Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [392]
Nicholas stood gazing at Julius, whose face, after a number of false starts, could be seen as conveying nervous pleasure. ‘I wish you hadn’t done that,’ Nicholas said.
‘I know. Kilmirren wanted the privilege. I’ll confess that I did it, not you. But that solves it, doesn’t it?’ Julius said. ‘Once they know Applegarth’s dead, that mob will go home.’
‘Will they?’ said Adorne. Below his eyes, Dame Euphemia was kneeling, gravely, her hand on the brow of the dead man.
Crackbene said, ‘They might. We took one hostage. Jamie Boyd is here, Nicholas. Jordan is keeping an eye on him, with Bishop Prospero and Kilmirren. Applegarth’s men wouldn’t want to face Albany without him.’
Jamie Boyd was younger than Jordan. Jamie Boyd was the second Lord Boyd, the King’s nephew, who admired his uncle Albany, and had been persuaded to join this grandiloquent foray.
Adorne said, ‘Very well. Then I think we have an announcement to make to Applegarth’s troops. Their captain is dead, after breaking into the Priory and threatening to kill the Prioress Euphemia. The law and the Church will hold all his companions equally accountable, if they remain. They are therefore ordered to leave. If they do so immediately, no further steps will be taken, and no harm will come to Lord Boyd, who is at present here, in our custody.’ He looked from Nicholas to the Prioress, and to Julius. ‘Does that seem suitable?’
‘It sounds convincing,’ Nicholas said.
‘Then we do it. Returned by all the black beans. Who would best act as our orator? I think Prospero. Don’t you think, Nicholas? The Bishop will speak for us.’
Chapter 51
His procuratour he was and maid him trew reknyng
And gud payment of all this forsaid thing.
ONLY PROSPER DE CAMULIO, man of diverse experience, would have taken so calmly a request to walk into the dark and order two hundred armed men to depart without protest. Adorne went with him to the door, and he was preceded by a Priory servant with a flag. Nicholas was not there, having been told to go and speak to Jamie Boyd.
The lad was in a room, under guard with his own son, and Fat Father Jordan was installed with them both. The boys, when Nicholas entered, were not speaking, but both were flushed. St Pol of Kilmirren, on the other hand, looked merely bored. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘The expert with children. Hale in hide and hue, despite everything. And who gave you the right to kill the man Applegarth?’
‘Julius killed him,’ Nicholas said. ‘The Prioress was quite pleased, although she might have preferred her throat cut, had she known how annoyed you would be. Jamie? Are you all right?’ The boy, his mouth shut, was glaring.
‘You won’t get a reply out of him,’ Kilmirren said. ‘He thinks the Whitekirk meeting is nothing but a trick to kill Albany. In other words, the good Lord Cortachy is a rascal, which, of course, my young Lord Boyd and his mother ought to be able to judge better than anyone.’
‘He’s the King’s man,’ said the boy. He spoke with contempt. Young Jordan looked at him, then at his father.
Nicholas sat down with a thump. ‘Well, that’s true,’ he said. ‘But it doesn’t mean Lord Cortachy hasn’t come in good faith. If you think of it, why in God’s name should he choose this elaborate way to kill Albany? And what would it gain him, other than coalesce all the opposition against the King? And if that doesn’t make sense, look about you. There is a small band of trained soldiers here, and a number of holy persons, and six fairly experienced men, like Adorne. At Whitekirk tomorrow there will be three. But even if we cheat and smuggle in everyone, including the nuns, they’re going to be outnumbered by his grace of Albany’s men, armed to the teeth, to any degree that he wishes. Does that sound like a trap?’
No one spoke. The boy’s face was bloodless. He was a nice enough lad, but had yet to come into the virile attraction that went with the heavy Boyd build. There was red in his hair from the Stewart side. Then he blurted, ‘You’ll bring in reinforcements.’
Nicholas said, ‘Do you see them?