The Spring of the Ram - Dorothy Dunnett [219]
“Not in person,” Nicholas said. “And he is only the instrument. You will notice that I have succeeded in ruining him. Would you rather he died?”
“It might have been kinder,” said Godscalc. “What do you mean to do with him now?”
“Leave him,” said Nicholas. “He is Genoese consul. Let him rest on his pinnacle.”
“And you?” said the priest.
“Well, as you see, I came back,” Nicholas said. “I have plans. You have heard what they are. It is for you to say whether I should complete them. I’ve learned one lesson at least in the last month. A company cannot work by committee. It has a leader, or nothing.”
“You find us difficult colleagues,” Godscalc said.
“I find you difficult masters,” said Nicholas. “But that is only my view. You have run the business for some weeks without me. You must have reached some conclusions as well.”
No one spoke. Astorre, opening the door, said in a surprised voice, “Gone to sleep, have you? Christ, I thought you’d be singing drunk before I could get here. What d’you think of the boy? Eh? Eh? Got himself and Julius away from that murdering bastard; made our fortunes; did the little whore down; is going to win a war for somebody if I know anything about it. D’you know any company with the brains in it that we have?”
“No,” said Tobie. He looked at Godscalc.
Godscalc said, “You want to lead?”
“Appoint whatever leader you like,” Nicholas said. “But I have stopped taking orders.”
“Even from your employer?” Godscalc said.
Nicholas looked at him. “To everything, she is the exception,” he said.
Astorre, bewildered, looked about. He said, “Are you mad?”
“No,” said Godscalc. “I see a leader I am willing to serve. Tobie?”
“Yes,” said Tobie. “You have Loppe, without asking. And Astorre. John?”
Le Grant said, “I never served anyone else. What’s the question?”
“There is none, now,” said Godscalc drily. “Unless you wonder what the Charetty company is to do with a camel.”
Nicholas half rose, and sat down again. He said, “It can probably wait till tomorrow.”
“I should think it could,” Astorre said, getting up. “And you’ve got your own doctor tonight. By God, I’ll wager Master Julius is in a worse state than you are.”
Tobie stood. Nicholas said, “Oh, sit down. Doria got a slash or two as well, I should think.” He rose, successfully this time, and walked to the door. He smiled at them, gripping it. “It’s not as bad as it looks. Anyway, I’m quite glad I came back.”
The door closed. Loppe looked at Tobie. Tobie said, “Help him to bed. Then I’ll come.”
Loppe left. Astorre, on his feet, lingered with an expression lurking between anxiety and relief, and then abruptly went out. Tobie walked to the window. Outside, someone was pouring water into a pail. A dog barked, deep-chested, and another dog answered on a high pitch, like Willequin. From the kitchen quarters, far off, excited voices were talking, their words indistinguishable. Tobie could imagine what they were. Did you see him? He’s back! He’s alive! The demoiselle’s husband! The young devil, so big and so changed! With a beard, a yellow beard! A silk coat! A camel! Our Niccò!
He was back. The man who had taken the calculated risk of that journey, and left those painstaking notes. The man who had created the joyous, angelic joke of the elephant clock. The man who had gone to the Emperor’s baths; and sired a son on his own father’s wife.
Godscalc said, “Nothing has changed. What he has done, still he has done.”
“I have changed,” Tobie said. “Good and bad, I accept him.”
“You haven’t changed,” Godscalc said. “You have just been made, as I have, to feel your inadequacies.”
It surprised them both to hear John le Grant speak. He said, “Why don’t you leave him alone? He doesn’t need you. I’ve known him six months, and I’m no nearer telling the good from the bad. I suspect you can’t either, or by the time that you can, he’ll be dead. Does it matter? If you want a leader, you’ve got one.”
No one answered him. The truth was, Tobie supposed, that some of them wanted more than a leader; so that disappointment came hard. Toys; toys for