Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [102]
The engineer turned his gaudy cropped head. John le Grant was neat and quick as an acrobat. ‘Oh, now. He could get you made a knight too, very likely.’
Loppe, or Lopez, poked up the brazier and, arranging some cushions, lay down in its warmth. His ears had caught a sound. He said, ‘And he’s getting married. To the lady Primaflora, Master Thomas.’
‘No, I’m not,’ Nicholas said, coming in. He unbuckled and dropped his sword upon Loppe, who lifted an indolent hand and received it. Nicholas unshackled his chain, and bestowed it and his badge upon Tobie. Tobie picked up the badge and read the lettering.
‘To stay loyal,’ he said. ‘I always thought you ought to have it written down somewhere. And is there one for the wife?’
Nicholas looked down his nose, and then pushed back the brim of his beaver. ‘You’re jealous,’ he said. ‘Some of us are lucky, and some are just born to grind ointment. You came here, for God’s sake, because you thought I’d come to Queen Carlotta.’
‘No,’ said John le Grant. ‘We thought she’d been clever and kidnapped you. So what kept you then?’
‘That’s what King Luis was asking,’ Nicholas said. He unfastened his cloak and his doublet and, pulling a cushion from Loppe, spread himself with a sigh on the floor. ‘All through the banquet. I’m sorry you all missed the banquet. All through the banquet, he kept saying, “So why sail to Kolossi? Why not Kyrenia? And why not come to the Queen right away?” ’
‘And you said?’ asked le Grant.
‘Ask a silly question,’ Nicholas said. ‘Have you seen Primaflora? We got to Rhodes a month before we were ready, never mind Kyrenia.’
‘And King Luis believed you,’ said Tobie.
‘Well, I hope someone did,’ Nicholas said. ‘I went to the Palace to join the Queen’s party. I’m not going to complain if they make me King of the Bean as an extra.’
Tobie said, ‘I’m sure you aren’t. But you chose your side without consulting us. I don’t happen to be greatly interested in Carlotta of Cyprus.’
‘Well, that’s a relief,’ Nicholas said. ‘Anyone else?’
John le Grant said, ‘Have you chosen sides?’
Tobie looked at him. ‘According to Loppe, he swore fealty to the Queen and her consort.’ He turned slowly and stared at Nicholas. ‘Or were you playing again? An oath doesn’t matter?’
‘I’ve chosen sides,’ Nicholas said. ‘But I needn’t commit you. You can go home. You can stay with the Order. If it matters, you’ll be paid for all the time you have spent. I didn’t expect you to follow me. I’m glad that you did. But now the choice has to be yours.’
They all gazed at him. Tobie said, ‘In Bruges, you spoke to Anselm Adorne. He’s watching the Charetty girls. You want to befriend the Genoese for some purpose?’
Nicholas said, ‘That would be difficult. I was abducted by Venice. I’ve reached an agreement with Venice. Anyone who wants to be a rich villain will have to fight with me on the same side as the Venetian interests. Anyone who wants to be chivalrous, of course, ought to choose either the Queen or the Hospitallers. As a knight, I could explain all the finer points.’
Tobie laid down the chain and the badge and folded his pale, furry arms over his doublet. ‘May I summarise? You’ve accepted a knighthood and sworn to be loyal to Carlotta. You propose to serve not the Queen but her opponents the Venetians. Last year, you declined to work with the Venetians. The Venetians abducted you and now you’ve let them untie your buskins and marry you. What has changed? How and why are you going to serve them?’
‘I don’t propose to serve them at all,’ Nicholas said. ‘I propose to abstract their sugar trade and their dyeworks and anything else they leave lying about when they have to go off and make war on Turkey. The person I propose to be paid by is Carlotta’s bastard brother, King Zacco.’
The brazier whispered, and the voices of servants could be heard through the thick walls. Tobie said, ‘You’ve met him.’
‘Yes,’ said Nicholas.
‘And he gave you a knighthood?’
‘A fief, and a house in Nicosia. Also control of the royal dyeworks, and the sugar franchise of Kouklia and Akhelia.