TEMPORAL AGENT by Michel Poulin - HTML preview

CHAPTER 14 – MADAME LA MARQUISE

08:49 (Paris Time )

Saturday, March 1, 1659 ‘A’

Palace of The Louvre

Paris, France

Nancy did her best to hide her true feelings when she saw D’Artagnan come towards her along the

hallway she was following in the Palace of The Louvre. She had returned from the year 1858 only yesterday, after leaving little William for a few days with his grandparents, who had been too happy to have that rare occasion to cherish and spoil their grandson. The loss of Gordon was still fresh in her memory and now she knew that she was about to officially lose the love of the other man in her life. Nancy however put a warm smile on as D’Artagnan, dashing in his musketeer’s uniform, stopped in front of her, looking embarrassed.

“Could we speak in private for a moment, Nancy?”

“With you, always, Charles.”

D’Artagnan then went with her near a window and spoke in a low voice.

“Nancy, I have something to announce to you, something you may not like.”

“If it is about your decision to marry the Baroness of Sainte-Croix, then I already know, Charles. Remember that I have my own very special sources of information. Don’t worry about my reactions to that: I knew that it would happen even before I first met you.”

D’Artagnan hesitated then, looking into the eyes of the woman he still loved the most but could never hope to marry.

“And it doesn’t hurt you?”

His question, put to her in a soft tone of voice, finally cracked somewhat her façade, attracting tears to her eyes.

“Of course it hurts me, Charles, but I am the only one to blame for that. My duties as an agent of the Time Patrol and my obligation to protect history do not allow me to marry you. You did propose to me eight years ago and I was the one who refused,

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for professional reasons. That doesn’t mean however that I don’t love you. I will still love you and will care about you even after your marriage.”

“Nancy, I wish that things could be different between us.”

“Me too, but there is little either you or me could do about that now. You are an important man around the King and your court duties demand that you marry and have a wife. I sincerely wish that you and the baroness will find true love and that you will be happy together. When do you intend to get married?”

“We intend to sign a marriage contract next Wednesday, in the presence of the King and of Cardinal Mazarin.” answered Charles, who then hesitated for a second before going on. “Will you come?”

Nancy shook slowly her head once.

“So that I could sabotage your marriage by my presence? I am sure that the baroness has heard at least a few stories about me. Maybe she knows about us too. Don’t take that badly but I prefer to stay away, for everyone’s sake.” Charles lowered his head, knowing that she was right, but it still hurt. He managed a weak smile as he looked back up at Nancy after a moment.

“Tell me about our son, Charles. How is he doing?”

“He is now seven years old and growing quite fast.” replied Nancy with a smile, warming up on the subject. “He is in fact here in the palace, along with the English boy I adopted in New France. James is thirteen and is also growing fast. Would you like to see them?”

“Of course!” said D’Artagnan with genuine eagerness. He then followed Nancy back to the suite reserved for her use in the palace, a privilege she owed to her close friendship with the King. Entering the private lounge of the suite with Nancy, Charles found two boys sitting at a table listening to a man apparently giving them a lesson in French grammar on a portable blackboard. The teacher stopped his lesson and bowed to Nancy when she entered, prompting a mild chiding from her.

“No need for this between us, Germain: I told you already a thousand times that you don’t need to be formal with me.”

“Politeness is never wasted, madame.” replied the small, thin man in his thirties.

“True! You may take a break for a few minutes while Monsieur D’Artagnan and me talk a bit with the children.”

The private tutor bowed again before leaving the suite. Little Charles didn’t waste any time in running to D’Artagnan, who happily greeted him with open arms.

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“Charles, you really are growing fast! You are going to make a strong man indeed.”

“Like you, Father.” replied the boy, attracting a grin on D’Artagnan’s face.

“You think the right way, Charles. How are your studies going?”

“French grammar is boring, but I am doing my best at it. Monsieur Dupré is however a good teacher and he is not harsh with us.”

“I told him that caning and slaps are strictly prohibited with my sons.” explained Nancy to D’Artagnan, who made a face at that.

“Hell, I wish my father had been this considerate with me. My own preceptor was quite liberal with his stick.”

He then looked at James, who was waiting two paces away, and opened his arms to him.

“Don’t be shy to come to me, my boy.”

The teenager stepped forward and exchanged a hug with the musketeer, who playfully rubbed his head.

“Nancy did well to save you from the Iroquois, James. You are one handsome boy who should make quite a few girls’ heart beat faster.” James reddened at that, being on the shy side.

“Nancy promised to introduce me soon to a few girls in the palace, D’Artagnan.” D’Artagnan laughed heartily at that and patted the boy’s shoulder.

“I am sure that you will tumble them down as well as me, James. And what do you plan to be in life?”

“I don’t know yet.” answered with a slight hesitation the teenager. “Nancy told me that I can choose between living in this century or go work with the Time Patrol. Making a choice is hard.”

D’Artagnan nodded, then looked at Charles.

“And you, my son? Will you live in this century, so that I have the joy to see you grow?”

“I want to become a musketeer like you, Father.” answered resolutely the boy, making D’Artagnan grin with pride.

“That’s my boy! You will make one outstanding musketeer, Charles. I hope that Nancy already started teaching you fencing.”

“Not yet, Father.” answered Charles, making D’Artagnan look at Nancy with fake outrage.

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“What? You haven’t started teaching yet to my son the most basic skill that he needs to know in life?”

“Hell, give him a chance to grow enough to be able to hold a sword first.” replied Nancy with a smile. D’Artagnan made a categorical gesture then.

“If you don’t teach him now, then I will. I want both Charles and James to come see me after supper for their first lesson in fencing.”

“Uh, James has already been studying fencing with me for three years now.”

“Then I will refine his skills, but I will make a point of being the master of fencing for Charles.”

“You have a deal.”

Satisfied, D’Artagnan hugged again both boys and kissed Nancy.

“Well, I have to go back to my duties now. I will see all three of you after supper.” Nancy sighed once D’Artagnan left the suite: he was definitely the kind of man to her liking. Losing him to another woman, even if it was preordained by history, was hard indeed to accept.

Once Germain Dupré came back and resumed his lessons to her sons, Nancy left again her apartments and went to the offices of Cardinal Mazarin, who for all intents and purposes still administered France for King Louis XIV. When she was introduced by a secretary into the private office of the Cardinal, Nancy found King Louis with Mazarin, prompting her to make a curtsy on seeing the monarch. Louis smiled at her sight, genuinely happy to see her: of all the women he had dated, Nancy was still the one he found the most special, by a long shot.

“Ah, my dear friend! You are just in time for something I was discussing with the Cardinal.”

“I am at your service, as always, Your Majesty.” replied politely Nancy, playing her role as a court lady. That made the King grin.

“And quite nice services they are, madame. By the way, did you hear yet about the incoming marriage of Monsieur D’Artagnan?”

“I did, Your Majesty.” answered Nancy, keeping a straight face. Louis, who had a special talent at judging people and their moods, detected at once the tension in her voice. His grin fading, he eyed her cautiously.

“Maybe I should have been more diplomatic about that, Nancy. Please excuse me if I hurt you with my inconsiderate question.”

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“No need to excuse yourself, Your Majesty. I have only myself to blame for not marrying D’Artagnan first.”

“That is indeed still a mystery to me, my friend.” said the King, who was then thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. “Nancy, the Cardinal and me would have a mission of the utmost importance for you which could help you forget for a while your sentimental loss.”

“As I said, I am always at your service, Your Majesty.” said Nancy in a most serious tone. Mazarin nodded like Louis at that and showed her a chair near his work desk.

“Please sit, Nancy.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence.”

Once she had sat, Mazarin contemplated her for a second, then started speaking slowly and deliberately.

“Madame, I won’t tell you anything new by saying that the present war with Spain has already cost much money and lives to France. Me and the King consider that it is high time that we put a stop to it. You may know that I have been secretly conducting peace negotiations for years with the Spaniards, unfortunately with little success up to now. The main bone of contention right now is the refusal of King Philippe IV of Spain to marry his daughter, the Infant Marie-Thérèse, to Louis. I have however thought of a way to convince King Philippe to give up his opposition to such a marriage. I will shortly be leaving for Lyon, where I will pretend to be asking for the hand of Marguerite de Savoy on behalf of King Louis. At the same time, I will need a capable person whom I can trust completely to go to Spain and discreetly prick King Philippe about that supposed marriage project. With luck, King Philippe will believe that such is our true intention and will become incensed enough to give up his objections to marrying his daughter to Louis.”

“Your Eminence, you can count on me.” said at once Nancy, making both Mazarin and Louis smile with satisfaction.

“Thank you, Marquess.” replied Mazarin. “I however have to warn you that this mission may be quite dangerous, apart from being arduous. You will have to make your way through the Spanish border without getting killed and then gain the confidence of King Philippe.”

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“When do you want me to leave, Your Eminence?” asked without hesitation Nancy. As King Louis eyed her with genuine admiration, Mazarin took a letter which sat on his desk and handed it to Nancy, who took it.

“I am myself planning to depart at the start of next week for Lyon. You will however need to cover a much longer distance to get to Madrid, so you will need to leave as soon as possible this week. This letter is for Monsieur Hugues de Lionne, my personal envoy in Spain, and falsely details the marriage projects with Marguerite de Savoy. You will coordinate your efforts in Madrid with him and will assist him to the best of your abilities.”

“Consider it done, Your Eminence.”

“Excellent! You can go see afterwards Monsieur Colbert, who will provide you with funds for your mission. When could you leave for Spain?”

“Tomorrow morning, Your Eminence.”

Louis was the one to speak next, taking and kissing Nancy’s hand first.

“Be careful, my friend. I would hate to lose you.”

“I have every intention to come back alive, Your Majesty. With your permission, I will now go prepare for my trip.”

Nancy got up and made a last curtsy to Louis, then left Mazarin’s office, followed by the eyes of both men. Once she was out, Louis looked somberly at his chief minister.

“May God protect her. In all honesty, I was tempted more than once to ask her to marry me. She would have made an exceptional queen, if not for her low nobility.”

“Your Majesty, that young woman is much more precious to France as a spymaster than as a queen, believe me.” said quietly Mazarin.

07:15 (Paris Time)

Sunday, March 2, 1659 ‘A’

Palace of The Louvre

Paris, France

King Louis XIV, on his way to have breakfast before attending Sunday mass, stopped by a window giving a view on the inner courtyard of the palace. Down in the courtyard was Nancy, getting on her horse. She was dressed like a male rider and wore a warm cape to fight the cold but her weapons were still visible to Louis. The latter

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watched her give a last kiss to her two sons and to D’Artagnan, then leave the courtyard at a gallop.

“May God be with you, my friend.” said fervently Louis in a low voice before going on his way, his personal servants and guards surrounding him.

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