The Dog of the North (30 page)

‘The folk of Glount have an undeserved reputation for avarice,’ he said with a wide smile. ‘Shall we say that you pay nothing in advance? We will complete our tour on the
Glauticus.
If you are satisfied you will pay me a silver florin – and maybe a small gratuity! – but if you are unmoved you need pay nothing. I leave the matter to your own
honour. What do you say, sir? I see from your cloak and sword that despite your youth you are a seasoned man of good judgement. Will you not climb aboard?’

‘Come, Arren,’ said Lady Cerisa. ‘The fellow clearly means well, and we need pay nothing if we are not content; and once again I feel my ankle begin to throb.’

Arren was mistrustful but could see no dignified escape. ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘Let us travel on the
Glauticus
for one silver florin.’

Delippe’s crewmates helped Lady Cerisa aboard with efficiency if little ceremony; Siedra was treated with a more ostentatious consideration, while Arren was left to clamber over the boards
as he might.

‘Cast off!’ called Delippe. ‘Let us make for the Molo!’

To Arren’s eye, the Molo seemed no more than a few hundred yards distant, but Delippe’s helmsman set off at a seemingly indirect angle and the destination loomed further away before
it hove back into view.

‘Must we take such a circuitous route?’ he asked.

Delippe dismissed the objection with an easy gesture. ‘The currents of the bay are perplexing to the tyro,’ he said. ‘Lubo has sailed these waters for twenty years; he can
sniff the ebbs and flows as one tomcat sniffs the spray of another. You must all sit back and enjoy the view of Glount from the sea.’

Arren had to admit that the city, rising up towards the hills, was a spectacular sight. On top of the walls he could pick out the patrols of the Cavalieres. Lady Cerisa appeared to be enjoying
the ride less; to a close scrutiny her complexion revealed a greenish tint. Siedra, meanwhile, showed every sign of relishing the experience.

Eventually Lubo turned the
Glauticus
back towards the Molo, which was certainly an impressive structure, reaching tall and spare into the sky, delineating the location of the city for
sailors approaching.

Lady Cerisa struggled to her feet. ‘Look, Siedra! You can scarcely see to the top, but that is where Eleanora cast herself down onto the rocks below. How cruel, how envious they are! Can
you not hear them calling out to her?’

Arren could hear no such thing; he was more concerned that the envious rocks would take a dislike to
Glauticus’s
hull, although Lubo appeared competent in the management of the
boat. Siedra, too, evinced little interest in the matter.

‘Can we not go closer, good Delippe?’ asked Lady Cerisa. ‘I would see better the balcony from where Eleanora fell.’

Delippe jerked his head towards Lubo, who ostentatiously swung the tiller, although
Glauticus
appeared to move no closer to the rocks. The third crewman pulled on a rope controlling the
sail;
Glauticus
lurched to the side, and Lady Cerisa sprawled into Siedra with little dignity.

‘Tasolle!’ called Delippe. ‘Work the sail with more finesse!’

Tasolle gave no visible acknowledgement. Lady Cerisa said: ‘I think we have seen enough. Those of us with sympathetic dispositions will have absorbed the essence of the place. Delippe,
kindly return us to the shore!’

Delippe nodded. ‘You have seen the Molo in all the detail you require,’ he said. ‘I feel sure that we have earned our fee.’

Arren nodded and reached into his pouch and brought forth a silver florin. ‘Thank you, Delippe. It seems I was wrong to suspect all the folk of Glount of avarice.’

Delippe looked at the florin with a chagrined expression. ‘Be that as it may, your humour is poorly defined.’

‘Humour?’

You appear to be presenting this single florin as our fee. As a jest it is misconceived.’

‘That was our arrangement,’ said Arren with a flush. ‘One florin. Lady Cerisa, Siedra: you will confirm this.’

‘Young sir, do not try to make liars of the ladies! Let me present my reckoning: one silver florin each for use of the boat, making three florins. A further florin each for the expert
commentary—’

‘What “commentary”?—’

‘—bringing the grand total to six florins. Let us add a further three florins hazard money as a result of Lady Cerisa’s demand to bring the
Glauticus
imprudently close
to the rocks: nine florins. Add in a single florin as a gratuity and we arrive at a round ten florins.’

‘Monstrous!’ stormed Lady Cerisa. ‘No such sum will be payable: in fact, no sum at all will be payable. You may return us to the shore on the instant!’

‘There is much you fail to understand, my lady,’ said Delippe with a bland smile. ‘There is a concept known as “bargaining position”: essentially it states that in
any transaction, one party will hold the other at a disadvantage. In this situation, you are on a boat which I control. Your return to the land, put bluntly, is entirely at my whim.’

‘Not so,’ said Arren, grim of face but flush with embarrassment at being played for such a fool. ‘You must reckon with my sword, which wreaks its own kind of
advantage.’

Delippe displayed no concern. ‘Once you have killed not only me but Lubo and Tasolle, how do you propose to return to the shore?’

‘You will find the matter of academic interest only,’ said Arren in a level tone.

‘In addition,’ said Delippe, ‘you will observe that Tasolle is up the mast, out of your reach, and has his bow trained on your heart. Both he and I would regret being forced to
use it.’

Siedra spoke up at last. ‘All the while we are on your boat, you cannot go about your business. In a sense, you are as much our prisoners as we are yours.’

Arren looked at her in admiration, for the point was well made.

Delippe smilingly shook his head. ‘You will notice that we are heading not for the shore, but for the small island ahead. It harbours no noxious beasts, but you will not wish to remain
there for too long a period. The most convenient outcome for us all is for you to pay over my ten florins. This is business, and we can all depart content.’

Lady Cerisa and Siedra looked at Arren. He shrugged; he could see no alternative. He reached into his pouch and counted out the coins. Delippe gave an ironic bow. ‘You will see that Lubo
has already set our course for the shore.’

‘Do something, Arren!’ cried Lady Cerisa. ‘This rogue has made dupes of us! Some escort you have proved to be. Lord Thaume will hear of this, in full detail!’

Siedra had been sitting quietly on her wooden bench. Now she rose to face Lady Cerisa. ‘You stupid, prating, selfish ninny! You have dragged us along on your ludicrous errand that was of
interest to no one but yourself. You insisted on coming aboard this boat against all sense and advice, and now you have the audacity to blame Arren! Be sure that if you mention this to my father,
all aspects of the affair will be laid bare.’

‘Oh! To be spoken to in such a way! I have nurtured a viper! Viator Sleech was right: you should all have been compelled to attend the Viatory daily, instead of wasting your time learning
mathematics and thaumaturgy.’ She sat down heavily on her bench and said nothing else until they arrived at the wharf.

‘We have reached our destination,’ said Delippe. ‘I hope that, if you are lighter in coin, you are least richer in wisdom and experience. Ten florins is cheap at the price.
Tasolle, what are you thinking of? Lay on a plank for the ladies and the boy.’

Arren gritted his teeth. Retribution would soon find Delippe.

The grizzled Lubo assisted Siedra and Lady Cerisa down the gangplank with an exaggerated delicacy which in other circumstances Arren might have found amusing. As he stepped onto the plank he
stumbled and fell against Delippe, who laughed with a patronizing bonhomie. ‘Careful there, lad! Don’t let that sword pull you off balance.’

Arren shot him a look of detestation and walked slowly towards the ladies. Cerisa looked away; Siedra gave him a half-smile. Without a backwards glance he led the way back to the city gates.

‘Cheer up, Arren,’ said Siedra. ‘Events have not gone to plan, but at least I have not had to spend the day with Trevarre or his brother. It is hard to know which of them is
viler. Ten florins of my father’s money is not too high a price.’

Arren’s gaze flicked up to her face. ‘Keep walking,’ he said, ‘in fact, speed up, and do not look back.’

‘Arren?’

‘Lady Cerisa, you too must step out.’

‘Hmph. Have a care for my ankle, you oaf.’

‘Bugger your ankle, my lady. Dawdle or step out, the choice is yours.’

From behind them came a call. ‘Hoy! Wait up there!’

‘The gate – run!’ called Arren, taking Siedra’s arm. Lady Cerisa bolted with seemingly no care for the condition of her ankle.

Fortunately they were nearly at the gate, and while Arren spoke to the watchmen, Lady Cerisa and Siedra slipped through. He looked back to see Delippe slinking away back to the
Glauticus.

‘Would you care to explain yourself?’ asked Lady Cerisa. ‘And to account for your language?’

Arren reached under his cloak and brought forth a purse. ‘This belonged to Delippe: I know it contains at least ten florins, and I hope rather more.’

‘Arren!’ cried Siedra in delight.

‘A pickpocket as well as a knave!’ thundered Lady Cerisa. ‘I should call the constable, and tell Lord Thaume.’

‘Do as you please, my lady. No doubt every listener will give you the attention you merit. Siedra, shall we count what we have?’

And as he tipped the coins out on to her palm he gave thanks for those days in Croad market when he and Eilla had vied to see who could take the most plunder. He was, for today at least, King of
the Raiders.

2

Arren had expected that there would have been considerable scrutiny of his exploits during the day, especially as Lady Cerisa was hobbling around the guest quarters with
plentiful sighs. The matter was relegated to insignificance, however, because Oricien and Guigot had quarrelled at the tilt-yard over Lady Helisette’s favour and been banished to their own
quarters. After a light supper Lord Thaume convened a council in his chambers, to be attended by his wife and children, Guigot, Arren and Masters Coppercake and Guiles.

Arren could tell on entering that Lord Thaume was not in a good humour. He was dressed again in the black breeches and shirt that Guigot called his ‘hanging attire’.

‘Sit,’ said Lord Thaume. ‘If you require refreshment, you must serve yourselves: this is not talk for servants to overhear.’

There was a pause while the group chose the beverages best suiting their needs. Arren settled for a tisane, and felt that Guigot was perhaps ill-advised in choosing the rough red wine grown in
Duke Panarre’s own vineyards.

‘First,’ said Lord Thaume when they were all seated, ‘I wish to express my strong displeasure with you, Guigot, and especially you, Oricien, for this afternoon’s display.
What can you have been thinking of?’

‘Guigot attempted to unseat me,’ said Oricien with a scowl. ‘It was ill-done in front of Lady Helisette.’

Lord Thaume shot his son a penetrating look. ‘Unseating is the purpose of tilting,’ he said. ‘It is unreasonable to complain.’

‘We had finished the pass,’ said Oricien. ‘We were at rest.’

‘False!’ declared Guigot. ‘After one inconclusive pass we were entitled to another. Oricien erred in assuming I would call for a cessation. He has learned a valuable
lesson.’

Lady Jilka interjected. ‘The tilt-yard is not a place for sharp practice. In belittling Oricien you belittle us all.’

Guigot looked back levelly. ‘Whatever fate befell Oricien, he brought it upon himself. If he appeared a fool, it was of his own making.’

Oricien rose from his seat. ‘You whelp! You wanted to cut a fine figure in front of Lady Helisette!’

‘Enough! Sit down, Oricien,’ said Lord Thaume. ‘The facts are these: in brawling in the tilt-yard you will both have created unfavourable impressions on the ladies. Oricien,
you should have shown greater self-control; Guigot, you should not have provoked Oricien. Most importantly, the notion of “impressing the ladies” is misconceived.’

‘How so?’ asked Oricien. ‘I understood that we were partly here to discuss betrothals.’

‘Just so,’ said Lord Thaume. ‘However, your own inclinations, and indeed those of Panarre’s daughters, are of little relevance. Understand, Oricien, that if I choose to
marry you to Panarre’s scullery maid, you will do so.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Oricien.

‘You both fought at Jehan’s Steppe. I imagined this kind of childishness behind you. Arren shows greater judgement than either of you.’

Arren gave silent thanks that Lord Thaume was not aware of this afternoon’s events at the Molo. He might have turned a profit on the affair – four florins, in fact – but his
mastery of events had been less than absolute.

‘You raised the question of betrothals, Oricien,’ said Lord Thaume. ‘I have spent the past two days, assisted by Master Guiles and Master Coppercake, in negotiation with Duke
Panarre and his advisers.’

‘Without our knowledge!’ said Guigot.

‘Naturally,’ said Lord Thaume. ‘As I explained, your inclinations are irrelevant.’

Siedra, who was sitting next to Arren, said in a quiet voice: ‘Have discussions reached a conclusion?’

‘Patience!’ said Lord Thaume. ‘I have made Duke Panarre three offers. It is for him to decide which, if any, is acceptable.’

Siedra looked at her mother, whose expression was unreadable. ‘You need have no alarm,’ said Master Guiles, brushing crumbs from his doublet. ‘Any alliance into the House of
Glount can only be advantageous to your family, and illustrious to yourselves. We can only hope that Duke Panarre is receptive to our proposals.’

‘They are in suspense, my lord,’ said Coppercake. ‘Will you not tell them the state of affairs?’

Lord Thaume nodded. Arren thought he did not seem disposed to rejoice. ‘My initial proposal, and the one which represents my best hope, is for a betrothal between Oricien and Lady
Helisette. As Panarre’s eldest daughter she would be a suitable match for my heir, and bring a sizeable dowry to boot.’