Pawn in Frankincense - Dorothy Dunnett [57]
‘I really must see that our flags are better lit,’ said Lymond, smiling. He had not asked either the master or M. Gaultier to be present, and Onophrion had taken it on himself to serve the three men, half filling their glasses with malmsey, to allow for the shallow swing of the boat, and refilling attentively. Jerott, with admiration, watched M. Strozzi drain his second considerable offering before Lymond added, still smiling, ‘But how surprising that, knowing your inestimable value, the Emperor should not have tried to entice you under his banner, despite your past unpleasant estrangements …’
The dark, round-eyed face, with its sleek beard and its two Cellini gold earrings, shone with innocent joy. ‘But you are perspicacious! The Commander de Martines brought me such an offer: a safe-conduct from the Emperor; permission to land in all Sicilian ports; an income of twelve thousand crowns every year with command of twelve galleys, and the position of Admiral when Andrea Doria shall die.’
‘You refused?’ said Lymond.
‘Hah!’ The gold earrings swung. ‘This summer, I take prizes of one hundred thousand crowns at sea for myself.’ He paused. ‘In any case, how could I accept? I who had sworn never to attack my beloved France, however she may have treated me; and whose first duty lies with my Order? … I took my Order’s advice. In fact, I presented my Order with a gift, an ornament for the altar of St Mary at Philermo, Mr Blyte. I had it made in Messina, and I could ill afford it.’ (Jerott saw Lymond’s eyebrows lift high and stared solemnly at his wine.) ‘It bore,’ said Leone Strozzi with reverence, ‘the words of St John. You recall? He came unto his own, and his own received him not.’
‘Ut ameris Amabilis esto.… And this had an instant effect?’
‘The Grand Master refused to see me,’ said Strozzi. ‘At the time. But today—today I have received a message. I have powerful friends on Malta. I am told that if I land without warning none will prevent me, and my friends will see that I have the honour due to me. I shall return in triumph. I shall bring the Order power and riches; I shall restore it to its former position in the sight of men, and I shall so arm its defences that no Turk will dare sail within sight of Gozo or Malta.…’
‘Grand Master de Homedes is an old man,’ said Lymond. ‘The Order owes itself a vigorous hand at the helm.’
He spoke calmly, as always, and Leone Strozzi’s darkly animated face showed no dramatic change of expression. But Jerott Blyth, listening, suddenly caught the drift of this conversation and, after staring blankly for a moment at Lymond, abruptly drank off all his wine.
Soft-footed, Onophrion refilled his glass and the Prior’s, and paused beside Lymond. Francis Crawford put the flat of his hand over his untouched glass and added, ‘There cannot be a great deal of competition?’
The Prior put both his strong, short-fingered hands round his goblet and said, ‘Jean de la Valette. Romegas perhaps. De la Sengle; but he is abroad. No. These are gallant Knights all, but the Grand Mastership does not mean a great deal to them. To be head of the Order is a terrible and a lonely position to which not many aspire. It troubles me that sometimes a man may aspire, and prevail, for unworthy reasons.’
‘Surely not,’ said Jerott, and took a long drink.
There was a little silence. ‘I hear,’ said Leone Strozzi, Prior of Capua, at length, ‘that you have certain papers …’
Lymond’s blue gaze did not leave him. ‘I carry some papers concerning the Order, that is true. I am unhappily discredited myself on Malta at present, and have no means of delivering them to the right quarter.’
‘Let us be plain,’ said Leone Strozzi. ‘These papers concern Graham Reid Malett?’
‘By all means, let us be plain,’ said Lymond. ‘They contain a fully attested indictment against Graham Reid Malett’s conduct