Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [211]
‘To hide and kill you?’ said John le Grant. As sometimes happened, the mask of his freckles seemed to obliterate his features. He said, ‘You’re all thumbs with that woman. You were both in Kouklia.’
It was neither a question nor quite a comment. When nothing more came, Nicholas said, ‘I didn’t touch her in Kouklia.’
‘Then you’re a fool,’ said John le Grant. ‘Or you wanted to frighten her. Did you? Whom did you touch, that could have sickened her of the whole vendetta?’
‘I don’t remember. It was dark,’ Nicholas said. He made a great effort, and kept his voice civilised. He said, ‘I hope she has left the island. It wouldn’t be difficult. She knew ships called from time to time, and the Order would be friendly and, of course, the Martini. If she was really determined, the Martini would help her leave Cyprus.’
John le Grant uncrossed his arms and stretching a finger, hooked up the medallion of the Sword on its ribbon. It hung, revolving one way and then the other. He said, ‘And would they send her to Portugal?’
‘If there was a ship,’ Nicholas said. ‘If there was, she and Diniz would be on it. If there wasn’t, they would both end up very likely in Rhodes. Katelina would go where she thought the boy was. Rhodes is friendly, and near, and they could wait for a ship of the Order.’
‘Then that would be all right, wouldn’t it?’ said the engineer. In some ways, Nicholas was glad it was John le Grant he was having this conversation with: in other ways it was awkward. Nicholas said, ‘It depends. I don’t think Carlotta or the Genoese or the Order would harm her.’
‘Even if she took cuttings?’ le Grant said. ‘That was what it was all about, wasn’t it? The Vasquez family were taking cane and vine cuttings to Madeira. Fine for the Genoese and the Portugese, but not so good for the people whose crops here were their livelihood. But could she get cuttings away from Episkopi?’
‘Probably,’ Nicholas said. ‘Especially if the Martini were to help her.’
‘But –’ said John le Grant and stopped. Then he said, ‘The Martini are Venetians as well. You mean they’d take her to Rhodes, and see the cuttings never got there? Or see that she never got there?’
‘They’d see she got there,’ said Nicholas. ‘If that’s how it happened, she’ll be there, safe and well.’
They looked at one another. John le Grant said, ‘Until you follow her, and get rid of the cuttings? As you did with the Vasquez? It’ll spoil your sugar business as well if Madeira becomes the new source of supply for the Western world.’
Nicholas said nothing.
The engineer said, ‘If she’s in Rhodes, you will follow her. And that’s what the Venetians want. They want you out of Cyprus, away from Kouklia, away from the dyeworks, away from Zacco. You said it yourself. Kyrenia’s going to fall; the starving of Famagusta is planned for. Cyprus is saved for the Venetians, but the Venetians don’t want the royal franchises to stay with a mercenary. Especially the Martini, who had it before. If she’s in Rhodes, and you follow her there, then you’re done for.’
‘So I don’t follow her,’ Nicholas said. ‘She stays, being expensively quartered in Rhodes, and the gallant Simon finally comes to collect her. I think it’s a perfect solution.’
There was another busy silence. ‘But,’ said John le Grant at length, ‘you’re going to Nicosia, and possibly south?’
‘To make sure she is in Rhodes or in Portugal. Yes. You have it,’ Nicholas said. ‘Now can I get out? There’s a hell of a party going on over there, and I’ve not had so much as a pistachio nut.’ He didn’t feel like another staring match, so he lowered his lids and got up and stalked out of the tent, leaving John le Grant, if he wanted, to follow. And before John, of the devious