You know the rest of that line, yes? Itβs one of the most famous quotes from a
classic novel. Even if you havenβt read
The Three Musketeers by
Alexandre Dumas you still know the quote. βAll for one, and one for all!β And
thus begins some swashbuckling good adventure.
Iβve been a fan of Dumasβ musketeers since the 1970s. Ever since I saw the
Richard Lester movie versions of the novel (yes, it was made into two movies to
accommodate the two parts to the original novel). The time period was so fresh,
interesting and exciting to me. The costumes incredible. And those men with
swords engaging in derring-do and adventuring all in the name of honor and their
king? Swoon. I confess, a musketeer is my number one hero. You can keep your
firemen, your doctors, and your Navy Seals. Iβll stick with the guy wielding the
rapier and musket.
So you might say Iβve been wanting to write my own musketeer story since I first
fell in love with them so long ago. But I didnβt want to create a completely new
adventure or world for them, I wanted to work with the story Dumas gave us, and
the men and the lives they led. Following
The Three Musketeers, Dumas
wrote
Twenty Years After, which picks up the famous four and their
adventures, well, 20 years after the first books. But Iβve always wondered: what
happened in between that time? And could I actually fill in an episode during
that time that would neatly fit into the timeline of the originals? And
furthermore, could I incorporate some details of the real men that the
characters were actually based on? What fun to try!
Now this is the thing. Sure, Dumas gave us some exciting heroes and great
stories. He raised the common household troops position of musketeer to
something spectacular and much-lauded. But the musketeers he placed on the page
were some seriously flawed heroes. As any good hero should be. And as for
romance? Ermβ¦not so much in the romance department. Sure, romances were implied
in the original stories, but we never really got to see any of the musketeers
enjoy love. I mean, if you all believe the greatest pairing was Constance and
DβArtagnan, based only on the movies youβve seen, we need to talk. Poor girl!
Anyway, that was my goal in writing
THE UNFORGIVEN:
ATHOS, to give the musketeer a romance he deserved.
And of course, I started with the one musketeer who is most troubled and
world-weary. Athos did have his great romance. With the evil and deadly Milady
de Winter. A woman Athos would eventually see hung. And then when that didnβt
stick, he had her beheaded. Not exactly romantic, eh? I pick up Athosβ story
after Milady is well out of the picture, but certainly, still an insistent ghost
from his past. (Athos has so many delicious secrets from his past; Iβve included
another in the story as well!) But I wanted to give Athos a little taste of
happiness, because he did suffer so much thanks to Dumas. All while, staying
true to his character. The man is gruff, obstinate, quick-witted and wise, and
he has a penchant for Spanish wine (an alcoholic? Iβd say so.). And heβs pretty
much quit life. Although there is one thing that gives him hope, and he will
seek that in my story.
Of course, I couldnβt make things easy for him. And the only way to do that, was
to make Athos face his worst nightmare: another wicked woman.
So letβs talk about
The Three Musketeers! Really, I adore the story,
and most iterations of it Iβve seen in movies. Has anyone watched the BBC series
The Musketeers? What do you think?
His only weakness is a wicked woman...
Musketeer Arnaud de Sillègue d'Athos is ready to bid adieu to the King's Guard
and to lay down his sword. Yet he's been charged with one final mission--to
apprehend a dangerous enemy of the king, the Belle Dame Sans Merci. Despite his
desire to apprehend a woman who causes such destruction, Athos refuses...until
he sees a sketch of her. It's the same villainess with whom he had been locked
in a passionate, sensual moment.
Emmanuelle Vazet never gives up control, even if briefly, in the arms of a
blueΒeyed stranger, she felt the need to give in and let desire take over. But
now circumstances have placed her at the scene of a murder. Her reputation--and
the ridiculous name--has preceded her, even if she is innocent. Now her nameless
lover is the enemy. A royalist. A musketeer who could be her undoing...unless
she becomes his undoing first.
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