Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [371]
She said, ‘Think what he had just lost. He may always feel the same, or he may not. I told you because I hear that this winter is dangerous for you and your friends. Seaulme Adorne went to confession this morning and wrote out his will: did you know?’
Gazing at her, Nicholas swore, and then apologised slowly. He said, ‘I knew this assembly was wrong. I knew it.’
She said, ‘If he is in danger, then so is everyone attending tonight, including yourself. But he may be over-cautious, thinking of Efemie. He was worried, too, that Saunders would leave and set up house in Lille, now his lady’s husband has died. But you are not meant to know that.’
‘Everyone knows that,’ Nicholas said. ‘Also that he is shipping her and her daughter over here. There would be someone to bring Efemie up, apart from Phemie’s sister in the north. There is Kathi, and all of us.’
‘Nicol,’ she said. ‘If one of you dies, you may all die. There is something grievous ahead. Andreas feels it. I think you feel it, too. It is not just your own loss, is it, that made you flee from the music? Kathi said that you would.’
‘It was the very, very bad man on the viol,’ Nicholas said. ‘No. It was just because it was music. I don’t have any fearsome premonitions. I never do.’
‘You once had, for others,’ Bel said. ‘It seems to me, from what Gelis has said, that you expected to know, wherever you were, if ill had come to her, or the bairn.’
Nicholas said, ‘That was then, close to the years of divining. I didn’t have the gift before, and I don’t have it now. I don’t want it, especially not for myself.’
Bel said, ‘Because you have no fear of death. Is that it, Nicol? Still? You have family, friends, a cause you are making your own; but your own end is of no importance to you?’
Nicholas looked at her. ‘You should have a talk with Prosper de Camulio. Am I not blessed, who am fulfilling every Christian exhortation? I am content. I am resigned. I am not pestering the Almighty with demands for my survival. I just don’t want to hear that bloody viol playing again.’
There was a long silence. Then she said, ‘Oh, come to me here, my poor, silly bairn,’ and held him, her hand tight on his hair, when he came.
After a time he spoke, without moving. ‘Once I thought that perhaps—’
‘—we were kin? No. Of the heart, maybe.’
‘I think so,’ he said. He didn’t look up. When he spoke again, it was with a steadier voice. ‘Bel, I am so sorry about your own family. Both your husbands, and then your one son. I wanted to say so. I didn’t want to make it difficult between you and St Pol. And I am so grateful for this.’
‘But?’ she said. He had stirred, to look up at last.
‘But please don’t make it hard for me, either,’ he said. ‘Please, Bel. Please.’
Chapter 48
Two rokis maye a king allone put dovne
And him depryve of his lyf and his crovne.
THE GATHERING AT Linlithgow dispersed, and no one appeared to have taken note of it. Four days later, Parliament met, and announced its final enactments. The word flashed from the Castle to the Canongate inside the hour.
FIRSTLY, it is ordained, avised and concluded that England is to be asked to renew the truce between the two countries, and revive the marriage between England’s Cecilia and Scotland’s James, for the pleasure of God and the common weal of both realms. And if England refuses, such will not lead to an effusion of Christian blood, save in defence of the realm; in which event our sovereign lord will fight in honour and freedom, as his noble progenitors have done in times begone.
‘Blind Harry,’ said Robin.
‘No. Wait! Wait! What are they thinking of? England won’t agree to a truce. The bloody wedding’s dismembered already. I ought to know. I had Wattie Bertram’s corns in my lap for a month, getting picked out for free while he thought about raising the money.’
‘Lucky you. Tobie, be quiet. It’s a device. Go on, Nicholas,’ Gelis said.
SECONDLY, since the Borders are daily invaded, and his noble highness should not put his person in danger, his grace should