The Ringed Castle - Dorothy Dunnett [240]
‘A Knight of Malta?’ Lady Mary observed, covering with fine social ease the two words my household. ‘Philippa, you must have old Lady Dormer to meet him.’ She smiled at Lymond. ‘Jane’s grandmother. Two of her brothers were knights, and she has Commander Felizes staying with her at present.’
‘Mr Crawford knows Malta well,’ Philippa said. ‘And Tripoli. Which reminds me. How is Kiaya Khátún? Robert Best came back perfectly dazzled.’
‘Exactly as she was in Stamboul,’ Lymond said. ‘Well-behaved.’
‘Can a man have several wives also in Russia?’ Philippa said.
‘Not concurrently. He can however,’ said Lymond pleasantly, ‘keep his legitimate wife under lock and key without comment as long as he pleases, and beat her as often as she offends him. To signify which, on the eve of marriage he sends her a small box containing whip, needles, thread, silk, linen and shears, and she sends him in return a shirt and handkerchiefs of her own making.’
‘A hair shirt?’ Philippa said. ‘Or does remorse play no part in this amiable society?’
Lymond viewed her with calmness. ‘We may lack some polish,’ he said. ‘But distrust the society which displays overmuch dangerous charm. Chi te carezza piu che far’ no’sude——‘
‘… o che gabbato t’ha, o che gabbar’ te voule. I am sure,’ said Philippa, ‘that not even the Russians could deceive the commander of St Mary’s and the Tsar’s own private envoy to England. Perhaps you think of yourself now as Russian? Chi beve bianco, they say——’
With extreme swiftness, Lymond interrupted her. ‘They may, but not in this company. Lord Allendale, you require to keep your fiancée in order.’
The murmur of laughter increased. Lady Mary said, ‘I declare you both out of order. Philippa can hardly be betrothed when she is married.’
Austin Grey had flushed deeply and then become rather pale. He said, ‘Marriage does not seem to impede Mr Crawford.’
‘So just is God. He is a man,’ said Mary Sidney, ‘and treads the world while we sit at home with our sewing silks. What of Russia do you enjoy, Mr Crawford? There is music? One hears that, as the Turk, the Russian is skilful at chess?’
Beside Austin, Philippa’s hand had closed very hard on her wine cup. In face and hands, voice, mood and posture, Lymond, considering, showed no ruffled nerve. He said, ‘There are some marching songs which would amuse you. But their music is to our ears disagreeable, and the Church does not favour it. Every Lent, wagon-loads of dulcimers and rebecs are taken over the Moskva and burnt. The virginals in my own house were the first ever seen, I believe, inside Russia. But you are right about chess. They play in the fields and on the stoves. It suits the Muscovite mind. The trading company would do well to remember it.’
‘Whom do you play with?’ Philippa said abruptly. ‘Or is it a game confined only to menfolk?’
There was laughter, which she had expected, and Lymond’s glance, which she summoned the courage to meet. But it was a look quite free of overtones, of mildly simulated reproof. ‘My opponent in fact was usually the Tsar Ivan. A matter of some diplomatic strain. One must not win too many games, and, on the other hand, one must not lose too many either.’
‘Tell us,’ said Lady Mary. ‘What is he truly like? One has heard such tales, of dogs hurled from the battlements, of wild exploits riding down peasants, of childish dabbling in the blood of dead animals. We have so many Englishmen there now. Is he to be trusted?’
Lymond said, ‘My advice to the Muscovy Company has been to establish their trading post there. They are in more danger from the Tartars at present than they ever will be from the Tsar. And that danger will be, I hope, short lived.’
There was a small silence. Then Lady Mary said, ‘Robert Best has told us, you should know, your position with the Tsar’s army.’
Lymond said, ‘So long as it is not public knowledge, no harm is done. I am making no claims to hold