The Unicorn Hunt - Dorothy Dunnett [169]
She rose. The face on the pillow, once hearty, once dogged, once boisterous, said, ‘Gelis, my dear. And Nicholas. Nicholas, stay.’
Gelis looked at her husband. A quick look, hard to decipher.
Nicholas said, ‘I would – yes. And Tobie? Tobie would like …’ His voice trailed into silence. Whatever he meant, it seemed that Godscalc understood it. Godscalc said, ‘I see. Then, of course, Tobie must stay.’
Gelis was still looking at Nicholas. Then she turned and dropped to her knees by the bed and, after a moment, laid her cheek on the coverlet.
Godscalc lifted a hand. He was looking not at the girl, but at Nicholas. Then he smiled and laid his fingers on the girl’s hair. He said, ‘Shall I be the bridge?’
Tobie got up. ‘Don’t go,’ Nicholas said.
‘No. Don’t go,’ Godscalc said. ‘If there cannot be a bridge, or not yet, then surely we two, priest and physician, have still something to offer these children. Gelis?’
She looked up. Her brow, white-skinned and polished, was seamed with short lines. She knelt back, her hand still in the crippled hand on the coverlet.
Godscalc said, ‘There is not, I think, very much time. I am glad we four are here because, apart from all we owe one another, we share a secret. When I have gone, you three alone in this world will know of certainty that Nicholas has a son, and who the boy is. You know the dangers. You three, by your combined wisdom, will guide this child to manhood, from whatever distance; will think for him; and will do what is best for him, and not for you. I die trusting you to do that. Tobie?’
‘Yes, Father. Of course,’ Tobie said.
‘Nicholas? Whatever it means?’
Nicholas walked to the side of the bed and knelt opposite Gelis, his wife. ‘Yes, Father,’ he said. He was looking at Gelis.
‘And Gelis?’
‘He is the son of my sister,’ she said.
Godscalc waited. Tobie looked from him to Nicholas. Nicholas did not move. Gelis said, ‘My child is his cousin. In all I do, I shall make no distinction between them.’
Tobie smiled and then lost the smile, looking at Godscalc. Godscalc said, ‘You did not bring me your child? I should have liked to bless him. Where is he?’
She lifted her chin. ‘I shall send for him,’ she said. Across the bed, the grey gaze of Nicholas stayed unaltered.
‘Send Nicholas. He will bring him,’ said Godscalc.
Tobie stirred. Godscalc’s deep eyes moved towards him, and he smiled. He said, ‘I am reminded of my mortality. Let me change what I ask.
‘Compared with Henry, your child, Gelis, will be fortunate. He has a young and beautiful mother who has learned from her sister’s mistakes, and forgiven them. In Nicholas he has a toy-maker, a gentle protector, a man born to give children the happiness he was denied. A man who, too, has learned from the past, and is able to begin afresh, with his wife. Umar’s family did not all live, but yours will. And so –’ His voice faded.
Nicholas said, ‘Please. Please. Tobie, help him.’
Gelis did not speak. Tobie crossed quietly, his eyes on the pillow. Godscalc said, ‘I shall sleep more happily. You are not to be afraid.’
‘No. We are not afraid,’ Nicholas said. ‘We want you to speak to us.’
‘Even though, as always, it is not what you wanted to hear?’ He was smiling again, a little. The sheet moved to his breathing. They waited. He said, ‘Nicholas, I owe you not only my life, but my faith. Gelis, Tobias, I owe you all that followed. I shall not reward you with homilies, although my Church says I should. Tobie, trust where you have always trusted. You are right: you have not gone astray.
‘Gelis – Nicholas – look at me, not at one another.’ He stopped. He said, ‘If you would wish me Godspeed on my way, give me a promise.’
He stopped again, to get breath. Nicholas – not Gelis – spoke. ‘Whatever you want, you shall have.’
‘Do you think me so cruel?’ said Godscalc. ‘I ask only one thing. You may think it strange. Nicholas, will you promise me not to go back to Scotland?’
None of them, including Tobie, had expected that. Gelis looked across quickly. Nicholas, his eyes on the priest’s, wore a look of deep concentration. He said,