Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [168]
And Wodman? Wodman had given personal service to the old man, and to the French King, and now was independent of both, with a high position owed to Adorne. Andro Wodman had fought beside Nicholas. He had saved Jodi’s life. He had protected Bel. He had also collaborated with Nicholas in protecting Henry. He could not possibly know whose son Henry was. Without Wodman, they wouldn’t be here.
Henry didn’t know whose son he was either, and never would. You didn’t have to consider whom Henry would choose, because it was a foregone conclusion.
So you weighed up the chances, and played accordingly. You tried to forget Robin, for what was done was done. Afterwards, if you lived, you could afford to be human. Meanwhile—
Nicholas said, ‘If we are talking, do you mind if we sit by the brazier? There are some terrible draughts in this room. I always used to keep a screen there. So now tell me …’ He walked across and sat down by Kilmirren. The other two hesitated, and then did the same. Nicholas repeated, ‘So now tell me. What did you think when you heard of the Star?’
He was concentrating, with a pleased air, on Simpson. ‘I do hope you heard of the Star? Star of Bethlehem? Taken by pirates in the Narrow Sea? Colquhoun hopes to get the ship back, but I fear for the cargo. I heard it represented all your reinvested Florentine savings.’
‘There are laws,’ Simpson said. He let the three of them pass and sit down, and then walked to a settle and leaned on it. Drawing him, Donatello would have fainted.
Nicholas managed, without difficulty, to forget Donatello. He said, in the same friendly way, ‘Not in wartime. France is blockading Flanders. Remember the problems with Benecke’s mixed English cargo? Poor Henne’s altar-piece is in Danzig yet. I shouldn’t be surprised if this consignment hasn’t gone the same way. Paúel’s widow and daughter will be rich.’
‘I’m happy for them,’ Simpson said. ‘Is this a way of expressing superiority? If so, I am tempted to mention a matter of gold.’
He sounded, as Nicholas had, perfectly calm. Henry blinked.
‘My gold?’ Nicholas said. ‘I don’t see it here. Have you buried it?’
‘In a way,’ Simpson said. ‘It has been converted. It has rebuilt and furnished this house. You are sitting on it. You are standing on it. It has clothed the walls and painted the rafters above you. In your hands, it would have been dross.’
‘I sometimes suspect Ochoa had the same theory,’ Nicholas said. ‘So when you die, where does it go?’
‘To me,’ said Jordan de St Pol lavishly, from over the brazier. ‘As you have guessed.’
It was the first time he had spoken since the beginning. His morning beard, a silvery nap, coated the unconfined rolls of his chins. His eyes above it were fixed on Nicholas.
‘I hesitated to broach the matter,’ Nicholas said. It emerged sounding bemused. He removed his own gaze, a shade late. He felt giddy, actually giddy, with relief. The bastard. The bloody-minded old bastard. The fat man’s eyes did not change.
Henry said, ‘What do you mean, Beltrees will be ours?’ It was rare, these days, for his voice to split.
The old man said nothing, nor did Simpson. Wodman was still looking down. Nicholas explained, like a good marionette. He said, ‘As a reward for capturing Master Simpson, and stopping him from blowing everyone up. The King will confiscate Beltrees, and Sir Thomas Semple will request that it be passed to the neighbouring owner, your grandfather.’
Henry said, ‘I sent a man to my grandfather, while we were all riding to Beltrees. I told him where to find Berecrofts and Simpson. That was me.’
Nicholas said, ‘Well, it was risky, but it worked.’ He hoped Wodman wouldn’t speak.
Wodman said, ‘Good God, I warned Monseigneur well before that. It let him join up with Semple and come and clear this place out. Am I right?’
‘Yes, you are right,’ said the fat man. ‘Sir Thomas surrounded this tower with his men and mine. All the Beltrees men surrendered, and are now locked in Kilmirren.