The Falcons of Fire and Ice (15 page)

But, although every instinct told me I should keep walking away from Belém, whatever the danger I was forced to return. One hungry night was enough to remind me that I could not afford to be on the road without a good sum of money in my pocket. Some men may survive sleeping rough and scrounging a crust or two where they can, but a man of my sensitivities needs good food in his belly, fine wine in his cup and a thick mattress beneath his bones. I could not bear to delay any longer. The sooner I had that money, the sooner I could get away from here.

The church bells were just sounding noon when I stood before Dona Lúcia’s gate, slapping the dust from my clothes and tugging on the bell rope.

‘No monkey today, Senhor?’ the black slave said as he opened the door. He looked mildly disappointed.

‘Pio is sick,’ I told him.

‘I am sorry,’ he said. ‘But a rich man like you can afford to buy many monkeys. You will get another.’

If only that were true. Nevertheless I felt a bubble of pleasure rising up my spine, knowing that by the time he showed me out again I would indeed be as rich as he imagined me to be.

As I followed the slave through cool, dark reception rooms into the bright sunlight of the courtyard, I glimpsed Dona Lúcia’s enchanting little maid peering out from one of the doorways. She shook her head at me, making agitated flapping motions with her hand. I blew her a kiss and walked on. If she was hoping I would take her out on her next day off, she would be gravely disappointed. These girls are always dreaming of catching some wealthy, fond old man or a handsome young fellow who would set them up in a pretty little house where they could play at being mistress instead of maid. But adorable though the maid was, I was too cunning a fish to bite at that particular fly. She had served her purpose.

We did not turn, as I had expected, into the courtyard. Instead, the slave led me into a small room which was so crowded with chests, bowls, plates and huge clay jars that it put me in mind of a merchant’s shop. The shutters on the windows were fastened and the only light came from a star-shaped oil lamp attached to a chain that hung from the beam above the centre of a long wooden table. Five tiny flames burned at the end of each arm of the lamp.

Dona Lúcia was seated at the far end of the table, which was lined on either side by many high-backed chairs draped with white cloths, so that in the dim light it looked as if she had invited a host of ghosts to dinner. I bowed low and kissed her plump hand.

‘Dona Lúcia, how delightful to see you again. I swear you look even younger and more radiant than when I last saw you.’

‘Always the flatterer, Senhor Ricardo. But you should save your pretty words for your young sweetheart.’

I pressed my hand to my heart. ‘Alas, Dona Lúcia, now that I have had the pleasure of your company, any foolish young girl would seem insipid by comparison.’

The slave drew out a chair at the end of the table opposite the old widow and whisked the cloth from it. With a bow, he indicated that I should sit. Something under the table began growling and yapping alternately and I felt a wet nose snuffling around my ankles. I tried to resist the urge to boot it away.

‘Now stop that, my darling,’ Dona Lúcia cooed. ‘Leave the poor man alone.’

The revolting little dog waddled out from under the table and flopped down on the cool tiles. Dona Lúcia may not have grown any younger, but I swear that little beast of hers had grown fatter since my last visit.

‘Now tell me, Senhor Ricardo, how are your plans progressing for your voyage? This ship, what was its name?’

‘
Santa Dorothea
. Yes, she is ready to sail as soon as she can be provisioned and the sailors hired. The captain has a list of the crew he wants, the most experienced navigator, master, quartermaster and carpenter, as well as the toughest seamen. They have all been offered work on other ships, for they’re known to be the best, but the captain has persuaded them to wait until this evening before signing with another ship, on the promise of a generous advance on their wages if they make their mark upon our papers. But if I cannot pay them tonight …’ I spread my hands, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging.

I heard a dry cough behind me and the swish of a curtain being pulled aside. As I turned, a man stepped out from a doorway that, thanks to the infernally dim light of the room, I hadn’t even noticed. I half-rose from my chair, but he pushed me back down, his fingers digging into my shoulder as if to make it quite clear he was willing to exert more force should it be required. He settled himself on a chair next to mine. From the excellent cut of his clothes, the rich gold trim on his doublet and the silver-inlaid ebony sword sheath that dangled from his belt, I didn’t need introductions to tell me that this was no servant.

‘I understand from my aunt that I have the pleasure of addressing Senhor Ricardo da Moniz.’

But he did not look as if it was a pleasure, quite the opposite in fact. The tone of his voice was so cold it would have frozen a dragon’s breath. My stomach was churning and not just because I was ravenously hungry. Dona Lúcia hadn’t mentioned any nephew. The last thing I needed was some heir with an eye to his aunt’s fortune asking awkward questions. I could convince the old lady of anything, but this fellow didn’t look like a man who would be easily conned.

I took a deep breath. Hold your nerve, I admonished myself. Perhaps she’s told him what a good investment she has found and he wants a share of it. Play this right and you might yet prise both these oysters open and take two pearls instead of one.

I met his gaze and tried to smile confidently. ‘At your service, Senhor … ?’

He continued to stare hard at me, but did not supply a name.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet the nephew of such a charming lady. How truly fortunate you are indeed to have such a wise and noble woman as your aunt.’

I beamed at Dona Lúcia, but she seemed not to be listening and was engrossed in feeding a titbit to her revolting dog, which had lumbered back to her chair. My stomach growled. It was all I could do to stop myself wrenching the piece of cake from the dog’s jaws and devouring it myself.

‘Dona Lúcia has no doubt told you of the marvellous venture which she and I are to embark on?’

‘My aunt has told me of your conversation.’

‘Then,’ I said with a brightness I certainly did not feel, ‘I take it that she has invited you here to read and witness the contract between us. A very prudent precaution, if I may say so, Dona Lúcia. One cannot be too careful these days; there are so many rogues who try to take advantage of a woman alone. I am delighted that you have someone to safeguard your interests.’

I pulled a folded parchment from the inside of my jacket. My friend the clerk had done an excellent job, and the lettering with all its embellishments looked impressive enough to have been a royal proclamation. I loosened the ribbons that secured it and handed it to the man. He unfolded it, his eyes running rapidly down the page. A smile curled the corners of his mouth, but it was not a pleasant one.

‘Well drawn, well drawn indeed. You must give me the name of the man who wrote this for you. I would be most interested in seeing more of his work.’ He tossed the contract on to the table and leaned back in his chair, the tips of his fingers pressed together.

‘Since my aunt told me of your visit, I have been making a few inquiries of my own into this venture of yours. I thought at first this ship might be – how shall I put it? – as
fanciful
as this contract of yours. But I found that there is a
Santa Dorothea
in harbour and she is indeed bound for the isle of Goa, where, as you told my aunt, her captain is intending to buy many rich and rare treasures to sell in the markets of Lisbon.’

My stomach, which had been knotting itself tighter and tighter, suddenly relaxed.

Dona Lúcia smiled happily at the end of the table. ‘You see, Carlos, I told you this young man was to be trusted. I always say you can trust a man who loves animals. They always know, don’t you, my poppet?’ She held out another morsel of cake to the drooling dog. ‘Please forgive my nephew, Senhor Ricardo. He always thinks that someone is going to take advantage of his foolish old aunt.’

I bowed my head graciously. I could afford to be magnanimous now that the deal was almost sealed.

‘You’re fortunate to have such a devoted nephew whose only desire, I’m sure, is to protect you from the wickedness in this world, as I always endeavour to protect my own dear mother.’

My own dear mother would doubtless have said that it was the world that needed protection from me, but then she never had the faith in me that a mother should.

‘If your nephew is now assured that all is in order, perhaps he would care to witness our signatures, unless, of course, Senhor Carlos would like to join us in this little venture?’ I turned to him hopefully. ‘The rewards, as I’m sure your aunt has explained, are beyond anything a man might hope to gain by investing here. Chinese silks and dishes, for example, can be bought for a mere trifle in Goa, but sell them in Lisbon and you may name your price.’

‘I have no doubt at all about that, Senhor Ricardo. And doubtless the
Santa Dorothea
will come back loaded with such goods, and make a fortune for her backers, just as you say.’

He picked up the contract. I felt that same glorious shiver of excitement rise up through my body that I always did when I knew a fighting cock I had backed was about to be declared the winner.

‘There is only one small problem, Senhor Ricardo. It seems that the
Santa Dorothea
is already crewed and provisioned, but not, it seems, by you, rather by a group of merchants represented by one Henry Vasco. In fact, the captain has never heard of you, Senhor Ricardo. Now, how do you account for that?’

He shifted his weight in the chair, leaning forward, his hand inching towards the hilt of his sword.

‘What’s this?’ Dona Lúcia said sharply, ignoring the whining dog.

I tried to keep a relaxed smile on my face. ‘Of course he hasn’t heard of me. As you say, Vasco is representing me and my fellow merchants. That way there can be no possibility of Dona Lúcia’s name being involved. As I assured your aunt at the beginning, I guarantee discretion. It would be vulgar to link a noblewoman’s name with base commerce.’

Carlos’s eyes narrowed. ‘You have just told my aunt that you needed the money today to secure the services of the experienced crew. Yet I have been told they are already signed up and are aboard.’

‘Because I swore to them that I would have their money tonight. They trust me as a gentleman.’

‘Is that so? A gentleman?’ A cold smile slid across Carlos’s mouth. ‘Well, as luck would have it this Henry Vasco is coming to Belém this very day to deliver some cargo to be shipped to Goa. Why don’t you and I pay him a visit? I’m sure he will be delighted to see an old acquaintance such as yourself.’

I rose with as much dignity and control as I could. ‘That will be delightful, Senhor Carlos, shall we say seven this evening? Now, dear lady, I must beg you to excuse me. I have some urgent matters to attend to.’ I bowed. ‘Till this evening, Senhor Carlos.’

I began to back towards the door, but Carlos was already on his feet with his drawn sword in his hand, the tip of the blade pointed exactly at my heart as if he could see it thumping in my chest.

‘I’m afraid your business will have to wait, Senhor Ricardo. I have a mind to pay my respects to this friend of yours immediately.’

He took a step closer. I backed away and collided with a heavy wooden chest.

‘Come now, Senhor,’ I said. ‘Sure … surely you would not be so ill-mannered as to draw a blade in the presence of a lady? If you are so eager for me to come now, you have just to say the word and I will be only too delighted to accompany you. There’s no need to use force, I assure you.’

All the time I was speaking my hands were groping behind me over the chest, trying to find something I could use to defend myself. My fingers closed on a cold, heavy object. With one swift movement I hurled it at Carlos.

The statue of the saint hit him on the nose and he staggered backwards. Dona Lúcia screamed and the dog started barking, but I didn’t stay to watch. I turned on my heels and ran through the archway into the passage beyond, making for what I hoped was the door to the street. But I must have turned the wrong way, for I found myself facing a staircase that led upwards. I started to retrace my steps, then I heard Carlos bellowing above the yapping of the dog.

‘Guard the doors, damn you, don’t let him escape.’

Footsteps were hurrying in my direction. There was only one way to go. I scrambled up the stairs and just managed to flatten myself into an alcove at the top as servants rushed through the hallway below. My heart was thumping so loudly I was sure it was echoing off the walls.

‘Search the house! I want him found!’ Carlos bellowed. I could tell his temper had definitely not been improved by that bang to the nose.

Something warm and soft touched my hand. I jumped, barely suppressing a squeal. Dona Lúcia’s maid pressed her fingers to my lips. She peered cautiously over the rail of the stairs. I didn’t need to look. I could hear crashes and shouts as the slaves and servants searched every conceivable hiding place below, and the excited barks of that nasty little dog as it waddled round behind them.

The maid tugged urgently on my arm and pulled me across the passageway into a room, locking the door behind us. I found myself standing in a sumptuous bedchamber. The floor was tiled in a delicate mosaic of jewel-bright flowers, fish and frolicking dolphins. Images of saints and innumerable depictions of the Virgin Mary smiled serenely down at me from all the walls. A silk rug lay to one side of an enormous bed, which was piled high with cushions and draped in light gauze hangings, whilst on a carved black table a silver mirror was drowning beneath an ocean of delicate glass phials, gilded bottles, ivory combs and silver brushes.

‘The mistress’s bedchamber,’ the maid whispered, though I could see that plainly enough for myself. ‘Hers and that dog’s.’ She picked up one of the silver-backed hairbrushes. ‘That’s his, the spoilt little brute. She brushes him with this, but she won’t even give me so much as a wooden comb for my hair.’