Niccolo Rising - Dorothy Dunnett [78]
Julius flung himself down on a mattress. “The old monster was convinced you’d run off, or were giving away all his secrets.”
Claes looked sympathetic. “Did he threaten to cut your hands off? No, they gave me some beer and asked about Meester Tobie. I told them about Lionetto and his glass rubies.”
“And about de’ Acciajuoli?” Julius said.
Claes’ brow wrinkled. “No. They have their own silk factory, the Medici. You know that? I told them about Messer Arnolfini: does that matter?”
“No. That’s only trade between Arnolfini and the de Fleury company; it doesn’t matter,” said Julius. “The Charetty don’t handle silk.”
“It’s just as well,” said Claes. “What they said about the Widow!”
Julius sat up. “About the demoiselle?” he said sharply.
Claes looked defensive. “Well, about women in business. You heard M. de Fleury already. They don’t like the cloth she’s been sending. And they say she puts too high a price on it.”
Julius stared at him. “That’s nonsense. We price it below the market, if anything.”
“Well, it doesn’t sell at that price,” said Claes cheerfully. “And it’s mouldy.”
“What!”
“Maybe M. Jaak is storing it in a bad cellar,” said Claes. “The one I was in was rotten damp. Maybe someone should tell him.”
“Maybe,” said Julius slowly.
“You talked to him,” Claes said. “Did he mention it?”
“No,” said Julius. “Maybe I should have taken his offer. Someone seems to be making a profit out of the Charetty company.”
“Offer?”
“He wanted me to come back to the company,” said Julius shortly. “After enquiring whether the Widow meant to marry again, and if Astorre or myself were proposing to be her next husband.”
“The captain!” said Claes.
“Yes. Although to do him justice,” Julius said, “M. Jaak didn’t seem to favour Astorre as head of the Charetty business. He was kind enough to say that I would make a very good master for that sort of woman. Then, when he was sure that wasn’t what I was after, he offered to take me back in my old post, now I saw what a poor thing it was to hang on to some woman’s skirts.”
Julius paused. Normally, it was not the sort of thing he would mention to a youngster like Claes, but he had to tell someone, and Claes was handy. More and more, Claes was handy. Julius wished, not for the first time, that Claes would come to his senses, and make a responsible contribution and attain some sort of standing so that a man could discuss matters with him.
Claes said, “Well, it depends, like everything else. But I expect you refused.”
“Then he tried to buy Loppe. Loppe!” said Julius.
“That’s because his voice is so good,” said Claes, nodding.
“Loppe,” repeated Julius wearily. “Not the monk. How did Astorre become friends with a monk?”
“You’re thinking of Brother Gilles,” said Claes in a friendly way. “That’s the one whose voice isn’t very fine, but he was the best Tommaso could find when the Medici wanted a tenor. The person singing Gregorian chants with the good tenor voice is the Guinea slave Loppe. He learns anything. He was with a Jew, and then a Portuguese, and then a Catalan, and then Oudenin and the demoiselle de Charetty and you. Five languages, and the Gregorian chant.”
Julius looked at him. At length, “Brother Gilles has been teaching him?” he said.
“No, he picked it up. Brother Gilles was impressed. They sing in counterpoint.”
“And Monsieur Jaak heard him,” said Julius.
“And wants to buy him, of course. He’s worth a fortune. Did you sell him?” said Claes.
“No,” said Julius. “I wouldn’t sell that man a dog. But if Loppe is valuable, what do we do with him? He was Oudenin’s gift to the Widow.”
“I told Messer Sassetti about him,” said Claes. “He thought the Duke of Milan would be interested. Oudenin wouldn’t mind if Loppe went to the Duke of Milan. Loppe thinks he would like it: I asked him. And Astorre and Brother Gilles would be pleased. We might get better terms for the contract.”
Sometimes Claes could surprise you. Julius gazed at him.
“If we get him over the Alps, that is,” Claes added thoughtfully.
Chapter 12
CROSSING THE Alps in November made a good story,