Scales of Gold - Dorothy Dunnett [96]
He didn’t know what to expect. In fact Diniz jerked up his head on hearing his voice, sending the bowl of pink water surging over the cabin and splashing the girl with its contents. Diniz exclaimed, ‘She says we fired first, and I missed it! She says the mizzenmast broke, and the poop was wrecked. He must be dead. You must have killed half of them.’
‘I didn’t mean to kill any of them,’ Nicholas said. ‘It was Ochoa’s idea.’
He turned his eyes from the flushed face of Diniz to the girl. Her hair ruffled, her hood fallen back, she looked as composed as a tall marble caryatid, undisturbed by battle or gunfire, far less her recent feminine company. She said, ‘From what you say, it was just as well he conceived it. There was a man on the Fortado who knew you both?’
‘He may not have seen us,’ said Nicholas. ‘In any case –’
‘He’s probably dead,’ Diniz repeated. The bandage-end, not yet neatened, hung rakishly over one cheek in a style reminiscent of one of Ochoa de Marchena’s confections.
Nicholas said, ‘In the name of hell, what has come over you? You were excessively lofty about the Lalaing brothers calling out Arabs in Ceuta, but you don’t seem to have many qualms about Christians.’
Diniz said, ‘I suppose the Genoese in Famagusta weren’t Christians!’ Then he sucked in his breath.
Nicholas swore. Gelis said, ‘How exciting. I can’t remember when I last debated religion. I think Diniz is right.’
Diniz said, ‘I shouldn’t have spoken.’
‘Why not?’ said Gelis van Borselen. ‘We mustn’t lose sight of the wider issues. Involuntary martyrdom of its nature is sad, but consider the souls you will proceed to encounter and save, now this man and his friends can’t denounce you.’
‘They can’t anyway,’ Nicholas said. ‘Even if they speak from their coffins. There is no way they can get to Arguim before us. Can I finish that for you?’
She had begun to tie the end of the bandage, forcing Diniz’ glowering face down. She turned her head from left to right slowly. Diniz said, ‘If we hadn’t fired first, they’d have killed us.’
He wasn’t speaking to Gelis. ‘Ah,’ said Gelis none the less. ‘Ah, but they might have fired over our heads. I’m sure that’s what Nicholas has in mind. You don’t mind if I call you Nicholas, Claes? Or Nikko, perhaps?’
‘You needn’t call me anything,’ Nicholas said, ‘after Arguim. May I tell you both what is going to happen there? We three transfer by boat from the Ghost to the Niccolò, so that it appears we’ve been there all the time. The Ghost has no permit to sell, but the Portuguese factor is greedy for horses. The Niccolò will even offer to help with the paperwork. Meanwhile the demoiselle packs, takes her companion and lands. The trading-post is quite large, and the factor’s wife will be happy to entertain two charming ladies and set them aboard the next ship for Madeira.’ He finished on a reasonable note. In fact, he didn’t care how he finished.
Gelis had completed her task. The circlet of linen was tied in a chic lovers’ knot. She picked up the bowl and held it on her splashed skirts. ‘Oh dear,’ she said. ‘I mustn’t kill anybody? And Diniz has to go back as well?’
Diniz said, ‘No, of course I’m going on. But he’s right. You must go, and Bel. It’s far too dangerous.’
‘What a discovery,’ Gelis said. ‘You made a promise at Ponta do Sol. You don’t go unless I come with you.’
She raised her brows at the boy. The boy glanced at Nicholas who, steadied by the negligent arm over his head, continued to sway with his eyes almost shut. Diniz said, ‘Then I take it back. I don’t need protecting from him. I thought you’d have seen that by now. And I thought he’d get rid of you, anyway.’
‘You thought he could get rid of me?’ Gelis said. ‘May God in His mercy give me patience. He can barely get his ship to obey him, never mind anything else. Of course I shan’t go. And Bel had better stay on board, we may need her. Tell me, Nikko …’
‘No,’ said Nicholas.
‘Claes?