Caprice and Rondo - Dorothy Dunnett [220]
Today, to begin with, it was entirely as usual: he was welcomed in, his bonnet taken off, and his striped hose and new belt admired, while Raffo went off down the stairs, where the giggling always started, sooner or later. Then Jodi was given a biscuit and, seated beside his wee aunt (his old wee aunt), was asked to say what Margaret was doing these days (teething); when he had last heard from his clever mother (yesterday); and whether he had made any more drawings to keep for his father, who was away selling cloth to men with slanty eyes and flat faces.
Jodi, who preferred to believe that his father was away fighting Turks with slanty swords and hooked noses, described his latest drawing, which showed himself on a horse hunting foxes, but without the leading-rein and Captain Cuthbert riding beside him. Drawing the fox had given him some trouble, as he had only been once, and they hadn’t caught any. He could improve on it next time. Or he could ask Master Cochrane to help him.
It was just at this point that someone else chapped on the street door and unusual things started to happen, such as Aunty Bel’s serving-woman going to open it and then giving a cry, while the sound of trampling and jingling came from the outer room, as if a band of jousters had come in by mistake. Then, suddenly, Aunty Bel’s room was full of men. The door in front was flung back by the jousters, and the one at the back was thrown open by Raffo, who leaped through it, drawing his sword.
It had happened before. It had happened in Trèves. Jodi’s lip trembled, and he opened his mouth. Then he squeaked, having the breath knocked out of him by Aunty Bel’s stout little arms clipping him fast to her side. ‘Now then!’ said Aunty Bel. ‘The first loon to take ane step for-rit will get a ball in the tripes. Hand me that gun.’
Round-eyed, Jodi saw that there was a gun, propped up at the back of a cabinet. There was a wooden box by it. Raffo fetched them both. He said hoarsely, ‘Let me.’
‘No, no,’ said Aunty Bel. ‘I’m to load, you’re to split the first one that tries to stop me. You could light the match, mind.’
Jodi loved Aunty Bel. He thought Raffo was the bravest man he had ever met, except for his father and, perhaps, Robin. He was amazed and alarmed when the leader of the men in the doorway just laughed. He wore spurs, and had proper armour under his tunic, but he was too small to be a real soldier, and his hair, when he pushed back his chain hood, was black and waving and scented — like a lassie’s, Captain Cuthbert would have said. And it was silly to laugh.
The man said, ‘And when we have killed your henchman, what happens? Do you think you will have loaded the hackbut by then? Put the gun down, Mistress Bel. It isn’t Lagos. We’re not here to harm you. I only wish a word with the boy.’
‘Oh, aye?’ said Aunty Bel. You could see she knew what to do with a hackbut. She had taken some powder from a flask in the box, and was pouring it into the muzzle. She lifted a ball from a leather bag and gave it to Jodi to hold. It was heavy. The men in the doorway started to move, but the leader put out his hand. He was still smiling. Aunty Bel said, ‘And if that’s all, why the soldiers? Afraid the wee man will hit ye? I seem to remember, you fall down easy. Come another day. On your lane.’
‘So you do remember me?’ said the leader. ‘If for a somewhat unflattering reason. Under the circumstances, it is brave of you to refer to it. And the little boy’s mother, of course, was also present. Poor Gelis. The child has a look of her. I shall tell him tales of his