Niccolo Rising - Dorothy Dunnett [151]
“Ah, there you are,” said Claes. “If you’ve eaten, we ought to get on our way. People who stay in castles don’t like to be kept waiting. Old Persian proverb. Do we need anyone with us? We could ride to Genappe on our own. You prop me on my horse and I’ll find dinner for you.”
The battle over Genappe had reopened. The initial salvo, in Bruges, had been delivered by Felix’s mother. Felix was to go with a party to Louvain and examine, with Claes, the way the new manager was running the business. He was to remain with Claes, who wished to call at Genappe. He was then to come home. Felix had refused point blank and had been sent from the room by his mother.
Second salvo from Henninc. Which men was Felix taking to Louvain and Genappe? He wasn’t going.
Surprise of Henninc. Then he supposed he’d have to ask that young busybody Claes which men he wanted. He’d thought the widow would have more sense, begging jonkheere Felix’s pardon, than to send a servant on those sort of errands. Claes at Genappe! My lord the Dauphin’d wonder what Bruges folk were coming to.
Back to his mother. Of course, if Felix didn’t care to represent the family, Claes would have to go to Louvain on his own. She couldn’t leave Bruges. The matter of Olivier was urgent. As for Genappe, Claes knew more about that than she did.
Out to find Claes. He found Claes. Felix observed to Claes that he understood, of course, that a visit had to be paid to Louvain, to see what this new man was up to. But what was all this about going to visit the Dauphin?
The Dauphin? Genappe. It was a word you could snap, and Felix snapped it.
Ah, Genappe. Yes, quite right. Claes wanted to visit a friend at Genappe, but of course it wasn’t the Dauphin, just a man-at-arms in the Dauphin’s household. Raymond du Lyon, his name was. It wouldn’t take long. An afternoon’s ride from Louvain, and he mightn’t get another chance to see Raymond. If Felix wasn’t eager, he needn’t come with him.
Felix (said Felix) was far from being eager to go to Louvain, never mind underwrite some servant’s trip to Genappe. But Louvain, he saw, was important. He could hardly let a base-born apprentice represent the Charetty family. He would go.
Felix dropped plans, broke appointments and left Bruges with Claes and his compact retinue in a foul temper which lasted through two of the three days of the journey. Then Claes found him a good brothel in Brussels and an inn where the cooking was wonderful and the owner’s wife wanted to know what it was like to run the best tavern in Bruges. By the time they got to Louvain, Felix was quite in the mood for business.
But now, Genappe had appeared in the programme again. Felix said, “You never think of your employer, do you? Using her time and her horses on some private visit, when her whole business in Louvain has collapsed and she doesn’t know it. I’m going straight back to Bruges to report, and you’re coming with me. And that’s an order.”
“All right,” said Claes peacefully. April sunshine was browning his skin and reflecting into his dimples the inexorable blue of his livery. He added, “I’ll have to send to the Dauphin though, and explain. He’s expecting us this evening.”
“What?” said Felix.
“You were sleeping,” said Claes. “My friend Raymond sent a message this morning. My lord the Dauphin would like to see us both. That’s a great honour for someone like me.”
“It would be if you were going,” said Felix shortly. “I’ll go. I’ll tell them you’re sick.”
Claes didn’t argue. Felix didn’t like that. Claes said, “Well, of course, you could explain that to them now,” in the same propitiatory tone. “That’s the escort over there, waiting to take us to Genappe. I’m afraid I’ve spoken to them already, but they might believe I’ve taken