Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [195]
It was someone he vaguely knew (Ryke?), which was thoughtful of Diniz and quite surprising, since it was nearly three years since he had left, in no very good state after the battle of Nancy, and he had been in the East for a long time before that. Chatting, as the man walked by his side, Nicholas looked for the changes. The sounds were the same. There were some different buildings, altered in shape or in use, and a lot of strange signs. The town looked a little slip-shod and not quite so prosperous, as happened in time of war: Bruges would be paying for expensive victories like the one Maximilian had just had. But there were no signs of burning or damage. It had not changed hands like Dijon. It had only moved under the authority of the twenty-year-old son of the German Emperor, who had married the Duchess.
He was so intent on his first sight of the house that he almost missed the most welcome piece of news—that Gregorio was here, the good friend who had once been Marian’s lawyer and who now owned and managed the former Venetian branch of the Bank. ‘Master Gregorio would be so pleased that Monseigneur had managed to come! They were all so pleased!’ said Ryke suddenly. He was beaming. It came to Nicholas, with misgiving, that he had attained some sort of legendary status in his own former Bank, despite the fact that all he had done was throw away his money and leave. But he did nothing to destroy the man’s image of him, and slipped a coin in his hand as they arrived, and Diniz and Tilde and the girls and then all the staff, it seemed, were hurrying out into the courtyard. And Gregorio.
He looked older, and browner, and thinner, but the narrow face and the bony scoop-nose were the same, and so was the enthusiasm under the velvet hat, which was well made and had no lappets, nor, like the rest of him, anything of the desk-bound lawyer about it at all. Nicholas opened his arms and they hugged, banging each other on the back, while Diniz stood laughing. Then Diniz and Tilde, his wife—Tilde, who was Marian’s daughter, though not his. With the years, oddly, she had become paler and less like her mother, although her eyes were still bright and her smile loving. The little daughters, Marian and Lucia, were shy, and he kissed them both lightly and left it at that. Time enough to make them his friends. Time enough if he stayed. Time enough if he came back. And if not, they wouldn’t miss him. Then he had to shake hands with everybody else, from cooks up and downwards. He was to visit the dyeyard tomorrow. Old Hennic had gone, but there were plenty of others who wanted to see him. Then later—
He let Diniz talk. Eventually, he would have to explain that he couldn’t stay long. Not if he were to go back and get Sandy home before winter.
Indoors, he heard all their news. Gregorio had already decided to visit, after those bastards at the Signoria gave in to the Turk and upset all the merchants. Diniz and he always conferred, even though they ran separate businesses. Then he had got Diniz’s message to say Nicholas was coming from Scotland, and here he was, panting. So, what was happening?
He told them, briefly, for the alignment of power between France and Burgundy, England and Scotland affected Bruges. Then he heard their views on Maximilian and the future. Diniz said, ‘Do you think Adorne will come back?’
Nicholas said, ‘Do you think that he should?’
‘It’s better,’ Diniz said. ‘That is, the Archduke is making his own enemies, and the friends of the last administration are less of a target. I wouldn’t advise he come today, but every month makes a difference. If he comes, would you come? Or do you feel you want to do more for Scotland?’
‘It would be hard to leave