Part 26 (1/2)

”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..