De Wardes

Also known as: Baron de Wardes / Comte de Wardes / Comtes de Wardes / M. de Wardes / Monsieur El Comte de Wardes / Monsieur de Wardes / the Comte de Wardes / the count / the marquis · Family: Unknown · Role: count · First appears: Chapter 20

In chapter 20 at Calais, Comte de Wardes fought D’Artagnan after attempting to stop him, but was defeated and left severely wounded by four sword thrusts. D’Artagnan took his authorization for passage to England, while De Wardes’s servant Lubin was involved when he ordered pistols. By chapter 23, De Wardes was identified as one of Richelieu’s men and a cousin of Comte de Rochefort; he survived the encounter, though he remained very weak.

By chapters 31–33, an intrigue had begun between De Wardes and Milady, who courted him by writing, “This is the third time I have written to you to tell you that I love you.” D’Artagnan later forged a reply in De Wardes’s name after learning that De Wardes had displayed a ring he claimed to have received from Milady. Their relationship turned hostile when Milady called him “that infamous De Wardes” and urged D’Artagnan to avenge her against him.

During chapters 37–44, D’Artagnan posed as De Wardes in his encounter with Milady and promised to kill him, while De Wardes remained an instrument and emissary of Richelieu. In chapter 52, Milady’s passion was directed toward the man she believed to be De Wardes, and in chapter 65 she accused a woman of urging her to murder the Baron de Wardes.