Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [155]
The captain of Famagusta had flushed. He said, ‘The lord king is generous. I accept, with gratitude.’
‘Are we generous?’ said the King. ‘We think you will come to doubt it. Now, another matter. You see here Messer Niccolò and his men?’
‘I do,’ said Lomellini. He frowned.
The young man on the throne settled himself, as if in enjoyment. ‘Messer Niccolò and his army have been in Rhodes. When found, they were on their way to Kyrenia to fight for our sister. This is true?’
‘It is true,’ said Lomellini.
‘You murmur,’ said the King. ‘Is it true?’
‘Yes, it is so,’ said Lomellini. He kept his eyes on the King.
‘And,’ said the King, ‘they entered the service of the lady Carlotta of their own accord, and without outside compulsion?’
Lomellini’s face was still flushed, but his square jaw was firm. He said, ‘The man Niccolò received a knighthood and swore an oath of loyalty to Queen Carlotta. There was no compulsion. Ask your emir. He was in no doubt which side this army would fight on.’
‘We are asking our emir,’ said James de Lusignan. ‘My lord Tzani-bey, you may stand.’
The Mameluke rose, not quite hiding his stiffness, and divided his black stare between the King and the Genoese. He said, ‘I made pretence of dealing harshly with the Fleming, my lord King. I admit to causing some injury. It was necessary. As you see, any suspicion of leniency would have been dangerous.’
The eyes of the Genoese switched from the King to the emir, and then rested on Nicholas. He said, ‘This man is the Queen’s. I have told you. If you think anything else, you are mistaken.’
Zacco smiled. ‘We are so often mistaken. We are fortunate in having men around us to tell us the truth. At times, even a half-truth may content us for the moment. My lord emir, we think we have detained you long enough. We have heard what you have to say. We suggest that on another occasion, you heed our instructions more carefully. You may leave us.’
The Mameluke bowed, stepping backwards; and again; and again; before he turned and left the hall. But as he passed Nicholas, he sought his eyes and, for a moment, held them boldly with something in them not far short of derision. The door closed at his back, and men stirred.
On the throne, the King had also moved. With the robe discarded behind him, he stood on the dais for a moment, and then ran down the steps like an athlete. Before he reached the carpet, Nicholas knelt. The King stopped and touched his shoulder, keeping him there. Then he turned his head to Lomellini. ‘Ser Napoleone, you serve your Republic as best you can, and we do not blame you for the lies you have told. But it happens that we know of the oath sworn to our sister, and the circumstances which forced Ser Niccolò and his army to leave Rhodes to sail to Kyrenia. We know because a message was sent us by Ser Niccolò himself assuring us of his loyalty and asking our help to bring him to us.’
‘This we have done.’ He looked down, and spoke directly to Nicholas. ‘We made a mistake, sending the emir. He was officious. He was afraid, for your own sake, to appear as your friend. So you were not told that the Florentine ship had arrived with your letter; or that Rizzo here has been haunting the Rhodes seas awaiting you. If you cannot forgive the lord emir, I trust you will accept our apologies.’
Nicholas smiled, his eyes on the ground. He said, ‘With all my heart, my lord King. It was, at the same time, an unforgettable journey.’
‘A fearful one, we can see. For, of course,’ the King said, ‘had you truly set out for Kyrenia, we should have sent to kill you all. As it is, you may stand.’
Nicholas stood. Of the two, he was slightly taller. He felt he had no advantage. ‘As it is,’ Zacco repeated, ‘you have presented us with a ship full of merchandise, which we shall certainly take. Of arms, which we shall be glad of. There are merchants, we believe, with their ladies, and officers of my sister’s whom we have a mind to free and have taken, under suitable escort, to enter the gates of Kyrenia or of Famagusta, as they may wish. And, since we respect