The Unicorn Hunt - Dorothy Dunnett [110]
‘And then?’ Nicholas said. He did not turn.
‘I dare say you will come again,’ said Gelis’s voice. ‘Then we can discuss what to do.’
‘If you are here,’ Nicholas said. He moved then, and closing the casement, fastened it slowly. ‘And even if you are, the child may not be. Or may have turned into a freak again, or a mistake, or even died of some mysterious illness.’ He turned.
‘It will be here for you,’ Margot said. Gelis said nothing.
‘I intend that he will,’ Nicholas said. ‘And until then, he will be in a place of my choosing. Where is he now?’
‘Not here,’ Gelis said. She had separated from Margot.
‘Where?’ He was looking at Margot.
Gelis said, ‘She doesn’t know. Come again in a month. Come again when he looks more like Simon. Then tell me if you want him.’
Her eyes went past him to the window. Margot said, ‘What is that?’ and came quickly forward. Gelis hesitated and then followed her to the window. He stood aside to let them look out.
The cries were loud by then, and the sound of trampling horses, and of angry voices and blows. The voices were those of the servants, and the blows were struck by the younger grooms, and even by the fist of a nun or two. They were aimed at a troop of forty armed men which had surrounded them and was driving them briskly indoors.
His men were well trained, and obeyed orders. They used their arms in defence; they did their best not to retaliate. The yard emptied. His captain, looking up, nodded.
Gelis said, ‘You broke your word. You weren’t alone.’
He used a dimple, which she could interpret quicker than anyone. ‘You should have had the road better watched. You broke a promise more binding than mine. But for that, I shouldn’t have called them.’
‘What will they do?’ Margot said.
‘Find the child.’
She said, ‘It isn’t here. Gelis sent it away. Don’t distress these good holy people.’
‘I shan’t touch them,’ he said. ‘So long as they tell me where it is.’
‘They don’t know,’ Gelis said.
‘Then I am sorry for them,’ said Nicholas and, walking across, resumed his seat and folded his arms.
‘This has gone too far,’ Margot said. She seized the key and grasping the door, unlocked it and ran from the room. Gelis made no effort to stop her; neither did he.
‘So she doesn’t know about Simon,’ Nicholas said. ‘You wouldn’t care to send her back to Gregorio? This type of campaign is not for the sensitive.’
‘She thinks I need protection,’ said Gelis. ‘What did Simon say about me?’
‘All of it? I stopped him halfway, since there was nothing new in it.’
‘And you fought him.’
‘Over something else, yes. Hand to hand. He was very surprised. Has the child been baptised?’ Below, someone screamed.
‘Yes. I chose a name you would like. What will you do?’ The same person sobbed.
‘I thought I’d mentioned it. You can stay with the child for a month. Then you can present it in Bruges, and come with it to begin family life with me in Scotland.’
‘And Simon?’ she said.
He thought for a moment. ‘I suppose so,’ he said. ‘So long as you are discreet, and he is still there and able. It might be difficult, though. Henry knows all his father’s bedmates, you included. He doesn’t want a brother or sister. In fact, I shouldn’t let Henry too close to – what have you called this son of yours?’
She told him. With all his vaunted percipience, he had never really considered what she might do about that. He was still standing, dumb, when Margot stormed into the room pursued by his complaining captain. Margot strode over to Gelis and, grasping her by the shoulders, pushed her to stand before Nicholas. Margot said, ‘Tell him. Tell him where the child is. Now. And quickly.’
The captain, arriving beside her, was breathless. He said, ‘The Lady’s child isn’t here, my lord. It’s been spirited off to some other estate. But how far away, they won’t say. Sir, have I your leave to persuade them?’
Margot said, ‘Gelis?’ and shook her.
Gelis moved her head from