Gemini - Dorothy Dunnett [97]
It sounded smooth, but it went across the grain of all his old habits, and must have been difficult. As her own perceptions cleared, Kathi also discerned that something had happened that he wasn’t telling her: when she asked about Henry he brushed the subject aside. In every other way, however, she revelled in sharing his mind.
All of the background she knew: she had been on first-name terms with the royal kindred since her earliest visit to Scotland. But now she listened hungrily to all Nicholas had to say about recent developments: about the loyalties and lucrative projects of Sir Oliver Sinclair (Nowie?) of Roslin; and about Sandy Albany, who was divorcing Sir Oliver’s sister, and whose dislike of the English peace was shared by his royal sister Margaret. From time to time she interrupted the fast, close-packed report with questions which he answered at the same even-voiced speed. She had forgotten, attuned to the sickroom, what speaking to Nicholas was like when he and she were alone.
‘How will it help, if Sandy thinks you’re spying for him in Berwick? If I go back to Meg, won’t it increase the rift with the King over the English peace?’ Then she said, ‘Ah, I see. You need to know what Sandy is plotting. And you also need to know what the King thinks. If I’m at Court, I can tell you.’
‘You might also tell me what David Simpson is doing,’ Nicholas said. ‘He has worked very hard to recommend himself to the King, but has been a little hampered so far by his papal connection with Camulio. Now that Camulio’s gone, he will want to strengthen his grip.’
‘Now? Not while?’
‘An informed guess. And I’m not throwing Robin and you to the wolves. You’ll be safer from Simpson the closer you are to the Court. Whitelaw and Avandale and Argyll will look out for you. There are some others as well: officials, advisers, doctors. I’ll tell you who they are.’
‘You’ve discussed all this with them?’ It was like the Play. It was like unwrapping the canvas, and opening a coffer of dazzling secrets.
‘About Simpson and Albany, yes. I saw some of them this morning. It’s important, of course, that none of the royal brothers and sisters know that their councillors discuss them with foreigners. These are the men who have kept the kingdom steady for twenty years, they mustn’t lose the King’s trust.’
‘And Tom Yare is in touch with them?’ Kathi said. ‘So why do they need you in Berwick as well?’
‘They don’t,’ Nicholas said. ‘But Albany thinks he does. And Liddell and Purves and one or two others. I had to choose whether to associate with the King or with Albany, and I had some influence with Sandy to build on. The pity is that there is no one except Davie Simpson attached to the King and, indeed, the Queen.’
‘But James has his personal merchants, and he trusts Avandale and the rest, surely?’
‘He needs someone closer than that. The … the boon companion,’ Nicholas said.
She waited. When he didn’t go on, she said, ‘A dangerous role. Do boon companions ever die in their beds?’
‘Do they want to?’ he said. And because he had followed her thought, ‘Whatever kills me, it is unlikely to be Albany’s excess of affection.’
‘Where have you lived?’ Kathi said. ‘Excess of affection always kills.’
Then they were at Roslin. For an hour, for the first hour since January, she had thought of something other than Robin.
NICHOLAS, SENDING AHEAD, had arranged that they should see Phemie first, before anyone. Phemie herself accordingly had some small warning, and received them, labouring up from her chair in the sunny room, her eyes moving from Kathi to Nicholas, but resting on Nicholas. The cordial, wimpled colleague of the Priory had gone, but the same positive mind read his smile. Few men could radiate happiness