Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [181]
The Chancellor’s square jaw was set. ‘We should have arrested him.’
Adorne said, ‘With respect, my lord. We did discuss it. An arrest without proper evidence would double his followers, and turn a disagreement over state policy into something much worse. All we could do is allow de Fleury, as he asked, to go with him. Liddell will follow. If they cannot restrain him, de Fleury can send for help when it’s clear that the Duke is transgressing.’
‘But some damage will have been done. I am not happy. First Mar, and now this. Well, we foresaw it. With your help we have contained it, a little. We can do nothing until we have word. Let us go in to the Abbot. We must not lose our heavenly credit as well.’
Chapter 22
Sa thocht this knycht desyrit to be fre,
His lawté maid him presoner to be,
And for the commoun proffet of the land
He chesit him as presoner to stand.
NICHOLAS DE FLEURY, immured with his charge on the English border at Upsettlington, had by this time no heavenly credit left, unless his state of mind was proof against angels.
Riding like a maniac, he had overtaken Sandy at Duns, to be greeted with amusement mixed with triumph. ‘We thought we’d see you before long, didn’t we, gentlemen? And I expect you’ve left messages for Jamie as well. So how did the Three Estates fare? Agreed to everything, did they? If England wants Meg, then they get her, and everyone pays through the nose, because it’s good for business. That’s all it is, isn’t it? A pact that’s good for business?’
It wasn’t Blind Harry sitting in the corner this time, it actually was Dick Holland, long since come down from the north, and an embarrassment to John Colquhoun, who had married into Dick’s poems, as it were, at a time when it was not a good idea—O Dowglass, O Dowglass, Tender and Trewe!—to praise some kinds of Douglases. Sandy, of course, was not concerned about that. He said, ‘All right. Let us have the lecture and get it over with. I’m going raiding into England, no matter what you say.’
‘I wasn’t going to say anything. Where are you mustering?’
It was Upsettlington, of course. The convenient Border land with its church on the Tweed, just east of Coldstream, and next to the Norham ford. Nicholas said, ‘Then can I go with you?’
Sandy could never see anything coming. He agreed, surprised, relieved and touchingly pleased, and told Jamie Liddell at once, as soon as he burst in. Before Jamie had time to react, Nicholas said, ‘We’ll all go. With this number of men, we can attack ten different places and be back before anyone stops us. What do you want? Cattle? You’d have them taken off you when you get back. Just to make a few townships sit up, before the other Wardens get there? Then let’s plan it.’
‘I thought you were on their side,’ said Sandy.
If you want to convince, keep as close to the truth as you can. ‘I am,’ Nicholas said. ‘But if you want to do this, no one can stop you. I’m just here to help you do it in the way that will cause you least harm.’
‘Never mind that,’ Sandy said. ‘I can look after myself.’
It should have warned him. It didn’t. He had to pull Jamie round to his way of thinking and then, encamped at Upsettlington, to go and plant a word in the shrewd ear of Will Bell, the Rector, who had the triple advantage of being a priest, a notary and a friend of the Abbot of Holyrood. After that, Nicholas wandered round, talking to all the hearty Borderers who had ridden in with their men, ready to wipe their English counterparts off the map. They didn’t need Blind Harry: they were going to out-Wallace Wallace on an elixir of personal euphoria.
They liked the idea of co-ordinated attacks in different directions. It was agreed that it couldn’t be done without central control. It was further agreed that they didn’t want the King’s men on their tails, once all the local sycophants got wind of what was happening, and that there should be someone in authority to stop them. It was finally accepted, by Sandy, that the central control at Upsettlington should be himself.