Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [214]
Gelis, aware of the under-currents, was not surprised when Nicholas took them out of their way to stay overnight at Templehall while on their journey to Hamilton, rather than call on the way back. Kathi and her uncle were there. Set in its own wooded park, Will of Berecrofts’s ancestral home was a comfortable, extended keep, with its stable and service buildings about it, all deep in sparkling snow. They arrived with daylight in hand, and when they had eaten, and talked to Adorne and the old man, Nicholas swept all the active young of the household out into the white sunlit snow for wild sport. Margaret, with her light curling hair and Berecrofts fleetness, shrieked with joy, returning her uncle Nicol’s bombardment, while Rankin, aged three, chopped about in small manic boots, cheeks vermilion, lungs pumping with determined effort.
Indoors, it was Margaret who pushed Nicol to this room and that to examine treasures, the high voice swooping and fluting as she dictated, explained and enquired. Round her plump neck was a chain from which hung a lustrous cream pearl, his gift to her. Before she was taken off to her bath, she had him hear her sing to it. She had a cheerful, sweet voice. Rankin possibly possessed one as well, but it was more often employed as a stockhorn, to advise that he was about to arrive at high speed smack into some part of Uncle Nicol’s anatomy: chest or stomach, thighs or legs. Then, clambering, he would wrap his short arms round Nicol’s strong neck and announce things.
Gelis, watching, saw Kathi was watching as well, and smiled at her. ‘What’s the magic?’
Kathi came and sat down. These days, she didn’t look worn any more, but content, and busy, and secure. She said, ‘It’s good for Rankin, rough play. He can’t have it with Robin. And how does Nicholas do it? Ask Andreas some time. Intuition. Animal instinct. A sort of physical love, given to everyone, without even having to touch them. A way of conveying physical comfort, and understanding, and fondness, that also puts into their heads, silently, whatever he wants them to do.’ She broke off, her head to one side. ‘Is that actionable? It probably is. But if you could work out the recipe and bottle it, you could become very rich.’
Her voice had hurried a little. Gelis said, ‘It’s all right. I thought of it too. Esota.’ The woman who had been understanding and friendly—too friendly—to a very young child then called Claes.
Kathi said, ‘It wasn’t all bad. It was just a pity she didn’t find her own Tristan to make love to. Being stuck with King Mark de Fleury would make anyone odd. And speaking of oddities: what do you think the Princess will do now she’s widowed? She didn’t mind being married to Hamilton, but he was the King’s choice, not hers.’
‘And now she has a chance to show her independence,’ Gelis said. ‘Nicholas thinks she’ll demand some sort of security for the Boyd children—she’ll have to bring them up with the Hamiltons, anyway, without a husband to finance them.’
‘That’s what my uncle expects,’ Kathi said. ‘And she’ll probably get it: the King doesn’t want Mary and Margaret and Mar joining Sandy against him. You asked me about Princess Margaret?’
Rankin had been taken off, objecting, to bed, and Nicholas, mildly dishevelled, was talking to Adorne and Old Will on the other side of the chamber. Gelis said, ‘Apparently John of Mar nearly said something, at the time of the fight in the inn. And it does seem suspicious that she keeps missing wedding appointments in England.’
‘So everyone thinks,’ Kathi said. ‘I hoped Dr Andreas would work out a horoscope, but he’s been difficult. I have to say that, egged on by the late Master Simpson, she