The Unicorn Hunt - Dorothy Dunnett [149]
Nicholas de Fleury, a foreigner, was not among those appointed to receive the future Queen on her landing and attend her to the Abbey of Holyrood where, in a month, she would wed. He was not at all interested, having long since transferred to different schemes.
His work on the wedding was done and indeed (unknown to Gregorio) paid for. Closer than most to the superb wedding of Duke Charles of Burgundy, and aware more than most of the Continental connections, yearnings, expectations of the Crown of Scotland, Nicholas had had all the time in the world to bring to Scotland the craftsmen, the artists and the engineers who would create for the kingdom a spectacle which would not be laughed at in Bourges or Brussels or Florence.
His work was done; his investment was made. England had brought down the Frescobaldi and the Riccardi by failing to honour their loans. Scotland had paid its dues to the House of Niccolò in another manner entirely. The wedding, in terms of cash profit, was an event of minor importance to Nicholas. In ways not so obvious, it fulfilled an essential part of the design.
Some of it, of course, had been executed before he left for Beltrees: quiet meetings with the young Albany; with other officials at Court. Sometimes he took Wilhelm of Hall with him. The King had met Wilhelm, his new goldsmith.
He did not mention to Betha Sinclair how often he had been received by the Earl of Orkney her father, or how many manuscripts he had conveyed to his library. The Earl had coal and salt-pans in Dysart, and soon would have more. Soon, everyone would have more. Nicholas had introduced Hugo van der Goes to Jannekin’s father, and spent time at Kinneil with Joneta’s extremely shrewd parent, Lord Hamilton. He had courted, deeply and thoughtfully, all those he knew of both sexes dwelling within the rule of the Cistercian Order.
The journey to Beltrees followed these varied activities, and so did an aberration in the matter of sleep which threatened his pace for a while, until he conquered it. He knew Gregorio was alarmed, but paid no attention.
Then, after their recall to Edinburgh, three things occurred.
First, he was summoned by Sir William Knollys, Preceptor of the Knights of St John, to respond in form to the challenge by Anselm Sersanders, merchant burgher of Ghent, to a joust à plaisance in public, at a place and time to be mutually agreed.
He was interviewed, attended by Gregorio, in the Knights’ house at Linlithgow. Sersanders was there, with the Preceptor and a priest. The priest was John of Kinloch, whom Nicholas vander Poele, now de Fleury, had once humiliated in Rhodes. Sersanders might not want to draw blood, but he had found other ways of avenging his uncle.
The proceedings were formal. It was agreed that the event would form part of the welcoming festivities for the Danes. There would be a series of tournaments. This would be included in one of them. John of Kinloch asked after M. de Fleury’s injuries, so undeservedly incurred after the last entertainment. M. de Fleury reassured him. The priest then enquired after the lady van Borselen, dame de Fleury, and her husband responded as if neither of them had ever heard of a courtesan called Primaflora. Sir William finally sought to establish that he had suitable armour, and M. de Fleury replied that he had. This time, he had brought his own with him. It had seemed likely, after all, that something like this would be necessary.
It was all to be expected. All that had been unexpected was the readiness of Sersanders