Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [309]
‘You’ll get bacon for supper,’ said the Patriarch of Antioch. ‘They do well with pigs around here. Wheat, when the river behaves. Peas. Lentils. Chickpeas. Olives. Carobs. Onions. We do a big trade in onions. Nice, lush country up by Kythrea, too. If he’s giving you Sigouri and Prastio, hold out for Palekythro. Fine sugarcane round about there, and it’s upriver from me. You can keep these rascals away from my water rights. Of course, he may change his mind about where he wants you.’
‘The King?’ Nicholas said.
‘He’ll find out now how much help he’ll need in Nicosia. And William will need to be off, smarming over the Sultan in Cairo. We did a good job over Uzum Hasan,’ said the Patriarch.
‘We?’ said Nicholas.
‘Well, Venice worked like rats on a wheel to get Uzum to rise against Constantinople. That was last year. He didn’t. You got hold of him through Damascus and Karaman, and I did my bit. He didn’t fight for us either, but he might. A combined Turcoman and Ethiopian army would have given them all something to think about. Well, better luck next time. To get the Mamelukes done for was something.’
John said, ‘Venice was in parley with Uzum Hasan? So they might have … suggested the Trebizond letter?’
‘We’re all sobbing over the late pervert the Emperor David?’ The Patriarch jerked a soiled thumb at Nicholas. ‘Could be his fault. Could be my fault. Maybe Zorzi suggested it, the famous letter that killed him, or Corner, or one of these wives that our Niccolò can’t keep his hands off. Legitimate gamble: God allows you to use any tool against Turks. Look at Abul Ismail.’
John’s voice clashed with that of Nicholas, speaking softly. Nicholas said, ‘Who betrayed Abul Ismail? Was it Markios?’
‘Of course. It was time to get rid of the Mamelukes. The Palace knew you could help them to do it. They didn’t expect you to deal with Uzum Hasan, but they knew you’d make for the emir as soon as Famagusta was free, and whatever you did might be worked up into some sort of rising. His head in a pig trough, rumour has it. Well, you got the doctor’s skull off as well, but don’t pine over it. He’d already made his preferences clear, and Tzani-bey wouldn’t have let him survive. Also, there are worse ways than taking off heads. I’ll tell you some of them, when we’re not having bacon.’
They arrived shortly after; and had the bacon in the course of a remarkably good meal, during which Nicholas fell asleep. His host, continuing to talk, paid no attention to him. At the end he slammed down his knife and said, ‘Bed. I hold prayers at dawn. Then I’ll go with you to Nicosia.’ His eyes followed John’s to the table where Nicholas remained among the darkened candles, his head resting on his crossed arms.
The Patriarch said, ‘Leave him. He’s warm, he’s in shelter, he’s got food inside him. Zacco says he’s got himself surrounded by grandmothers. You’ve got better sense.’
‘We have a working partnership,’ said John le Grant.
‘Then keep him stretched,’ said Ludovico da Bologna. ‘Make him work that busy mind till he sweats. Oppose him. Challenge him. Fill him with acid. Then no one will make a meal of him before we find out what he’s good for. Have I wakened you?’
A hazy sound emerged from the table. Without enthusiasm, Nicholas slowly unfolded, set his elbows apart, and propped his head on his hands with his eyes shut. He said, ‘I got to where he had to stretch me in acid.’
‘Well, I’m glad you’re awake,’ said the Patriarch of Antioch. ‘Prayers at dawn, did you hear? Then we go to Nicosia. Master John can go straight to the villa, but I have to take you to the Palace. After, on second thoughts, you’ve been to the villa. In those clothes, you’d stink the place out.’
Nicholas had opened his eyes. He said, ‘You have to take me? Who arranged that?’
‘I could make you guess, but I won’t. The lady Marietta, crudely referred to as Cropnose. She wants to talk about the Adorno.’
Nicholas