Part 26 (2/2)

”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.

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