Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [197]
‘I imagine,’ Nicholas said, ‘that should I agree, the King will broadcast it before ever I could.’
He had apparently missed Prosper de Camulio, who had touched Bruges for a few days, and gone. Returning to the Hof Charetty, Nicholas found a houseful of guests assembled to meet him, and it was late before he could ask.
Diniz said, ‘Prosper? Did you want to meet him, now Simpson is dead? Or—Of course, he’s got a bishopric, hasn’t he? The Pope wants to reward him for rousing opinion against Milan, and Scotland was pleased to oblige, in return for one or two much-needed favours. Result, Prosper de Camulio de’ Medici, Bishop-elect of Caithness. He’ll be a credit to you. Robes a little too silky, appendages a little too heavily jewelled, and most beautifully barbered, except for the time they put him in prison. Did Simpson arrange that?’
‘I think he helped,’ Nicholas said. ‘So is he being successful?’
‘In persuading rulers to make war on Milan? Well, you know Camulio. Gregorio knows Camulio. You remember him from St Omer.’
‘Unfortunately,’ Gregorio said sleepily. Nicholas judged that Margot didn’t approve of late nights. Then he added, ‘No, that isn’t really fair. He’s a humanist, he’s an educated, quick-witted man who is truly passionate about the sovereignty of Genoa, and desperately wants to get rid of Milanese rule. But, of course, he’s been employed by Milan in the past, and tried to get work from the Medici, and turned his hand to anything, in bad times, that would make him money. All this recent prosperity has come about because he’s a favourite of the Pope’s nephew.’
‘So people don’t trust him, and won’t commit themselves to join the Pope and Naples?’ Nicholas said.
‘It’s more,’ said Gregorio, concentrating, ‘that the Milanese are less disorganised than he is. Cicco Simonetta knows just how to discredit him. Everywhere he goes, the Milanese ambassadors are there before him, calling him names. Fonticho di puzza is one of the best of them. He’s still esteemed by the Empire and Naples: Frederick appointed him consul to Genoa, and Prosper’s son (did you know he had a son?) serves King Ferrante. But France won’t listen. And he might be a mixed blessing in Scotland, referred to as in culo mundi by Milan.’
‘In which case, they should be pleased that Prosper is going there,’ said Diniz lazily. ‘Did I tell you Julius is joining you soon? Things are dull in Cologne, and they seem far from dull in Scotland, from all you say.’
‘No, you didn’t tell me,’ Nicholas said. ‘But I was thinking of seeing him anyway. What is happening tomorrow?’
They told him. It included a feast at the White Bear, and a drinking session with the Crossbowmen. ‘And the next day—’ Diniz began.
‘Diniz, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to leave after tomorrow,’ said Nicholas. ‘If I’m to get to Cologne and then back.’
They were disappointed, and he, too, felt the wrench. His company, his friends were as close to him as ever they had been. It was not there, but outside the Hof Charetty that so much had changed. Without Tommaso, without Lorenzo, without Astorre and Felix and Thomas and Jan … without Godscalc … without Marian, without Kathi, without Adorne, without Sersanders … without Gelis, it wasn’t the same. And quite soon, even the Hof Charetty would have gone, for the company was moving to Antwerp. He had advised them to do it, and Diniz, the responsible family man, shrewd and eager and attractive, grown from the distraught boy of Rhodes and Ceuta and Arguim, had set to work to bring it about.
Now Diniz Vasquez was his own man, cut off in every particular from his mother’s family; disowning Kilmirren as Kilmirren had disowned him. And yet, earlier that day, he had taken Nicholas aside and asked him to come back. ‘You established the office in Antwerp. Yours has been the vision that made the business what it now is. It is yours. I only ask to be your partner.’
Diniz was more than that. He was a St Pol, however he might deny it. He was part of the past: the past that contained Umar and Zacco, Gelis