To Lie with Lions - Dorothy Dunnett [359]
‘Your cousin? We have established that,’ said Jordan de Ribérac. ‘But if you are to represent the future of this family, you must endeavour to recognise when it is threatened. This man beat you, and drove your father from Court. Do you understand what he has done to your country?’
The boy was only twelve. He said, ‘He can’t go back, he told lies. Anyway, you’ll kill him, grandfather. And we still have Kilmirren.’
‘Ah, but he is clever,’ said the vicomte de Ribérac. ‘If King Louis demands it, Kilmirren may be confiscated, and Scotland closed to us all. At best, the land will share in the country’s impoverishment. We no longer have French estates to support us.’
‘But you have Burgundy,’ said Gelis suddenly. ‘If you have told the Duke what has happened. And once he knows that Nicholas is secretly pensioned by France.’
The fat man sighed. Nicholas was smiling. The fat man said, ‘The thought, of course, had crossed my mind. Unfortunately, your astute husband thought of it too. The Duke considers Nicholas to be his own secret agent with Louis. He has offered me a small sum for my counsel, on condition that I retire to my Madeira estates and do nothing that threatens his favourite. So where, madame, will you live? You have lost your home in Scotland, it seems.’
Gelis said, ‘As Dr Tobias has said, there is no proof as yet.’
‘I think there is,’ said Jordan de Ribérac. ‘I think Nicholas de Fleury has proved himself capable of something that very few men would have attempted, never mind achieved. Whatever else may not be true, it is certain that you must now admit defeat. He has won.’
‘No,’ she said.
Tobie said, ‘For God’s sake. You can still talk of a game?’ His voice shook. She saw that, at last, he was beginning to believe what Nicholas had accomplished.
The vicomte looked at the doctor. ‘You would rather talk about the destruction of Scotland? Let me say it again. For Nicholas, Scotland was part of the game. It was the master-work which was intended to prove – which has proved – his supremacy. I judge him the winner in this. I condemn him on all other grounds, as any fair-minded man must. What was his prize to have been?’
To have been. Nicholas said, ‘That is between myself and the lady.’
She couldn’t tell if his colour had changed. His expression had not. Despite the scuffle, he looked immaculate, as he always was in court dress. The knots and embroidery glinted, and although his head was bare, the trim, snuff-coloured hair was of the kind that clung to its place unless soaked, or made damp with exertion. He was not sporting, today, the broad golden chain and pendant of the Unicorn, identical to the one Adorne wore; identical to the one the King wore in Scotland. The other James, who had not been loved.
De Ribérac remarked, ‘You are going to die. She will never know, unless you tell her.’
‘I think she knows,’ Nicholas said. ‘As I think I know what her choice would have been. It might even have been the same thing.’
He was looking directly towards her, but she could not see through the twinkling light. The fat man said, ‘My lady? You may compose yourself. You are in no danger from me. Indeed, you may come with my fee if you wish.’
Nicholas moved, and then stopped. The soldier behind him eased back. ‘Your fee?’ Gelis said.
‘Do they not pay judges in Zeeland?’ the vicomte said. ‘My fee is my namesake, your son. I am taking Jordan de Fleury. You may come.’
‘Where are you taking him?’ Henry said. The nurse was sitting up, her hand on the child’s arm. Henry said, ‘Are you going to beat him? May I come?’
Jodi was whimpering. The lights burned. Her eyes cleared. Outside, the noise was as great, and the yellow panes were dappled with shadows. Gelis heard a distant, irritated voice that she knew. Nicholas, apparently deaf, was looking at Jodi. Behind their son, the knife glittered.
Gelis said, ‘It is time to stop this,’ and stood up.
The soldiers stirred. The fat man, watching intently, waved them back. He said, ‘I agree. You have decided to come with me, and your son?