Scales of Gold - Dorothy Dunnett [69]
He and the padre often supported each other, Nicholas noticed, since Venice. Since Venice Gregorio, always agile-minded and effective, had developed in range, in curiosity, in confidence. Now he might find it less easy to slip into the quiet ways of the past, playing music or cards, or talking dreamily under the starlight. And Godscalc, pursuing his own dogged course, had encouraged him. The harshness Nicholas had met in San Michele had hardened into something to be watched. Only once, in the tavern, had Godscalc allowed him a measure of the protective friendship he had had as a boy. But that was all right. No one owed anything to a banker; and vice versa, of course.
Gregorio continued to talk. ‘Of course, there’s no law that says you’ve got to take up Simon’s challenge. You can land the ladies and Diniz and sail.’
‘Leaving Simon free to sell to whom he pleases,’ Godscalc commented. His knife, upright in his fist, had two sardines on it. ‘Something Nicholas had expected to prevent, I deduce, given three days with the volatile Lucia.’
‘There is that,’ Nicholas said. As it happened, he had wished himself alone from pure impulse: a desire to board his virgin ship free of memories, and threatened only by the violence of Nature.
‘Am I wrong?’ Godscalc said. There was no escape: his expression was heavy and mutinous.
‘And you a priest?’ Nicholas said. ‘But assuming I do want St Pol & Vasquez, wouldn’t it make better sense to let Simon and Lucia sell, if they want to, and take the company over myself once I have money enough? On the whole, I’d rather fight the Vatachino than Simon.’
‘Perhaps the Vatachino won’t succeed in getting it,’ Gregorio said.
Nicholas said, ‘You’ve met David de Salmeton. He’ll do what I’d do. Buy from Lucia on her own. Or allow Simon to sell, and then buy from the buyer. Don’t you know yet what we’re dealing with? Did you never wonder why the Vatachino haven’t interfered with us, or the Ciaretti, since Venice?’
‘You’ve been too well protected,’ said Loppe.
‘And at Ceuta, you covered your tracks,’ said the priest. ‘They’re not miracle men. De Salmeton didn’t know you were on the Ciaretti, and she sailed without warning. They always do, for fear of corsairs.’
‘Oh, come,’ Nicholas said. ‘The Ciaretti leaves, and I disappear? It would take four days to discover I wasn’t in Lisbon, and no time at all to find out what her cargo was, and therefore where she must be going. Diniz and the Doria were both in Ceuta: it was a reasonable guess that I was going to try for them both. But de Salmeton didn’t send to warn either Governor, or try to stop either ship.’
‘Perhaps he had other ideas,’ Gregorio said. ‘If he knows where she is, the Doria may not be at Sanlúcar very much longer.’
‘I’ll be surprised,’ Nicholas said. ‘She’s extraordinarily well protected, and he can have very few men at his command.’
‘Perhaps that’s why he didn’t stop you?’ said Gregorio. ‘Suppose all he’s really concerned with is taking over St Pol & Vasquez, and your absence gave him the chance to slip off to Madeira and do it?’
‘Then why not have me caught and imprisoned?’ Nicholas said. ‘Why not send a warning to Ceuta?’
He was watching Loppe, who suddenly answered. ‘Because he has made up his mind that you will take Diniz to Africa.’ It was not what Nicholas had expected.
‘No, surely,’ said Godscalc.
‘I wonder,’ said Nicholas. ‘I wonder if that’s what he is counting on.’ He had stopped looking at Loppe.
‘Why?’ said Gregorio.
Loppe was silent. Godscalc drew an angry breath. Nicholas said, ‘On the chance that we’d both find the source of the gold. Get to Ethiopia, even. Then on the way back, something would happen to me, and to Diniz, if it hadn’t happened already. Then he’d salvage the ships and the gold and end up with St Pol & Vasquez. I told you. They’re exquisite adversaries.’
‘You like them,’ said Godscalc.
‘I admire them. Different thing,’ Nicholas said. He thought Godscalc would corner him afterwards and deliver a lecture, but he didn’t. He remembered, belatedly, that he had