Chapter 14 Lord de Winter's Revenge At last, D'Artagnan cried when he learned the news.
Thank you, Arthos.
It was a great idea to meet at the Bastion Saint-Gervais.
The Cardinal even seems to like us more for the bravery we showed there, and I've come up with an idea for warning the Duke and the Queen.
We will write letters to each of.
I believe we should write to Lord de Winter instead of the Duke.
Eramus said
With the cardinal spies everywhere, we would never be able to get a letter to the Duke, and Lord de Winter may be able to stop my lady.
The others agreed, and Eramus began to compose a letter.
If I'm to warn Lord de Winter about his sister-in-law, I will need more information about her.
He said.
What else do you know about my lady?
D'Artagnan looked at Athos, who thought for a while before finally telling the others about her.
She is a thief, he said.
She escaped from prison and married Lord de Winter's brother, who died shortly afterward.
It's likely that she killed him to inherit his fortune.
How did you learn this?
Porthos asked.
I knew her before she met Lord de Winter's brother, Athos said.
She was my wife.
When I discovered her secret, she tried to kill me.
It seems we musketeers are not so lucky in love, Horthos said, and laughed bitterly.
How do we warn the queen?
Athos asked.
If we go to her, the cardinal will surely see us.
I can help, Aramis said.
The woman I love is one of the Queen's seamstresses.
She has helped us in the past.
The last time the Duke was in Paris, in fact.
So Aramis wrote one letter to Lord de Winter and one to his love, asking her to warn the Queen.
The musketeer sent Pochette to London with the letter for Lord de Winter and asked Bozon to deliver the letter to the seamstress.
Meanwhile, the lady was on a ship, headed for London.
She was furious with D'Artagnan for insulting her and with Athos for threatening her.
She was anxious to complete her mission in London so she could return to France and take revenge.
After several days, her ship approached London's harbour.
Before they landed, a smaller boat came out to meet them.
A young man dressed in a naval officer's uniform boarded the ship and asked Milady to come with him.
"'But I'm Lady Cleric,' Milady said with a perfect English accent.
"'Lord de Winter is my brother-in-law.'
"'I'm sorry,' the young officer said.
"'You must come with me.
Those are my orders.'
When they reached the shore, the young officer took her to a castle far from London.
He walked her to the tower and led her to a small room with a heavy door that locked from the outside.
I see, I am a prisoner, the lady said.
Is this to be my cell?
Please stay here, the officer said.
Someone will explain everything soon.
The lady was even angrier than before.
The musketeers must have warned the Duke of Buckingham, she thought.
After a short time in her cell, my lady heard the door open and Lord de Winter entered.
Hello, sister-in-law, he said.
Welcome to my castle.
You, she said, then I am your prisoner.
What is this about?
You've decided to return to England, he said, ignoring her questions.
Came to see you, milady said.
What's wrong with wanting to see my brother-in-law?
Come, milady, Lord de Winter said.
I know your secret.
I received a letter from the musketeers.
I believe you know them.
One of them used to be your husband.
I know you and the cardinal have some mischief in mind for the Duke of Buckingham.
Well, none of that will happen.
You will stay here for a time, and then I shall have you sent far away.
If you ever return to England, I will make sure you are sent back to prison.
Lord de Winter left, and Milady sat next to the window watching the sea.
She tried to think of a way to escape.
After a few days in her cell, Milady learned that the young officer who had brought her to the castle was named Felton.
He came to see her several times a day to deliver food and ask if she needed anything.
This gave Milady an idea.
She knew men found her beautiful.
Perhaps she could use that beauty to make the young man fall in love with her.
It took several days for Milady's plan to work.
She studied Felton, pretended to be different than she really was and watched how he behaved around her.
She learned how to make him feel sorry for her and how to make him believe her when she told a lie.
One day Milady discovered that Lord de Winter hadn't told Felton why she was being held prisoner.
Trying to sway him to her side.
She told the young man she was innocent and that the Lord de Winter and the Duke of Buckingham were working together.
They have a plan to hurt the King of England, she said.
I discovered the secret, and that's why my evil brother-in-law put me here.
At first Felton didn't believe her, but she acted so innocently and Lord de Winter hated her so much that he began to change his mind.
Lord de Winter noticed that something about Felton had changed and ordered him to go on a mission to another city.
On the day Felton was to leave, a lady heard a tap at her window.
Felton, she cried when she opened the window.
I am saved.
I will set you free. said Felton.
Hush, I need time to saw the bars.
You must make sure no one sees me if they come to your door.
Hours later, Felton tapped at the window again.
He had made a small opening by removing two of the iron bars.
When Felton and Milady were free of her cell, he brought her to the seaside.
A small boat and crew were waiting for her.
This boat will take you anywhere you want to go, my love, said Felton.
I must return to London.
But why?
Milady asked.
I must stop the duke, Felton replied.
He cannot be allowed to hurt the king.
Milady was pleased.
Not only would she be free to seek revenge on the musketeers, but this young man was going to accomplish her mission for her.
The next day, Felton raced to the Duke's mansion.
He knocked on the door and said that he had an important message to deliver.
When the Duke entered the room, Felton attacked and wounded him terribly.
Felton was immediately arrested, and a doctor was sent to help the Duke.
The doctor said the Duke would recover, but he was hurt too badly to go to the battle at La Rochelle.
This meant he wouldn't be able to see his love, the Queen of France.
His plans were ruined.
Meanwhile, Milady arrived in France and traveled to the convent where she had hidden Constance Bonacieux.
Milady had never seen Madame Bonacieux and wasn't sure who she was.
Milady pretended to be a prisoner of the Cardinal.
She began talking to the other women and tried to learn which of them was Constance.
But everyone was suspicious of her questions.
Milady had to work hard to earn the trust of the other women.
When she finally found Constance, Milady pretended to be her friend.
One day, as the two women were sitting together, Milady asked Constance about her love.
There is a young man named D'Artagnan, Constance said.
He will come to rescue me.
I know he will.
Milady and Constance waited and watched everyone who approached.
After a few days, a rider came galloping toward the convent.
Milady worried that it might be D'Artagnan.
When she looked closer, she was happy to see that it was actually Count Rochfort D'Artagnan's man from Mons.
Milady met with the count in private and learned that the musketeers would soon be on their way.
With the duke injured, there would be no battle at La Rochelle.
The king was bringing his soldiers back to Paris.
Milady told Roquefort to meet her in a town called Amontere in a few days.
She would bring Constance there.
After Roquefort left, Milady returned to Constance and began to lie to her.
Milady said she had just met with her brother.
He had told her that the Cardinal's guards were on their way to bring Milady and Constance to prison.
"'What's worse, D'Antignon and his musketeers are delayed at La Rochelle,' Milady said.
"'My brother has heard horrible reports of the battle there.
It appears no one will be coming to rescue you.'
"'What shall we do?'
Constance asked.
I told my brother to send a carriage, said my lady.
He will meet me in a town called Aumontir.
You should come with me.
Then we can both escape the Cardinal.
But what if D'Artagnan does come for me? asked Contance.
He won't, dear, said my lady.
The battle at La Rochelle is still going on.
He will be there for many days.
Milady knew that D'Artagnan could arrive at any moment.
She wanted to leave with Constance as soon as the carriage arrived.
Meanwhile the musketeers arrived back in Paris and asked Monsieur de Traville for permission to take a few days away.
Monsieur de Traville agreed, and the men left to rescue Constance.
That night they stopped at an inn for dinner.
When D'Artagnan stepped outside, he saw a man get on a horse and gallop away, back toward Paris.
It was the man from Mons.
That's the man, D'Artagnan cried.
My enemy.
Let me catch up to him.
Athos said they should all go after him, but Eremus disagreed.
Not now, my friends, he said.
That man is going back to Paris.
We are on a mission to rescue Contance Bonacieux from a convent in Berthune.
We must save her first.
