Checkmate - Dorothy Dunnett [256]
‘A mistake,’ Lymond agreed. ‘But a mistake couched, I must protest, in prettier language.’ There was no excess of colour, Adam noted, in his face now.
‘Why, in any language?’ Austin said. ‘You told me yourself you would never live with her. If you don’t want her, why do the one thing which will keep her at your side?’
‘Because he wants her,’ Richard said. He walked forward and kneeling, looked up at the still, passionless face of his brother. ‘It has been a long time, hasn’t it, since Güzel? Philippa is not the bride who will increase your rank and status in France: you will have to look elsewhere now for that. It shouldn’t be difficult. D’Enghien’s widow has an annual rental, I’m told, of forty thousand ducats. The King will see to it. But you want your mistress as well. The new Françoise de Rohan is to be Kate’s daughter.’
He rose, still staring at his brother’s face. Jerott, drawing a hasty breath, was pressed into silence by Adam. Austin said, thickly, ‘Is it not true?’
‘No,’ Lymond said. He returned the other man’s gaze, without drama. ‘What I told you was true. Married or single, I shall never live with Philippa.’
‘Then,’ Austin said, ‘all you have to do is tell her that you don’t love her.’
Their eyes locked. This time, Lymond did not speak. It was Adam who jumped to his feet. ‘You fools. How can he …?’
And wheeling, turned on the chair where Lymond, drawing breath, snatched the next words from his mouth. ‘How can I? She wouldn’t believe me.’
Then he turned to Austin. ‘I understand your disappointment. It is not a heroic position to be placed in unawares. I understand also that what you want … what we all want is to protect Philippa. We also want, I think, to avoid causing her any more distress. By the time you had extracted this much from her this morning I imagine … you were none of you very calm. I have therefore a proposal to make.’
He looked round them all in the manner three of the four present knew so well: the manner of a man whose word was law, briefing his subordinates. ‘It is not very difficult,’ he said, ‘as I rather know to my cost, to remove someone against his own will from a country. The annulment will be signed on Monday, the day after the royal wedding. I promise you that it will be signed. On Tuesday, whether she wants it or not, you should make arrangements for Philippa and Lord Allendale to leave for England. I shall write out for you, before you go, a bond which allots him quite clearly his freedom. Once she is in England, surely you can guard her.’
‘And before she is in England?’ Lord Allendale said.
‘Today is Wednesday. I don’t expect to see her again, except at a distance until Monday. But you can make sure of that. Guard her, as you like. Have your friends follow her; stay with her; put a chambermaid to sleep in her room if you wish it. Then the righteous will shine like the sun and run about like sparks among reeds and all of you, I trust, will cease troubling me.’
Austin said, ‘No. I want you to leave France.’ His voice was bare with the long tension.
Lymond’s smile, replying, was faint. ‘How can I? I have to sign the papers on Monday.’
‘Then,’ Richard said, ‘I think we accept your scheme, with one important change in it. You, too, must be watched and followed.’
‘And slept with?’ Lymond said. ‘No. Of course, it is a measure from the pure fount against the Devil. Whereby presumption and arrogancy shall be withstanded, malice and contention expelled, and carnal liberty refrained and tempered; especially the latter. So who would do all this?’
‘I should,’ Richard said. ‘Even to sleeping in your own chamber.’
‘That I baulk at,’ Lymond said. ‘The rest you can have. One cock per pen is enough.’
‘Dear God,’ Richard said, and stood up. ‘Can you not dispense with a bawd between Thursday and Monday?’
‘You can watch us,’ Lymond said. ‘The blood of Martyrs serves as manure for the vine of the Saviour. Or if you don’t want to watch, you can nail up my door in the evenings. In principle, it seems, we are agreed. Lord Allendale, does all this satisfy you?’
Austin