Queen's Play - Dorothy Dunnett [58]
‘What?’ Her deadened brain attempted to keep track with his.
‘That O’LiamRoe is being attacked because someone has mistaken him for me.’
There was a silence. His composure was quite unchanged. In face of it, Margaret struggled to remain matter-of-fact. ‘Of course. That must be it. But … the elephants stampeding was no accident? How can that be accounted for?’
‘It was organized,’ Lymond said. ‘The man who planned it was killed before he could speak. The man he paid to push out that hell-begotten whale knew nothing beyond his orders and will trouble us no more.… Which reminds me. O’LiamRoe and Dooly, as you know, are aware at least who I am. But if you, or Tom, or Jenny, or anyone connected with protecting the Queen should need help and you cannot find me, go and see Abernaci, the King’s Menagerie Keeper. He will do what he can. Meantime, we’ve two forms of incredibly careless plotting: one against O’LiamRoe, and one against the small Queen. In both, Destaiz, the dead man, was used. Everything has been done at second or third hand, and on a ridiculously distorted scale; as if by someone who had no means of scouring the alleyways for the usual paid assassin. A Destaiz presents himself, or some rogue of a captain; and the hint is dropped. If it is successful, so much the better. If it isn’t, there is no hurry, and plenty of money for next time.’
‘It may not be a person,’ said Margaret bluntly. ‘It may be a nation.’
Lymond smiled. ‘It leaps to the eye, doesn’t it? The obvious inspiration for both kinds of attack—anti-Irish, anti-Scottish—is England, and I’ve kept close to Mason to feel my way there. But he’s too patently anxious to have O’LiamRoe on his side; and anyone can see he’d be more valuable to England alive. Which leaves us in delicious confusion, with one good thing to look forward to, and one bad. It’s going to be hard to detect any attack on Queen Mary, because it won’t be blatant; every attempt so far has been made to look like an accident. On the other hand, O’LiamRoe is staying, which is helpful. Someone is bound to try to murder him again.’
It was said seriously, but she caught the glint in his eyes, and laughed. Then she sobered. ‘But are you sure The O’LiamRoe will choose to stay in France? Won’t he find it too humiliating? You will be with the Court, and he will be on the fringes.’
‘It needs a little energy to be humiliated,’ said Lymond dryly. ‘He will stay.’
Margaret was on her feet, making at last for the door, blind with fatigue. He was committed to help the Queen. She could report it thankfully to Tom before he left, to the Dowager, to her mother, and to all those in the Queen’s inner, most trusted circle with whom he would be working henceforth. Lymond had risen too, still talking, his face fine-drawn with tiredness.
Margaret Erskine spoke abruptly. ‘I seldom quote Tom, but not because he isn’t capable of producing hard common sense. He thinks you’re mad to tie yourself to O’LiamRoe. The Prince may be a wag, but he’s lazy and foolish and unreliable to boot. Tom says he’s so damned harmless he’ll kill you.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Lymond. ‘Why should I suffer moral blackmail and The O’LiamRoe escape unfettered? He is an educated man. He has a brain. He shall be made to use it. I shall make him drunk on the palm wine of power,’ said Lymond sweepingly, ‘until he falls out of his tree.’
Part Two
DANGEROUS JUGGLES
The person is exempt who multiplies the juggling spears up, or the juggling balls up. If they be dangerous juggles, there is a fine of foul-play for injuries for them. ‘Dangerous juggles’ means all juggles in which pointed or edged instruments are used.
I: Rouen to St. Germain: The Inexpugnable Drone
II: Blois: Red Tracks in the Wood
III: Aubigny: Boldness of Denial
IV: Blois: All the Mean Arts
V: Blois: Wickedness Is the Rule
VI: Blois: The Forfeited Feast
I
Rouen to St. Germain: