Checkmate - Dorothy Dunnett [337]
‘You were speaking the words addressed by Aucassin to Nicolette. You spoke them also six years ago, after the fire, when my … grandmother took you into the House of Doubtance and hid you from the King’s men who were hunting you. Do you remember that?’
‘What are you asking?’ Lymond said. ‘Do I still think the Dame de Doubtance is there, watching us from her grave? The answer is yes, I do. And unfortunately, it now seems that I am condemned to spend the rest of my life under her patronage. I find your family, my dear Marthe, much more disturbing than mine.’
‘You spoke to her?’ Marthe said, her eyes alight. ‘You spoke to her on the night of the fire? What did she say?’
He looked at her, his head deep among his cushions, and answered calmly.
‘I geid the gait wes nevir gane
I fand the thing was nevir fund
I saw under ane tree bowane
A lowes man lyand bund.
‘She called me back, that was all.’
‘It was not, then, Sybilla’s voice,’ Marthe said. She was smiling. ‘It is not yet finished, then. I thought not. How could it be? How could it be, after all I have done?’
‘There is no end,’ Lymond said. ‘There is no rest. There is no answer. But surely, you are now free of me?’
Beside him, on a low table stood a chess set she remembered. The heavy pieces of rock crystal and silver stood, darkly glimmering below the light of the window, and the fire, seeking them, had placed within each a small tongue of living flame.
She said, ‘There are not many pieces now left on the board. Who is your opponent?’
‘Myself. Who else?’ Lymond said. ‘Shall we meet again?’
‘No one can tell me,’ Marthe said. She was very pale. She walked forward and knelt, swiftly, as she had done before, at the side of his chair, her hand on its arm, her fair, upturned face just below his. ‘How do you take leave, for all time, of a brother?’
‘You wish him well,’ Lymond said, ‘if that is what is in your mind. And you accept from him his understanding, and his pity, and his fellowship as he is driven, as you are, through the world.’ He had not moved.
But, her blue eyes on his face, she did not rise.
‘Lord, is there nothing in the cup for me?
While you were drinking, I was singing to you.’
The detachment had gone from his face, but not the strength. He shook his head; and rising, Marthe turned and walked from the room.
*
‘And good riddance,’ saiod Archie grimly, from the door of his tent.
‘I’m glad you think so,’ said Danny Hislop. ‘A long sea voyage with Jerott spewing drunk on every deck is not my idea of an adequate quid pro quo. Why the hell has Marthe gone to Blois anyway?’
‘To set up business there. The Dame de Doubtance left some things she didn’t know about, and she wants to look at them.’
‘Jerott said that house was empty,’ Danny said.
‘I know. There was a wee closet,’ Archie said. ‘I was telling her, when we were talking on the night of the fire. Mr Crawford was hidden in it. The old lady used it for valuables.’
‘Including Mr Crawford,’ Danny said. He stared at Archie. ‘Why should our dear sister rush off so abruptly to look for a problematical room full of valuables? If they’ve stayed undiscovered for five years, they won’t suddenly disappear now.’
‘She’s keen on money,’ said Archie grimly. ‘The uncle was an usurer.’
‘But that isn’t sister’s style,’ Danny said. ‘Sister’s style is cool and calm and deliberate. So …’
‘The doctor’s gone with her,’ said Archie gloomily.
‘Who? Nostradamus?’ Danny said. ‘I thought he was needed …’
‘Well, he isna,’ said Archie. ‘Mr Crawford hasna had a megrim since Dourlans, and that’s because of a bang on the heid from a billet, and no thanks to Master Nostradamus. Astrologer! He wouldna so much as keek at the lines on my loof,’ said Archie bitterly. ‘That’s no way to give a man confidence in his future. I offered him my recipe book, even.’
‘He probably doesn’t keep elephants,’ said Danny absently. ‘Archie, did Lady Culter know where Marthe was going, and why?’
‘No. She left for the coast yesterday,’ Archie said, surprised, ‘because the litter would take longer than we would. I thought you knew. We