10 Lord de Winter and Lady Clarik

CHAPTER 10 Lord de Winter and Lady Clarik The next morning, D'Artagnan couldn't find their new horses anywhere. "This is a little embarrassing," Athos said. "You see, after you went to bed I stayed up and talked with some travelers who arrived late. I didn't pay attention, and it seems those men stole our horses. I am sorry, my friend." And so D'Artagnan and Athos were left to ride their assistants' horses, while those two men walked. Later, when they met up with Aramis and Porthos, they learned that the

two Musketeers had also lost their horses. Porthos had sold his to pay for the extra expenses at the inn, and Aramis had fallen prey to some traveling thieves. "You are truly great Musketeers," said D'Artagnan, laughing. "And yet none of you can hold on to a good horse." When the Musketeers arrived in Paris a few days later and reported to Monsieur de Tréville, D'Artagnan learned that he had been granted permission to leave the Cardinal's service and become a Musketeer. He needed to fight only one more battle. At last, his dream would come true! He and his friends celebrated that night. But their happiness was interrupted with the news that the King planned to send them into battle soon. That meant they would need good horses and equipment. None of them had any money for this, and they stared at each other glumly.

"There is one thing," Athos said at last. "None of you has mentioned that priceless diamond that sparkles whenever D'Artagnan raises his hand." "This was a gift from the Queen," D'Artagnan said. But he knew he had no choice. Now that he was to become a Musketeer, he would need equipment for battle. And all four friends had promised to look out for one another. One day soon after, as D'Artagnan was walking past a church, he saw Porthos speaking quietly to a woman. D'Artagnan realized that this must be the "duchess" Porthos had spoken of so often. The innkeeper had been right. She was not nearly as beautiful or young as Porthos claimed. Then D'Artagnan realized that sitting near them was the woman he had seen the man from Meung speaking to that first day at the

inn, the spy named Milady! He followed her to her carriage. He knew she was working with the man from Meung —the man who had kidnapped Madame Bonacieux. Perhaps Milady could lead D'Artagnan to his love. After a journey across the city, the carriage stopped and she leaned out of the window to speak to a man. D'Artagnan rode to the other side of the carriage and looked in. The man she was speaking to saw D'Artagnan and yelled, "It's you!" "Hello again," D'Artagnan said, surprised. This was the same man D'Artagnan had fought in Calais. D'Artagnan had stolen his letter of permission in order to take the ship to London. As soon as Milady saw D'Artagnan, she closed the curtain of her carriage window and told her driver to take her home at once. "Good-bye, sister," said the man as she

drove away. "And what is your name?" D'Artagnan asked. "I am Lord de Winter," the man said. "You attacked me and stole my letter. You shall not defeat me a second time." "When shall we fight?" D'Artagnan asked. They agreed on a time and place, and D'Artagnan left to tell his friends. At three o'clock, the four men met with Lord de Winter and his three friends. The groups of men did not like one another and soon all eight men began to duel. It didn't last very long. Soon only D'Artagnan and Lord de Winter were still fighting. Finally D'Artagnan knocked the sword out of Lord de Winter's hand. "I could hurt you," D'Artagnan said, thinking of a plan. "But I know you have a sister and I wouldn't want to upset her." Lord de Winter appreciated D'Artagnan's

kindness and invited him to dinner that night. He told D'Artagnan he could meet his sister, whose name was Lady Clarik. "She is actually my sister-in-law," Lord de Winter said. "She married my brother, the poor lad. He died a few months ago." When D'Artagnan arrived at Lord de Winter's house, Milady thanked him for not hurting her brother-in-law and D'Artagnan's plan became clearer. He would try to become friends with her and convince her that he loved her. Perhaps then he could learn more about what had happened to Constance. He returned to visit Milady the next day, and the next, and the next again. Each time she seemed a little friendlier and a little happier to see him. Slowly, D'Artagnan began to convince Milady that he was in love with her. He went to see her many times, but he was never able