Niccolo Rising - Dorothy Dunnett [276]
Gregorio spoke. He said, “So that Lionetto would be ruined when Jaak de Fleury went bankrupt?”
“So that Jaak de Fleury would become bankrupt,” said Tobie. “Jaak de Fleury was the target. Lionetto was only the buffer that set the missile off at the right angle.”
Was it possible? Julius sat staring at him. Jaak, who had shamed and abused the child Nicholas and the grown Nicholas. Could he have planned such a revenge?
Gregorio said, “You didn’t say why Nicholas wanted Lionetto on our side, and not the enemy’s.”
Tobie’s pale eyes turned to Julius, and then back to Gregorio. His short, pink mouth looked sulky. He said, “So that he could betray him. Lionetto is French. All anyone would have to do to ruin Lionetto is to get word to France that Lionetto is fighting for the opposition, and has a large sum of money salted away with a disloyal firm in Geneva. The King of France doesn’t have to set out to ruin Thibault and Jaak de Fleury. All he has to do is confiscate Lionetto’s huge deposit, and the house of Fleury fails automatically.”
Julius said, “You’re implying that Nicholas thought of that. How could –”
“Nicholas not only thought of it, he arranged it,” said Tobie. “He needed a third party to tell the King of France about Lionetto, so he thought of Savoy. Remember the avalanche in the Alps? It wasn’t planned. I saw the idea come into Nicholas’ head. He saw the monk was going to shout, and encouraged him. A piece of childishness he came to regret. But back in the hospice he’d been collecting gossip. And I’d swear that he knew that among that party of English was an officer of the Dauphin, the King of France’s son and worst enemy.
“Nicholas and M. Gaston du Lyon met and talked then. They would have contrived to talk, I’m sure, even without the avalanche. They met again in Milan – I was there. M. Gaston was supposed to be interested in the Charetty courier service on behalf of his master. In fact, of course, the Dauphin would be hoping to buy information. And Nicholas would have it to sell, or perhaps barter. If in return, for example, the Dauphin would help betray Lionetto to France through the Dauphin’s Savoy connections.
“Don’t you see?” Tobie said. “The Dauphin would enjoy doing it for all sorts of reasons. He hates his father. He’d get Lionetto back on the Milanese side. And he wouldn’t mind helping to destroy Jaak de Fleury. The firm had always favoured the Dauphin’s father although, out of greed, M. Jaak didn’t refuse Lionetto’s custom. And that’s what the Dauphin did. He gave the necessary orders. Gaston du Lyon was in Savoy himself that last time Nicholas passed through with Felix. That, I am sure, is how Jaak de Fleury was ruined.”
It was still impossible to connect Nicholas with that sort of cunning. Struggling with his disbelief, Julius began with reluctance to search his memory. He recalled an incident. He said, “In Milan – it was Gaston du Lyon who told Nicholas and myself about the bankruptcy. And then …” He stopped.
“And then?” said Tobie.
Julius said, “The Medici were waiting for us. They were able to offer us full payment of all M. Jaak owed us, in money or goods, and return of all the unpaid-for goods Jaak was holding. Nicholas had already sold them all the debts previously outstanding. The Medici were pleased because they’d been able to recoup everything, having … having prior warning of the bankruptcy.”
“Quite,” said Tobie. “Nicholas told me, too, to tell the gunfounder at Piacenza that Jaak de Fleury was in no hurry for the weapons he’d ordered. In fact, I was to ask Agostino not to send them to Geneva, even when ready.”
“So that they would be here for us, when the house of Fleury fell,” said Gregorio. “Julius … you were with Nicholas in Milan, you say, when the news of the bankruptcy came through. How did Nicholas take it?”
Julius said, “He was as horrified as I was about the demoiselle Esota and the wrecked business. He …”
“What?” said Tobie.
“Smashed a flask,” said