Scales of Gold - Dorothy Dunnett [119]
‘Of course, no. With Messer – Ser Vasquez, if he would do us the honour.’
‘I am afraid,’ said Gelis van Borselen, turning sideways, ‘I go nowhere without female companionship. I shall stay with Mistress Bel.’
‘But bring Mistress Bel!’ cried the commander.
To the uninitiated, the deck of the Fortado appeared in good order: it was clean and trim, its awnings in decent repair, and the flask of wine produced for Diniz and the ladies was a good one, and very likely, thought Diniz, one of their last. He had a feeling the crew were below decks with a skin of Baobab juice. He wondered how many crew there still were. Raffaelo Doria said, ‘You are interested, Senhor Vasquez, in our repairs?’
‘You have had some damage, monseigneur?’ said Diniz. ‘We ran aground on a sandbank ourselves. It is easily done.’
‘There’s a tassel off their shades,’ said Mistress Bel. ‘When I’m more myself, I’d be pleased to bring over my needle.’
‘Why, thank you,’ said Raffaelo Doria. ‘We are not in parade order, I fear. We were attacked – you didn’t know? – and had to resort to some patching. Fortunately, we had a veteran of such matters aboard. You know him, I believe?’ He waved his hand. A head appeared above the forward hatch and a big, thick-built man with fair hair emerged with composure and approached, rolling slightly with the tilt of the deck.
It was Michael Crackbene, once sailing-master to Nicholas, who had taken Jordan de Ribérac’s money and helped Jordan bring Diniz from Cyprus. For nine months, Diniz had hated Michael Crackbene, but of course he was old enough, now, not to show it. He said, ‘You found someone to give you a job.’
‘Is it all kinds of repairs?’ said Bel of Cuthilgurdy. ‘There’s a patch-stitch I’m fond of myself, but I’d rather not show you just now. I think it’s the shellfish.’
‘Master Nicholas isn’t with you?’ said Crackbene. He bowed to the company and, on Doria’s instruction, found a seat. His eyes, discovering Gelis, rested on her with something like amazement.
‘Happily not,’ said Gelis van Borselen. ‘Indeed, I think we too may have to relieve you of our company. From what Diniz tells me, I prefer not to stay in Master Crackbene’s vicinity.’
‘Why, I am sorry to hear that,’ said Raffaelo Doria. ‘Is it because of his appropriation of the Doria? You may not know that the ship belonged to Jordan de Ribérac in the first instance, and was annexed by your rash young knight Niccolò. After, I am sorry to say, causing the death of a distant cousin of mine, Pagano Doria. Am I right, Crackbene?’
‘To the letter, my lord,’ said Michael Crackbene. ‘That was when she changed her name to Doria from Ribérac. And is now known as the Ghost.’
‘There is a ship called the Ghost in these parts,’ Gelis said. ‘We saw her at Arguim. You mean that is the same ship as your Doria?’
‘Well, hardly,’ said Diniz. ‘If you mean the red roundship that started at Funchal. She’s nothing like the Doria, and I ought to know, I suppose.’
‘I’m not so sure,’ said Raffaelo Doria thoughtfully. ‘Ships are easy to alter superficially. A look inside her would soon tell the truth.’
‘I’m fairly sure it was the shellfish,’ said his oldest guest. ‘Maybe a drop more of your Madeira?’
Crackbene poured it. ‘Certainly, a look inside would be interesting. I, for example, am convinced that it was the Ghost and her guns which attacked us.’
‘You aren’t sure?’ Diniz said. ‘Why, was it at night? Then it probably wasn’t the Ghost. I told the agent at Arguim I saw a white roundship the previous day with some nasty armament on her.’
‘Indeed, Senhor Diniz?’ said Michael Crackbene. ‘It makes you wonder where she was provisioning. My difficulty is that the ship which attacked us appeared – I may be wrong – appeared to carry not only Master Nicholas, but your good self. With a hackbut.’
‘Crivens!’ said Mistress Bel. ‘Mind you, there’s a lot of them about. I’ve shot them myself, in my time. Gelis, I’ll need to excuse myself.’
There was a wave of suppressed embarrassment. Gelis said, ‘I’ll come with you,’ and got up.
The commander rose also. He said, ‘I am sorry. The