancing around nervously as he did. “M-my apologies, Your Grace.”

“No need to apologize…Alexander, is it?” He nodded. “Actually, there is something you can do for me. How well do you know the servants working on this estate?”

Alexander shrugged. “Well enough, Your Grace. Why?”

“Are there any that were particularly loyal to DeMolay?”

“What do you mean?”

Jacqueline sighed. “I know that DeMolay was involved in some sort of heretical cult. They were, in fact, the ones who kidnapped my sister and tried to perform some evil ritual on her. Poor girl is so scared that she couldn’t even bring herself to join her husband Geoffrey here until I came first and made sure it was safe. So if there is anyone here among the servants who is a part of that vile cult, I want them banished from the grounds as quickly as possible so that Jacqueline will have nothing more to fear. Understand?”

He nodded. “Absolutely, Your Grace. I will see to it immediately. We’ll talk more later, Geoffrey.” With that, Alexander turned and left, giving the ‘duc’ and Geoffrey some privacy.

“You two looked pretty cozy,” Jacqueline remarked, taking the seat across from her husband. “Anything I should know about?”

“Just brainstorming a few minor innovations for around the manor…make things a bit easier for everyone.”

“Innovations, huh?” She grinned. “Sounds an awful lot like inventing. Glad you haven’t given up on that completely.”

He shrugged. “Not that big a deal, really. Just a few minor modifications to what’s already available.”

“Still, it’s good to see you putting that brilliant mind to use again instead of just sitting around and sulking.”

“I suppose.....So…is there any particular reason you interrupted us, or did you just miss me?”

Jacqueline chuckled, leaning over and giving her husband a kiss after a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching. “Well, there is that. But I’m afraid I’m also going to have to leave for a few days.”

“Leave? But we just got here.”

She sighed. “I know. It’s just that Louis needs me to come to Paris with him…something about presenting me to Parliament and making my claim to this estate official. But it will only be for a few days, and I plan on bringing my ‘sister’ back with me.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. I’m still trying to work out this whole ‘dual identity’ thing in terms of living here, but Yvette did show me this secret passage I can use to move between bedrooms without being seen, so it won’t be too difficult.”

He smiled. “Does that mean I can expect a visit tonight?”

“What do you think?” she drawled, giving him another quick kiss. “So…think you can survive a couple of days without me?”

“I’ll manage.”

“Good. And I expect you to be up and about by the time I get back. No lying around all day and moping, got it?”

“Yes Ma’am,” he said, tossing off a mock salute.

“I’ll hold you to that.” She leaned in, about to give him another kiss when a scruffy-looking gentleman walked into the lounge, the kittens under his arms and a scowl on his face.

"I understand that these two hooligans belong to you. I never seen no cats like these. You would think they were wild. I don't mean your run-of-the-mill cats, I mean real mean ones."

Jacques took the two cats. "What have they done?"

“I heard a howling and came out of my quarters and there was my dog, set upon by these two. My poor dog was clawed, all over his body.”

Jacques shook her head. “I can’t believe it…there had to be a reason.”

“They don’t need no reason, they are devil cats and if you don‘t do something about them, I will.”

Geoffrey slammed his hand on the chair. “Are you threatening us? Those cats would not attack without a reason.”

“I saw them with me own eyes. Are you calling me a liar?”

Alexander walked in. “Samuel, you aren’t a liar, just misinformed. You didn’t see it all, I did. I was too far away to get there before you came out. Your dog Hugo attacked the little one. I hear that you turn him loose on every cat you see. When Miette ran, Hugo cornered her, then Will came to the rescue. As the two of them fought, Miette joined the fray. Your dog was the aggressor, not the victim.”

“Bah. You are just trying to get into His Grace’s favor.” He turned to Jacques. “If you don’t kill them, I will.”

Jacques dropped the cats and drew her sword. “If you try and touch them, I will cut off your hands. Now get out, your services are no longer needed.”

“You can’t fire me! Only the duc d’Nemours can do that.”

Jacques smiled. “I am the duc d’Nemours.” At that, the gamekeeper turned pale and fled. As he left, Jacques turned to Alexander. “How did you happen to be out there?”

“You had asked me about DeMolay’s supporters. I had been suspicious of Samuel.”

Jacques nodded. “Well, we are very glad you did.”

Geoffrey coughed. “Remember me? Did you find out anything else?”

“Actually, yes. One of the gardeners told me that Samuel was known to run his dogs after humans by training them to go after cats. I don’t think the dog will be back.”

“You left our cats with him when you knew about his past?”

“Of course not. I only heard those things about Samuel when I left you and went to see about DeMolay’s supporters. I’ll admit, he always did strike me as a bit off, but he was the resident animal expert, so I figured your cats would be in good hands. I apologize, Your Grace, if I put Will and Miette in harm’s way.”

“It’s alright,” Jacques said, waving him off. “You didn’t know. I’m just glad those two were able to stand up to that dog. Is there anyone else that needs to be removed from the property, or is Samuel the only one?”

“So far, but I can keep digging if you’d like.”

“Thank you, but I think it can wait a little while. Unless I’m mistaken, dinner should be about ready. You are welcome to join us, of course. After all your help, a decent meal is the least I can do.”

Alexander smiled. “I’d be honored, Your Grace.”

“Good,” she nodded. “Shall we head to the dining room, then?”

“You guys go on,” Geoffrey said, cutting Alexander off before he could respond. “I’m not really that hungry, to be honest. It’s been a long couple of…well…weeks…and, if it’s all the same to you, Your Grace, I think I’m going to go catch up on my sleep.”

At that, she turned to her husband, concerned. Sleep was usually the last thing Geoffrey worried about. “Are you alright?” she asked, keeping her voice low so only the two of them could hear.

He nodded. “I’m fine. Just don’t feel particularly sociable tonight, is all. Besides, Ana has been after me to get more sleep…something about rest being a crucial part of the healing process. And I figure now is as good a time as any to test that out…especially since you’re leaving tomorrow and I’ll be stuck trying to keep up with two very active kittens to make sure they don’t end up in any more scrapes like they did today.”

“Well, how about I take Miette with me, so you’ll only have to keep an eye on Will? I’m sure she’d like that better, anyway. You know how protective she’s been of me since…well…since the incident.”

“Sounds good to me,” Geoffrey nodded. “Well,” he continued, raising his voice for Alexander’s benefit, “it’s been lovely, but I think it’s high time I went upstairs and found myself a room.” He grabbed his crutches, pulled himself up, and started out of the lounge.

Jacques cocked her head. "How exactly do you plan to get up there? I mean, those are a lot of stairs…can’t be easy on those crutches."

The color drained from Geoffrey’s face as he turned to look at her. "I hadn't even thought of that."

Alexander coughed. "Excuse me, Your Grace, but DeMolay can provide the answer. He had something called a lift installed a few years ago, from what I hear. He used it to move his women from a secret entrance to his room on the third floor. It is actually disguised as a closet." He walked to a door in the room and opened it. "I am not sure how it works, exactly, but if you pull the lever after the door is closed, you can go up or down. Here, I will help Geoffrey up and get him to his room, then rejoin your Grace for dinner." Alexander gestured towards the closet, and Geoffrey slowly made his way over, allowing the ex-soldier to assist him in getting on the lift.

Jacques nodded. "Have a fun ride." She watched as the door closed on the two men, then made her way to the dining room to wait for her guests.

Chapter 63

The next morning, after an announcement had been made to the residents of Nemours about their new duc, Louis and Jacques rode out on two of the horses that she had inherited and headed for Paris, Miette curled behind the cantle on the special leather pad that Jacqueline had installed behind the saddle. It would be a two-day trip, but Louis had insisted on it. Dressed as a common Musketeer, he felt he could see things from a different perspective and have a chance to talk to his cousin without interruptions. Marie and the Queen followed in the Royal Coach a couple of hours later with a squad of Musketeers who had accompanied them to the Manor.

When both parties arrived in Paris, Marie and Louis insisted that the new duc stay at the Palace. Marie gave Jacques another incentive. “I’ve been thinking about your disguise. I am sure that there may still be spies of DeMolay's lurking around, and your changing from Jacques to Jacqueline might become a disadvantage. I have a discrete seamstress who can make some adjustments, shall we say for Jacqueline. In fact, I have already sent for her.”

“But I have been doing this for some time, rather successfully I might add.”

“Yes you have, but now you are a Royal. Trust me. Now go change into Jacqueline.”

Two hours later, Marie introduced Jacqueline to the seamstress. “This is Raquel and she is very good. I had her come from Madrid to help me.” She turned to Raquel. “Jacqueline will be attending a costume ball in the near future and she wants to attend as a male. What can you do to make it impossible for her to be recognized as a woman?”

Raquel smiled. “I have seen this done a few times, my Lady. Tomorrow, I will bring my tools and create a man out of Jacqueline.”

The next day, Raquel appeared with a small valise. “Please take off your clothes from the waist up, Jacqueline. For this to work, I need to start from the skin. There are two ways to do this. The first way is that I would be using a paste stiffened linen that will go over a busk at the front. The second way would be to use a reinforced bust bodice with side lacings. The lacing would flatten the bodice when laced up.”

Jacqueline frowned. “Which way would give me the most flexibility in case I wanted to show my skills with a sword?”

“A sword, my Lady?”

Jacqueline laughed. “This is a masquerade party. I might need to defend myself.”

Raquel laughed. “Well in that case, I would suggest the linen. Along with that, I would also suggest a codpiece, just in case someone wants to check.” The seamstress winked and laughed as Jacqueline blushed, then watched as she removed her upper clothing. She placed the busk and wrapped the linen around the victim. When she was done, Raquel looked at Jacqueline. “Now move around and see how that feels.” With a practiced eye, Raquel nodded when Jacqueline acknowledged that the disguise would work. “Good, now for the codpiece.” She opened the valise again and pulled out the codpiece. “You can wear this and no one would even think of you being anything other than a man. It just depends on how well endowed a man you wish to be.” She laughed and froze. “My Lady, be very still…there is a wild animal sitting on the top of the armoire.”

Jacqueline looked around and laughed. “Miette, come.” The ocelot jumped to the floor and bounded into Jacqueline’s arms, rubbing her head under her human’s chin. “Purrr.”

Jacqueline scratched Miette’s ears. “This is Miette. She is my companion.”

Raquel sighed. “You have some strange tastes, my lady.”

“Don’t worry about it. I found her as a cub and she has been my protector ever since. She has very good instinct when it comes to humans. She trusts you. If she didn’t, you would not have gotten within ten feet of me without being attacked.” She finished dressing and looked into a mirror. Jacques stood in front of her, but this was a manlier Jacques, one who was a little more intimidating. “Thank you Raquel, this will be perfect. I can’t wait to surprise a few people, including my husband.”

****************

The next day, Louis XIV and Jacques LePonte entered Parliament. The Ministers stood as the King made his way to the high backed chair that was only his. “Gentlemen, I am here to present Jacques LePonte, the new duc d'Nemours. I can personally vouch for his credentials.” Jacques stood on the first step of the dais, facing the Ministers. Miette padded right behind Jacques and sat down.

Hugues de Lionne, secretary for foreign affairs and Nicholas Fouquet, superintendent of finances stood up. De Lionne walked up to the dais where Louis sat. “Your Majesty, I object. We do not know this upstart. However, we did know DeMolay, and to our knowledge he had no heirs. What right does this LePonte have to claim his title?”

Louis looked at the minister. “I told you that I vouch for him.”

Fouquet approached. “We are your Ministers and we refuse to acknowledge this claim.”

Louis stood up. “When I reached my majority I told you that you secretaries and ministers of state will assist me with your counsels when I ask for them. I request and order you to seal no orders except by my command. I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport without my command; to render account to me personally each day and to favor no one." He walked down the stairs until he faced the ministers. “L'etat c'est moi.”

The Ministers looked at each other and bowed. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Jacques bowed to Louis. “Your Majesty, may I speak?”

Louis nodded.

“Gentlemen, I am here at the insistence of my King. I have only recently learned that DeMolay was, in fact, my half-brother and that I am related to King Louis, a relationship that I neither requested nor knew about. I have spent some time guarding him as a Musketeer, a position I will continue to hold as long as he wishes. Let me assure you, gentlemen, that while I did not ask for this honor of being a member of the Royal family, I will continue to defend the Monarchy against all enemies.”

Miette stood and walked in front of Jacques. “MROW!”

Some of the ministers laughed as the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Finance backed away in a hurry. Jacques could swear she heard a chuckle from Miette as the young feline sat down and licked her right paw. Jacques bowed her head slightly to the King.

Louis stood up. “Are there any questions? If not, what is your decision?”

The entire body of Ministers, including the two dissidents, approved Jacques as the new duc d’Nemours. Louis walked with Jacques and Miette to the palace afterwards. “Jacqueline, are you going back tonight?”

“No. There are some things I want to pick up at the cottage. I will probably go back tomorrow.”

“I see. Ramon is at Nemours as is Greyhawk. Where is D’Artagnan?”

“He should be at the garrison. Louis, I will be at the cottage for the night, see D’Artagnan in the morning and then go home. ”

“So who is going back to Nemours? Jacques or Jacqueline?”

Jacques smiled. “We both are, just that one will come at night.”

“How will you do that?”

Jacques grinned. “I know of a few tunnels.”

Louis put his hand on her arm. “Jacqueline, before you go, I have a present for the two of you.”

“A present? Cousin, you have given us so much.”

Louis smiled. “Please humor me. Come out side, I have something…well, three somethings…to show you.”

Curiosity overcame the female Musketeer and did as she was asked. When they stopped at the stairs, Louis whistled. “I know, not very kingly, but it is fun.” A moment later, they heard the clip clop of horses and three fine animals were led by three groomsmen. Before them stood a dark chestnut Thoroughbred stallion along with a blood-bay Arabian mare and a grey Barb mare. “These beauties are for you. Musketeers must have mounts. I picked these out myself.” He held up his finger to stop anything that she would say. “I know your husband is a proud man and it probably kills him to feel like he is ‘kept’ by his wife. The Thoroughbred stallion is for Geoffrey and stands 16 hands. The blood-bay mare is for you. She is an Arabian, swift as lightening. The grey is a two year old Barb mare. My thinking is that with your husband’s penchant for experimenting, he could cross-breed these horses into a herd of your own. You could become the best horse breeders in France and you would not have to rely on dirty money from DeMolay.”

She turned and hugged him. “Oh Louis, this is perfect. Maybe it will get him out of his frump. Now I definitely need to take a barge home.”

“I will have one arranged with accommodations for the new Greyhawks. Hey, maybe that could become the name of the breed.” He laughed as he turned back into the palace and let Jacqueline look over the horses.

She ran her hand over the stallion’s coat and fingered the hair from the withers to the haunch. As she did, Jacqueline realized that the skin underneath was black and, knowing the horse came from the desert, presumably to protect the horse from the desert sun. She walked over to the Arabian Mare and stroked the muzzle and cheek before checking the withers and haunch. “Don’t get jealous, I just had to visit all of you. You are a beauty.” She laughed as the horse raised her head as if to say yes, then turned to the younger animal who nuzzled her hand. “I am going to have a hard time deciding what to name you two. Geoffrey can name the big guy.”

Suddenly the horses snorted and started to back away as their eyes grew wide. She turned to see Miette crouched on the steps and patted each horse on the nose. “Okay guys, she won’t hurt you.” She looked at the grooms. “Hang on to them.” Walking over, she picked up Miette and soothed her also, in sight of the horses. Slowly she went back to the horses, stroking the cat, and then the let the horses sniff her hand and then Miette. The horses’ eyes slowly went back to normal and they snorted at the cat. Miette cowered a little in Jacqueline’s arms. “Mrow.” Jacqueline smiled. “Good girl Miette.” The feline purred. “I will have to remember to introduce Will also.” She patted the horses. “You guys be good. I will see you later.” She turned to the groomsmen. “Thank you, gentlemen. Give them each a carrot for being so good.”

Once she knew the new horses would be alright, Jacqueline mounted the one she’d ridden there on and headed into the countryside, Miette once again perched behind the cantle. Easing her mount onto a familiar path, she soon found her way back to her childhood home. She stopped the horse at the edge of the property and dismounted. “Stay here, girl,” she whispered to the kitten, gently stroking her between the ears. “I won’t be long.” Miette settled herself in for the wait, not happy about being left out but somehow understanding that her human needed to be alone. With one last whispered order to behave, Jacqueline left the kitten and the horse behind as she walked the rest of the way to what she’d come there to see—the graves of her family. Claude, Matilde, and Gerard Roget, exactly as she’d left them—not that she expected anything to change.

Crossing herself, Jacqueline knelt down in front of Claude’s grave, one hand unconsciously wrapping itself around her crucifix. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she stared at the headstones for a few moments as she tried to figure out how to begin. “I-I know it’s been well over a year since I last visited this place, and I’m sorry for not coming around more often. A lot has happened since then…some of it I can still scarcely believe. I’m married, for one thing…yes, that’s right…I’m married. And I didn’t even have to find ‘gentler hobbies’ to do it. Geoffrey loves me exactly as I am, and I can’t imagine my life without him. I don’t know if we’ll ever have any children of our own, but we do have a couple of kittens that we raised from infants, and that’s good enough for me.” She sighed. “Anyway…that’s not all that’s happened. I don’t want to get into the sordid details of my recent…adventure…in England, but it did lead to some rather interesting revelations. Namely the fact that I happen to be the second cousin to His Majesty, Louis XIV. Papa, I’ll admit that I’m a little upset that you and Mama never told me the truth of where I came from, but I can understand why. You didn’t know much beyond the fact that you found me somehow and took me in, and telling me that Gerard and I weren’t really twins would probably have done more harm than good under the circumstances. But I know the truth now…most of it, anyway…and my feelings for the three of you haven’t changed. You may not be related to me by blood, but you’re my family in all the ways that truly matter. You took me in…loved me…cared for me…even though I wasn’t your own flesh and blood. And for that, I’ll always be grateful. As I said, you are my family, regardless of whose blood I share.” Another sigh. “That being said, this may be the last time I come here for awhile. As the King’s cousin, I…well, technically ‘Jacques LePonte,’ my Musketeer identity…am the heir to my late half-brother’s estate in Nemours. An inheritance I accepted mainly because it would ease the financial difficulties on my little family, especially with Geoffrey being injured and unable to serve in the Musketeers as he used to. Which means I’ll be spending much of my time there from now on, because of my responsibilities to the people living on the estate. However, I swear you will not be forgotten. I plan to buy this land back from the state, along with some of the surrounding farmland that was also confiscated by Mazarin, and turn the property into a hospice…replace the cardinal’s legacy of death and destruction with one of healing and hope. It’s the best memorial I can think of, Papa, to honor you, Gerard, and all those others lost to Cardinal Mazarin’s lust for power. The hospice will be built as soon as I can buy the land and arrange the construction, and I already have the perfect person in mind to run it. A gypsy named Ana, who’s one of the best healers I’ve ever had the privilege to know.”

Just then, she heard a noise behind her and rose with her hand on her sword. She saw a man with a pitchfork in his hand and an ocelot in attack position behind him."Miette, stay. Monsieur Arnaud, stay your hand. I am Jacqueline Roget."

"Impossible…Jacqueline? I had heard your name had been cleared, but why the disguise? Surely no one is after you now." He started to come forward.

She held up her hand. "Monsieur Arnaud, please stay where you are for the moment, you are in grave danger. Miette, come." She saw the Frenchman's face as he watched in amazement when a cat raced past him and proceeded to sit in front of her. "It is a long story, but yes my name was cleared. However, since I serve as a Musketeer, I am known as Jacques LePonte. This is my companion and bodyguard, Miette. Her brother Will is also my husband’s bodyguard.”

"Husband? Jacqueline, that is wonderful. My Marie will be happy for you." Carefully, he upended the fork and stuck it in the ground before he cautiously moved forward."Jacqueline, please come and see Marie. She will be so happy to see you." As they hugged, Miette wandered back to the horse and lay down next to her human's mount.

"Monsieur Arnaud, it has been you, hasn't it, who kept up the graves. I really do appreciate it. You know, I have an idea that you might find interesting." She outlined her idea as they talked and then over dinner.

A little while later, after one last goodbye to her family, Jacques rode up to the garrison and dismounted. She watched as Miette leapt off the saddle and disappeared into the woods behind the cottage, undoubtedly to go hunting. Taking the path to the Forbidden Zone seemed strange. It felt like years since she had been here as Jacqueline. As she came closer to the cottage, she heard a noise and drew her rapier. Opening the door, she crept in as something crashed to the floor. A figure ran down the hallway and Jacques prepared for battle. “Halt in the King’s name.”

A figure came out of the dark and Jacques moved her rapier to the side as she heard the figure call out “It’s me, D’Artagnan” just before he collided with her, knocking them both to the floor. Jacques realized immediately that her hilt was up against D’Artagnan’s chest. She rolled the Musketeer Captain off of her.

“D’Artagnan, are you alright? D’Artagnan?”

Jacques turned as Vigilanti swung a cudgel at the female Musketeer’s head. “You leave my fiancé alone.” Jacques ducked.

“Violete, it’s me Jacques . . . Jacqueline.”

Vigilanti stopped. “D’Artagnan? Jacqueline what did you do to him?”

“For one thing, I acted as a cushion when we fell. I may have stabbed him when he ran at me. Get a light.”

Vigilanti grabbed a hurricane lamp. The women could see the sword protruding from the back of D’Artagnan’s shirt, but upon closer examination realized that only the shirt was damaged. As the man started to stir he felt his side. Looking at Jacques, he frowned. “You almost killed me.”

“I told you to halt in the name of the King, but no, you had to run at me. If I hadn’t moved my rapier, we would not be having this conversation. Now what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Right. I come to hear a crash, you come flying done the hall way like a banshee is after you and you say nothing. Violete, what’s the story?”

“I want us to be married in Aramitz, where my father is from. D’Artagnan wants the ceremony at his father’s estate. My father, Porthos and D’Artagnan were all from Gascony. At any rate, I wanted to be married in Gascony or Le Havre. So we argued. Then clumsy here trips over a stool, slams into the armoire and sends the washbasin to the floor and the water all over me. He decided to retreat before I caught up with him. That’s when you showed up.”

Jacques stood up, offered her hand to her Musketeer brother and pulled him to his feet. “I have an idea. Why don’t you get married at Nemours? I have it on good faith that the duc d’Nemours would like nothing more than to host a wedding. Of course, that would mean some shopping in Paris before we go there. How about I stick around for a few days, then Violete and Jacqueline can head up to Nemours. Louis presented us with three horses to start a breeding program, so we will be traveling by barge.”

D’Artagnan nodded. “As long as you are here, I have some reports that I need to complete on you and Geoffrey. Stay here tonight and you can meet me in the morning.”

“That’s fine. Violete and I can catch up, since it has been so long since we saw each other.” She winked at the other woman.

“Jacqueline is right. It has been…what…a whole week?”

D’Artagnan looked to the ceiling as the women laughed. “Why me, Lord?”

Jacqueline paused. “Wait, why are you two here? This is Geoffrey’s and my cottage.”

Vigilanti bowed her head. “It’s my fault. I didn’t want to go back to Le Havre alone, and since you and Geoffrey were away, D’Artagnan suggested that I stay here. He stays in the garrison, if you are wondering.”

Jacqueline sighed. “It may be late and we don’t have a faster way to communicate, so I give you my permission. Maybe my husband can somehow build a long distance communicator.”

The next morning, the two women walked to the garrison and met up with D’Artagnan who invited them to the café for breakfast. As the three walked towards the café, an older woman accosted them. “Please, please help me. You are friends with my son. I am Señora de la Cruz. Ramon is my son.”

Jacqueline frowned. “Be gone you old hag, I heard that you were banished from France.” She looked at D’Artagnan. “Captain D’Artagnan, this woman was banished to Spain by the King of France and should be arrested.”

The old woman fell to her knees. “Please Madame, I do not know who you are, but I need to beg my son’s forgiveness before I die.”

“Oh please. Do you think that I am a fool? I am the wife of a Musketeer.”

Vigilanti looked down on the woman. “Is this the one who not only insulted Nikki, but demanded that Ramon get rid of her?”

“One and the same.”

“Jacqueline, can’t you see that she is repentant? How can you refuse to forgive her?”

“Violete, the forgiveness must come from Ramon and Nikki, not me.” She paused. “Señora, Ramon is not here. Violete and I are taking a barge the day after tomorrow and you may come along.”

Chapter 64

The morning that Jacqueline left for Paris, Geoffrey, who had bid his bride farewell from the comfort of his bed before going back to sleep, found himself being shaken awake once again what seemed like mere moments later. Groggily, he opened his eyes to find none other than Ana standing over him.

“Whad’ya wan,” he mumbled, rolling over and attempting to hide his head under the covers.

She scowled, reaching down and yanking the covers away. “I’m here to see how well you’re healing, so behave yourself and let me look.”

“Why?” Geoffrey asked, reluctantly pushing himself into a sitting position. “I’m doing just fine.”

Ana’s eyebrow shot up. “Oh really? Then why don’t you get up and walk out of the room?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it again, realizing that she had a point. “Alright,” he sighed. “Do what you need to do.”

“There…that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Not waiting for an answer, Ana gently rolled him onto his stomach so as to examine the wounds, which she found to be healing rather nicely. Once she was satisfied, she allowed him to roll once more onto his back, then moved herself to the end of the bed. “Try to wiggle your toes,” she ordered.

“Do I have to?”

Ana scowled. “Unless you want me to tell your wife that you’re not cooperating with your healer….”

“Fine…you win,” he muttered, shifting his concentration to his feet. All the toes on his left foot moved, but he was only able to just barely twitch the big toe on his right. He groaned. “See…bloody useless! Happy now?”

“You know, for someone who’s been both a Musketeer and a pirate, you sure don’t seem to have much of a spine.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Ana snapped. “If you had even a fraction of the courage your comrades do, you wouldn’t be giving up this easy.” At that, Geoffrey saw red. He sat up in the bed and started to swing his feet around to the side. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she warned. “Pushing yourself too fast is just as bad as not trying at all.”

Down the hallway from Geoffrey, Ramon was trying to be helpful to Nikki, even after her latest tantrum erupted. Nikki wanted a fresh pastry. Even explaining that there were none in the manor and it was three o’clock in the morning didn’t faze the pregnant woman.

“Nikki, be reasonable. The pastry shop does not open until nine and that is six hours away.”

“I don’t care. How dare anyone sleep while I am craving a pastry?”

Now it was 8:30 and Ramon had just put his boots on. Nikki opened a sleepy eye. “Where are you going?”

“To get you a pastry as you requested, my love.”

“Pastry? Are you trying to get me fatter than I already am? She closed her eyes. “A pastry for a pregnant woman, of all things. Next time, you get to be pregnant.”

They both were startled by a crash and Ramon raced towards the sound. Opening Geoffrey's door, he found his comrade sprawled on the floor and Ana standing nearby with her arms folded and an ‘I told you so’ look on her face. Geoffrey looked at Ramon. "Well, what do you want?"

"Geoffrey, what happened?"

Ana unfolded her arms. "I'll tell you what happened. I went to examine him and he was being his usual, stubborn self. He just wanted to stay in bed and feel sorry for himself. I goaded him, and he suddenly decided to try standing up on his own. I told him he needed to have help until he was stronger and he refused. He stood up quickly and his leg collapsed, just like I told him it would."

Ramon reached down and helped his comrade to his feet. "Where are the crutches?"

"He doesn't need crutches…a cane, maybe."

"Maybe I should have a hearing horn as well. I am right here, people. Quit talking as if I weren't."

A knock on the door made them all turn towards it to see Alexander. "Geoffrey, I have a solution." He rolled in a chair. "This is the modified wheel chair we were discussing last night. The larger wheels have an inner wheel. You use the inner wheel to move the chair and the smaller wheels up front help steer it."

Ana frowned. "That might help him get around, but it won't help him to walk."

Geoffrey pulled the chair over and Alexander helped him get in. "Ana, you want me up, so I am up. Alexander, let’s try this thing out. First the lift and down to the first floor."

Faith walked into the mansion by way of the main door after having walked out to the canal to get some fresh morning air, entering just as Geoffrey came out of the lift. She blinked. “What the hell is that?”

“This, cousin, is my new mode of transportation.”

“You’re going to look pretty stupid on the poopdeck.”

Geoffrey frowned. “Who says I am going back to sea?”

Faith shook her head. “Well, a Musketeer in a wheeled chair is just as stupid.”

“Didn’t say I was going to go back there either.” He turned the chair away from her.

Faith grabbed the chair and spun it around. With an evil grin on her face, she spun it several more times until she started getting dizzy. Geoffrey must have had the same result, as he soon plummeted from the chair. She walked over to where he was sprawled. “You are going to start working on building your strength, or I am going to kick your bum from here to Christmas.”

“You and what bloody army?”

She shrugged. “Don’t need an army to beat up a cripple…especially one that’s too damned scared to work on getting back on his feet.”

“Go to hell!” he spat, pushing up from the floor and dragging himself back into his chair. “I don’t want or need your bloody help, Faith, so you can just piss off back to whatever shithole you crawled out from and leave me the hell alone!” With that, he turned the chair around and headed off to the kitchen, leaving his friends standing around in shock.

Faith stood stunned, watching her cousin roll away. After a few moments, she ran to her room, retrieved the few belongings she’d brought, and headed for the front door. She was about to walk out when a hand on her arm stopped her.

“Where are you going?” Alexander asked, concerned.

“Back to Le Havre to find my ship. I don’t stay where I ain’t wanted.” She tried to pull away, but he held fast.

“Who says you’re not wanted?”

“You heard G. He told me to leave him alone, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Alex leaned in closer. “What if I asked you to stay?” he whispered.

“What?”

“Please…stay. I know this is going to sound clichéd, but ever since Spain, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. It may not have meant much to you, but that night meant a lot to me. I don’t get that intimate with just anyone. So stay…let’s give this whole ‘relationship’ thing a real chance instead of just writing off that one night as a fluke. What do you say?”

Faith looked stunned. No man had ever wanted more than just sex from her, and having one say that he was interested in pursuing a relationship was even more of a shock than her cousin’s outburst. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes…please.”

“What about G?”

Alexander shrugged. “What about him? Just because he’s acting like an ass, doesn’t mean you have to take off. I’m sure he’ll get over it soon enough.”

“Maybe.” She sighed. “If I do stay, will you help me get him out of his funk?”

He nodded. “Sure…but how?”

Faith smiled, glad to have an ally in this. “I say we give him a few days to get the self-pity out of his system, then we get rid of that bloody chair…either he uses a cane like his captain, or he doesn’t go anywhere. A bit harsh, perhaps, but as long as he has that chair he’s not going to try walking again.”

“I agree. The way he’s acting, I’m starting to regret making the thing in the first place.” He sighed. “I’ll give it to the end of the week, then dismantle the chair and hide the pieces. In the meantime, I’ll work on making him that cane.”

“Good.” Faith surprised Alexander with a quick kiss on the cheek, then headed back to her room to put her things back.

“Wow,” the carpenter breathed. “What a woman.”

As Faith returned from her room, Ramon and Nikki approached her and Alexander. Ramon shook his head. “I have never seen him like that. What are we going to do?”

Nikki touched Faith’s arm. “I know you love him, so I hope you aren’t planning to leave.”

“I was, but Xan convinced me to stay. We will let G have his way for a few days, and then he will have to use a cane or stay in bed all day.”

Ana walked up. “I do hope you can come up with a plan before Jacqueline comes home. Is he usually like this?”

Ramon shook his head. “He is headstrong, but never like this.”

Ana sighed. “I am concerned that his mental attitude will affect his physical condition. He needs to get strength in his legs. I have heard that a person with his kind of injury can be helped to regain his strength by riding horses.”

Faith frowned. “How is that possible?”

“The motion of the horse's gaits help improves movement, coordination, flexibility, and even concentration. He needs a gentle, very laid-back horse.”

“But wouldn’t the jarring hurt him?"

“Not really. Even just the walking of the horse will help in his coordination and the use of his legs to stay on will help as well.”

Ramon frowned. “So what do we do? Tie him to a horse?”

Ana shook her head. “No. Jacqueline should be home in a few days. In the meantime, we need to look at the horses on this estate and see which ones would be able to be used. Ramon, you raised horses, right? Look for a flower.”

“Si, the finest horses in Spain. I see what you mean. I will look at them.” He looked at Alexander. “Will you show me the stables?”

The former soldier nodded and motioned for Ramon to follow. As they reached the stables, Ramon walked to each horse. Calming them with a hand to the muzzle, he let the horses sniff him before the Musketeer worked his hand to the withers and back to the haunch. He checked the mouth of the animals, looking for sore mouth and damage from too harsh a bit. Lastly, he checked the legs and hoofs. Standing up, he checked the head of each horse to make sure it was proportioned correctly. Choosing three horses, all mares, he moved them to separate stalls. “These will do. Now all we have to do is get him on board.”

****************

It took three days to organize the barge trip, set up the corrals for the three horses and begin the trip. As the horses were being loaded, Miette scampered around the barge looking for new positions. The horses appeared to have accepted the ocelot when D’Artagnan, Vigilanti, Jacqueline and Señora de la Cruz stepped foot on the barge. Dismissing the cat as a nuisance, Ramon's mother looked around. "Where is Señor LePonte? I thought he was coming with us?"

"My brother will be traveling by other means. He left me with specific instructions. If you cause trouble, you will be left along the banks of the canal. You will go to your quarters and stay there until we arrive."

D’Artagnan tapped Jacqueline on the shoulder. "The King."

They all tuned and bowed. Jacqueline curtsied. "You Majesty."

"I just had to see you off and wish you luck with your horses. Please tell your husband that I will expect him back in the saddle within three months. Ah…I see my Mouseketeer is on duty. That’s Miette, right?"

“Yes, Your Majesty. Always on duty.”

****************

In the manor, Ana and Nikki found a place to sit down. Ana observed the way the pregnant woman moved. “How do you feel? I think you will soon have your child with you.”

“I sure hope so. This child feels like a gigantic kicking watermelon.”

****************

Jacqueline and Vigilanti stood on the bow of the barge, watching the scenery go by. The female Musketeer looked at her comrade. “This is so peaceful. I could get used to the leisure life.”

“As long as you could cross blades with someone at least once a day.”

She chuckled. “Well, there is that.”

D’Artagnan walked up and put his arms around his intended. “Don’t you love the peacefulness of a boat trip?”

Vigilanti laughed. “Marie said that also, although she did mention taking a long swim with you.”

Jacqueline laughed as well. “I remember having the ship we were on being ripped apart and having to jump into the ocean. This is much better.”

A scream made them all turn towards the sound. They saw Señora de la Cruz being pushed by a Musketeer towards them. “She was among the horses. Lord knows what she planned.”

Jacqueline walked up to the woman. “Explain yourself or I will put you off right here.”

“Please, no. We used to raise the finest horses, many of them Arabian and Barbs. That Arab, where did you get him?”

“From the King of France.”

“That horse was sired by one of ours. Did you see the mark on the left shoulder of the stallion?”

“You mean the one that looks like a fleur-de-lis?”

“Yes, we had one line of our Arabs who always had that mark. Ramon called them his flower horses”

Jacqueline shook her head. “Do you really expect me to believe you?”

“I am telling you the truth and Ramon can verify that.”

The female Musketeer sighed. “Alright. I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but you were told to stay below deck. You will remain there until we reach our destination.”

“But…”

“But nothing. I told you the rules, break them again and you will never get near Ramon.”

“I understand.”

Jacqueline watched the woman hobble down below decks, she turned around. “Luis, what are you doing here?”

The future Queen of France laughed. “Court is boring and someone has to keep you out of trouble. D’Artagnan is busy with Violete and Nikki is pregnant. Geoffrey is recovering and Ramon is watching out for his wife.”

“So that makes you my bodyguard?”

“You are a woman and the cousin of the King. Someone must protect you on your journey.”

“And you are the princess. Who is going to protect you on the way back?”

“I am Luis the Musketeer, not the Princess.” She grinned. “Do you know what would happen if anyone finds out about us?”

“They would burn us like Joan?” The female Musketeer motioned with her head towards the doorway to below deck. “I wonder if I should believe Señora de la Cruz. Could she really be telling the truth?”

Luis shrugged. “Quien sabe. Ramon has good horse sense and from what I remember, the de la Cruz horses were prized among the nobility. Not many know about the mark on the stallions, but in that she is telling the truth. Everyone presumed it was a brand, but it isn’t.”

“How did you catch her?”

Luis laughed. “I didn’t. I found her at cringing at the corner of the corral and Miette crouched like she was ready to attack. You must have really gotten the horses used to Miette, as they did not seem upset at her presence.”

“I had to, since Will and Miette like to ride with Geoffrey and me.”

Chapter 65

Following his outburst, Geoffrey spent the next week avoiding company as much as humanly possible. Well-meaning as they may have been, he wasn’t in the mood to be poked, prodded, or lectured about his lack of interest in trying to do the impossible. The only exception to this was Will, who could care less how his human decided to get around as long as he was willing to play. And Geoffrey was content to make use of his new chair by following the growing kitten around as he surveyed his new kingdom.

Will didn’t take long in figuring out the best hunting spots on the estate—though it wasn’t without a few close shaves that required Geoffrey to apologize to some distraught farmer or other for the near-loss of their chickens. Eventually, he found a small lake behind the chateau that he liked, though he had yet to actually catch anything that lived in it. But the determined ocelot didn’t let that stop him. Every day, Geoffrey would watch as Will prowled along the water’s edge, watching the creatures that dwelt below the surface. Occasionally, when one would venture too close, the kitten would swiftly plunge his paw into the water, attempting to snatch it up. However, the would-be fisherman had yet to develop the speed to actually succeed, and whatever he was trying to catch always managed to slip away just in time.

About a week after Jacqueline left for Paris, Geoffrey was wandering the grounds in his chair, wondering what could be taking her so long to return, when he came to the lake and found Will once again prowling the edge. As he watched, the kitten poked his paw into the water, only to get a surprise when a large catfish broke through the surface and snapped at him with a mouthful of sharp, pointy teeth. Will immediately shot underneath the wheelchair, crying and shaking. Geoffrey chuckled a bit, then reached down to pick up the frightened ocelot. “Easy boy…it’s okay. No need to fear some little catfish.” He pushed the chair over as Will stood on his lap, looking down at the water. Geoffrey let out a low whistle. He could clearly see the fish swimming in a circle. “Whoa…alright, maybe it’s not so little. That fish must weigh almost 25 kilograms. Will, you and Miette could feast on that for a week.” He laughed a little at the joke.

Will looked at his human. “Mrow!” He jumped off his lap and returned to the water’s edge to resume the fishing expedition.

“I’ll say this for him…the little guy sure doesn’t give up easy.” Geoffrey jumped a little at the intrusion, whirling around to see his cousin standing behind him.

“How long have you been there?”

Faith shrugged. “Long enough. You know, you could learn a thing or two from that kitten.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come on G…just look at you. Rolling around in that bloody chair all day instead of trying to get back on your feet. It’s rather pathetic, really. I thought you were supposed to be tougher than that.”

“You may be older than me, Faith,” Geoffrey growled, “but you sure as hell aren’t wiser. You don’t know the first thing about what I’m going through right now. Do you think I like not being able to walk?”

“I’m starting to wonder…maybe deep down, you think you deserve to be like this because of what happened to your uncle, so you’re not even going to try and fix it. Just spend the rest of your life sitting in that bloody chair, feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Go to hell!” he snapped, turning the chair around and moving away from her as swiftly as he could manage.

“Alright, pal…you asked for it.” As he rolled out of sight, she stormed off to Alexander’s workshop and let herself in, slamming the door behind her and startling the carpenter.

“Whoa…something wrong, Faith?”

“G’s wrong, that’s what. You and me, we’re getting rid of that damned chair…tonight.”

****************

Each evening, the barge tied up alongside the bank and after the horses were led off for food, water and a walk, the makeshift corral was mucked out and fresh straw laid. Slipping on some trousers, boots and an old shirt, Jacqueline joined D’Artagnan, Luis and Vigilanti in the mucking.

Jacqueline laughed. “Can you imagine the look on the King’s face to see his cousin and his fiancé doing this kind of work?”

Luis grinned. “If you love horses, this is not work. It’s a duty as much as feeding, watering and exercising them. D’Artagnan, have you ever done this kind of work?”

“Of course, do you think we had a lot of servants? The great D’Artagnan mucked the stalls right beside me.”

Vigilanti wrinkled her nose. “There is a lot to be said about living in the city.” She walked towards the boatman who wore a hood over his head. “How long before we reach Nemours?”

“We should arrive tomorrow. Are you in a hurry?”

She tried to get a look at his face, but it was covered with a woolen scarf. “No, I am just anxious. You see, my fiancé and I are to be married there.”

"Then I will offer my congratulations and attempt to get you there sooner. My partner and I will pole faster tomorrow."

"Where is he now?"

"Knowing him, he is in the village getting a flask of wine and some cheese."

Vigilanti noticed that as she walked away, the boatman limped. Thinking this was peculiar, she looked around at the shore to see another hooded boatmen return who also limped. She walked up to her fiancé. “Do you know where these two boatmen come from? I was talking to the one on the bow, but he kept his face hidden and he limps.”

The Musketeer laughed. “Love, didn’t you know there are four boatmen? They alternate two at a time and the ones who are not polling are resting below decks. As for the limp, all four of them do. It is no mystery. These men come from a monastery in Ireland. Some have been horribly scarred, so they keep their hoods up. If you see them on deck, look but don’t stare. One of them has a wooden stub for a leg and another is missing two fingers on his right hand. I have heard that they are all former soldiers and seamen.”

“Why are they here and not in Ireland?”

D’Artagnan shook his head. “Many of the men prefer being on water, but there are not a lot of canals in Ireland and not enough ships for them to serve on. They could probably serve on a pirate ship, but then they might get hung if caught.”

“I am not convinced. That one coming on board is built like Porthos and the guy at the bow looks like Duval. Something is strange about this.” Before the Musketeer could stop her, Vigilanti stormed over to the boatman, pulled his hood back and spun him around. She gasped as she stared at a scarred man with half an ear and no nose. He had obviously been horribly burned for some time. “I’m so sorry. I am an idiot. I thought you were a friend who was playing a joke on us.”

The man pulled his hood back up. “There is nothing to feel sorry about. My name is Joachim and the large man coming on board is my friend Philippe. We were on a ship that caught fire several years ago. We dove overboard to escape the flames and ended up at a monastery when some monks cared for us. In fact, the four of us on this ship came from the same monastery. I would ask you, however, not to bother the others. They are very sensitive to their plight.”

Blushing from embarrassment, Vigilanti walked back to her fiancé. “Promise me that if I ever do that again, you will stop me. How horrible for them and I had to remind them again.”

“Joachim is a good man, as are they all. That all happened ten years ago. Now, not only are they boatmen, but they are monks. They go out and work to bring in money to support the monastery. Now, let’s you and I relax and enjoy tonight. ”

Vigilanti looked at him. “Joachim said we would be there tomorrow. Wonder what we can find to do tonight.”

D’Artagnan laughed. “Let me worry about that.”

The morning sun awakened D’Artagnan and Vigilanti, who were cuddled up on the bow of the barge. Jacqueline stood above them. “You two should get a room.”

The Musketeer jumped up. “We didn’t do anything.”

Jacqueline laughed. “My friend, I know that. You are one of the noblest men in all of France. Joachim is having his breakfast and then we will be off. We should arrive within three hours.”

True to his word, Joachim and his brothers all polled the barge down the canal and arrived in under three hours. As they came into view, Jacqueline saw Faith and Alexander walking towards the canal. The land-bound sea captain jumped to the deck of the barge before it had stopped. “J, you look great. You changed a little since the last time I saw you. How is your brother?”

Jacqueline winked. “He is fine and should arrive tonight. How is my husband?” She saw Miette come over, sit by her leg and look up at her. “I get the hint, little one. How is Will?”

“Will is fine, but he learned that he can’t tackle a 25 kilogram fish by himself. I’ll tell you about it later. As for that stubborn, no account, lazy, self centered, egotistical …”

Jacqueline held up her hand. “Tell me how you really feel about Geoffrey.” She laughed as Faith’s face appeared to lose the flush in her cheeks. “I’ll take it that he needs a push. Well, I have just the thing. Come meet some friends.” She led Faith to the corral. “This will be the start of our new herd, a present from the King.”

Faith whistled. “This just might be the thing to get Geoffrey out of his self-pity. Ana had been talking about horse therapy with Ramon.”

Jacqueline’s expression turned serious at that. “Faith, Ramon’s mother is on board. If she causes trouble, I want her out of here and on her way back to Spain.” As the barge finally came to rest, Miette raced off of the barge and straight to the Manor, by way of the back door. The female Musketeer grinned. “I wonder if she is eager to see Will or Yvette?”

Ramon was in the kitchen, scrounging for something to eat when he saw a flash of fur come to a halt by his feet. “Mrow!”

“Easy Will.” He looked down. “Miette, you’re back.” Putting down the chicken leg on the table, he raced out of the manor. Miette watched him leave and then ran out of the kitchen. The chicken leg had mysteriously disappeared.

Ramon fully expected to see Jacqueline, but was surprised to see D’Artagnan and Vigilanti also. His eyes opened wider when he saw the three horses. He ran to the barge and entered the corral with nary a word to the humans. Running his hands over the stallion’s nose and the working back to the hindquarters, he stopped when he saw the mark. “Jacqueline, this horse is from my family stables. How did you..?”

Jacqueline looked at Luis. “I guess she was telling the truth. Ramon, these animals are a gift to Geoffrey and myself from the King….Something else you should know. Your mother is on board.”

Ramon’s face changed from happy to angry. “What does she want and why did you bring her?”

Vigilanti walked in between the two Musketeers. “She begged for forgiveness, but Jacqueline and I said that forgiveness must come from you. She almost had a heart attack when she saw the mark on the stallion.”

"She should. Those stallions came from our herd. My father lost them because of her antics." He rubbed the stallion's head. "You heard what the Queen said about my father and the mare that died on a shipment to the King of France…well, my mother was furious and ranted and raved to everyone she saw about how weak my father was. She started selling the horses, one at a time until the marked stallions were gone. Our herd was never the same."

Luis put her hand on the Musketeer's arm. "Amigo, she has come here to beg forgiveness and that is what Nikki told her that she had to do."

Ramon shook his head. "I don't know if I have it in me. Nikki is my heart, my love and carries my child. My mother insulted her and called her vile names. Maybe I should talk to Nikki first, and then we will both confront her."

Jacqueline nodded. "You may use the parlor, if you wish."

"No. Until this matter is resolved, my mother will not step foot into the manor. You named it Paradis du Mousquetaire, Paradise of the Musketeer. How can this be a paradise if it is sullied by my mother?"

"Ramon, this is my estate. You go talk to Nikki while Faith and I have a talk. D'Artagnan, will you see to the horses?"

D'Artagnan bowed, mockingly. "Yes, Your Grace."

She shot him a look. "My brother is the duc, remember, you unworthy peasant?" She winked as she turned and walked off with Faith. D'Artagnan was unable to see the smug look on her face, but Faith did.

"That put him in his place."

"Well he isn't exactly a peasant. I think at this stage, we are probably equal in rank. But I can still beat him with swords."

"Actually, I think you do outrank him."

"But I was raised a farmer's daughter. He knows I was joking. We have been at each other since the day I first beat him with a sword and then when he found out I was a female."

“And you have been making him remember all the time, don’t you?”

Jacqueline laughed. “Every time we cross blades. Now…what is this about Geoffrey?”

Faith sighed. “Xan made him a chair with wheels so he could get around without the crutches. But you know my cousin…so bloody exasperating…he refuses to even try and walk.”

Jacqueline frowned. “That will not do. We have to get him out of that chair.”

Faith smiled. “Already taken care of. A few days ago Xan and I dismantled the chair, but all that did was make him sulk in his room. The last straw was last night…he was demanding that we wait on him, so we took away the crutches too. In place of them, we left a cane that Xan carved for him. Now he will walk or remain in bed.”

“Oh no he won’t. He will walk, as I will not allow him to stay in bed. In fact, you can help me. That stallion is for him. We will get Geoffrey on him even if we have to tie him to the saddle. Using his legs to guide the horse and stay on will strengthen them.”

Faith laughed. “This will be fun.”

Chapter 66

Jacqueline entered the manor, Faith following right behind her. She made her way up to Geoffrey’s bedroom and knocked on the door.

“Go away!”

“Geoffrey? It’s me, Jacqueline.” She tried the door, but it was locked. “Let me in, please.”

“Why bother?” he muttered. “I’m bloody useless…you shouldn’t have to see me like this.”

Jacqueline frowned, turning to Faith. “Has he been like this since I’ve been gone?”

“More or less. Want me to break the door down?”

She shook her head. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you go see if the others need any help…I can deal with this myself.”

Nodding, Faith turned and headed back downstairs. Once she’d gone, Jacqueline headed up a floor to the Master bedroom, went over to the crossed swords, twisted the tip of the left blade as Yvette had shown her, and slipped into the passage. She made her way down a floor and over to Geoffrey’s bedroom, emerging from behind a bookcase and startling her husband.

“Wha…how did you get in here?”

She grinned. “Secret passage, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” he muttered, slumping down in the chair he was sitting in and returning his gaze to the fireplace. “What part of ‘go away’ didn’t you understand?”

“The part where I go away.” Shaking her head, Jacqueline knelt down in front of the chair, blocking his view of the fire and forcing him to look at her instead. “How many times must I remind you of our vows, Geoffrey? I swore to stay with you, no matter what.”

“Even if I’m a worthless cripple?”

She frowned. “You’re not worthless…never will be. And I refuse to believe that your condition is permanent. Have you even tried to walk?”

“Trust me Jacqueline; it’s not going to happen.”

“How did you get into that chair you’re sitting in, then?”

“With the crutches, right before that heartless cousin of mine took them away.”

“But she left you a cane, didn’t she?”

Geoffrey shook his head. “What good is that going to do? I can’t even bloody stand up.”

“Again, have you even tried?” He turned away, no longer able to look her in the eyes. “That’s what I thought. How do you know whether you can walk or not if you spend all your time sitting around and sulking?”

“I can barely even feel my bloody legs, Jacqueline, let alone use them.”

“I see….” Jacqueline stood up and went to the bed, laying down on the side farthest from Geoffrey’s chair.

“What are you doing?”

She smiled, patting the empty space on the mattress. “Incentive.”

“Huh?”

“We haven’t been with each other since that day on the Dulaman. I came in here the night before I left for Paris, but you were sleeping so peacefully…I couldn’t bear to wake you.” She sighed. “At any rate, I know you have to be as anxious as I am to resume that part of our relationship. But I’m not going to do all of the work, here. If you want this, you’ve got to get up and come over to the bed on your own.”

“I told you…I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. I know you can. You’ve just got to try.”

“Why bother? I’m pretty much dead down there too.”

Jacqueline’s eyebrow shot up. “Now I know that can’t be true. You just need the proper…motivation.”

“Jacqueline….”

She sighed. “Look, just try…for me. It’s only a few steps. Surely you could manage at least that.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then I’ll get Alexander to put the chair back together. But you have to try.”

Geoffrey thought for a few moments, then finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll try…just don’t expect any bloody miracles.” Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, wobbling unsteadily for an instant before finding his balance. As Jacqueline watched, he took one careful step, then another…and another. Soon, he managed to reach the bed and lay down upon it, looking rather surprised. “I-I did it!”

Jacqueline smiled. “Told you….And now, your reward….” She leaned over and kissed him, and over the course of the next few hours, she proved to her husband that he wasn’t nearly as ‘dead’ as he thought.

****************

Ramon led the horses back to the stables before he went to see Nikki. As he entered their bedroom, he saw her standing by the window. She turned to him. "Those horses are beautiful. How did Jacqueline know about the horse therapy?"

"She didn't. Those are a gift to them from the King. The stallion actually comes from our herd."

"Your herd?"

"Yes. We used to raise a string of Arabians, but lost them because of my mother."

"Well, you now have one back among friends and to hell with your mother."

Ramon shifted his feet. "Actually, she is on the barge."

"What? Why in the hell did Jacqueline bring her here?"

Ramon sighed. "My mother told her that she wanted to apologize and beg forgiveness. Jacqueline said that she had to get it from me and I won't give it until she begs it from you."

She felt her bulging belly. "She has some nerve. First she berates me, then wants our child to be a bastard so you can marry someone of station. Why should I forgive her?"

"Family is important and you are my family. She may realize that without me, she will be an old lady on her own and it may scare the hell out of her."

"What about your sister?"

"Catalina? She was furious with my mother. I don't know if she even speaks to her anymore. Maybe that is why my mother has come. Catalina doesn't have any children, and maybe the thought of not having any grandchildren has made her rethink her actions."

She put her hand on Ramon's arm. "Ramon, I know how this hurts you. If she apologizes to both of us, then I am willing to forgive her."

Ramon thought a bit and then walked down stairs. He encountered Alexander on the way. "Would you please accompany me?"

"Where to?"

"I have to see my mother and I want a witness to what happens."

"You aren't planning to do anything drastic, are you?"

Ramon looked at him. "That will depend on her."

As they walked towards the barge, Señora de la Cruz appeared on deck. “Thank you for coming to see me. Ramon, I apologize to you and your wife for my actions. I should never have done that.”

“What about when you threw me out six years ago and said I was no longer your son? It is the same pattern. Everyone has to do things your way. Why do you think Catalina left?”

“Catalina and I have resolved our differences.”

“You mean you accept that she married a Basque?”

She hung her head. “Yes.” She looked up at her son and saw the burns on his throat. “Ramon what happened to your neck?”

“You threw me out because I wanted to serve the King of France as a Musketeer. Well, some Frenchmen don’t like Spaniards and hung several, of which I was the last. If it hadn’t been for Nikki, I would be dead. She alerted Captain Porthos, who cut me down.”

“Porthos the Pirate?”

“Porthos the Musketeer, and at the time Harbor Master in Le Havre.”

“You seem to have a lot of friends. I just wanted you to have a dutiful Spanish wife who would give you children.”

“No, you wanted me to have a purebred Spanish wife who would give you grandchildren. Since Catalina and I have married outside of Spain, you will never have pureblood Spanish grandchildren.”

She nodded. “I understand that now and am truly sorry. I have been a lonely old woman since your father died. I promise to cause you and your wife no further pain.”

“What about our children? We expect to have many.”

“Ramon, I will never cause your children a minute of anguish.”

“Alright, but you will have to apologize in person to Nikki. We might as well go to the manor house right now.” He turned to Alexander, who had stayed back to allow the son and mother to interact. Ramon approved that the former soldier had stayed alert to any problems that might occur. As they approached the foot of the steps leading to the manor itself, Nikki waddled out and waited.

Señora de la Cruz walked up the steps slowly until she got to the top step and knelt down. “Señora de la Cruz, I apologize and humbly beg your forgiveness from treating you the way I did.”

Nikki looked at Ramon who stood with Alexander and Luis to each side. “You are the grandmother to my child and the mother to my husband. I forgive you. Now stand up. It is not fitting for you to be kneeling.”

Magdalena stood up and turned to her son. “You had to have two soldiers to protect you from me?”

“No mother, Alexander was to protect you from me. Luis Borbón was here as a Musketeer.”

Confusion crossed her face. “I remember. You are the Princess.” She bowed before her King’s daughter. “Forgive me your Majesty, I had forgotten the disguise.”

“You are forgiven. I am dressed as a Musketeer and would prefer that when I am dressed this way, that is what people see: a Musketeer.”

Nikki felt her belly. “Ow. It seems that someone wants to rest. You all can stay outside, but I am going back to my room.”

Magdalena looked at her. “A woman in your condition should have a room on the ground floor, not going up and down stairs.”

“Actually, there is an alternative. The former owner had a lift installed, so I do not have to walk up and down stairs. Would you care to come with me? Ana will be down here in a minute if I do not return.”

“Of course Nikki, I would be honored.”

Ramon shook his head as he watched the two women go inside. He looked at his two companions. “Women!”

“Hey!” Luis looked at him.

“Sorry, Your Majesty. I forgot where I am.”

****************

Several hours later, Jacqueline rolled onto her side and looked into the eyes of Geoffrey. "Well now…still feeling useless?"

He reached over and intertwined her hair in his fingers. “Thanks to you, no.”

"Are you ready to stand and begin your strengthening of that leg?"

"What did you have in mind?"

She grinned and slipped out of bed. Pulling on her clothes, she handed Geoffrey his cane, then walked to the window. “Come with me.” She watched as the man relied heavily on the cane while moving to join her.

Looking out, he saw three horses. “Horses? How will that help?”

“Riding will help you regain your strength and mobility. In addition, Louis gave us these horses so that we might start a horse herd of our own. The stallion is yours and actually comes from Ramon’s family. The blood-bay is mine and along with her and the grey, we should have a good start. Now as the breeder of the Musketeer horses, you will have an income once we start selling them to the Musketeers.”

“How long will that take?”

“Well, all three horses are about four years old and a mare can foal once a year. We can keep the females for breeding and sell the males or keep them to use as studs. We can build a business of this. We also have other horses that we have acquired so the prospect of a large herd is great.”

“How many horses do we have?”

Jacqueline grinned. “Ramon says there are one hundred horses, of which forty can be sold immediately to farmers as they are not good riding horses. Now you can go meet your new mount.”

"Well, I will try. At least I can see these animals you brought home." He turned towards the door, stopping when he heard his wife laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“Well, unless you wish to scandalize everyone, don’t you think you should get dressed?”

Geoffrey laughed. “Good point. A naked man with a cane would terrify the horses.”

A few minutes later, Geoffrey and Jacqueline made their way down the stairs. Surprisingly, Geoffrey had insisted on using them instead of the lift. As they opened the door, two furballs flew past them, turned and waited for them at the bottom of the stairs. Geoffrey shook his head. “Where did they come from?”

“I think they have a sixth sense.” She looked to see Ramon coming towards the house. “How are things with Señora de la Cruz?”

“Nikki and my mother are talking upstairs. I made a hasty retreat and checked on the horses. Geoffrey, the stallion is well trained. You will love him. I take it you are going to see them.” He looked at the ocelots. “You know, these guys get along well with the horses and the horses are not afraid of them. Miette actually jumped up on the blood-bay mare and settled down to watch as I curried the stallion. As long as they don’t claw the horses, there should be no problem.”

Jacqueline nodded. “That is good to know." As they got to the corral, she noticed that Will and Miette sat on top of two fence posts. The blood-mare stood by the post that Miette sat on and snorted. Miette meowed softly. Jacqueline reached up and scratched Miette's head. "Girl, you two are crazy." Looking over at the stallion, she saw that her husband was already in the corral and running his hand over the horse's back and sides.

Ramon walked over with a saddle and heaved it on top of the horse. "Sure wish these were lighter."

Geoffrey looked at the saddle. "You know, I have an idea about that. Maybe Alexander would give me a hand and we could come up with a lighter but sturdy saddle.” He looked at the horse. "In the meantime, let's you and me get to know each other. Ramon, help me up." In a minute, Geoffrey sat on the horse while Ramon led the animal by the reins. As Alexander walked up, Geoffrey started calculating. “Alexander, what do you think about making a new saddle?”

A frown crossed Alexander’s face. “What is wrong with the one you are using?”

“The pommel and cantle are both pretty high and the stirrups cause my legs to go forward too much. I am thinking of a different kind of tree, like with a lower cantle and no pommel. Would mean riding further forward. The stirrups can be moved back and we can make knee pads that are padded, say with wool.”

Alexander nodded. “It could work. Might make it lighter also. Give me a couple of days to design it and we can look at it.” He patted the horse. “You have a good mount. How’s the leg holding up?”

“You know, I don’t have any pain and I actually have some maneuverability. Maybe this riding thing can help.”

“What about when you get off? I don’t think your wife will allow you to ride the horse into the house.”

Geoffrey laughed as he saw Jacqueline’s scowl. “Well, I am thinking of a brace instead of a cane, but we shall see. One thing at a time. Maybe Jacques and I can go riding when he gets back.” He turned to look at Jacqueline when he noticed a woman approach. “Ramon, looks like your mother is coming over here.”

“Probably wants to see the horses in action. We worked out our differences.”

Jacqueline’s eyes met Geoffrey’s. “I am returning to the manor. I don’t feel well.” She took one step and collapsed. Geoffrey struggled off of the horse as Alexander and Ramon went to her. He knelt down beside his wife.

“Alexander, can you carry her to our room? Ramon, please get Ana to come.” Geoffrey held her hand as he hobbled beside Alexander. When they got into the lift, he noticed that she opened one eye and then closed it as she squeezed his hand. As soon as she was on the bed, Ana told everyone but Geoffrey to leave.

Jacqueline opened her eyes when she heard the door close and sat up. Ana frowned. “Lay back, you fainted.”

“No I didn’t, I swooned.” She grinned. “Jacques needs to arrive tonight and the only way to get him home is for me to be confined to my room for an undisclosed long illness. Ana, you and Yvette are the only ones besides Geoffrey who are allowed in. I will change to Jacques and sneak out of the Manor, then return when it is evening as Jacques.”

Geoffrey nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. Ana, maybe you can go start arranging for the patient while she changes to Jacques.”

“Alright, I will need to tell Nikki also so she doesn’t worry.”

Within minutes of Ana’s leaving Jacques went through the tunnels to the stables. Throwing the tack on Jacques’ horse, she led him through the escape tunnel and rode into the countryside. Jacques rode up to the Manor and dismounted just as the sunlight was fading. As he walked up the steps after tying his mount to a hitching post, the door opened and Yvette stood in the doorway. “Your Grace, you are home. I’m afraid your sister has been taken ill.”

Jacques nodded. “Thank you Yvette, I will go at once to see her. At the moment, please allow only yourself and Ana into her room.”

“What about Geoffrey?”

“Him too, of course…he is her husband, and they do share the same room.”

She curtsied, and the two nodded with a quick smile at the rehearsed scene they had planned.

Chapter 67

On re-entering the chateau, Jacques handed her hat and coat to the manservant who appeared seemingly out of nowhere to collect them, and then made her way over to where Geoffrey and Ana were ‘waiting,’ along with Luis.

“What?” she asked, smirking slightly as she noticed Geoffrey’s eyes focused on the codpiece Raquel had given her to enhance the disguise.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, his cheeks flushing. “It’s just…I didn’t realize Your Grace was so…um…well…gifted.”

Jacqueline laughed. “I’ll explain later, since I do need to make an adjustment,” she whispered. Then, raising her voice a bit, she asked “What’s happened to my dear sister?”

Ana stepped forward, feigning a look of concern. “I’m afraid, Your Grace, that she suddenly took ill while we were outside inspecting your new herd of horses. I do not yet know what is causing her illness, but I promise you will be informed as soon as I figure it out.”

“Thank you, Ana,” Jacques nodded. “As always, your skills are greatly appreciated.”

“No thanks are necessary, Your Grace. I am simply doing my job.”

“Of course.” Glancing up, Jacques saw Ramon and Nikki at the top of the stairs. “Speaking of which….Shouldn’t you be resting, Señora?”

“That’s what I said, but my Nikki is quite stubborn…she insisted on coming down to greet you, and once she has her mind set on something, there’s no convincing her otherwise.”

Jacques smiled. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Nikki, but as Lord of this manor, I insist that you return to bed…for the sake of your child, if nothing else.”

“Why? I’m perfectly….” Nikki trailed off, glancing down at the floor to see a growing puddle beneath her. A moment later, she doubled over, crying out in pain. Jacques rushed up the stairs, followed by Ana and Yvette, with Geoffrey bringing up the rear. Ramon was holding his wife upright, a worried look on his face. Luis, though worried, stayed part way down the stairs.

“Ana, w-what’s happening?” he demanded, clearly starting to panic, especially at the puddle. Ana took a few moments to examine Nikki, then smiled.

“It’s time.”

“Time? Time for what? What’s going on?”

Jacques, also smiling, put a hand on her comrade’s shoulder. “I’m no expert, but I believe your wife is about to have the baby. That puddle is a sign.”

Unfortunately, that did nothing to ease the Spaniard’s anxiety. “What…now? B-but the baby isn’t due until next month!”

“Well,” Ana laughed, “it would seem that your child isn’t nearly that patient. Yvette, is there a birthing chair in the house?”

Yvette nodded. “There’s one still in my mistress’ old room. Come, I’ll show you.” Putting her arm around Nikki’s shoulders, the housekeeper steered her towards the room Madame DeMolay had once occupied.

“I’ll be right behind you,” Ana called, then turned to the group still gathered in the hallway. “This could take awhile, so I would suggest that you either get some sleep or wait downstairs in the lounge.”

“B-but can’t I go with her?” Ramon protested.

Ana shook her head. “Trust me, that’s not a good idea. I will come get you when the child arrives, I promise. In the meantime, why don't you do something, like boil some water?" With that, she turned and followed after Yvette and Nikki, not giving Ramon the chance to argue further.

“Well,” Jacques sighed, “I don’t know about you two, but I don’t think I’ll be getting any sleep tonight. So why don’t we head down to the lounge like Ana said…find some way to pass the time.” Throwing a ‘brotherly’ arm around Ramon’s shoulders, she steered him downstairs and into the lounge, Geoffrey following as fast as his leg would allow. "Geoffrey, you take him downstairs while I look in on my sister." Nodding, he took over steering the Spaniard towards the lounge, while Jacques started towards the room ‘Jacqueline’ was in.

At that moment, Señora de la Cruz decided to come out of her room. "What is going on around here? Oh…Lord LePonte…I didn't know you were here. "

Jacques, who had turned around as soon as she’d seen Ramon’s mother, looked at everyone. "What is this woman doing in my home? I thought the King had banished her."

Ramon came up next to Jacques. "Your sister brought her here, as she begged for forgiveness. Nikki and I have forgiven her for past actions."

Jacques gave a theatrical sigh. "Well…alright. Señora, you are welcome here, but if you cause any trouble, the King will hear about it and you will be banished from France. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Good, then maybe you can assist Ana with Nikki. Her time has arrived."

"I don't need Ana. I have birthed my own children. What can she do that I can't?"

"Be diplomatic. Woman, Ana is the one in charge. You may assist, but if Ana throws you out of the room, you will be on the way back to Paris within the hour. Do you understand?"

Magdalena bowed her head. "Yes, Your Grace." She left to find her daughter-in-law, while the rest of the group continued into the lounge. Geoffrey went right for his favorite chair, Jacques found another nearby, Luis went to the corner and Ramon started nervously pacing the room.

Geoffrey leaned over towards Jacques and whispered. “Thought you wanted to adjust yourself. The addition to Jacques is quite noticeable.”

Jacques looked at her pants and jumped up. “What am I thinking? I was supposed to see my sister. What kind of a brother am I?”

As the duc headed up the stairs, Ramon looked around. “Hey, where are D’Artagnan and Violete?”

Alexander pointed. “They decided to take a stroll into the village to see what they can find out about the previous owners of this estate.”

“Whoa, where did you and Faith come from and why are you guys all wet? Don’t you know that all of the women are upstairs with Nikki? She’s having the baby.”

Faith shook her head, sending splatters of water all over. “Sorry, I am not the midwife here. I am a sea captain and we don’t have many babies born on a pir. . . uh…on my ship.”

Ramon sighed. “That doesn’t explain why you two are all wet. Is it raining?”

The former soldier whispered into Ramon’s ear. “A gentleman never asks a lady, and that lady would probably skewer you with her cutlass rather than answer.”

Ramon looked at the man and his eyes widened as the thought of what they were doing dawned on him. “Ah…sorry, Faith. Why don’t you two get changed before Jacques sees his parlor becoming an indoor lake.”

“I am used to getting wet on my ship, but you do have a point. Come on, Xan.”

Alexander bowed. “Yes, Captain.” He winked at Ramon. “Duty calls.”

D’Artagnan and Vigilanti chose that moment to enter the manor. D’Artagnan looked at the water on the floor and then on the stairs. “What is going on here?”

Ramon pointed to the lounge. “Alexander and Faith.” He pointed to the steps. “Nikki.” He nodded towards Luis who sat in a chair in the corner. "Luis is the only dry one."

Vigilanti nodded. “I will go see to Nikki. I presume Ana and Jacqueline are with her. Luis, would you care to join us?”

"I might if I was Marie Therese, but I think Luis would be out of place. I think I will go and get to know the horses better. What about you Ramon?"

Ramon shook his head. “I’ve been assured that I’m not needed. Just so you know, Jacqueline ‘took ill’ just before that," he pointed to the stairs. "And Jacques is home. Ana and my mother are with Nikki. Violete might be needed to keep the peace.”

Vigilanti kissed D’Artagnan, laughed and turned to the steps. “You men be ready to come running if I yell for help.”

The son of the Legend looked at his companions. “If she yells for help, I am leaving. There is no way that I will get in between Ana and Magdalena, even with Vigilanti there.”

Fifteen minutes later, Jacques came downstairs. "Geoffrey, Jacqueline said she was alright, but needed to rest for now. She also said that you should show me these new horses and take a ride."

"But it's dark already."

Jacques looked towards the window. "Well, I guess that leaves out riding, but let me see these animals the King sent me."

"Excuse me, Your Grace, but the horses were given to me…at least, the stallion was. The mares were given to Jacqueline. But come, I will show you."

As Geoffrey and Jacques walked out, two critters crept into the lounge unseen by D'Artagnan and Ramon. Then, as one, they leapt on the two Musketeers and started licking their faces. The Gascon laughed, scratching Miette behind the ears. Ramon wasn’t quite so amused, though, already enough of a nervous wreck without his feline stalker coming up and making things worse. He none-too-gently plucked Will from his chest and dropped him to the floor. Giving the Spaniard a dirty look, Will turned around and stalked out of the lounge, tail in the air. A moment later, Miette leapt off of D’Artagnan and followed her brother.

“That was rude,” D’Artagnan remarked, glancing over at Ramon.

“My wife is upstairs giving birth to my child. I’m nervous enough without that devil-cat stalking me.”

“What?” the Gascon chuckled. “Come on…I thought you liked Will.”

“Not right now. I’m too worried about Nikki. What if something goes wrong up there? My oldest sister, Esperanza…she died in childbirth, along with her son. Dios mio…what if I lost Nikki the same way?” At that, Ramon leapt up from the chair and resumed his frantic pacing.

“Relax, amigo…I’m sure everything will be just fine. Ana is, by all reports, an excellent healer and midwife. She won’t let anything happen to Nikki, or your child.”

“Esperanza’s midwife was supposedly ‘excellent’ too…Madre de Dios….” He was still pacing and muttering to himself in Spanish when Geoffrey and Jacques returned.

“What’s wrong with him?” Jacques asked.

D’Artagnan shook his head. “He’s worried that something bad is going to happen to Nikki. I tried to tell him that she’ll be fine, but he won’t listen.”

Nodding, Jacques went over and placed a hand on Ramon’s shoulder, bringing his pacing to a stop. “Ramon,” she whispered. He ignored her. Jacques repeated herself a bit louder, but it still didn’t seem to register with the distraught Spaniard. “Ramon…Ramon…look at me,” she ordered, turning him to face her. Finally, he looked up, meeting her eyes. “Nikki will be fine, Ramon. Ana and Yvette are with her. They know what they’re doing. You just need to have faith, alright?”

Ramon nodded, but didn’t look quite convinced. He did allow Jacques to guide him back into his chair, though. She sat down next to him as Geoffrey reclaimed ‘his’ chair near the fireplace. He, Jacques, and D’Artagnan spent the next few hours engaged in idle chatter, filling the time with jokes and humorous childhood tales in an attempt to calm their comrade’s nerves. It seemed to work for awhile, but the stroke of midnight found Ramon leaping out of his seat, unable to stand the wait any longer.

“Santa Maria…what is taking so long? Something is wrong, I know it.”

Geoffrey chuckled. “Calm down, Ramon. These things take time…trust me on this.”

“Trust you?” Ramon snapped, glaring. “Who died and made you midwife?”

“Okay, okay…so I’ve never actually seen anyone give birth. But I’ve read a few books….”

“That’s real comforting.”

“He’s right, Ramon,” Jacques chimed in. “I was with my friend Angelique when she gave birth to her first child…in fact, I helped deliver all of her children up until I was outlawed by Mazarin. And none of those five I was there for came quickly. It can take anywhere from a few hours to several days.”

At that, the Spaniard’s eyes went wide. “DAYS??? You mean I could be stuck here waiting for the next couple of days?”

“I’m afraid so.”

He shook his head. “No…I’m not waiting that long to find out if my wife is going to be alright. In fact, I’m going up there right now.” Ramon started to leave the lounge, but Jacques quickly leapt up and grabbed his arm to stop him.

“You really don’t want to do that, Ramon.”

“Yes, I do. Now let go of me!” He jerked his arm free from Jacques’ grip, then stormed out of the lounge and up the stairs.

“Should we go after them?” D’Artagnan asked.

Jacques shook her head, smirking. “He’ll be back…any second now.”

****************

Nikki was sitting propped up on the birthing chair, surrounded by Violete, Ana and Magdalena as Ramon entered the room uninvited. She watched as her husband came to her side.

“Nikki, are you all right? I am so worried about you.” Ramon looked at Ana. “When are you going to bring my child into the world?”

Nikki grabbed his hand. “Ramon, it is not up to Ana, it is up to the child. What you can do is gather the fire basket and cradle, and then you had better ask Yvette if there are any nappies, as I am sure she knows where the linens are kept.”

Ramon grimaced in pain as his lovely bride tried to crush his hand while gritting her teeth as she spoke. When she finally started to relax, he pulled his hand away and massaged it. Turning, he left the room without another word.

****************

Sure enough, Ramon came running back down the stairs moments later, looking white as a ghost. “Nikki…she…she tried to….” He held his hand. "She grabbed my hand. I think she broke my fingers."

Jacques laughed. “I tried to warn you. It’s never a good idea for the husband to be in the room while his wife is giving birth. Why do you think Ana sent you to ‘boil water’ instead of asking you to join them? Let me see your hand." She felt along the fingers. "Your hand is just bruised, not broken. Be glad she didn't grab something a little more important."

"What could be more important to a Musketeer?" He looked down. "Oh."

“Ramon, did Ana say anything to you about being there?”

“No, but Nikki started to say something about fire and nappies.”

Jacques snapped her fingers. “How could I forget? Yvette is with Nikki. I am sure she will know where the things are that we need. I will check upstairs. Ramon, you stay here. D’Artagnan, you go look for her on this floor.”

A few minutes later, Jacques spied Yvette on the third floor going into an unused room. "Yvette, we need some supplies. Ramon wasn't exactly clear on what he was told to get.”

The woman laughed. “I’ll say you do. Glad you came, as I only have two hands. I need help with the fire basket and cradle. I already have the nappies in the cradle, so if you carry that downstairs, it would save me an extra trip.” She handed Jacques the cradle while she picked up the fire basket and a satchel.

Jacques cocked her head. "Yvette, why aren't you with Nikki?"

"Ever heard of two's company, three is a crowd?"

Jacques nodded. “What is that?” She pointed to the satchel.

“Midwife kit. I am also a midwife. This satchel contains scissors, ribbon for the umbilical cord, soothing oils and a few other things to help the mother after the birth. It is a good thing that there is a fireplace in the room, or we would have to carry a couple of foot stoves.”

“You seem to be well prepared.”

“I adored Madame DeMolay, your mother, but I didn’t care for DeMolay…or his son, for that matter. However, he did buy anything I asked for.” She smiled. "I gathered things I needed and he left me alone.”

Chapter 68

As the two women carried the items to the birthing room, Jacques looked at the cradle. “How long do you think this will take?”

Yvette laughed. “That is always the question. I have seen women give birth within four hours of their water breaking, and then again, I’ve also seen it take a couple of days. Just depends on if the child is anxious or not. I swear, some of them know what’s waiting on the outside and would rather stay inside. I once knew of a little girl who fought her way out kicking and screaming from the start.”

Jacques frowned. “What happened to her?”

“She became a beautiful woman, afraid of nothing and determined to be whatever she wanted to be, even if she had to disguise herself as a man.”

“Me?”

Yvette laughed. “Well, I could have been talking about Jeanne d'Arc. She was only 19 when she died and she had fought the English and crowned a King.”

Jacques shook her head as they reached the door, coming to a stop as they heard a scream from within. Opening the door, they saw Nikki with a wild look on her face and sweat matting her hair. Jacques put the cradle down and left quickly as Yvette moved in to help console Nikki. ‘Do I really want to go through that? I would rather fight all of the Cardinal’s guard.’

Ramon came racing up the stairs at the sound, but Jacques put her hand on his chest. “Ramon, breathe. Nikki is fine. This is normal. Just go back downstairs.”

“Normal? Nikki sounded like she was being tortured. She isn’t fighting with my mother, is she?”

“Not that I saw. Remember, Violete, Ana and Yvette are in there also. Yvette said maybe a few hours to a couple of days, depending on how stubborn your child is.”

“My child stubborn? If he is, he will get it from Nikki. De la Cruz men are not stubborn.”

Following Ramon downstairs, Jacques rolled her eyes as she looked upwards. “They are humble too.” She grabbed his arm and steered him towards the kitchen. “Miette, Will, NO!” The two cats were hanging from a goose carcass that was hung on a hook. They looked at her and jumped down. She looked at the two chunks that were missing from the bird and then at her children. “This is probably your fault, Ramon.”

“Mine? What did I do?”

“I heard you pushed Will away when all he wanted was affection.”

“Affection? He wanted food and I am worried about my wife.”

"So you took it out on a defenseless kitten?"

Ramon laughed. "Defenseless? Remember what Miette did? She ripped DeMolay's throat out, and Will is just as capable as she is." He leaned up against the table and slid to the floor. "Come here, guys." Both ocelots ran to him and curled up in his lap as he scratched them behind the ears.

Jacques shook her head. "Oh yeah…you really dislike them, don't you."

****************

Ana pulled up a chair in front of Nikki as Vigilante and Magdalena pulled the expectant mother's legs apart. Yvette held Nikki from behind, giving her support. Ana moved a lit lantern closer to the birth area. "Oh my."

Yvette cocked her head. "What is it?"

Ana squinted. “Yvette…come here, quick. I need you."

****************

About an hour later, Ramon wandered into the lounge with Will and Miette following as Ana came to the top of the stairs. "Ramon, come here."

Ramon raced up the stairs. "What is it? Has something happened to Nikki? To the baby?"

"Nikki is fine, just tired…very tired."

"The baby?" He gulped. "She lost the baby? Dios mio." He started to collapse as D'Artagnan and Jacques caught him.

Ana shook her head. "No Ramon, but there is a complication."

He looked up at her. "Complication?"

"Yes. Violete, Magdalena, come here." Ramon watched as the women came over. "Meet your son and your daughter."

Ramon’s eyes went wide as he looked at the sleeping babies in the women’s arms. "I-I don't understand…how?"

Ana laughed. "I don't know how twins are born, but as I was about to deliver the baby, I saw two heads trying to come out and I had to push one back. One baby came out, and then something happened I had never seen before. Baby number one was holding hands with baby number two."

Ramon moved in for a closer look at his children. "Who was born first?"

Ana looked at the two women and then Yvette, who chose that moment to walk out of the birthing room. "We don't know. It was so busy and they were handed off to one and then the other before we checked. I handed one baby to a pair of hands and then had to grab the second. Since they were holding hands, technically they were born at the same time."

"Did…did Nikki give you the names?"

Yvette smiled. "Diego and Dominique de la Cruz….Diego for your grandfather on your father’s side, and Dominique for her grandmother, or so I’m told."

Ramon smiled at the twins and put his hands on their heads. “My son and daughter….My son and daughter.…MY SON AND DAUGHTER! I AM A FATHER!"

Ana growled. "Ramon, be quiet. If you wake them, you will be the one rocking them to sleep. Now go and do whatever you men do when your wife has a baby, but do it quietly."

"Can I see Nikki first?"

Ana smiled. "Of course, but only for a minute. Birthing babies is exhausting, and twins are even worse."

Jacques and Geoffrey, who had managed to navigate the stairs, looked at the babies. Geoffrey saw the look in his wife’s face. “Someday, my love,” he whispered. “Someday.” He looked at Ana. “They are a little red. Are they identical?”

Ana laughed. “They usually are reddish right after they are born, but that goes away quickly. They appear to be identical except for one being a girl and one a boy. At least they won’t be able to fool people by changing places, unless Dominique dresses as a man and tries to become a Musketeer.” She winked at Jacques. “The hair is just a little different in shade now, but that may change as they get older. They weigh about the same, and Diego is about a quarter of an inch longer.”

D’Artagnan looked over Jacques’ shoulder. “So which one is Ramon’s heir apparent?”

Ana started to respond, but was interrupted by Ramon. “They both are. As Ana said, they were born virtually at the same time since they were holding hands. They were both trying to get out at the same time. They will share equally in everything.”

Jacques snorted. “I presume Dominique will learn to handle a sword?”

“Of course. Maybe you can teach her so that when she grows up, she can best D’Artagnan’s son.”

“You people will never let me live that down, will you?”

Ramon, Jacques and Geoffrey replied in unison. “No!”

D’Artagnan glanced at Ramon. “You are going to let her try and join the Musketeers?”

“Absolutely not. Learn to defend herself, yes…be a Musketeer, no. Women do not belong in the Musketeers.” He gulped as he saw the looks from Jacques and Luis, who had just arrived back in the house.

Jacques leaned over to Ramon. “I would suggest you go see your wife before she become a widow, after that statement.”

“I think I will be going to see Nikki now. Excuse me.” He opened the door carefully and went over to his wife. She appeared to be sleeping, so he just sat down and watched the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed. Looking up at her face, he saw her looking back at him. “You did good Nikki. Two healthy babies.”

“Are you satisfied Ramon? You kept saying son and I said daughter.”

“Satisfied? Of course, we were both right. The start of a big family.”

Nikki smiled. “I do hope you can wait awhile before we have any more. I just pray there are no more twins.”

“Didn’t I tell you that twins run in my family, on both sides?”

Nikki groaned. "My grandmother was a twin. Before you know it, we will have a detachment of children.”

"Ana told me I have to let you rest. I was thinking that if it is alright with Jacqueline, you could stay here awhile when my leave is up. That way, I could get a place set up for you and the children."

"We do have the Inn, remember?"

"Yes, but it is not set up for two babies. Trust me, I will get things worked out."

Nikki closed her eyes and, in a minute, she was fast asleep. Ramon crept out quietly and ran into Vigilanti. "When are you and D'Artagnan getting married?"

Vigilanti smiled. "I want the ceremony in a month."

"Would you like to have it here?"

"Since when do you own this estate?"

Ramon laughed. "No. I meant maybe you and D'Artagnan should ask Jacqueline."

"Ask me what?" Jacques walked around the corner.

Vigilanti smacked Ramon on the shoulder. "Ramon asked me when D'Artagnan and I planned to wed, and then thought I should ask you to use the Manor."

"Hmmm. I have wondered the same thing myself, but I have had a few things on my mind. Have the banns been read yet?"

Vigilanti shook her head. "Not yet."

"You realize that the banns have to be published three times in two months, unless there is a dispensation."

"I’m sure my father can push the dispensation through."

Jacques laughed. “Well, I’m sure if anyone could pull that off, it would have to be the great Aramis.”

“Come on…my father wasn’t that great. Why do people always put him up on a pedestal?”

“Not you too,” Jacques muttered, shaking her head. “I guess D’Artagnan isn’t the only one who has issues with having a ‘legendary’ father.”

Violete shrugged. “I do love my father dearly…I just wish he could’ve been around a bit more when I was growing up, that’s all.”

“Of course. Well, why don’t you write to him about the dispensation thing, and then we can get started planning this wedding.”

“Sounds—” Just then, the conversation was interrupted by loud cries from the other room. The three of them rushed to check it out, Ramon leading the way, and found that little Diego had woken up and was bawling his lungs out. Amazingly, Dominique was still fast asleep.

Ramon looked at the girls, panicked. “W-what do I do?”

Jacques chuckled. “For starters, why don’t you try picking him up?”

Nodding, Ramon leaned down and gently lifted his son from the basket. Unfortunately, that only seemed to make things worse. “N-now what?”

“Try rocking him,” Violete offered. Ramon took the advice, talking softly to the child as he gently cradled him in his arms.

“Don’t cry, mi niño,” he whispered. “Tell Papa what’s wrong, and he’ll make it all better.” Diego stopped crying for a moment, then started sucking on his father’s finger. Feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, Ramon looked to his female companions, who were trying their best not to laugh. “W-what is he doing?”

“I’m no expert,” Jacques replied, “but I think he’s trying to tell you that he’s hungry.”

“Hungry? That’s Nikki’s department, not mine. I’ll be right back….” Still trying to remove his finger from Diego’s mouth, Ramon turned and left the room to find his wife.

Jacques laughed. “Violete, let’s go find that miscreant you call a fiancé and discuss the wedding.” As they walked downstairs, the subject of their discussion met them.

“Jacques, I would like to discuss something with you.”

The female Musketeer and Lord of the Manor winked at her companion. “Of course. What is it?”

“As you know we plan on marrying and I was just wondering…are you still interested in hosting the wedding? I have spoken to the priest at the church when I was in the village. Church law says that the marriage must take place in a church, a chapel will do and this Manor has a chapel, so I hear. The banns will have to be read at least three times and he will obtain a dispensation so it can be done in three consecutive weeks, not six weeks.”

Jacques thought a moment. “I will need to ask Yvette where it is. So far, I have not found it. First two births, and now a wedding. That is a great sign.”

A week later, Nikki was able to walk around without assistance, although she was a little sore. The twins actually slept through the night and both mother and father were grateful.
One afternoon, as the babies slept in their cribs with the door opened and the adults were downstairs in the lounge, a loud crash was heard along with screams. The adults rushed into the room to see a chair knocked over and a man backed into a corner with Miette and Will in attack position. The man’s sleeves were ripped and blood oozed down his arms. “Those animals attacked me. They should be killed immediately.”

Ramon looked at the ocelots and at the children. “I recognize you. You are one of the stable boys. What are you doing this room?”

“I sometimes come to the manor and Yvette gives me a small pie. She wasn’t in the kitchen, so I went looking for her.”

D’Artagnan bent over and picked up something from one of the cribs. “That doesn’t answer the question about you being in this room.”

“I just looked in and these animals attacked me.”

D’Artagnan launched the dagger that the man had dropped in Diego’s crib. The blade stuck in the wall an inch from the man’s ear. “Did you happen to leave a dagger in the crib as a birthday gift?” He turned to Ramon. “Get the children out of here. Everyone else out also. The kids and I are going to have a little talk with our guest.”

As the door closed behind D’Artagnan, the Musketeer turned his back on the man. The assassin grabbed the dagger and raised his arm to throw it into D’Artagnan’s back. Two flashes of fur launched themselves at the attacker. Miette landed on the man’s unprotected crotch and climbed up while Will landed on the man’s face. Claws on both animals shredded the man as he fell.

“Will, Miette. Come” As the ocelots came to him, D’Artagnan opened the door and the three walked out. He looked at Geoffrey. “Better get someone to clean up that mess and replace all of the curtains and bedding. Jacques, I would suggest another room, maybe on the floor above.” He looked at Ramon. “You always have complained that the ocelots are trying to eat you. Well, I think they have decided that you and the children are part of the family and they are protecting family.”

Ramon knelt down and picked up both animals now that Nikki and Vigilanti had taken the babies from him. He kissed both cats on the top of their heads and hugged them.

Geoffrey walked into the room with Jacques and Yvette. The man lay bloody and looked in shock, but he was alive. Jacques and Yvette removed the tattered shirt. Jacques gasped. "Geoffrey, look." She showed the mark of the obelisk tattooed on the inside of the man's right forearm. Scowling, she grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. He opened his eyes. "Talk. Who are you and who sent you to harm the children?" The man kept silent. "If you don't speak, Will and Miette would love to come back in here.” She watched as he swallowed hard.

"DeMolay."

"Don't give me that. DeMolay is dead and Miette was the one who ripped his throat out."

"He left orders that only female children born in this house should live. She was to be taken elsewhere and raised until the ascension."

"What are you talking about?"

He looked at Jacques. "Your sister was taken so that the Master would ascend to this world. The Order needs to use a female of the blood for the Master to rise."

"In case you didn't realize it, Diego and his sister are not related to DeMolay."

"That's impossible. The Master must rise."

Geoffrey stood over the man. "Who is the Master?"

"He who must not be named. He was to rise and inhabit DeMolay's body and rule the world."

"Well you can forget that. DeMolay is dead. I saw his throat ripped out myself. Yvette, who is this guy?"

"His name is Jean Picard and he is the stable boy. I never took him for a member of the Order."

Jean suddenly jumped up and ran towards the stairs and went up to the third level, D'Artagnan and Jacques right behind him. He ran up another small set of stairs and out onto the roof of the manor. As soon as the Musketeers made the roof, Jean raced to the edge and jumped over the side, to fall four flights to the ground. They raced back down to the ground level. Jean's legs were bent an awkward angle and blood oozed from the back of the head.

Jacques look at D'Artagnan. "Do we believe him or dismiss him as a lunatic?"

Geoffrey, who had followed them outside, shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense. The ritual I saw in the book DeMolay was using had nothing to do with any sort of ‘ascension.’ Frankly, I’m going to have to go with ‘lunatic’ on this one.”

D’Artagnan shrugged. “Perhaps. Even so, we will have to be vigilant, as we never know who will try to cause us harm.”

Chapter 69

Vigilanti and D'Artagnan looked out of the window from the third story lounge and watched as the rain poured down. Vigilanti shook her head. "I hope the heavens let this rain finish before our wedding day."

D'Artagnan smiled. "It will. We still have three weeks before the big day."

A crack of lightning flashed and she turned her head into his chest. "I hate lightning."

****************

Magdalena sat in the main lounge with Yvette when they heard a banging on the door. Yvette frowned. "Who would come calling on Lord LePonte at this time of night and in a storm? I swear, the nerve of some people."

As Magdalena stood up, she waved Yvette to stay. "I will answer the door and give them a piece of my mind.” As she opened the door, the lightning cracked again and lit up the figures at the door. Magdalena screamed, slammed the door and ran back to the lounge. "There...there are lepers at the door. The same ones who were on the barge."

Yvette raced to the door. "Those men should not be standing in the rain." She opened the door to see two hooded men. "I am Yvette, come in and announce yourselves."

D'Artagnan and Jacques arrived at the top of the stairs at the same time with Geoffrey and Vigilanti behind them. Jacques looked at the open door. "Yvette what is going on? Who screamed?"

"Magdalena screamed when these two gentlemen knocked on the door. She said they were from the barge."

Jacques frowned. "Then let them in and get them something warm to drink. They must be wet and cold."

One of the men bowed. "Merci, yes we are cold and wet. We thank you for your hospitality."

Jacques came down the stairs. "I don't believe that I know these two bargemen. Who are you?

The men flipped back their hoods. "Just a couple of travelers looking for shelter."

Jacques' mouth fell open, as did D'Artagnan's, as the men were not the scarred men of the barge but one crusty sea farer and one Musketeer. "Captain Duval, Uncle Porthos." Jacques screamed as she hugged Porthos. D'Artagnan saluted Duval.

"We thought you were dead."

"Impossible!" Geoffrey's voice burst as he struggled down the stairway with Vigilanti helping him. "Uncle Porthos, Captain Duval. Where have you been? We even had your funeral."

Porthos laughed. "Yes, we heard. Now, we were promised something to warm us. Where is our drink?"

Jacques turned to Yvette. "Get food and drink for our friends. Someone get Ramon and Nikki. Captain Porthos, Captain Duval, welcome to Paradis du Mousquetaire."

Duval looked at the Musketeers. "LePonte, D’Artagnan, Greyhawk and there is Ramon, of course. Why are you here and not at Musketeer headquarters?"

Geoffrey shook his head. "D'Artagnan is acting commander after your…well, what we thought was your death…and he gave us leave. Ramon and Nikki just had twins and I have been on medical leave due to an injury."

"That's fine…but LePonte, why are you here?"

"I am on leave due to being confirmed as duc by the King. My status with the Musketeers is being considered. Now let us relax for now and we can discuss this in private in the morning. I will have rooms prepared for you." Jacques started to turn to Yvette, only to be nearly knocked over by a blonde blur that proceeded to launch herself at Porthos.

“Father!” Nikki cried, throwing her arms around the large man’s waist. Ramon came in just behind her, also looking quite stunned.

“Dios mio…you’re alive! It’s a miracle!”

Porthos laughed, gently running a hand through Nikki’s hair as he returned the embrace. “Not that much of a miracle, really. Martin and I washed ashore not far from a monastery. The monks were more than happy to help us out. But more on that later…I want to see these grandchildren of mine.”

“Grandchildren!” Magdalena cried indignantly. “What right do you have to claim those babies as your grandchildren, you mangy old pirate!”

“I don’t know who you think you are, Madame, but I’ll have you know that Nikki here is the closest thing to a daughter I’ve ever had. Surely you heard her call me ‘father’ when she entered the room. We may not share blood, but those are my grandchildren all the same. Now…just who the bloody hell are you?”

Magdalena opened her mouth to respond, but Ramon quickly cut her off. “That’s enough, Mother.” He turned to Porthos. “Lo siento, Sir. I’m afraid mi madre has an unfortunate tendency to speak before she thinks.”

“That’s your mother, Ramon?”

“I’m afraid so,” the Spaniard said apologetically before turning his attention back to the woman in question. “Far as I’m concerned, Mother, Porthos has as much right to claim Dominique and
Diego as his grandchildren as you do. So I suggest you two learn to get along, or one of you won’t be coming back…and I don’t think I need to tell you which one I’ll be sending away. Comprendé?” Too stunned to speak, Magdalena simply nodded and went back to her seat.

“Well now,” Porthos boomed. “Where are they?”

Nikki smiled. “Right this way, Father. They’re going to love you, I know it.” With that, she and Ramon led Porthos from the room, leaving the others alone with Duval.

Geoffrey looked at the Dead Man Walking. “Do you know that I lost my commission, my crew mutinied and Jacqueline was almost killed because you and Porthos went missing? How did you get away from us?"

Duval sighed. "We went over the side and dove deep as the ship blew up. When we came up for air, we were on the other side of a burning wreck and got caught in the current. Why would your crew mutiny?"

Jacques popped in. "They blamed him for your deaths. Hell, he blamed himself."

"Is that true?"

Geoffrey shrugged. "Well if I hadn't built that infernal machine, I could have probably outrun that ..."

Duval waved him off. "That idiot would have attacked you no matter what. You two and I need to have a chat." He looked at Magdalena, who had not been invited to the nursery. "Is there somewhere private where we can talk?"

Jacques nodded. "I have a study upstairs. We can take the lift."

A few minutes later, the trio entered the study. Jacques smiled and opened a secret panel, then led them to another room where no one would be able to listen in on the conversation. "Captain, the way you talked, it sounded like you wanted more than private."

Duval nodded as he took a seat in one of the six overstuffed chairs. "You are correct, and this has nothing to do with the ship. Jacqueline, what do you know of your parents?"

Jacqueline frowned. "What do you mean? They were farmers…well, I thought they were until I recently found out that I was related to DeMolay."

“DeMolay? As in Claude DeMolay, the late duc?”

She nodded. “The same. Apparently, he and I had the same mother, and she happens to have been Louis XIII’s first cousin. Why are you suddenly so interested in my parents, Captain?”

He sighed. “You already seem to know quite a bit about your mother—even more than I do—but what of your father?”

"You mean a drunken sot who had a night with my mother? You know who he is, don't you?"

Duval nodded. “Jacqueline, I’m afraid that ‘drunken sot’ was me.”

She jumped up. "You? You knew I was your daughter yet you didn't tell me? All of this time?"

"I wanted you to remember your family. I wanted you to be you. You don't know how many times I wanted to tell you and how proud I was—and am—of you and your accomplishments. What more could a father ask for?"

"You should have told me."

"Jacqueline, sit down…please. Give me a chance to explain.”

Scowling, she reluctantly did as asked. “I’m listening.”

“To be honest, I don’t remember much of the night your mother and I had our…encounter. I have a vague recollection of what she looked like, and a clearer one of her cross, but that’s about it. We had that night, and nine months later you were left at the garrison in a basket, along with that cross. There was no note, but I knew that you were my child…would have known it even if you didn’t have the cross. Paternal instinct, I suppose. I wanted to keep you, but D’Artagnan’s father told me to send you to the orphanage. I stalled, but before I could figure out a way to get what I wanted or he could force me to get rid of you, someone broke into my quarters and stole you away.”

"Then why didn't you try and find me?"

"I did try…kept searching long after my comrades had given you up for lost. But even I had to eventually concede that it was hopeless. Then, six years later, I came across you and Gerard playing while I was on patrol. The second I looked into your eyes, I knew that you were my daughter. But you looked so happy…you and Gerard….I couldn’t bear to take you away. I convinced myself that you were better off with the Rogets, and I walked away. Then, fourteen years later, when you came to the garrison and wiped the floor with D’Artagnan….there was no mistaking who you were that day. It was almost like looking into a mirror, minus a few decades. I let you into the Musketeers without questions because I wanted to know who my daughter had become. Perhaps I should’ve told you the truth sooner, but you’d just lost the man you thought was your father to Mazarin’s captain. I thought you had enough to bear without adding the fact that you were adopted.”

Geoffrey got up and put his arms around his wife. "He is telling you the truth."

She stepped back. "You knew and didn't tell me?"

"When you went missing, he let it slip who he was. Then when we got you back, you had too much to deal with. And when you finally regained your memories, he had been lost, so I didn't see the point to add more pain."

“So you both lied to me. How can I trust either or you again?”

Duval stood up. “Are you saying you don’t trust me? Well then, Private LePonte, I will draw up your resignation papers from the Musketeers. Greyhawk, I have a special assignment for you in the eastern part of France. If you leave now, you can make it in four or five days.”

Geoffrey’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“Are you deaf? A Musketeer goes where he is told and you are still a Musketeer…or are you trying to dodge your duties?”

Jacqueline frowned. “So you are trying to force me out. The King will hear about this.”

“Good. He may be King, but he doesn’t tell me who I allow to serve. I won’t have a coward or someone who doesn’t trust me.”

“Are you calling me a coward?”

“If the shoe fits.”

She looked at Geoffrey. “Are you going to allow him to insult me?”

“Hey, you don’t trust me either. You started this, so you had better decide why you are so angry. The Captain and I protected you when you needed it the most. And this is the thanks we get. Don’t you see? Duval risked his life, career and everything to protect you. If Mazarin or Richelieu had discovered you, your family would have been killed and what DeMolay had started would have been finished.” He started to the door.

Jacqueline sat down and looked at her father. “I guess you, at least, are right. I’m sorry, it’s just…losing my family, and then you, finally caught up with me.” She held out her hands to him.

Duval took her hands. “That’s alright. I understand. Greyhawk, where are you going?”

“You told me to get ready for an assignment.” He looked at his wife, paused for her to say something…anything…then started to limp out of the room. Duval cleared his throat, and Geoffrey stopped to look at him.

“I can’t use a broken Musketeer. I’ll have your release papers for you by morning, then you can go where you want and do whatever you want. You probably can’t even ride a horse. You are dismissed.”

Geoffrey’s shoulders slouched and his face went blank as he walked out of the room. Jacqueline remained seated and said nothing. As the door closed, Duval looked down at her. “You just made a big mistake.” He started towards the door. “I am going to look in on the twins.”

As Duval walked into the nursery, he saw Porthos holding both babies, one in each arms. “Make sure you support the head.”

Porthos laughed. “What do you know about holding babies?”

“I have been babysitting Musketeers for a long time. Same thing.” They turned at the sound of the front door being flung open and a man yelling. Giving the children to Magdalena and Nikki, they rushed downstairs. D’Artagnan was at the foot of the stairs, trying to calm the man.

“What is it man? Slow down.”

“Captain Greyhawk. He saddled a horse and rode away just as there was a lightening flash. He was thrown from his horse.”

Jacqueline walked out of the room, still dressed as Jacques. "What is going on?"

Duval glanced back at her. "Geoffrey fell from a horse." He worked his way down the stairs as she followed.

"This is all your fault," she snapped, glaring at the captain.

Duval looked back at her. "Mine? You are the one who said you didn't trust him."

"You were the one who said he was broken and dismissed him. No wonder he tried to ride out. Do you know that he was stabbed and hasn't been on a horse since?"

D'Artagnan stopped them. "Enough! You are both to blame, we all get this…now can we see how badly hurt he is?"

Sheepishly, father and daughter walked out of the house and towards the stables. They saw a torch light near the stables and found Ramon kneeling next to Geoffrey. The Spaniard looked up. "We need to get him into the house."

Alexander and Faith came up. Faith grabbed her lover's arm. "Go get something to carry him. We need to protect his back again."

Jacqueline knelt down and took his hand. "You damned fool. What did you think you were doing?"

Geoffrey slowly opened his eyes. "You don't trust me and Duval kicked me out of the Musketeers. What else is there?"

"I was wrong. You have always done what needed to be done to protect me, whether I knew it or not. Now look at you. If you did more damage, I am going to kill you."

Ana pushed her way through the crowd of people. "Geoffrey Greyhawk, what the hell are you doing? If you relapsed, I will kill you."

Geoffrey snorted. "I might as well die right now. Seems like everyone wants to kill me."

Duval looked down. "Greyhawk, who gave you permission to try and ride a horse?"

"It's my damn horse, Captain. I need no one's permission, not even yours. Besides, you dismissed me."

"I meant you could leave the room."

Geoffrey motioned for Duval to get closer. "This property belongs to my wife and I, even though it’s technically Jacques’. And you can’t order me around on my own property. Now, since I am broken, get out of my way. I am getting a cramp in my right leg."

Ramon and Alexander walked up with a door. Ramon pushed forward. "Get him up if he has a cramp."

Jacqueline looked at her husband. “You haven’t had much feeling in that leg since you were injured. Can you walk around?”

Geoffrey tried to walk but started to slip in the mud. “It might make it easier if I wasn’t in a bog. Anyone care to help me into the house?”

Minutes later a bedraggled group assembled in the manor, dripping wet and with muddy boots. Magdalena and Nikki stood at the foot of the stairs with the infants in their arms. The dowager frowned. “Who is going to clean up that mess? Don’t you have any respect for the people that live here?”

Jacques looked up. “Madame, you forget yourself. I own this manor.”

“I am sorry, Your Grace, I didn’t recognize you. You look just like Jacqueline. I know you are brother and sister, but you are identical.”

“That’s why they call us identical twins.”

“But still, you could be one person.”

Jacques frowned. “Look at your own grandchildren. Except for one difference, you cannot tell them apart.”

“But….” Her comments were cut short as Ramon walked up.

“Mother, do you have nothing better to do that harass our host and one of my comrades and friends? Say no more.”

Magdalena started to respond, but saw the red overcoming Ramon’s face. As she quickly returned towards the nursery she glanced at Nikki.

Nikki shook her head. “Do not!”

Geoffrey leaned on Alexander as he was helped to the lounge. He looked at Duval, who stood in the lounge with Porthos. "How come you aren't using a cane?"

Duval laughed. "I do on occasion, but most of the time I don't have to. I still have a stiff leg, but the monks made a leg brace from whale bone and I don't need the extra support. You look like you do need one, though. I saw you use one a little while ago. Where is it?"

"I stuck it in the sword holder before I got thrown. I guess my horse has it."

"Maybe you need a leg brace or a new cane."

Geoffrey laughed. "Do you have a spare? By the way…it has been weeks since you were lost. What took you so long to get here?"

Porthos sat down. "Several reasons. It didn't take all that long to reach shore, but clumsy me stepped on a wet moss-covered rock and hit my head. Between that and the gunshot wound, I was unconscious for about a week. The monks wanted to make sure I was fit before they let us leave. By that time, Martin had gotten his leg brace built."

Geoffrey looked down at his leg. "I’ve given this some thought, and I don't really want a brace. But I might need a cane. The leg isn't as bad as it was. What I need now, though, is dry clothes and a brandy to warm me up. Jacques, would you care to help me to my room?"

“Well…if I must, I must.” She grinned as they went by the others.

Two days later, Geoffrey was aroused from sleep by the pounding on his door. As he woke, he saw Jacques scurry behind the dressing panel with her clothes. “Come in.”

As Alexander and Faith waltzed in, Geoffrey glared. “Why are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?”

Faith laughed. “It is almost noon, you lazy bum. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Jacqueline was keeping you against your will.”

“Hey, I heard that.” Jacqueline finished tying the bodice strings as she walked out. “You didn’t answer him. Why are you waking us up?”

Alexander stammered. “I made you a cane.” He showed the polished brass hame from a horse harness, sitting on top of a polished hickory staff. “This will give you support and the hame will give you additional clout if you need it.”

Geoffrey took the cane and climbed out of bed. “This is great. Good weight and balance. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“No need to. You are almost a cousin-in-law. Now get your lazy bum dressed and get to work. You don’t have an excuse anymore.”

Geoffrey looked at Jacqueline. “Shall I try this out on them so they will leave us alone?”

Faith laughed. “Alright, we are leaving, but you have twenty minutes or we will be back.”

As the door closed, Alexander looked at Faith. "How long has Jacqueline been dressing as Jacques?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Jacqueline and Jacques are the same person." He looked at her. "How did I figure it out? She is supposed to be deathly ill, but she looks pretty good for a deathly ill person."

"You are right, but everyone in the house except for Ramon's mother knows. She has been Jacques ever since she joined the Musketeers. You do realize that Luis is none other than Marie Therese, the future Queen of France, don't you?"

Alexander shook his head. "Who are you really?"

She grinned. "The woman who is going to take you down."

Chapter 70

The next three weeks went by with surprising speed, and before they knew it, the day of D’Artagnan and Violete’s wedding had arrived. And with the wedding came the inevitable chaos, as servants bustled about the manor making preparations and dealing with the steady stream of guests that arrived for the ceremony—which was getting to be quite a large number, no doubt due to the fact that the groom was the son of France’s most famous Musketeer.

Geoffrey, for his part, was sitting in his chair in the lounge with his right leg propped up on an ottoman, watching as Jacques rushed around the manor, shouting orders. He noticed that she was wearing one of the fancier outfits His Majesty’s tailor had made for the duc d’Nemours, complete with the special binding and codpiece Marie’s seamstress had provided. It was pretty clear that ‘Jacqueline’ would be staying in for the day. Eventually, the ‘duc’ wandered close to his chair, and he took the opportunity to grab her arm and pull her into his lap.

“Hey!” she yelped. “What are you doing?”

He chuckled. “Just trying to get a moment alone with my wife, if that’s okay.”

“Can’t this wait? I have a million things to do before the ceremony.”

“Really?” Geoffrey said, eyebrow raised. “The way you’re acting, you’d think this was your wedding.”

“I am the host.”

“Yes, and you’ve spent the past few weeks getting the staff ready for today. If they’re not prepared by now, they never will be. So relax…everything is going to work out fine.”

She looked at him for a moment, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll try.”

“Good. You don’t want to tire yourself out before the ceremony even starts, now. Rumor has it, D’Artagnan has made ‘Jacques’ his best man.”

“He did, actually,” she nodded. “I am his best friend, after all…one of them, anyway…and he said that, given our history, it would be less awkward to have ‘Jacques’ there than Jacqueline.”

“Makes sense. I don’t know too many guys who would want to have their exes noticeably hovering around while they get married. So…you nervous?”

Jacqueline shrugged. “A bit. Actually…I’m still not entirely sure what the best man is supposed to do. Not exactly something farm girls are taught, you know.”

“It’s not that difficult, really. All you have to do is stand up there next to the groom, make sure he doesn’t chicken out and try to bolt, and then hand him the ring when the priest reaches that part of the ceremony. Speaking of which….” Geoffrey reached into the hidden pocket of his waistcoat and produced a small object that Jacqueline couldn’t immediately identify. “Picked up a little something while we were in England,” he grinned, slipping the object onto her finger. It was her ring…the one he’d given her on her birthday the previous year.

“W-where did you find this?”

“Miette found it, actually, just after she finished off DeMolay. Apparently, he was holding onto it for some twisted reason or other.”

She nodded. “And you’ve had it all this time?”

“I’ve been meaning to give it back,” he shrugged, “but things kept coming up…your amnesia, the attack on the Rose, me almost getting sent to prison because of it, my injury, you becoming duc, us settling onto the estate, the twins....at any rate, I figured what better occasion to return it than a wedding?”

Jacqueline smiled. “That is so sweet, Geoffrey.”

“What can I say? I’m a romantic.”

“That you are, and I love you for it.” She leaned in and placed a passionate kiss on his lips. Someone cleared their throat, and the couple leapt apart and turned to see Captain Duval standing in the doorway of the lounge.

“Good thing it was me that walked in here. Otherwise, His Grace would have some explaining to do.” Duval looked at the couple for a moment, then frowned. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to Jacques’ hand.

Jacqueline followed the captain’s gaze, color creeping into her cheeks. “Oh…uh…Geoffrey returned my ring.”

“That’s good, but don’t you think people might get suspicious if the bachelor duc suddenly starts wearing a wedding ring?”

“Good point,” Geoffrey nodded. After a moment, he reached up and unlatched Jacqueline’s cross necklace.

“What are you doing?” she asked, twisting around to face her husband.

“Give me the ring…I’ve got an idea.” Wondering where Geoffrey was going with this, she slipped the ring back off of her finger and returned it to him. With a grin, he threaded the ring onto the gold chain, letting it hang next to the crucifix, then returned the necklace to its proper place, softly kissing her on the neck as he re-did the clasp. “There…now you can keep it close without anyone asking questions.” Smiling, she moved to kiss him, only to have the captain clear his throat before they could make contact.

“Sorry,” Jacqueline said sheepishly, shifting over to another seat for the sake of propriety. “Was there…uh…something you wanted?”

Chuckling to himself, Duval sat down across from the couple, focusing his gaze on ‘Jacques.’ “Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about your Musketeer status.”

“Oh?” She frowned. “What about it? You’re not kicking me out, are you?”

“Of course not. You’re one of the best I have. That being said, though, there are going to have to be some changes. After all, Nemours is at least a two-day ride from Paris. That’s a lot of traveling. You’d spend more time on the road than you would the garrison.”

The female Musketeer nodded. “That’s true…so what are you suggesting?”

“Well, before I left for Scotland on that diplomatic mission, His Majesty and I had been discussing the possibility of other Musketeer garrisons, out in the provinces. Spread our resources a bit.”

“Sounds reasonable enough,” Geoffrey mused. “Instead of having to send men away from Paris to deal with problems elsewhere, you’ll already have Musketeers there, ready to take care of it.”

Duval smiled. “That’s the idea.”

“But what does all this have to do with me?” Jacqueline asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“Well, given your new circumstances, I was thinking that maybe we could use Nemours as a test case, of sorts.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’d like to start a small garrison here, with you in charge.”

“Me?” she squeaked, unable to contain her shock. “Why me? I’m sure there are dozens of other Musketeers who are far more qualified for command than I am.” Jacqueline frowned. “This doesn’t have to do with the fact that you’re….?”

“Your father?” Duval shook his head. “I assure you, this has nothing to do with us being related. The fact is, this is your province. I can’t expect the duc d’Nemours to take orders from someone else on his own land. But don’t worry…I’ll be sending a couple of more experienced Musketeers to help you out…take care of training and discipline while teaching you the ropes. You’ll be promoted to Lieutenant, and I’ll expect you to take care of local recruiting.”

“Recruiting?”

He laughed. “You didn’t expect me to provide all the Musketeers for the garrison here, did you? It would kind of defeat the purpose.”

“But who would I recruit? I thought the Musketeers were generally recruited from the nobility and, far as I know, I’m the only one who fits that description here.”

“Well, it’s true that most who seek to join the Musketeers are nobles, but that’s not always the case. Hell, look at the two of you. Geoffrey is the son of a pirate, and you were raised by farmers. And I’ll bet there are plenty of young farm boys in Nemours who, like you, dream of being Musketeers, but don’t think it’s possible. Think of this as your chance to let them live their dreams. And of course, I’ll expect you to send the most exceptional recruits to Paris to join the garrison there,” he added with a wink. “After all, we need the best of the best guarding our young King.”

“Are you saying that Jacques isn’t the best?” Geoffrey asked, eyebrow raised.

“Of course not…but it is impractical for him to have to travel between here and Paris all the time. Which is why I’m offering him this new position. So…what do you say, Your Grace? Will you allow us to build a new garrison here in Nemours, and will you be willing to run said garrison on my behalf?”

Jacqueline thought for a moment, absently scratching the false goatee she wore as part of the Jacques disguise. “Well…as you say, it would be more practical. But you’re only offering me a promotion to Lieutenant?”

Duval laughed. “You’re already a duc, remember? Can’t have you getting too big a head, now. Besides, you’ll still be taking orders from me, so I can’t very well give you the same rank as I have.”

“What about Geoffrey? Are you giving him a promotion too? I mean, I know he’s already a ship’s captain, but as far as the Musketeers are concerned, he’s technically still a private.”

“I don’t know…Geoffrey, do you think you’ll be able to return to active duty?”

Geoffrey shook his head. “I’ve gotten some of the feeling back in my leg, but I still can’t get far without my cane. Wouldn’t be much good in a fight. But, if Jacques needs me, I suppose I could stay on as garrison surgeon or something.”

“Of course I need you, Geoffrey,” Jacqueline said, laying a hand on his arm. “We’re a team, remember?”

Geoffrey smiled. He didn’t really need the reassurance, but was grateful for it all the same.

“Well,” Duval sighed, “I suppose this means you’ll be wanting that honorable discharge His Majesty offered.”

The soon-to-be ex-Musketeer nodded. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Duval frowned. “Pity. I’d hoped you would at least be willing to stay on to train the new recruits. But I suppose I can’t force you into anything. I’ll speak to the King after the wedding.” The captain stared at him for a moment, the disappointment evident in his expression. Growing uncomfortable, Geoffrey quickly excused himself, grabbing his cane and limping out of the lounge, leaving father and daughter alone.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Jacqueline offered, rising from her own chair.

The captain nodded. “What about my proposal?”

“It sounds like a good idea to me. We can work out all the details after the ceremony.” There was a moment of somewhat awkward silence. Then, after a quick glance around to make sure they were alone, Jacqueline gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug before leaving to follow Geoffrey.

Outside the manor, she found him walking along a path that led beyond the grounds of the chateau and into the heart of the province. Dodging wedding guests and busy servants, she went after him. Finally, Jacqueline managed to catch up just as he stopped outside what looked to be an abandoned cabin.

“Geoffrey?” she asked quietly, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

He turned to face her, smiling. “Of course I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You did leave rather abruptly.”

“I’m fine,” he sighed. “Really. I just…well…Duval was making me a bit uncomfortable, that’s all.”

“Uncomfortable?”

“He’s your father, Jacqueline. And I could tell he was disappointed when I told him I wasn’t coming back to the Musketeers…the way he looked at me…it was like he was re-evaluating my worth as a husband.”

“Not at all, Geoffrey. He does know what you’re going through, after all. I’m sure he’s just concerned.” She frowned. “I am too, actually. A few weeks ago, you got upset when he made that comment about not needing a ‘broken’ Musketeer, and now you’re walking away?”

“You think I’m giving up.”

“Are you?”

He sighed, sitting down on the steps in front of the cabin. After a moment, Jacqueline joined him. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought, Jacqueline. Believe me, it wasn’t a decision I came to lightly. Truth is, I’ve wanted to get out for a while now.”

“Since when?”

“Since Louis gave me my pardon and my Letters the first time. You were going to leave with me, remember? But then Duval told us we were still in, and back to Paris we went.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wanted to, but then I saw the way your eyes lit up when you realized that your Musketeer days weren’t over. You would’ve gone with me had I decided to head out to sea, I know, but I couldn’t do that to you. Your place is here…protecting the King, defending the innocent…and mine is wherever you are. That’s why I stayed in the Musketeers as long as I did…for you.”

“So what’s changed?”

Geoffrey shrugged. “Well…there’s my injury, for one. But to tell you the truth, that’s only a small part of it. I’ve always been more of an intellectual, even back when I sailed with my father. Sure, I can more than hold my own in a fight, but it’s not something I particularly enjoy. I only joined the Musketeers in the first place because I thought I’d be safe there, surrounded by France’s elite swordsmen.” He sighed. “Don’t get me wrong…I like serving the King. But I’d always preferred the brainwork—inventing, crime-solving, that sort of thing—to all that dueling. I mean, I’ll still help you out when you need it, but now that I have the opportunity to get out with my honor still intact, I plan to take it and start focusing on what I do best.”

“Does that mean you’re not going back to sea either?”

He shook his head. “Like I said, my place is wherever you are. Tempting as it is to return to the sea, I can’t expect you to abandon your responsibilities here, and I’m not about to leave without you. Besides, I think there’s a lot of good the two of us can do right here.”

Jacqueline chuckled. “And here I thought you weren’t into the whole nobility thing.”

“I wasn’t at first, but it kind of grows on you after awhile. Besides, I think we’ve been given a rather unique opportunity here.”

“Oh?”

“You understand the people here better than any duc who preceded you, because you’ve lived their life. Between the two of us, I think we can do a lot to improve things for them. It’s better than just sitting around, living off your crazy half-brother’s ill-gotten wealth.”

She nodded. “That’s true. So what did you have in mind?”

“Well, there’s the garrison, of course. Doesn’t pay that well, but the prestige of being part of France’s elite fighting force makes it a golden opportunity for the young men in the area. And I have a few ideas in mind…Uncle Porthos and Captain Duval’s return has gotten the creative juices flowing again. I’m thinking an irrigation system to bring water from the river to the farms…help improve the crops…and I’ve also been sketching out some ideas for new farming machines.”

“Sounds good to me, but how exactly to you plan to pay for all of this?”

Geoffrey smiled. “For starters, I plan on going ahead with that horse breeding program His Majesty suggested. The ones that aren’t good riding horses will go to the farmers—for free, of course—and the others can either be sold or used for breeding. And the foals that come out of the breeding program can be sold as well. Could bring in quite a bit of money. Aside from that…well…remember that business meeting I had with Nikki awhile back…the one I wouldn’t give you the details on?”

“I do…why?”

“I’d given her one of my coffee-making machines to use at the Inn, with an agreement to split the profits 50-50. And after we came back from our…adventure…she told me that the machine had made the Inn quite a bit of money. So I have my half of the profits from that to fund my projects.”

“So you’re saying you’re rich now?”

He laughed. “Not as rich as you, obviously, but I have enough for what I need. Although…there is one thing I think it would be better for the duc d’Nemours to fund.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

Smiling, Geoffrey stood up, turning towards the cabin, and Jacqueline quickly followed suit. “See this building?” She nodded. “Well, from what I understand, no one’s used it for years. It’s just been sitting here, empty. So, I’d like to turn it into a school.”

“A school? For who?”

“The children, of course. All of them…boys and girls, rich and poor alike. Which is why I think you should be funding it…something like that would go a long way to show them just how different you are from DeMolay. Besides, if this works as well as I think, I’m sure His Majesty would hold it up as an example to the rest of the country, and you’d be far better suited to taking the credit. I don’t mind, really.”

Jacqueline thought for a few moments, then finally nodded. “It sounds like a good idea…but who would we get to teach?”

“Me, of course.”

“What about all those other projects you wanted to do?”

He shrugged. “School wouldn’t take the entire day…after all, most of the children are still needed to help their families out around their farms…and it would only be, say, Monday through Friday. I’d still have the weekends and the non-school hours to do those other things, and some of the projects—like the irrigation system—are going to require help to complete anyway.” Smiling, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. “It’ll all work out…trust me.”

“Alright,” she said, returning the smile. “You’ll have your school. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Positive.” Geoffrey leaned in for another kiss, only to have someone tap him on the shoulder. Turning around, he saw Faith and Alexander standing behind him. “Do you mind?” he asked, mildly annoyed at the interruption.

“Ramon sent us to look for J…apparently, the groom is having some sort of panic attack, and it’s the ‘best man’s’ job to sort it out.”

Jacqueline sighed, rolling her eyes. “Thanks, Faith. I’ll go see what’s going on…talk to you guys after the ceremony.” Straightening her clothes, she started back for the manor, leaving Geoffrey alone with his cousin and her…friend.

“So…what are you two up to? Not exactly dressed for a wedding.”

Faith shrugged. “Weddings ain’t really my thing, G. Besides, Xan and I have packing to do.”

“Packing? Where are you guys going?”

“Paris. The princess offered me a job as her personal bodyguard, and I decided to take her up on the offer.”

“What about the Dulaman?”

“Eh…Cian an’ Will can handle it. I’ll miss it like crazy, but I’ve found plenty of reason to stick around.” She smiled, sending a meaningful glance in Alexander’s direction. “This is all still pretty new, but I think it just might be the real thing, you know? Definitely more than just a fling. I’m not about to give up on it now.”

Geoffrey smiled, laying a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Good for you, Faith. I’m happy for you both. That being said....” Moving away from Faith, he grabbed Alexander by the collar, pulling him close. “You hurt her,” he growled softly, “and you’ll find out firsthand what Will and Miette are capable of. Savvy?”

Alexander paled, nodding quickly. “Y-yes Sir. Don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Good,” the ex-pirate said, letting the carpenter go.

“And I’m sorry about leaving on such short notice,” Alexander added, “but I can recommend a few really good carpenters to take my place here.”

“Thank you.” He grinned. “Now…if you two don’t mind, I do believe I have a wedding to attend.”

Chapter 71

Ramon and D'Artagnan looked at themselves after dressing for the wedding. The Spaniard laughed. “Exactly how did you end up having a big wedding? I thought you wanted a small affair in the chapel.”

"We did, but we were overridden."

"Overridden? By whom, Amigo?"

"About a week ago, Geoffrey and I were talking about the whole wedding thing and didn't realize we had company. I was telling Geoffrey that both of us want a small wedding with intimate friends. Then we heard a voice….”

********

"I’m afraid that simply won’t do." They turned to see the Sun King standing, watching, and bowed. "Sorry, I made a surprise stop to see my cousin and look things over. D’Artagnan, you are not only one of my trusted Musketeers, you are the second generation of D’Artagnans who have served as Musketeers. As a Gascon, you are the man who has also saved the future Queen of France and is a comrade-in-arms with the Princess of Spain. No, the wedding will be just short of a Royal wedding. I originally thought that it should be held in the Cathedral of Nemours and officiated by the Bishop, but as you know, that Cathedral is not as grand as it was when built, due to burning down and, well, the Bishop has been recalled by Rome. I have found a new religious man to conduct the ceremony."

D'Artagnan had cocked an eyebrow. "Please don't tell it is Aramis."

Louis laughed. "No, I wouldn't do that to you. Actually, the man I mean is a new priest whom most of you know. You see, I may be young, but that doesn't mean I do not have my sources. Padre Jules will conduct the ceremony."

"Jules? A priest? And you knew?"

"Jules is a distant cousin…one of the black sheep, so to speak. He came to me when you all were out saving Jacqueline and asked for my help in being ordained. I do have some contacts, and he was ordained three months ago. When he heard that you were going to get married, he asked if he could perform the ceremony. Of course I said yes." Louis walked around. “Now…where should the wedding be held? Château de Fontainebleau is too far to go at this stage of the plans. A pity too, as it has a marvelous chapel.” He snapped his fingers. “I know. My cousin has a lot of land, and near that small lake is a grove overlooking the water. A perfect setting. We can move an altar out there, as I sure you will want a Nuptial Mass. Since we have some time, everything will work out fine.”

Geoffrey laughed. “Your Majesty has an eye for beauty. What if it rains?”

“If only that were completely true, I would have seen Jacques for who ‘he’ really was.” He frowned. “It wouldn’t dare rain. I am the Sun King, after all.”

The soon-to-be groom frowned as well. “Well, that may be, but now I have to make some arrangements. We had planned for either the Cathedral or the chapel. One is not good enough and the other is too small. I know the area you are talking about. I will get the chapel altar moved.”

Over the course of that week, six burley workers dismantled the altar in three pieces. Two men took the altar stone while four men took each side of the base. Once the altar was repositioned, the men crafted simple wooden benches for the guest. In front of the altar were two kneelers, placed so that the groom would face his bride but angled so they would also face the altar.

********

The week had gone by fast, and now D’Artagnan’s big day was here. Jacques and Geoffrey were both dressed in their finery, with long coats and ruffled shirts. Geoffrey was wearing a metallic jacquard aristocrat waistcoat with gold lace cuffs and jabot and a matching frock coat. A pair of matching velvet breeches and shoes completed the attire. Geoffrey clutched a new cane that Cian had delivered during a recent visit. A one-of-a-kind bata made from draighneach found in Ireland that was 34½ inches long and a thickness of one inch. This sail-éílle was a perfect supplement to his sword.

Jacques' wardrobe was of a higher grade than her friends’, a gift from the King. A fully lined vest was made of a beautiful jacquard pattern in powder blue with silver and ivory metallic threads. Heavy metallic buttons were used as a closure. The short breeches were made in raw silk with decorative buttons in the front and were gusseted in back with lacing closure. Cuffs ended above the knee and had decorative buttons on the side with hosen encasing the legs. Patten leather shoes fit the duc’s feet.

Jacqueline was, supposedly, under the weather with a coughing fit. Geoffrey had explained that he had given her a heavy dose of medication to combat the cough. Ramon had excused himself to help Nikki get the twins down for their afternoon nap, leaving the nervous groom alone. The door opened, startling him from his thoughts, and he turned to see Jacques enter. "What's this that I hear about you getting cold feet? Didn’t we have this discussion before?" She admired the groom's clothing. D'Artagnan wore a midnight sapphire crushed velvet jacket with medium gold vine trim. The aristocrat metallic jacquard vest was in ivory gold and he was wearing crushed velvet breeches. Black low shoes completed the wardrobe.

D'Artagnan shook his head. "Yes we did, but this is not cold feet. I-I’m just a bit nervous, is all.” He vividly remembered the conversation from two weeks prior when he and Jacques were sparring…

********

“D’Artagnan, concentrate. You aren’t getting cold feet, are you?”

The Musketeer shook his head and continued sparring, only to lose again to the female.

********

Jacques’ eyebrow shot up. “Really? That’s not what Faith told me. According to her, you were in the middle of a panic attack.”

“And who told her that?”

“Ramon.”

He chuckled nervously. “And you believed it? Come on…you know how good he is at exaggerating.”

“True,” she laughed. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Positive. Just a few last-minute jitters, no doubt brought on by the fact that His Majesty invited half of France here to watch.”

“You’ll be fine, D’Artagnan,” she said, straightening his jabot for him. “Just remember…you’re marrying the woman you love. That’s all that matters. Don’t even pay attention to those other people.”

He nodded. “Thank you…I knew you were the right choice for ‘best man’…even if you are a woman.”

“I may be a woman, but I can still kick your bum any day of the week.”

“Must you remind me?” he groaned.

“Every chance I get.”

Hearing laughter, D’Artagnan turned to see Geoffrey and Ramon walk into the room. “How do I look?” the Spaniard asked, changing the subject.

Both Jacques and D'Artagnan whistled, then the female Musketeer walked up and straightened Ramon’s white jabot. She brushed her hand over the burgundy crushed velvet frockcoat with gold vine trim over a matching waistcoat. “Nikki had better watch out or some young woman will grab you."

Ramon laughed. "She had better be good with a sword then."

Jacques chuckled, then looked the groom up and down. “D’Artagnan, do you have salt in your shoes?”

The Musketeer nodded, although the Spaniard frowned. “What would you want salt in your shoes for? I guess it is custom, but…salt in the shoes?”

Marie, the future Queen of France, spied the men as she came out of her room. “A finer group I have never seen before.”

Jacques nodded. “Thanks. How is the bride?”

“She is doing very well. Yes, she has salt in her shoes. As Maid of Honor, I do know my part. I was Maid of honor for one of my cousins in Spain. There was a little balking at the ritual bath, as the water was cold, but we did manage to pour buckets of water on the bride…though Nikki got a little wet as well.”

D’Artagnan laughed. “Glad that the men don’t need the cleansing.”

“You would need to bathe for a month to do that,” Jacques teased, poking him in the ribs with her elbow.

Nikki came down the stairs. “Alright, you men get to the ceremony site. The bride will be with you shortly. Where is the father of the bride?”

Geoffrey gulped. “Oops. That’s my cue. Porthos is walking Violete down the aisle, and Jacques will be by D’Artagnan. Marie will come up the aisle alone, as she is the Maid of Honor. I will be escorting Rebecca. Jacques, take your sword. We wouldn’t want this gentleman to get away, would we?”

The female Musketeer shook her head. “I still don’t understand why Aramis is not walking his daughter down the aisle.”

Geoffrey lowered his voice. “Contingency plan as Aramis has not yet arrived. He was on a secret mission for the King in Italy.” He cleared his throat. “Alright, now let’s go over the lineup one last time.” He pulled out his notes from his coat and read out loud.

Marie: Maid of Honor- Walks down the aisle alone
Nikki: Matron of Honor- Ramon
Rebecca Geoffrey
Naiad Musketeer Pierre Demangeon
Christina Musketeer Carlos de la Franco
Etapa (foreign born) Musketeer Maxmillian Bonnette
Alondra Musketeer Lieutenant Geron D'Orsay
Penelope Raul de Sillègue d'Athos


“Does that sound good?”

Everyone nodded as Jacques took her husband’s arm. “So organized. That’s why I married you.”

“And here I thought it was for my devilish good looks.”

“Good looks? Hmmm. I will have to think on that one. Now we must deliver the groom. Come D’Artagnan, now or never.” She grabbed his arm and led the doomed Musketeer to his fate.

As soon as the groom was safely on his way, Marie led the bride out of the bride’s dressing room and outside where Ramon now waited by an enclosed carriage. He helped first the bride and then Marie into the coach before assisting the rest. When the ladies were situated, he climbed onto the boot and started the horses towards the glen at a slow pace.

D’Artagnan and Jacques walked up the aisle to the altar and waited. The groom looked nervous as the carriage arrived and the ladies exited on the opposite side, shielding the bride from prying eyes. Jacques leaned over to the condemned man. “Why are you defying tradition and not escorting the bride yourself?”

He shrugged. “Many traditions are already being broken. We have no real musicians, the guests are already seated and her mother is deceased so she can’t be at the end of the procession. There are no children to impede Violete’s forward movement. We are being married outside with only the silk canopy protecting us.” He looked at his best man. “You did bring the carre for the priest’s blessing, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I may be a woman, but I know how to be a best man.”

“Then as best man, you had better ensure there is no chiverie tonight.” D’Artagnan frowned when Jacques smiled. “Quiet, here they come.”

A hooded monk led the procession holding a Crucifix high above him. Next came two acolytes with candles that would be placed on the altar. Behind them, another acolyte carrying the thurible that held the burning charcoal and incense. As the party reached the altar, the Crucifix was placed in a special stand and the acolytes placed the candles on the altar. Next was Padre Jules, in his white chasuble trimmed in gold with a large gold cross embroidered on the back. He nodded to D’Artagnan as he took his place next to the groom and faced the people.

Padre Jules whispered to D’Artagnan and Jacques, “Congratulations, D’Artagnan and Jacques, a belated one to you. I hear you have been through quite a bit since we last met. Now tell me, who are all of the wedding party? I recognize a few faces, but not names.”

Jacques nodded. “Thank you Padre. Yes, it has been a trying few months. Now, as to your question….The men are all Musketeers, except for Athos’ son, Raul. From what I understand, though, Raul plans to enlist next year, when he turns 17. As for the ladies, Penelope is first. She actually is in the same line of work as the bride and she is known as Phoenix.”

Jules smiled. “Lee Stetson gets around, doesn’t he?”

Jacques nodded. “Alondra is a friend of the bride, but we call her Lark. Next is Etapa. I think her father was from Asia. She is one of Princess Marie’s ladies in waiting. Christina is with her fiancé, Carlos, who recently joined the Musketeers. He is a cousin of Ramon’s. Naiad is the sister of Max, who is escorting Etapa. Geoffrey is escorting Rebecca. She is Lark’s sister as well as Violete’s friend.”

“Where is Ramon?”

“Keep looking, he is with Nikki. She is Matron of Honor.”

Jules chuckled. “Did I miss something? Rumor has it Ramon has a child now.”

D’Artagnan laughed quietly. “Twins, actually. We felt it was appropriate that the babies be included in the wedding. Ana and Ramon’s mother are at the back with the children.”

Jules grinned. “Maybe I can do two baptisms while I am here.” He turned to Jacques, lowering his voice. “Your husband does very well with a beautiful woman on one arm and a cane on the other side. I do hope his wife isn’t the jealous type,” he added with a wink.

Jacques frowned at the priest. “She would kill him. Do you do funerals?”

“Only if it can’t be helped.”

Three paces behind Geoffrey and Rebecca was the Matron of Honor on the arm of her loving husband.

Behind them was Princess Marie Therese of Spain as Maid of honor who took her place, leaving only the bride to come and do the same.

The low sound of a feadóg or Irish flute punctuated the glen, blown by an unseen musician caused the crowd to turn and gasp in amazement as they spied the bride.

Violete walked down the carpet of grass wearing a Celtic wedding gown in Rayon Velvet-Celtic Moss Green, Gold embroideries and fairy scroll trim that was hand pearled at the neckline and sleeves with Candlelight gold jacquard and kicker. The overskirt had Celtic motif embroideries with a Pearl Belt around the waist. Cian and his wife had made a surprise visit a month before and brought the dress as a gift, along with Geoffrey’s new cane.

As Porthos and Violete arrived, Jules stepped forward. “Who gives this woman in matrimony?”

The hooded man tossed back the cowl. “I do.” Smiling, he walked over and kissed the bride on both cheeks. “You look beautiful, darling. Your mother would be so proud.”

Violete nodded, wiping away a tear before giving the man a brief hug. “Merci, Papa.” He returned the embrace, then stepped back so that the priest could continue.

Jules looked at the man. “Aramis, you always did have the flair for the dramatic.” He turned towards the altar as the acolytes stood on either side.

"In nomine Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. Introibo ad altare Dei."

The acolytes toned the response. "Ad Deum qui laetificat, juventutem meam."

D'Artagnan and Violete kept looking at each other and not paying attention. As a result, they almost jumped when Jules turned to them. "I came here to perform a wedding, not to watch you two make eyes at each other. I can say Mass anywhere, so whenever you are ready, we can continue."

They both straightened up, a slight crimson flush over their faces. As Jacques and Marie moved forward, Jules motioned everyone to sit.

"Do you Charles de Batz-Castlemore II, Viscomte D'Artagnan take Violete, here present, for your lawful wife, according to the rite of our Holy Mother the Church?"

D’Artagnan looked at Violete. "I will."

Jules turned to Violete. "Do you Violete d'Herblay take Charles, here present, for your lawful husband, according to the rite of our Holy Mother the Church?"

Violete smiled. "I will."

D’Artagnan took Violete's right hand and repeated the wedding vows. "I, Charles, take you, Violete, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part."

"I, Violete, take you, Charles, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part."

Jules put his right hand over the bride and groom's joined hands. "I join you together in marriage, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Turning to an acolyte, he dipped his hand into a bowl of holy water and sprinkled the bride and groom. After accepting the rings from Jacques and Marie, Jules blessed them and handed one to D'Artagnan.

Slipping the ring on Violete's finger, D’Artagnan said, "With this ring, I thee wed you and pledge you my fidelity."

His bride took the ring from Jules and repeated the same words.

Jules said some more prayers and then looked at the audience. "Let us pray. O Lord we beseech you, upon these your servants and graciously protect Your own institution whereby You have provided for the propagation of mankind, that they who are joined together by Your authority may be preserved by Your help. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen."

As he turned towards the altar, the acolytes pushed the kneelers together. Jules continued with the Nuptial Mass, turning towards the people. "Dominus vobiscum."

"Et cum spiritu tuo."

"Ite Missa est." As soon as the last Gospel was said, Jules turned to the newlyweds. “D'Artagnan, you may kiss the bride to seal the marriage vows." D'Artagnan obliged with a grin.

High up in a tree, Faith sat watching. Will and Miette were there as well, the latter sporting a purple ribbon around her neck. "Deo Gratias," Jules intoned, completing the ceremony as the bride and groom continued to kiss.

“Get a room, D,” Faith muttered, surreptitiously wiping away a tear. She looked at the kittens. "One word of this,” she warned, “and I’ll turn the two of ya into rugs."

The cats looked at her. "Mraow?"

Epilogue

As the newlyweds turned to march down the aisle, D'Artagnan's eyes widened as he saw a platoon of Musketeers on either side forming an arch with their rapiers. At the head of the platoon were Charles de Batz-Castlemore, Comte D'Artagnan and Aramis. Next were Porthos and a man he hadn't seen at the wedding before, Uncle Athos.

As they left the glen, a coach pulled up and the newlyweds got in while everyone else walked to the manor house. Geoffrey looked at his disguised wife as they walked up the path. "What are you looking for?"

"The King. I am really surprised that he didn't come…he seemed so excited."

Geoffrey grinned. "Maybe it has to do with that young Musketeer walking with Marie."

"What? Marie is fooling around with a Musketeer?"

Geoffrey grinned. "You aren't the only one who hides in a Musketeer uniform."

"Louis? Why?

"Louis, Aramis and Athos uncovered a plot to ambush the King while at the wedding. If the King isn't here, then there is no attempt."

"Pretty sneaky. Whose idea was this?"

"The King's and before you ask, yes we do know who is behind the plot. Prince de Conde, but he was careful to make sure that it couldn't be proven."

"What will happen now?"

Geoffrey shook his head. "I don't know, but I expect this is not the end of it. Come, we need to join up with D'Artagnan and our little band before the newlyweds leave." When they reached the Manor house, Jacques retired to his suite while Geoffrey went to check on Jacqueline. A few minutes later, D'Artagnan and Ramon left their rooms by way of the secret passages and the four Musketeers met is a hidden room within the manor's walls. A table with four glasses and a carafe of wine sat in the middle of the room. Jacques poured the wine. “From this moment forward, our lives will have changed. We are all married. D'Artagnan has received orders from the King that he will be Second in command of the Musketeers, Ramon will be raising twins, Geoffrey will be retired and running a school for the children of this village and I will be training the new garrison here. I salute our generation of Musketeers."

D'Artagnan laughed. "Here is to the one Musketeer to lead us to the next generation with twins. I predict that he will have his own platoon of Musketeers some day."

Laughing, they drank another toast to their Spanish comrade.

The four comrades drained the wine and hugged each other. Jacques went back to her room and when Geoffrey joined her, they left as Jacqueline and Geoffrey Greyhawk. As they came down the stairs, a bevy of young women approached. "Where is that handsome young duc we heard about?"

Jacqueline smiled. "My brother was called away suddenly on a mission for the King."

****************

Meanwhile, in the abandoned sanctum once used by Mazarin, a far more solemn gathering was taking place. Men in black robes and masks had formed a circle around another figure, also wearing a dark robe and seated in a makeshift throne. The gathering took up a chant as one of their number stepped forward, unrolling a scroll.

“It is so written: in the time of the Sun, a child shall be brought forth into the world. This child shall be of Royal blood, but humble birth, and he shall be born under the sign of the full moon. Twelve-score times shall this sign reoccur in his lifetime before his destiny comes to pass. When the last sign is seen, it shall be then that the Moon will conquer the Sun, and the Knights shall once more rise to power. As it is written, so shall it be.” He closed the scroll, and the seated figure rose, throwing back the hood to reveal a familiar blonde—one last seen in public being wrangled into a wagon bound for the sanitarium.

“That’s more like it,” Shell laughed, laying a hand on a slightly bulging stomach. “Hear that, Claude?” she murmured to the bulge. “Those Musketeer brats may’ve won the battle, but the war’s just begun, innit?”

The End?