Race of Scorpions - Dorothy Dunnett [80]
‘I think I have heard of him,’ Nicholas said.
Re-entering the castle, he ached as if he had been abused again. He found his room, and lying down, attempted to think. Unless he did something quickly, disaster faced him both here and on Rhodes. Here, because John of Kinloch would warn the Vasquez of the vendetta between Simon and Nicholas, and advise the Knights that, pursuing it, Nicholas was unlikely to side with Carlotta. And on Rhodes, because Simon was waiting there. If Nicholas went to collect his army, he couldn’t avoid him. And Simon, too, would be sure that Nicholas had arrived for no other reason than to bring down both the Queen and St Pol & Vasquez.
He must go to Rhodes. Without clear direction, Astorre could fall prey to either party without him. It seemed to Nicholas that he could deal with Simon – perhaps – when he landed on Rhodes, for he had Primaflora, whose goodwill was becoming his greatest asset. On the other hand, he must silence the chaplain. He wondered with uncharacteristic bitterness why his game should be spoiled at the outset by the hand which, always, came over his shoulder and changed the pieces. Taking up the thread of his life, he had stumbled upon an amusement, an interest, even an absorption. He had abandoned Bruges, and Geneva, and Venice. But the past had risen up once more to frighten and plague him.
That night, rival of Diniz as he was not, he spent with Primaflora; and by morning, his stiffness had gone. By then, she knew all that he needed to tell her, except for one thing. He kept that till morning. Then he said, ‘The Portuguese.’
She was smoothing her own breast with his hand. ‘Yes?’ she said.
‘Their name is Vasquez.’
‘That is so. Tristão and Diniz. You know them?’
‘I know who they are. They don’t know me or my name, and it’s important they don’t find out any more about me. Unfortunately, John of Kinloch is in a position to tell them. If he does, it could spoil all our plans.’
‘How?’ She closed his fingers over the tip of her breast and watched the tip rise to fill them.
‘It relates to an old feud. It doesn’t matter. But it could lead both Master John and the Portuguese to deduce that I wasn’t interested in Carlotta or Madeira or Genoa. They might advise the Knights that I am probably working for Zacco. And the Knights might keep me from leaving.’
She said, ‘I thought you hadn’t decided yet who you were working for.’ This time, she had arranged his hand somewhere else, making him jerk. His concentration broke, for a moment.
‘After last night?’ Nicholas said. ‘I thought it was all too clear who I was working for. To the bone. This morning also, I notice. Christ Jesus. Unless you stop, Mass will take place without us.’
She said, ‘I have my own way of praying. So what can be done about Father John?’ She lay still.
‘Very little,’ Nicholas said, ‘without more help than we have at present.’ He gazed at her, lying still. He said, ‘Where is the Doria?’
She removed and laid down his hand and sat up with a sharpness of manner she rarely showed. ‘You have lost me my mood. The Doria? Probably in Episkopi Bay. Why? You want to kidnap poor Father John?’
He halted then, and said, ‘You’re right. This has nothing to do with you.’ But when he moved towards her, she stopped him.
‘I want all of your attention, not half of it. Go on. Go on. I am truly listening.’
So he smiled and, sitting too, said, ‘I prefer the sweet after the savoury. And it’s best that you know. It really would be inconvenient if Father John met me and spoke to the Vasquez. It would be an extremely gentle detention. If he doesn’t see me, he will never know who was responsible.’
She said, ‘The Knights might mention your name. Wouldn’t they miss him?’
‘He has arranged to be away for four days. Will they be concerned if he is absent for longer? I doubt,’ Nicholas said, ‘if Father John plays a formidable part in their