Chapter 21: More Fallout
20 March, 1313
King's Palace
Adultery was bad. Scandal was worse. Adultery in the royal family, spiced with rumor and scandal, was intolerable. So, to their ruin, did the three princesses learn. King Philip's three sons, Louis, Philip, and Charles, were married respectively to Marguerite, Jeanne, and Blanche. All three wives were thrown into prison: the first and the third for committing adultery, and the second for concealing it.
The lovers of the two princesses, both real and alleged, were put to vicious public torture and summary execution. Among the condemned was Henri, the former captain and dashing ladies' man. Seeing his fate before him, he told no one that Jean was in the city. Nogaret never knew.
Captain Stephan was promoted to Captain of the King's Guard. Princess Jeanne was eventually released, but the other two remained prisoners for the rest of their lives.
King Philip's vengeance had one other consequence. Though he meant well, cleaning house where his sons would not, they were humiliated. Louis and Charles married again, but all three sons' marital relationships were rather strained. King Philip, though inadvertently, had just caused the Hundred Years War.
Notre Dame
"Anna."
The young maid turned her head and saw Rafael. "Where is Jean?"
"His presence is required elsewhere." Actually, it was too dangerous for him to stay in Paris any longer.
"Will I see him again?"
"God alone knows that. What is to become of you?" In view of the princesses' fate, the question had some urgency.
"The King shows favor to me because I am the one who told him of the ... problems in the palace. He is sending me to London, in the service of his daughter."
"Queen Isabella?"
"Yes, the Queen herself. It is the highest honor he could show me."
"Will you still help us?"
"I gave my promise. I will keep my word, I swear it."
"You are to be commended, then. Serve your Queen well, and at the right time Jean will contact you. Remember the number twenty-four. Farewell."
"Farewell." Anna left with tears.
Antwerp, April 1313
"Master, I am greatly relieved to see you here safely. Paris is now too dangerous -- I insist that you never return there."
"Never say never, Pieter. But I have to admit that was a lucky escape. I'll stay out of Paris for a while, but I need to track any news of the fate of Brother Jacques."
"Leave it in the hands of Rafael and Claude. They can send word here if the situation changes."
Jean nodded. Pieter was right.
"In fact, Master, I have news from Rafael today. Your Lady Anna has made quite an impression upon King Philip."
Jean read the note from Rafael. "A Queen's maid in London? I am impressed."
"Can we really trust her, Master? We have never put our Order at the mercy of a woman before."
"True, but the times are different now. She was naive, and easily duped by the King's man Henri. She means well toward us, I am sure of it. And all Paris is talking about the scandal she uncovered. Thanks to Anna, King Philip has almost forgotten all about us."
"Not for long, I'll wager."
"Perhaps so, perhaps not. Anyway, I didn't come here just to escape from Paris. Marco and I have some business for you ..."
The two Templars then began a detailed discussion of trade routes and shipping investments. The treasure at Montecristo was not intended merely to gather dust. During the months that followed, the Templars launched a new trading company, Ships of the Brotherhood, based in Genoa, Florence, and Antwerp.
