Niccolo Rising - Dorothy Dunnett [145]
She said, “Captain Astorre had not been made party, then, to this delightful scheme?”
“He doesn’t like handguns,” said Claes. “But Messer Tobie does. And so does Thomas.”
“But Meester Julius doesn’t?” said the Widow. “Or have you forgotten that I have a highly paid notary with the company whose job, I should have thought, was precisely to do with matters of commissions and contracts and purchasing?”
From a smile, his lips reformed in a small, bloated shape denoting conjecture. He lifted both hands and laced them on top of his head, narrowing his eyes against an invisible rainfall.
She said, “It’s not such a difficult question, if you haven’t got a headache.”
He removed his hands. His smile, leaping back, acknowledged the hit. “It is difficult as far as Julius is concerned. He’s a clever man. He’d rather listen to you or to Tobie than me.”
“Meaning,” she said brusquely, “that Tobie has your measure, and Julius hasn’t. So why not say so?”
He said, “Has Felix been drinking?”
He never let a misunderstanding exist between them without cutting clean through. She should have remembered. She said, “Yes. He missed you. The bells … The goats …”
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he said. “But I haven’t much time to find a place where I can start. You’re giving him money?”
She said, “Not for jousting armour.” And as he still looked at her, “Not for ermine-tails either,” said Felix’s mother.
“Then –” he began to say, and interrupted himself. Then she heard it too. Felix’s voice, calling outside.
She said, “Should we –?”
“No. Let him see it all,” said Claes. “No details. Just a little underhand deal he’s to keep quiet about. He will. It’s his company.”
“But –” she began.
The door opened on Felix and his ermine-tails. His shallow eyes were full of suspicion. He said, “They told me you were both here.”
“Well, I hope so,” said Marian de Charetty. “Since I left orders you were to be sent here as soon as you condescended to come in. Where have you been?”
“Out,” he said. “What’s all that?”
He took the candle from Claes and poked about, all the time she was telling him. He came back with a pointed helmet and stuck it on Claes’ head unexpectedly, making him wince. Felix stood back and giggled. “Only one thing worse than that,” he said, “and that’s the stuff you had on when you arrived. Why don’t you pick out a set and buy it from us?”
Marian de Charetty, rigid, opened her mouth. Before she could speak, Claes said, “I’ve got all I need. Besides, you’ll want to pick the best of it for yourself.”
Felix grinned. “The best of what? That’s battle armour for soldiers stamping about in the mud.”
“My mistake,” said Claes.
“I should think so,” said Felix. “You don’t seriously think I’d appear –”
“Of course not,” said Claes. “You see, I had all that teaching by captain Astorre. I forgot you hadn’t.”
Marian de Charetty said, “I’m cold. Felix, take that lamp and light me back to the door. Claes, that’s enough. Blow out the candles and lock up.”
Claes, rising obediently, began to walk over to blow out the candles. Her son, his back to his mother, stood red-faced in his way. Felix said, “What do you mean, Astorre taught you and didn’t teach me? What do you think Mother got him for?”
“Your father got him,” said Claes. “For a bodyguard.”
“And so what kind of training do you get from a bodyguard?” Felix never had any trouble changing his ground, especially when furious. He said, “My God, a week in the company of a second-rate common soldier and you lecture me about fighting. A gently born man doesn’t exercise by back-yard wrestling. He jousts. Do you think I learned what I know about that from Astorre?”
Claes, waiting patiently, bent and blew out a candle round Felix. “Who did you learn it from then?” he said.
Felix drew breath and stopped. He said, “You’re not paid to be inquisitive. You’re paid to do as you’re told. Blow out those candles.”
He moved to one side. Claes blew them out, while Felix