Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [261]
Henry Sinclair made a point, during those days, of spending time with the Burgundian de Fleury, whom he had met occasionally since he grew up, and remembered from the scandal four years ago over Aunt Betha’s cousin and her bastard by Cortachy. At Roslin, de Fleury had always seemed reticent, but in fact he had more of a sense of humour than you would credit him with, and had travelled quite widely. De Fleury knew Caterino Zeno, and his wife, and the gossip about his little bastard daughter, contracted to a rich merchant at Zakynthos. He knew about the Sinclair voyages, and that Henry’s namesake had fought for Duke John of Burgundy. De Fleury had been to the tomb of St Catherine in Sinai, and brought back some of the oil. He had been in Timbuktu. The stay, which could have been tedious, really passed very quickly, and Henry was quite sorry to wave his uncle goodbye.
On board, Nowie said, ‘Thank you. You were very forbearing. He will make a success of the barony, once his father is out of the way. And as the husband of Pat Hepburn’s girl Margaret, the Princess’s granddaughter, he will consolidate Sinclair possessions, think of it, from Orkney to Berwick. Meanwhile, I think we have preserved Alec? Did anyone see him?’
‘I sneaked in,’ said Leithie. ‘He was right sorry for himself, I can tell you; and sorrier still when I’d done with him. I told him if he didna stop making money out of the English, I’d hang him next time myself.’
‘That should keep him quiet for five minutes,’ said Nicholas. ‘Why are we going to Moray?’
‘My dear fellow, I told you,’ said Nowie. ‘You deserve a rest. And Will Scheves and Drew are cooking up a small scheme which they really can manage best on their own. Or if they can’t, you will be there, all fresh and unsullied, to sympathise with the King.’
‘Sympathise with him over what?’ said Nicholas, jettisoning court manners. The reticence he had once exhibited at Roslin had long since expired.
‘Oh, nothing definite,’ Nowie said, redoubling the charm. ‘A rumour. You wouldn’t hear it, in Berwick. The King swore, if Howard attacked, that he’d muster the army and march into England.’
Jordan sat, his eyes huge. Leithie Preston went on with what he was doing, intermittently yelling at his crew.
‘But?’ said Nicholas, with a certain patience.
‘But the Pope has sent to tell both Kings to refrain. And they really don’t want to anyway. Drew and the Archbishop have it in hand. Truly, there is nothing to worry about,’ Sinclair said. ‘Have you ever fished off Darnaway Castle? I assure you, it is an experience fit for angels. The lad would enjoy it as well. And I do think that Tam Cochrane would have information worth hearing. I might even take him with me up north. The good Bishop Prospero has not yet come into his temporalities, and my brother is not only Earl of Caithness, dear Will, but Camulio’s Justiciar, chamberlain and sheriff. It is only wise to have a look at Scrabster and Skibo, and have a word with the Constable. Don’t you think?’ His large, fair brow wrinkled in anxious enquiry.
Nicholas said, ‘You think Bishop Camulio will actually come?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Nowie. ‘I really don’t know. The Pope is grateful. It would have been interesting, wouldn’t it, for a while. I don’t think he would be spared to us as Bishop of Caithness for long.’
‘And afterwards?’ Nicholas said.
‘Oh, afterwards, I have no shortage of brothers who could provide a successor. What a pity it is,’ said