The Ringed Castle - Dorothy Dunnett [304]
‘Because,’ said Adam slowly, ‘when the English Privy Council agreed to let you have the arms and men you wanted for Russia, they already knew you had been supplanted, and they could withdraw whenever they wished.’
‘Yes,’ Lymond said. ‘Whose is the wily head, I wonder? Petre? Pembroke? Paget or Arundel? We shall have a chance to find out. When Hislop and d’Harcourt have recovered; when all the witnesses have been assembled, we shall certainly be given a chance to find out.’
Guthrie said, ‘You may be lucky. If the evidence is not against you, what will you do?’
‘Sail to Russia,’ Lymond said.
‘But Nepeja is boarding the Primrose four days from now,’ Adam said. ‘Do you imagine they will have finished with you here by that time?’
‘No,’ Lymond said. ‘But on the other hand, they don’t want me in this country. Or in Scotland. Or in France. If the case against me looks like collapsing, they will make sure I am on board the Primrose when she sets sail for Russia.’
‘And if the case against you holds?’ said Fergie Hoddim.
‘Then my problems, I imagine, will disappear altogether,’ Lymond said. ‘And you may track down my possessions and enjoy them. Unless you think Güzel is likely to require a small pension?’
But although he looked at them all with raised eyebrows, no one replied.
*
The other person whose predicament was occupying all his thoughts, he did not mention. But Sir Henry Sidney, as Lymond had hoped, went straight from that ill-fated banquet in the Drapers’ Hall to take a barge to Lady Dormer’s and there found and told Mistress Philippa all that had happened. He also told her what he had learned later from Sir William Petre. ‘Mr Crawford will not be returning to Russia. The Tsar has put another in his place, and has sent word that if he returns without these munitions, he will be executed.’
Philippa considered him. ‘Has Mr Crawford said that he is not returning to Russia?’
Sir Henry began to realize that there was more to the problem than had at first appeared. ‘No,’ he said. ‘But when I was there, the Council had very cleverly refrained from telling him that he had no credit left. Fortunately for the sake of his dignity, he guessed, I think, that something was wrong other than this foolish business of Hislop and d’Harcourt.’ He paused. ‘Did you know about that?’
‘Yes,’ said Philippa. ‘But I think the less said about all that, the better. If they can prove Mr Crawford was the instigator of the assault, then they may be able to sentence him: he no longer has the protection of the Tsar. If the case against him fails, you can expect him, I think, to go to Russia.’
Sir Henry Sidney was watching her closely. ‘In spite of what is virtually a sentence of death? Will he not take employment in Scotland? Heaven forbid poor Shrewsbury should have that to contend with on the Borders, but he would be a godsend to that remarkable woman de Guise.’
‘The one thing you may be assured of, in Mr Crawford’s singularly erratic life,’ said Philippa gloomily, ‘is that he will not go back to Scotland.’
‘But Russia?’ said Sir Henry impatiently.
‘Yes, Russia,’ said Philippa. ‘Of course he won’t relinquish Russia. He ploughed it; he sowed it. He now feels his mission, without doubt, is to weed it. Besides, Güzel is there.’
Sir Henry Sidney drew a long, tactful breath, and expelled it. ‘The lady also,’ he said, ‘was apparently convinced that Mr Crawford would not return.’
‘Oh,’ said Philippa. A little colour grew in her cheeks, and went on increasing; it vanished leaving her a little pale, as she had been before. ‘In that case,’ she said prosaically, ‘I think he most certainly will insist on returning to Russia.’
‘You may be right,’ Sidney said. ‘But meantime, we have to make sure of your safety. The case against Mr Crawford may hold. And you are his wife. A diplomatic illness, I think, is indicated. You must quietly disappear.’
‘Leaving my mother to take the brunt?’ said Philippa acidly. ‘Or should she disappear too, leaving Flaw Valleys to be confiscated while we wander romantically penniless through the Channel Islands,