Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [103]
John le Grant said, ‘You’d lose the Queen’s money, your knighthood, your wife. You sealed a contract today.’
‘King of the Bean,’ Nicholas repeated helpfully. ‘Incantations, cauldrons and mirrors. It was all an illusion.’
‘Luis thought it was genuine,’ said Loppe softly. ‘And the Order will think so. She stole you from them.’
One of Astorre’s ears had been torn off long ago at the lobe. When concentrating, he proceeded, as now, to finger it. He said, ‘I’d prefer the Order to Zacco. I wouldn’t fight under Mamelukes.’
‘I’ve arranged that,’ Nicholas said. ‘You would fight under me, and I should answer directly to Zacco, as does the Mameluke leader Tzani-bey al-Ablak. That way, you won’t get the blame when I kill him.’
Astorre’s good eye narrowed as much as his sewn one. John le Grant said, ‘Really? So what has this Tzani-bey done?’
‘Killed some cats,’ Nicholas said. ‘You were willing to fight under Uzum Hasan. The Mamelukes are not very different. They’ll leave the island when Zacco possesses it. And he will. With or without us, Carlotta can’t keep it.’
Thomas looked at Astorre. He said, ‘Captain?’
Astorre grunted. ‘I don’t greatly fancy Hospitallers, and the Genoese make me sick. All things being equal, I’d sooner work to a man. That is, the late demoiselle was exceptional.’
‘I know. John? You’ve worked to a Genoese officer.’
‘And I had a grandfather who took fees from the Order in Scotland. Forbye, my mother’s a woman,’ said the engineer. ‘Maybe I ought to branch out and try this lad Zacco. I’ve a question. What about yon lord Simon’s family? The Vasquez pair? His lady wife Katelina? She got us shut up. So why did she let Queen Carlotta enrol us? And an order of chivalry, to my mind, is not what she’d like to hang round your neck.’
‘She wasn’t there,’ Nicholas said. ‘After all, the Queen badly wants us, and she isn’t likely to let the lady Katelina stand in her way. I don’t know where Katelina may be, but at least the Vasquez pair are going home. I discussed it with the Queen. She thinks they can sail with Ludovico da Bologna.’
The red herring failed to work. Naturally, it failed to work because Tobie, alone of all the men there, knew exactly what he had done to Katelina. Tobie said, ‘If you’re getting rid of people, why not Katelina? She’s going to spoil your plans if she can; I can’t imagine why. Don’t you think she and that God-awful friar would be good for one another? Is he really here?’
‘There are six of him,’ Nicholas said. ‘That’s why we keep meeting him everywhere. I’ll be lucky to get rid of the Vasquez, never mind their good-sister and aunt Katelina. The lady won’t go while we’re here.’
‘So what’s she plotting?’ said John le Grant.
‘Nothing that can’t be dealt with,’ said Nicholas comfortably. He avoided Tobie’s eye, and tried not to feel anger with Tobie. ‘I’ll tell you my guess, if you like. Then you tell me if you want to join Zacco and his Egyptian hordes. Then we plan something jolly to fill in the few days before the Queen has second thoughts. And then I want your advice about my impending marriage.’
Tobie’s face was pink as a cochineal mouse. He said, ‘I’m always ready with tips. So now you want Primaflora? Astorre says she’s a courtesan.’
Nicholas said, ‘I’ve got her, haven’t I? But the Queen is insisting on marriage.’
‘I don’t suppose,’ Tobie said, ‘that the Sword is a celibate order? You could join the Hospitallers.’
‘Think again,’ Nicholas said.
‘I have thought,’ Tobie said. ‘I have the perfect solution. Introduce her to Katelina van Borselen. She’ll see you dead before she lets you remarry.’
‘I’ll think about it,’ Nicholas said. ‘It’s drastic. It might end up with a massacre, like the cats and the emir. Perhaps I ought to woo the Fairy Melusine instead and be done with it.’
‘The Fairy Melusine? Who’s she?’ said Tobie.
‘Oho,’ said Nicholas mildly. ‘Ask Ludovico da Bologna, next time you see him.’
Chapter 16
IN HER STUFFY, leased house in the Chora, Katelina van Borselen impatiently fulfilled her duties to Tristão Vasquez, her husband’s kinsman and partner. The boy, who