The Unicorn Hunt - Dorothy Dunnett [140]
James of Auchterhouse, paying in kind for his recent amusement, shared a flask with his good-humoured visitor and emerged from the encounter much sobered, his eyes dwelling in thought on the timid person of the Countess his niece.
The talk at table with Betha and Phemie proved to be as instructive as it was entertaining, dealing in a forthright Sinclair way with the question of the little Queen’s dowry. Which, if it included the island of Orkney, was about to affect the Earl and all the Sinclairs his kinsmen. M. de Fleury knew the family Zeno whose forebear Antonio had sailed to a land west of Greenland with their forebear, Earl Henry of Orkney. Eighty years ago, they might have found Cathay. It was agreed that if they had only managed to set up a trading-post, it would have brought the price of silk down a treat.
The topic was raised of Sir Anselm Adorne and his daughter in England. The Countess talked about her legendary royal aunt in the Tyrol, friend and half-sister of Auchterhouse, and aunt to the King. The subject of families reminded the Countess of the happy news she had already received. She returned to it.
‘A fine boy, you say. And Gelis is well, but not yet in public for – for the reason you tell me.’
‘The bridal oil too close to the birth-tray. I beg your grace’s forgiveness for mentioning it. I have already had a severe reprimand from our priest.’
The little Countess was not displeased. She said, her skin enlivened with interest, ‘And the name? We hoped you would call the boy James. Or Thomas, perhaps. It is a saintly name, Thomas.’
‘Or Nicholas?’ said Katelijne. ‘It is a saintly name, Nicholas.’ She had been piqued, Gregorio knew, because this was one question Nicholas always avoided.
He couldn’t evade answering now. He didn’t try, but sat at table with his ringed hands before him and his dimples marshalled below the black velours cap now fitted over the hair his bodyservant was trained to cut flat. The unicorn horn had been worth three thousand florins. The diamond in his cap was worth two.
He said, ‘Naming the boy was a difficult task, with duty and inclination leaning sometimes towards James, and sometimes towards Florence or Franck, to honour the house of van Borselen. In the end, we allowed Duke Charles to decide. He sent water from Jordan, and we baptised the child with it and after it. The boy’s name is Jordan de Fleury.’
The gaze of the girl Katelijne would have made paper curl. She didn’t say anything. It was the Princess who spoke with surprise. ‘The name is unusual. Yet we know of the vicomte de Ribérac, who must have been baptised thus for the same reason. We shall set aside a gift for the boy and his mother. Tell his mother we wish to hear from her. Tell her that our own lord is already preparing to cross the sea to our side, and we hope she will share in our happiness.’
‘I shall tell her, your grace,’ said Nicholas gratefully.
Presently, while the others played cards, Gregorio sat by the fire and chatted with Mistress Phemie Dunbar about small, pleasant matters to do with letters and music, and the friends they had in common elsewhere. Only at the end did she say, ‘One seldom meets a man as versatile as your M. de Fleury. You are close friends?’
It was not a question he was ready to answer. He spoke, a little ashamed of his reticence. ‘He follows his bent. So far, I follow it too. How far, depends on Nicholas.’
The undistinguished features looked thoughtful. ‘He does not welcome help or advice?’
Gregorio paused. He said, ‘The answer, I’m afraid, is that he doesn’t. He has reached where he is with nothing behind him: no great institution, no tradition, no kinsmen. Such an achievement brings self-sufficiency.’
‘It brings isolation,’ said Mistress Phemie. ‘You know there is a convent of the Cistercian Order at Emmanuel?’
They had passed it, on their way to Berecrofts. Mystified, Gregorio nodded.
‘There is a child there,’ Mistress Phemie said. ‘A love child, of Joneta Hamilton’s. Have you heard of Joneta Hamilton?’
He had, from Julius. He had been able to guess, when his