The Three Musketeers (IN EDITS)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

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"You don't think it is a possibility?" Emma asked her father as she stood in the living room. Arianne stood with her, facing Treville after they ran their theory of the chandelier being cut free instead of the rope giving way only the day before.

"I think...it is not..." Treville replied. "Who would risk doing something like that within the palace walls?"

"Somebody obviously did!" Emma replied abruptly. "That chandelier did not just fall, Papa! It was cut and you can tell by the way the rope had a clean cut through it. If the rope just gave way like you and possibly everyone else thinks it did, that rope would be frayed."

Treville looked at her. "Emma...it was an accident. These things happen." Maeva came to her daughter and touched her shoulders, urging her to calm down and drop the conversation but Emma was not giving up without a fight.

"Why are you so determined to just leave it as it is? Somebody tried to kill the King!"

"Emma Marguerite!" Treville cried, spitting his daughter's full name as Emma cowered away at her father's outburst. "Do you not understand what will happen if you bring it up to the courtiers that this attack on the King was deliberate and not an accident?" Emma was silent as Treville leaned on the table before them, staring his daughter down. "They will blame us! We already have a bad reputation amongst the courtiers because of what happened to the King a year ago on my watch and I will not be blamed for something else that had nothing to do with me so, leave it alone. Do you understand?"

Emma nodded as Treville turned to Arianne who also nodded, reluctantly. Treville's word was final - they had to let it go.

***

With the family out at work, Arianne went for a walk around the town and found herself back in the library.

Geroux left for the bank and Arianne was content with being alone in the walls of the library.

"I will pay you for your troubles and if you do well at manning the shop until I return, then I might consider employment..." Geroux had offered and Arianne was delighted and gladly took the offer up.

Geroux had left a list of things for her to do, including adding the latest book purchases to the inventory list and arranging them on the shelves, including the recent returns.

Every now and again, a young woman, man or children would enter the library and browse the books, either read the words or marvel at pictures. Some would ask to borrow a book where they paid a fee and their name, address and the book title were recorded, which Arianne wrote down.

With a few books piled in the crook of her arm, she began to put them away on the shelves, in alphabetical order, singing to Greensleeves under her breath, recalling the melody, echoing in the halls of the Palace of Whitehall.

A bell rang over the door as someone entered the shop and Arianne turned to greet the patrons.

"Violette?" She spoke, surprised to see her in the shop, who looked just as startled as her. "What are you doing here?"

"I have some free time so I'm just returning some books..." Violette lifted the gingham cover over her wicker basket and handed the books to Arianne who thanked her, taking them to the front desk.

"You work here now?" She asked as Arianne tilted her head, left and right.

"Well...not really..." Arianne replied. "Monsieur Geroux has gone to the bank and he has temporarily left me in charge." Arianne looked at them. "Did you want more books?" Violette nodded, and began browsing the shelves as Arianne recorded the returns.