Pip Vaughan-Hughes - The Vault of bones

'Gentlemen,' she said, 'I believe I know where Nicholas Querini is to be found.' Zeno straightened so fast that he almost sent her flying, and I took her arm to steady her. 'Where – and who are you?' he barked.

'This is the Widow Letitia of Smooth Field,' I told him quickly, 'and I can vouch for her as a lady of impeccable… of integrity. We should heed her.'

'Querini's brother has lately become the Abbot of San Giorgio Maggiore in the Lagoon,' she said. 'Messer Nicholas spends much time there in prayer and meditation, indeed he keeps rooms in the abbey so that he may retreat there, as he is often given to do.'

Zeno left the houskeeper to her vapours and pulled me aside. 'To the monastery, then. We will go alone. Do you know what you will do when we get there?' 'I will do business,' I said.

Within a few minutes one of the Doge's gondolas had arrived, complete with sinister little cabin, in the canal by the square. The bodies of the three men had been carried inside, and I was glad not to see Facio again, although I cast a look at the smeared cobblestones where he had lain. While we stood waiting for the boat, Letice appeared at my side and took my arm. 'Take me with you,' she whispered, urgently.

'No – I have led you into enough harm already, and the sun is not yet sinking,' I said firmly. She sighed with exasperation and presented herself before Zeno.

'Sir,' she told him, 'the Abbey of San Giorgio is very large, but I know where Messer Nicholas is to be found. I can take you straight to him.' 'Certainly not,' said Zeno, scowling, as if sizing her up for arrest. I prayed she would not push matters further, but she did.

‘If you arrive on the island and go asking for Nicholas Querini, the word will spread amongst the brothers, and your quarry will escape, with…' she cocked her head inscrutably, '… with something and someone. Let me hazard that such would not be in our best interest’ 'And your interest, wench?' Zeno was getting angry.

'Is that of this man here, Messer Petroc' She glanced at me, and her eyes danced like the blue butterflies of an English summer. I found myself smiling.

'That is so. She knows Querini's habits. And you can trust her – I give you my personal guarantee.'

The look on Zeno's granite face told me that he valued my guarantee as highly as that of a spoiled oyster, but to my amazement he gave a curt nod and a grunt of assent. And thus I came to be huddled against Letice in the cabin of the gondola while the two oarsmen rowed like fury across the basin of Saint Mark towards the Abbey of San Giorgio, standing beneath its campanile on its own island at the tip of that quarter of Venice called Dorsoduro. Zeno was hunched opposite us. He was not the most voluble travelling companion, indeed he was silently terrifying. But having seen him ordered about by Mother Zaneta, I found I could bear his inquisitorial stares, and even managed an airy smile in reply.

When we were drawing near to the island, Letice leaned across to him.

'Only the three of us will go ashore,' she said. 'The boatmen are in livery and will frighten the monks. I will take you to Nicholas' quarters. Keep your weapons out of sight. If we are stopped, do not say a word. I am known here, and I will talk. Agreed?' Zeno looked at me. '‘agree,' I told him. 'Letice, if Nicholas thought he was to be arrested for treason, would he fight?' She gave an affirming snort in reply.

'Very well’ said Zeno. 'But if it comes to blows, and I find you have betrayed me, you will pay for it.' 'I am sure that I shall’ I said.

We tied up at the landing place between the usual bristle of mooring poles and made our way towards the church. The island itself was small, and the abbey and its church took up most of it, sprawling in every direction over the flat, reedy earth with barns and well-ordered fields and orchards. I felt a stab inside at the sight of the monks, who were going about their chores and paid us no mind, but then I saw that they were oblivious, and cared not one whit for three laymen come to say their prayers.

Letice led us past the church and into the cloister. I found myself treading quietly, as had been my duty years ago. It was a calm, lovely place, with a garden of clipped box-wood surrounding a pond; and there were orange trees, in which finches sang and squabbled. We came to the end of the colonnade, and passed through a gate of worked iron, that was unlocked, into a long stone hallway. I guessed it led to the refectory and the monks' cells. We made our way along it for a few paces, and then Letice paused and pointed to her right, where a doorway led to a flight of stairs leading steeply up out of sight. Zeno gave her a look, and she pointed again. I realised that none of us had spoken since we had landed. 'Shall I go first?' I whispered.

'Let the woman go first’ said Zeno. 'Then you. I would not have either of you at my back’ he added darkly. Letice gave a tiny curtsey and began to climb. I followed, and Zeno took up the rear. The way was steep and narrow, and I could feel the soldier behind me, blocking the way down. We were halfway up when Letice stopped suddenly and I bumped into the small of her back with my face. Peering around her waist I saw a pair of bare legs and feet in monks' sandals, and the hem of a black robe. 'My dear Abbot!' sang Letice.

What means this?' said a loud but courtly voice. The owner was indignant, but more surprised.

'Is Nicholas here?' she asked sweetly. 'I am just back from the East, and he summoned me. I thought…'

The feet began to climb backwards. I did not know what to do, but I knew that this man, if he was indeed the abbot, was also Querini's brother, and must be prevented from sounding the alarm. So quickly and roughly I pushed past Letice, scraping along the plastered stone of the stairwell, and – before the man had time to turn himself around – past the abbot as well. I planted myself two steps above him and looked down at the top of his tonsured pate. He twisted round and stared up, red-faced and indignant. Young man, I…'

'Lord Abbot,' said Zeno, peering in his turn past Letice's hips, pushing past her as he spoke. We have come to find your brother, Nicholas, on the Republic's urgent business. You will bring us to him.'

'I will do no such thing,' said the abbot, haughtily. You have no business here, Giustiniano Zeno, and no jurisdiction. Does Doge Tiepolo think himself above the Church?' He made to push past me, but I put out my arm and barred his way.

'It seems that at this moment I am above you, I said. I could see that in one more heartbeat he would scream for the monks and they would swarm to us, armed with staves and sickles. Zeno had had the same thought, for I saw that he had freed his sword from the folds of his cloak and was grasping the hilt. So before the abbot could make a sound I pulled out the pope's letter and thrust the seal into his face. His mouth had already opened, but all he could muster was a half-strangled croak.

'This man is sent by the Doge, but I have the authority of Pope Gregory’ I said. Will you leave us be?'

What do you want with Nicholas?' he asked, face quite pallid now. He knows, I thought; of course he knows. I cannot tell you’ I said.

'Then I cannot help you’ he replied, and I saw his indignation begin to spark again. I opened the letter and held it for him to read, my finger pointing out the relevant passage.

'Et cetera, et cetera’ I said. 'Read this. The word "simony" and the words after it. Do you understand? Let us pass, go to your church and say your prayers. If you do this, I give you my word that the abbey shall have, from my hand, a precious relic that will bring even more glory to this glorious and holy place – my word on it, and the pope's authority. We will not harm your brother, and we will not disturb the good monks. What say you?'