Jack Whyte - Order in Chaos

“That thought had occurred to me,” he drawled after a moment, knowing somehow that it was important to lie. “But I dismissed it as irrelevant, particularly since we now know you were not de Nogaret’s spies pursuing us. We also know that no one can possibly know where we have disappeared to. Had you, in fact, been enemies, we would have led you out into the ocean beyond Finisterre and either lost you or destroyed you. Relieved of the need to waste time doing either of those things, we may now head directly for Scotland, where we will deliver a treasure of gold and silver bars and coins to the King of Scots on behalf of one of his most loyal subjects. That should win us his gratitude for as long as we require it. The Temple is secure in Scotland, so we will be doubly welcome. If de Nogaret traces us there eventually, it will no longer matter, for this unpleasantness will have dried up and blown away by then, all differences settled.”

The Burgundian knight sat mulling that for a moment, then dipped his head and smiled. “So mote it be. Then I am content, and at your service, Sir William.” He stopped short and looked around the table, one eyebrow raised but this time without giving offense. “I am correct in assuming, am I not, that your rank supersedes all others here?”

Will Sinclair nodded. “Aye, technically you are. In fact, though, the admiral continues to be God at sea, and I am a mere passenger aboard his craft. And having said that, gentlemen, I will leave you to your planning, for you have much yet to do. Admiral, should you need me at all, I shall be in my quarters. It remains to me to commend you, Captain de l’Armentière, on your actions in La Rochelle. You did well. And now, a good day to you all.”

SIX

Will was already looking around for Tam as soon as he left the cabin and he saw him quickly, standing by the ship’s entry port deep in conversation with Baroness St. Valéry. She was wearing a dark green hooded cloak, and the hood’s high peak made it look as though she was taller than Tam. His heartbeat was suddenly loud in his head and his gut twisted in—what? he asked himself. He felt a stirring of pleasure, then a formless guilt quickly smothered in rising anger.

What in God’s name are you doing talking to that woman? was the first clear thought that came to him, and then he drew a deep breath, forcing himself to swallow his anger, which he knew was utterly unreasonable, and to take the time to think about how he could make the inevitable encounter with the woman both courteous and harmless. He made his way towards them, and his spoken order was the first inkling either of them had that he was there.

“Tam. My boat, if you will. Good day to you, Baroness.”

As Tam swung away towards the stern with a grunt, Jessica Randolph turned to smile at Sinclair.

“Sir William,” she said, unperturbed. “We expected you to be detained far longer than this, with all the comings and goings that have taken place today. Are you feeling unwell?”

He forced himself to answer graciously. “No, madam, I am very well. I merely have some matters of my own to attend to, and Sir Charles and his officers have more knowledge of what they are about than I could ever have. And so I left them to it. You and Tam were deep in discussion.”

“Tam is a dear man … Is it true you have granted Charles leave to sail away and leave us in search of some hidden land?”

Damn the woman! “I see Tam has been saying more than his prayers.”

“Untrue, sir. My good-brother himself told me he would seek your leave to go. Tam merely responded when I asked him about it.”

He felt relieved to know that Tam had said nothing untoward, for Will had discussed the plan with him as a matter of course, before making his decision. He had never known Tam to betray a confidence, and to know that this remained unchanged made him feel a glow of warmth inside. But then he realized that the Baroness was gazing at him expectantly.

“Aye,” he said, making a harrumphing sound in his throat, “well, the admiral made his request, and I responded. He will be leaving shortly.”

“In search of this unknown place, this Merica.” It was not a question, and it took him aback.

“He mentioned this to you?”

“He did. Should he not have?”

“No, I am merely surprised.”

“That he should share such confidence with a mere woman, or that he should speak of it at all?”

Sinclair shook his head. “Neither, madam. I meant no offense.”

The woman stared at him through narrowed eyes, but at that moment a bumping sound from close beneath them announced the arrival of the boat Tam had summoned. He glanced over the side to make sure it was indeed his boat, then bowed slightly to the Baroness.

“My boat is here, madam, so you must excuse me. I have much to do.”

“I am sure you have, sir.”

The Baroness dipped her head graciously and turned away, and he had to steel himself not to watch her as she made her way forward, although he could hear the crew members greeting her as she went. Instead, he braced himself and stepped forward to the entry port, eyeing the moving ladder that awaited his cautious descent.

When he was safely in the boat he tucked his cloak about him before looking up to see Tam watching him, his face unreadable.

“What? What means that look?” he growled, speaking Scots so their conversation would be unintelligible to any listening ears among the oarsmen. Tam looked away, saying nothing, but Will was in no mood to leave it there. “You two were having a deal to say to each other, I noticed. What else did you tell her, other than that I had granted the admiral’s request?”

“We were but passin’ the time o’ day. She asked me right out and I answered, but no’ without thinking. She would find out within a day or two, when it comes time for him to leave, so I thought it no harm.” He twitched an eyebrow. “Are ye vexed wi’ me?”

Will watched the oarsmen’s back muscles clench and unclench as they drove the boat away from the admiral’s galley and turned it skillfully towards his own, but finally he sighed. “No, I’m no’ vexed, Tam … It’s just that that woman … upsets me.”

Tam offered no comment on that, asking instead, “What d’ye think o’ the new fellow, wi’ the fancy galley? What’s his name, de l’Armentière?” He pronounced it Arminteer in the Scots fashion. “A Temple Boar if ever I saw one.”

“Aye, he is, but I think he’ll be a good man to have wi’ us, ne’er the less. He has a quick mind on him, and ’gin we can keep him happy and gi’e him lots to fight over, I think he’ll be well enough. His three ships are grand enough, and he’ll have two or three hundred men aboard them. Fine enough if we get into a tulzie at sea, but we’ll ha’e to feed and shelter them once we make land.”

“Aye, right enough,” Tam agreed, low-voiced. They were approaching their own ship now and its hull loomed above them. Their lead oarsman stood up and reached out with a long, hooked pole to catch the rope that would allow them to pull themselves to where the ladder from the entry port hung just astern of the rearmost of the galley’s long oars, and as he did so Tam mused, still in Scots, “But speakin’ o’ twa, three hundred extra men, forbye the ones we had, you said the admiral wondered whether the King o’ Scots will be glad to see a fleet sail into his ken … D’ye no’ think he might be right?”

Will grunted, preparing himself to stand up once the boat had been secured. “He might be, Tam. You never know. But from what I hear, King Robert’s troubles are all land based. He’ll ha’e little use for galleys, I’m thinking, but he’ll be hungry for fighting men. But that reminds me, I meant to ask you if there are other Scots among our fleet. D’you know that, or can you find out?”