Pawn in Frankincense - Dorothy Dunnett [149]
Salablanca spoke softly. ‘Mr Crawford himself killed him?’
‘Yes,’ said Jerott.
‘I am glad,’ said Salablanca. ‘But the child …?’
O mill, what hast thou ground? Lymond had said. And since then, had hardly spoken at all.
‘There are two children,’ said Jerott. ‘I don’t know what is to be done. But you’d better come with me so that we can both receive our orders.’
By then, Lymond was already standing with his back to the carved rail of the poop, the blue awning dyeing his lightly tanned skin and borrowed clothes, addressing Gaultier, reclining watchfully in the captain’s great chair, and Marthe, sitting perched on the table with her hair tied to fall down her back; and Onophrion, standing varnished with sweat in his stiff clothes, deferentially listening.
‘I regret,’ Lymond was saying pleasantly, ‘that Sir Graham’s death brings with it certain complications. Unless I forestall the news, the lives of two children become forfeit. We have also the safety of Miss Somerville to consider. I propose therefore that we split forces. The only information we have about the ship which took the first child from Mehedia is that it calls at Aleppo. On my instructions, Salablanca has found and chartered here in Malta a vessel which is willing to take two of you to Aleppo. Jerott and Marthe will sail on her. M. Gaultier, M. Zitwitz and Salablanca will come with me to Zakynthos on the Dauphiné, and thence follow the Children of Devshirmé to Constantinople.’
‘Unchaperoned?’ said M. Gaultier. He had sat up. ‘Marthe, travelling alone with Mr Blyth? I am afraid, Mr Crawford, that as an uncle——’
‘As an uncle, you permitted her to go ashore by herself at Bône dressed in boy’s clothing without an avuncular qualm,’ Lymond said. ‘I have nothing against her being attired in boy’s clothing in perpetuity if you feel it will protect her from an unsanctified bed.’
Jerott said, his face flushed, ‘In any case, I’m afraid I don’t care, Francis, to take the responsibility——’
‘L’amor’ è cieco y rede niente,’ said Marthe. ‘Ma non son’ cieche Valtre gente. He wants to stay with Mr Crawford.’
Jerott’s voice was stony. ‘I am prepared to go wherever I can be of most help. I meant only that I expect to be too occupied to give the attention I ought to Mile Marthe’s safety. I think M. Gaultier should come with us.’
‘Then who,’ said Lymond agreeably, ‘do you suggest looks after the spinet?’
‘Onophrion?’
‘Jerott,’ said Lymond, with the thinnest edge beginning to show in his voice. ‘I am taking the Dauphiné and all the appurtenances of a royal bloody envoy because I am proposing if need be to mortgage the King of France down to the last bow on his mistress’s nightcap in order to get the Somerville child out of this safely, with the baby if possible. For that I need Onophrion. No one in the presence of Onophrion could take this embassy lightly. We shall proceed in state, carrying our riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and our treasures upon the bunches of camels. I require you, if you mean what you say about helping, to be a young ass in Aleppo, not Zakynthos.’
‘Excuse me,’ said Onophrion Zitwitz respectfully, and they all turned. ‘But there is always Mr Abernethy, I believe.’
‘Not this time,’ said Lymond shortly. ‘He left for Aleppo even before Gabriel died. Philippa knows the danger and may be able to protect the Zakynthos child, if she has found him when the news of Gabriel’s death reaches those parts. The other child, if possible, will have to be found before the news reaches his keepers.’
‘This child … the other child … do we understand,’ said Marthe, untying the ribbon in her bundled fair hair and letting it fall, smooth and swaying, over the thin, severely laced stuff of her dress, ‘that your late unhappy mistress had twins?’
Malevolent, Jerott opened his mouth; but Lymond was quicker. ‘You are not asked,’ he said briefly, ‘to understand either me or my late mistress. You are requested only to go to Aleppo. Do you wish to, or not?’
‘Are our wishes being