Scales of Gold - Dorothy Dunnett [103]
‘Waiting for us?’ Nicholas said. The deck tilted beneath them: the helmsman, in the absence of orders, was holding the Ghost to her course. He could do little else; the stream gave him no room to turn.
‘Expecting us? No. But waiting for us now, to find out why we are here. What do you wish, Senhor Niccolò, my dear? We can kedge ourselves backwards, but it will be slow. We can advance close to the island and then turn and come out by the western channel the San Niccolò used – but that would bring us under our royal friend’s guns. Or we could go in and befool them.’
‘Let’s go in and befool them,’ Nicholas said.
He and Ochoa went off. Sent below to the wainscoted cabin, Diniz talked and Gelis listened with patience. He ended, ‘I don’t know what Nicholas plans. He’ll tell us. He’s coming. We mustn’t be seen. A boat has put off from the island already with armed soldiers in it.’ He couldn’t understand why she didn’t show fear. From her face, you would think she was happy.
She was happy. She said, ‘Have you unpacked yet? I have.’ She tilted her head, looking at him with a kind of sympathetic affection. ‘Hadn’t you realised yet? Your poor horses. But of course – now nothing or no one can land.’
She wasn’t quite accurate. Aboard the Portuguese crown caravel Corpus Dei, Ochoa de Marchena, wearing a deceased notary’s mud-coloured doublet, made sure of that, in a glistening outfall of froth. Water, he explained, was all that he wanted. Half his casks had been broached, and he still had to sail down past Cape Verde to provision the isle of Sao Tiago. No mainland trading allowed or intended, although he wouldn’t say no to some mutton. They were dead sick of tunny, his crewmen.
He didn’t convince the royal captain immediately. The captain proposed to visit the Ghost (currently flying a Genoese flag), but the resident factor thought it unnecessary. The resident factor throughout had looked glum. Then Ochoa’s trading had come under review, and he had to display the fine receipt for his horses. He thought it right, then, to mention the white roundship they’d seen, chasing after a Portuguese caravel. The Fortado, he thought she was called, but he couldn’t go to her help, not with all that water to pump. But the casks were sound now. Repaired and sound and ready for water …
The explosion of a successful Ochoa returning on board was heard everywhere on the Ghost, including the wainscoted cabin. A few minutes later, Nicholas entered and, closing the door, sat down and looked from Diniz to the girl, whose smile was like the snap of a thumb in his face. Then he spoke.
‘You know the Niccolò’s gone, so that I can’t land you through her. I can’t openly land you from the Ghost. I can, however, get you ashore in the boats we are sending for water. Once there, you’d have to hide until the Corpus Dei has decided to leave; then the Arguim factor would take care of you. He’s been paid. He’d see you got to Madeira.’
‘Are you talking to me?’ Gelis said.
‘Yes,’ said Nicholas. ‘But Diniz would have to go with you. I think I must be honest and say that I don’t want him to go, but you need the protection. I must also be honest and say that I did once want you to stay, but not now. I can’t see matters healing between us, and I don’t think we should try. You have your own life to pick up. And truly, I cannot take you where we are going: I can’t leave you alone on the Ghost; I can’t send the Niccolò home with nothing accomplished; I can’t take you into the interior. So I beg you, go ashore; and go home.’
The smile was still there, and unchanged. ‘A speech,’ she said.
‘I have nothing to gain by it,’ he said.
‘You said you did,’ Gelis said. ‘But I don’t mind at all if we upset one another. That’s why I’m here.’
While they spoke, men ran about overhead; there was nervous shouting, and the creaking of tackle. The first boat was launched with a splash. From below came the rumble of barrels. Diniz stood. He said, ‘Gelis. I have clothes that might fit. Push your