The Unicorn Hunt - Dorothy Dunnett [96]
‘Would you expect one?’ Gregorio said.
The mild voice said, ‘No. I wondered if you did. Now tell me about Margot.’
The winches squeaked, and from below came the thunder of barrels. Nowadays, no one spoke that name in Gregorio’s hearing. He blocked her out of his thoughts, and dreamed of her nightly. He said, ‘We disagreed.’
‘You told her the exact situation? Yes, of course you did.’
‘I told her what I heard,’ Gregorio said.
‘And she took my wife’s part.’
‘She took the coming child’s part,’ Gregorio said.
‘It argues there is a child on the way,’ said the other reflectively. ‘Or at least that Margot’s humanitarian impulses have found something or other to engage them. In other words, no one is dead, or not yet. You have made no effort to find them? No, you haven’t.’
‘I have tried,’ said Gregorio.
‘But not very hard. So I shall have to do it for you. Do you want Margot back, or shall I leave her wherever I find her?’
The enquiring face opposite blurred, and cramp seized his guts from sheer anger. Gregorio said, ‘Keep your pain to yourself.’
‘Do I show any?’ the other man said in his composed voice. ‘Such things demand a little self-knowledge, that is all. I recommend a spell in the desert.’
Gregorio said, ‘Unfortunately, not having that advantage, I have to find my own way. I am not sure it isn’t better than yours. Nicholas, what have you done?’
Nicholas moved away from the door and took up his stance against the bulkhead where he rested his back, one knee doubled. The woodwork was sweating a little with cold. He said, ‘What did Julius tell you? Let me guess. Simon and I were conducting a running fight, and Lucia was the unfortunate victim? True enough in its way. She knew about Gelis, you see. Julius, you may be surprised to learn, does not.’
‘And Adorne?’ Gregorio said curtly.
‘Ah. Anselm Adorne, the Scottish King’s favourite counsellor. He has been created a knight, and given a chain with a unicorn on it. I was so jealous I stabbed him.’
‘Is he badly hurt?’ Gregorio said.
‘He was hurt. He was also magnanimous. He isn’t going to demand redress in Scotland, but he’ll have something to say when he gets back to Bruges. Fortunately, I should be on my way back to Scotland by then.’
The shock was intolerable. Gregorio said, ‘You can’t go back!’
‘To all these new Scottish projects?’ said the other man. ‘Of course I shall. I’m going to make you all even richer. Julius considers I ought to spend a few weeks in Bruges until – how did he put it? – the harvest is over, and it’s time to start planting again. Then, of course, I must go back north to my other crops. Well now. What else can I tell you?’
‘Nothing. Leave it,’ said Gregorio. He walked to the door. ‘I’m going back to Tommaso.’
‘What did you expect?’ Nicholas said. ‘You know what you shouldn’t know. That doesn’t make you my confessor.’
Gregorio turned. He said, ‘No. Your confessor thought he was your friend, but you haven’t asked after him. If you are interested, Father Godscalc is still in your house, but not as strong as he was, and Tobie has left off his army doctoring to care for him. Tilde, too, is near the birth of her child, and Diniz is anxious about her. Catherine –’ He broke off. ‘Am I tiring you?’
‘No. I am riveted. Tilde’s sister Catherine? Not yet married?’
‘No,’ said Gregorio. He tried to recover his calm, in the face of a suspicion that his loss of calm had been what Nicholas at that moment had wanted. He said, ‘She isn’t married, but not for want of pursuit. Paul van Borselen and a young faun from Trebizond are only two of the suitors Diniz has had to deal with.’
‘Indeed?’ said Nicholas slowly. ‘But not Jan Adorne?’
‘Still away, studying law at Pavia. And just as well. Jan would be a fine suitor for Catherine, now that you’ve injured his father. What were you thinking of?’
‘An old adage,’ Nicholas said. ‘If you are a peg, endure the knocking. If you are a mallet, strike.’
He had altered his negligent stance and stood balanced, as if the motion and sounds of the ship had again reclaimed his attention. He looked chilled.