Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [349]
Nicholas said, ‘We can only wait. But the feeling is that it will be accepted.’
Kathi said, ‘You must have been glad to see Drew and Colin and the other two back. That was dangerous.’
‘They’re brave men. It was a gamble,’ Nicholas said. ‘But we had to take it, not Gloucester. He’s the King’s brother. He doesn’t come to a parley that would expose him to kidnapping or murder, or even risk losing him Sandy. Wattie and Tom will be in less danger, we think. They’ll want to keep Berwick men sweet.’
‘So what comes now?’ It was Julius, gazing down his Roman nose; acting the schoolmaster.
Nicholas said, ‘Nine griping days. If he’s going to do it, Gloucester has to disband by the eleventh: that’s when the pay runs out, and the season is starting to close. Then we welcome back Albany. Then we reconcile Albany and the King. What will Liddell do, Julius? Will he welcome Sandy back as well, or has he been juggling the ledgers?’
‘He’ll weep for joy. You know that,’ Julius said. ‘He’s Sandy’s staunchest supporter. After you, of course. That’s why Sandy brought you to York. Now he’s about to get everything that he asked for. If Sandy’s uncrowned King, you’re going to be uncrowned Prince.’
Father Moriz said, ‘I think Nicholas has more sense than to believe that. Indeed, Julius, you have proved a friend to Liddell, and know as much about Sandy as anyone. I see a role for you in all this.’
‘That’s what I told the Council,’ said Nicholas. ‘I also had to say that he and I weren’t speaking to one another. Are we?’
‘No,’ Julius said.
‘Well, that’s all right,’ Kathi said. ‘We’ve finished speaking. Is anyone hungry? Nicholas, what do you eat at the Tolbooth?’
‘Each other,’ he said. He and Julius were still staring at one another.
Robin said, ‘Nicholas, why don’t you and Julius go and help Kathi and Clémence? We’ve no servants left since the children went.’
‘I’m not standing over a hot spit with Julius,’ Nicholas said. ‘Not unless Julius is on it, and turning.’
Neither did he, of course. Instead, he found himself standing in a small room alone with Julius, helping Kathi by tasting her wine. After a moment, he sat down, and so did Julius. Julius said, ‘You bastard. I was trying to help you, and you just about killed me.’
‘Trying to help me!’ Nicholas exclaimed. ‘You made the old man so wild he bloody disowned me.’
Julius said, ‘Dear me! Then you’ll have to explain, Nicholas; you really will. First, you don’t want me to prove you a St Pol. Next, I’m told to forgive you because you were so upset at the drowning of Simon. Now you’re rounding on me for getting you finally barred from the family. Who do you think that you are?’
‘Nicholas de St Pol of Kilmirren; grandson of Jordan de St Pol, and son of Simon. Who else?’ said Nicholas. ‘I don’t have proof. If I did, I wouldn’t use it, for it would bastardise the son of my marriage.’
He had finally silenced Julius. He had meant to. Julius said slowly, ‘You could have young Jordan legitimised. You could get dispensation for any other children you have.’
Nicholas said, ‘We don’t seem to be about to have other children. And I’d rather have Jordan grow up without his legitimacy being questioned.’
‘But Kilmirren?’ Julius said. ‘Diniz is disinherited. The old man has no other heirs. Will you let it fall back to the Crown when he dies?’
‘Yes. There really is no proof, Julius,’ Nicholas said. ‘You must have realised that. Certainly no papers. And nothing to show that between my mother’s first child and my birth she came to Scotland, or Simon went to join her in France. There is only my own unshakeable belief, and the bond I’ve always felt for them all. So I lost my head when we met. Also,