The Game Of Kings Part 26

"They threw me out," said Lymond calmly.

"Why?.

"Youth, women and bad company. Nothing sentimental about that either. Or rather, not women. One woman..

Gideon said suddenly, "Could I make a guess? Someone connected with Samuel Harvey and Princess Mary's household? Someone like Margaret Lennox?.

Lymond replied, "Very like," and didn't add to it.

After a moment, Gideon probed. "You wouldn't care to . . .

Somerville got up. Looking at his feet, he walked to the door and back again, aware that the barrier of nationality had fallen between them, and the shutters closed again. He resumed his seat behind the desk. "About Harvey..

Lymond crossed his legs. "You're under no obligation in that respect. Similarly, I am in your power of disposal, even though the meeting was never held. That was the arrangement..

"I have given this some thought," said Gideon, rolling his pen between pink, clean fingers. "The convoy which pa.s.sed through here to Haddington will be returning in a week or two's time. It might be possible for a second interview with Mr. Harvey to be arranged. Unfortunately-.

"I knew it," said Lymond with equanimity. "The sliding joy, the gladness short; the feigned love, the false comfort. Unfortunately-.

"Unfortunately." pursued Somerville, laying the pen down, "I've got to go and meet Lord Grey on his return at Berwick. I couldguarantee you a certain degree of safety here under my presence, but without me I'm afraid you would end fairly quickly at Carlisle..

"And so it might be quicker to take me to Carlisle in the first place..

"What!" said Gideon dryly. "Put such a singer in the soup? No. I hope to be back before Harvey returns. Until then, I am taking you to Flaw Valleys..

There was a pause. "To your house? I see. But will your wife, almighty Mohammet, whose laws tenderly I have to fulfil?.

Gideon rose. "You'll find nothing particularly pleasant about your stay. You will be under lock and key, and a regime as strict as my wife cares to make it. I shall return for you when I can..

Hand on door, Lymond had stopped, his face expressive of conflicting emotions. "I should dearly like to know why," he said.

But that was something Gideon did not even know clearly himself.

2. Shah Mat

Sybilla heard nothing of her son's escape from Threave until the Wednesday of that week.

Arriving at the castle in a flurry of women, armed men and boxes, she heard the story piecemeal from Will Scott, who was monosyllabic, and Agnes, who was jubilant, and drew her own conclusions.

She was not, indeed, as impressed by the feat as Agnes expected, but asked sharply, "Have you looked for him?" Scott replied repressively that his father's men had scoured the countryside with dogs since Sat.u.r.day without finding a trace. He filled an awkward pause by adding, "How is Mariotta?.

Sybilh~, though dressed with her usual ~clat, was less fantastic in her manner than usual, and a good deal more pointed. "Very well. Christian told us of Francis's capture, but she didn't know, naturally, of his escape. Did you hear," added the Dowager abruptly, "about the raid on Dalkeith?.

Will Scott, not at all sure what the Dowager thought of all this, followed her with some bewilderment. "Dalkeith? No!.

"It only happened on Sunday night," said Sybilla, seating herself. "Lord Grey sent out troops from Haddington. Some of them burned up the country all round Edinburgh, and the rest attacked Dalkeith.

George Douglas escaped, I hear, but his wife and all the rest of the household had to give themselves up..

"I thought Sir George and Grey were on good terms," said Scott. "Did you? Agnes, my dear," said the Dowager. "Bonnie has some new satin for you, if you can find the right box. Just the shade for your turquoises. Will and I shall be quite all right here..

Scott watched the girl go with a sinking feeling. He said, "I suppose you know my father isn't altogether pleased with me. I don't know what he expected. After what happened to Mariotta, no man could stand by and-.

"Rubbish," said Sybilla. "Mariotta is a silly child, who deserved a lesson, though not quite the one she got. At least you haven't told your father about Wark..

Scott flushed. "I don't believe Lymond went there. He was too late..

Sybilla smoothed her dress. "Did you know why he had to get there?.

"No." Scott hesitated under the blue gaze. "Not really..

"He didn't tell you-even when you were locked in together afterward?.

"It was some information he wanted," said Scott sulkily. "Something he expected to put him in a good light with the authorities. I didn't know. But I don't see that it could have done him any good now. Not after all he's done..

The Dowager made no reply, and the boy found himself overcome with exasperation. "Are you sorry I captured him? I can tell you his brother won't be..

"Sorry? Yes. Aren't you?" said the Dowager mildly.

Scott met her eyes squarely. "I don't know. I don't know what to believe. In any case, what could I do about it?.

"You could try and find him," said Sybilla. "You know where he might be. And you could try and trace Harvey. Then at least- don't you think?-we might get the truth..

"The truth?" said Scott harshly. "What good will the truth do to anybody? What good has it done Christian Stewart? The only thing that will help her now is a piece of good, solid lying." The memory of a promise came back to him. "And I've got the job of doing itI suppose she's back at Boghall?.

"No," said Sybilla. "She takes her friends.h.i.+ps a little more seriouslythan that. The last time I saw her, she was on her way to visit Sir George Douglas at Dalkeith in an effort to neutralize the effects of your little plot here..

Scott shot to his feet. "Dalkeith!.

"Yes," said Sybilla pleasantly. "The place the English raided on Sunday. Not a very clever thing to do under the circ.u.mstances, was it?.

* * *In delivering Lymond at Flaw Valleys and then returning himself to Berwick, Gideon faced a round trip of something like a hundred and forty miles. It was a measure of his interest that he took it without hesitation, and a measure of his speed that he and his retinue arrived, with the outlaw, in the early afternoon of Monday.

The inevitable skirmish took place as he was changing into fresh clothes, under the amazed brown eyes of his wife. "And where," said Kate Somerville expansively, "did you say you had put him?.

Her husband's expression, already wary, became turgid. "In the bedroom at the end of the top pa.s.sage. Under lock and-.

"Tut!" said Kate. "What are you thinking of! No silk sheets! No goose-feather mattress! And two stairs and a nasty muddy yard to cross before he can even round up the livestock, unless he starts with the mice..

"Kate-.

"And then food. Is he choosy? We could manage stavesacre and dwale, with a little fool's parsley and half a thorn apple, stewed, with toadstools..

"Kate!.

"I think you're suffering from necrosis of the brain," said Kate, a little less pa.s.sionately. "Have you told Philippa?.

Gideon nodded. "I told her he was here to be punished..

"Oh. In that case she's probably in the room at the end of the pa.s.sage with a chabouk. Or is it locked?.

Gideon held out a key. "I must eat and go, sweet. Some of my men will take in his food and look after the room-(.

"And here was I, preparing to recede into a gentle old age like Philomen and Baucis. Don't you think you should retire again? The first retiral seems to have got mislaid. No? Well, I shall have to lookafter your nasty friend, but don't blame me if he isn't quite the same person when you get back," said Kate Somerville.

* * *She put off no time. With Philippa out of the way and Gideon eating, Kate set off along the top pa.s.sage and, leaving her bodyguard militantly outside, unlocked the end bedroom and went in.

The room seemed empty. n.o.body at the window, or on the window seat: no one in the bed; n.o.body before the empty grate. That left the Legacy, a chair inherited from Gideon's family and carved by a failed student in zoomorphics. Snarling with oaken tooth and paw, the Legacy was drawn before the window, its back to the door. Kate walked firmly round it and found him.

Slack by the palsied Behemoths, hands open, head thrown back, Lymond slept. It was an uncommonly sound sleep. Stretching one finger, Kate drew aside the stained jerkin without rousing him. It was enough to tell her what she wanted to know.

Below, she confronted her husband. "Why, Gideon?.

He was obtuse. "Why what?.

"Invoke the maternal instinct precisely now. I should rather be rancorous too..

Somerville wiped his mouth. "Scourge away. That's what he's here for..

"Whatever he's here for, he's bleeding over Grandpa Gideon's oak chair like a Martinmas pig," said Kate bluntly.

There was a faint smile in Gideon's eyes. "Not my doing. But I admit to setting a fast pace this morning. He didn't complain..

"Then allow me to make up for it," said Kate. "The air is filling in a familiar way with hideous subtleties. All right. Instinct it shall be. After all, everybody always brings the old broken-down things for me to patch up: there's nothing actually new about it. When will you be back?.

"Soon, I hope." Gideon rose, and presently took leave of his wife, running lightly downstairs to the courtyard. Kate watched him go, observing with misgiving the bland a.s.surance on the kind face.

The procession next time along the top corridor was formidable:a kind of barmecide feast of invalid diet as well as jugs, bowls, bandages and clothes, towels, ointment and a small wooden bathtubbound in bra.s.s. Walking through the a.s.sembled equipment, Kate unlocked the end door this time without ceremony, and went in.

He was not to be caught a second time unawares. Lounging in the window, Lymond viewed her acolytes with a faintly etched interest. "Coals of fire. No. I observe that's the only thing lacking: such a warm day. Was it you who came in just now?.

"It was," said Kate grimly. "And I had a good look at you, so you might as well sit down..

The blue eyes were cool. "Why? Are you going to bathe me?.

"Hold your tongue," said Kate. "Charles will do that. And then, for no gratification that it will afford me, I'll dress your shoulder. Who performed the public service of perforating it?.

"Oh . . . a worm that turned," said Crawford of Lymond. "A bait which refused to be hooked. A brandling which s.n.a.t.c.hed itself from the burning. I am quite capable of was.h.i.+ng and repairing myself, if your people will leave the wherewithal..

Kate paid no attention, but mustered her materials and ushered in Gideon's servant. "Charles. I'll be back in hail an hour," she said, and shut the door.

The noise of hammering brought her back before then. She found the man Charles, streaming with soapy water and pounding on the outside of the captive's room, which was ludicrously locked from inside. Kate pushed him aside and vibrated the handle. "What do you think you're doing? Let me in!.

Through the thickness of the door, his voice came, slow and flippant. "Mistress Somerville! The proprieties!" said Lymond; and though they banged and rattled and threatened, nothing more could they get out of him that day.

* * *A week after this event, Lord Grey of Wilton crossed the Border back into England and put up at Berwick Castle, leaving behind his newly fortified Haddington under a captain. On arrival Lord Grey, who had had a very hard month, was told that the Countess of Lennox was waiting to see him.

He exploded to Gideon, there to smooth his lords.h.i.+p's first hours. "Margaret Lennox: what next? She got herself into a fine mess in February; and all her father did was laugh in her face and march over to the Scots. Well! I've taught that family a lesson!.

"I heard about the Dalkeith raid," said Gideon. "How did it go?" Grey looked pleased. "Splendidly, splendidly. I . hope everyone heard about it. I hope all friend Douglas's allies and sycophants noticed it and took a lesson from it. Sent Bowes and Gamboa out on Sunday night, and they burned around Edinburgh while Wilford and Wyndham went for Dalkeith. We undermined from the base-court and the white sheets were hanging out of the windows before we'd blunted a pick. Got the whole garrison-Douglas's wife, second son, lairds and Douglases in dozens, and cartloads of furnis.h.i.+ngs-I tell you, Gideon," said Lord Grey, flushed with recollection, "we came back from that day's work richer by three thousand pounds and two thousand head of cattle, and three thousand sheep, not to mention as notable a bunch of prisoners as you'd wish to get compensation for..

"But Sir George himself got away?.

Pleased reminiscence faded. "d.a.m.ned coward," said Lord Grey. "Slipped out of a postern and fled to Edinburgh, leaving his own wife to be taken. Well, he's got little enough reward for it. I shouldn't be surprised if he's back on his knees by the end of the week. His wife thinks so. I sent her back to him..

"Sent Lady Douglas back?.

"Yes. She thought she could persuade him to be honest with us at last. But it doesn't matter," said Grey expansively. "We've got half his relations in custody here, including his two sons. And an odd creature-nice-looking, too-a blind girl called Stewart. Ward of the Fleming family and well thought of at Court. She'll be worth quite a bit. You'll see her in a moment-I've sent for her..

He bent down heavily for his shoes. "I could do with six months out to gra.s.s. I've got all this d.a.m.ned coming and going to Haddington-convoys three times weekly; serpentine pouches, hackbuts, iron, matches, sickles, scythes, pickaxes, what have you. And the horses are being used too much. And the French fleet is here..

Gideon, whose attention had slackened, sat up sharply. "Are you sure?.

"Saw them myself," said his commander gloomily. "They're lying off Dunbar. A hundred and twenty sail, I should judge. A d.a.m.ned great navy..

Gideon said, "What about our fleet?" and saw Grey's lip curl. "What about it? Fitting out in the south. It's been fitting out sinceit was launched, and it'll be fitting out at Christmas, I shouldn't wonder.

He was still talking when Christian Stewart was ushered in. After her came Grey's secretary Myles.

During the introductions, Gideon observed the blind girl curiously. She was st.u.r.dily built, by his standards, with good features and s.h.i.+ning, dark red hair framing a surprisingly calm face. While Myles kept Grey's attention, Gideon spoke.

"Have we met before, I wonder? You seemed to recognize my name..

She had a splendid smile. "I've heard of you. Through a friend." Gideon made the commonplace answer. "Nothing too bad, I hope"; and the girl smiled again.

"Quite the reverse. He-we thought at one time you had had an injudicious past, but now we know better..

"Good," said Gideon, but the reply was mechanical. "But now we know better." Was it possible she was referring to . . .

He looked up, saw that Grey was still engaged, and took a chance. "Or perhaps . . . not so good for Mr. Harvey?" he said.

There was a little silence. Then the colour came back into the girl's fair skin. "Do you know him?" she said quietly.

"Who? Harvey?" He was disingenuous.

A friend of Lymond's. Well, well, thought Gideon. "I've met him," he said circ.u.mspecfly, aloud.

She was uncertain, obviously, of his standing; and doubtful also of being overheard. She made a small pause and then said, "As an antagonist?" Which made Gideon himself stop to think.

"At first; yes," he said. "Things are a little different now. Do you know him well?.

"Know who?" said Lord Grey, piling the last paper on Myles' outstretched arms. "Harvey? She probably met him at Haddington." He looked up accusingly. "You asked me about that man before. I told you. He's got this wound in the leg and he can't get back to Berwick yet-maybe not for weeks. It's d.a.m.ned awkward. I only put him into that convoy as an excuse for bringing him here, and now he isn't here, and that Lymond fellow has disappeared into smoke..

Neither Gideon nor the girl said anything.