Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [372]
‘That’s the highest power in the land,’ Robin said eventually. ‘And the money to go with it, added to everything the King’s allowed him already. Did we promise Albany that? Did you promise him, Nicholas?’
‘I expect so. Also a new set of buttons, and a bag of ginger at Christmas. Of course he wanted the post, and Gloucester had to believe he was getting it. He might. It’s up to the King. Parliament can advise, but only the King can appoint him.’
‘So he has to be careful with the King. Was that all?’
‘I’ve left out the bit about rallying the nation for war, just in case England gets silly ideas, and the licence to kill people who import corrupt wine. There were some sensible measures as well. Wattie Bertram is going to Paris. You must have fixed his feet.’
‘Why? Ostensibly why?’
‘Ostensibly to demand justice for ill-treated merchants. Actually to find out if the English alliance has died, and if the King is going to die too, and what they all think about Sandy. Wattie voted himself for the trip, and I think he deserves it. It won’t make much difference to Sandy. It takes a King’s man out of the way, and he’ll have his own agents in France.’
‘So Sandy is happy?’
‘My God, I hope so,’ said Nicholas.
TWO WEEKS—FOURTEEN days—fourteen tense days to Christmas.
THE COURT OFFICIALLY moved to the Castle, swept, scoured and garnished so that nothing brought to mind its recent custodial function. As Yule approached, the higher nobility—Huntly, Seton, Arbuthnott, Sinclair and Angus and Crawford—gathered in their Edinburgh houses, if they had ever left them. Those deposed stayed away, but the new officers of state presented themselves daily, as did the Treasurer, and Master Secretary Whitelaw, and the Lord Preceptor Will Knollys. The Chancellor, a former Vicar of Linlithgow, was not very well, and spent much of his time with the two resident physicians, Andreas and Tobie. The three half-uncles also lodged in the Castle; and the disgraced and undisgraced Princesses with their households, and the Duke of Albany, in chambers next to the King.
With Sandy were his confirmed friends, such as Sir James Liddell of Halkerston, and less prominent friends, such as Bailie Alex Home of that Ilk, who still held Huntly’s favour. Other admirers came to the Duke’s bidding, although some fell prey to the unseasonably mild weather, and found themselves confined to bed with a hoast; while others were detained by unfortunate accidents, such as the death of an aunt, or a court case.
England’s official response to the olive branch was not as yet known. Since, in theory, it might lead to peace, there was as yet no basis for appointing a Lieutenant-General for Scotland, and the King had not done so. The King of England (unaware of the coming olive branch) had long since given the equivalent English post to the Duke of Gloucester, and was rumoured to be offering to present him with Cumberland, and a petty Scots kingdom of everything that Richard might manage to conquer next year in the south-west. This situation could be regarded with horror, or as an indication that Edward, unwell, was willing to do anything to keep his brother out of the way.
There was a rumour, which proved to be true, that France had made peace with Maximilian of Flanders and Burgundy, and had excluded England from the pact. One or two men from the East March left Edinburgh, and others from the Merse and Lauderdale failed to appear. Sandy wanted to know when the bloody women were coming to Court, or were they all supposed to be eunuchs? And what was Nicol doing? In bed at home, without doubt, and no question what he was doing. Nicol’s pleasure was Nicol’s first thought, same as everybody’s. When the chaplain tried to moderate Albany’s intake of wine, he nearly found himself knocked down the stairs.
Noble ladies, as a matter of course, arrived at Court, while others less noble were pressed into Albany’s service, and occasionally