Caprice and Rondo - Dorothy Dunnett [336]
Then Nicholas threw himself forward. It happened with uncanny speed: Wodman’s own entry; the silence; and then the blur of movement.
Nicholas stood before him, incandescent, and said, ‘He is alive.’
‘Yes,’ said Wodman. He held the other man’s distended gaze, his own eyes damp.
Diniz said sharply, ‘What?’
Nicholas, smiling, did not answer. Wodman looked past him. He said gruffly, ‘Robin of Berecrofts. He nearly died of his wounds, but not quite. He is under medical care, a prisoner with John.’ Then he said to Nicholas, ‘How did you know what I was going to say?’
‘I divined it,’ Nicholas said. ‘Or I didn’t. Do you want a pendulum, going cheap, that takes umbrage if you decide not to use it? Kathi knows?’
‘Of course,’ Wodman said. He was smiling, himself, as Nicholas turned and flung out his arms.
‘Oh glory,’ Nicholas said. ‘What can we do to celebrate this? Pull down the stars.’
LATER, WHEN THE TABLE was covered with bottles, and one or two of the glasses had fallen, Tobie said, ‘We didn’t get very far with our planning.’
‘What were you planning?’ Wodman said. He had earlier won a trial of strength against Nicholas, but was at present just failing to win a wager to drink him under the table.
‘It’s of no importance,’ said Father Moriz, who was sober, but happy. ‘Just the future of the Banco di Niccolò. Nicholas was going to tell us what to do.’
‘I had told you,’ Nicholas said. Gelis and his step-daughters and Clémence had beaten a retreat some little time ago; he couldn’t quite imagine why.
‘You should go back to Scotland,’ said Andro Wodman. ‘Stop that bastard David de Salmeton wrecking the country. He’s got your gold there anyway, according to rumour.’
‘I knew I had to talk to him about something,’ Nicholas said. He eyed the floor, which looked more comfortable than his chair, but he didn’t want to lose his bet. ‘I’ll ask him when he gets back from the Tyrol. I’ll go to the Tyrol. Ever hunted chamois?’ It didn’t sound right, so he repeated it.
‘You just like being a pet of the Duchess,’ Moriz said. Moriz had got on particularly well with the Scottish Duchess.
‘Well, David de Salmeton failed to become a pet of the Duchess,’ said Andro Wodman, giving Nicholas a sharp prod where some of the bandages were. ‘Don’t you feel you want to lie down? He’s not in the Tyrol any longer, he got sent home by Buchan to report on the progress of his peace mission. To stop the war between Duke Charles and the Tyrol.’
‘That shouldn’t be too difficult,’ Nicholas said. Diniz had fallen asleep. He hoped Tilde would excuse him.
‘Well,’ said Wodman. ‘News takes time to travel, in the Tyrol.’
Tobie said, ‘Andro? You mean de Salmeton’s back in Scotland?’
‘On his way there. Not passing through Bruges. You know he’s bought your castle at Beltrees?’
Nicholas opened his eyes.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Wodman hastily. ‘De Ribérac’s next door at Kilmirren, and they’ll kill each other anyway. Go back to sleep.’
His own eyes were starting to close. Tobie’s were open. Nicholas said clearly, ‘Go to hell,’ and got up, with difficulty, and took himself to bed.
GELIS SAID, ‘WHO WON?’
The night was over, and it seemed to be morning. He was in a familiar bed, in a familiar room, and his wife was curled at his back, being familiar. Nicholas gave a jerk of alarmed ecstasy; yelped; swore; and said ‘Oh, Tàte-Dieu, I’m sorry. I slept all night through?’
‘There is a compensation clause,’ Gelis said. ‘This is it. Does your head pain you?’
‘No,’ said Nicholas.
‘That is gallant,’ she said.
‘I didn’t want to discourage you,’ Nicholas said. ‘From anything, truth to tell.’
‘But there are some things you could tolerate better than others.’
‘I don’t know,’ Nicholas said. ‘I’d have to try them. Qui va piano, va lontano. We could start with one or two possibilities, and then improvise.’
He turned. ‘Oh, my sweet,’ he said. ‘There was a price to pay, but it is paid.’
THEY SPOKE, at intervals, between