As reasonable an answer as that was, it did little to assuage Anne's confusion. As she watched Aramis pulling open doors along the hallway, it seemed to her that he might not have the answers to give, and that itself was more frightening than anything else yet.

"I was…," she began, glad for the distraction of organizing her thoughts, however much she might prefer to forget what happened. "I was in my rooms at the palace. At prayer. Rochefort entered and closed the door behind him. He asked about the crucifix." Fingers still shaking, she rubbed at the spot between her eyes where a headache was beginning to loom.

"I had forgotten," she said, her eyes falling briefly closed. "I was so young when he'd given it to me, and it was mere coincidence that I was wearing it that day we met. I ought to have remembered."