Margaret added. ‘If they die, my son’s life is forfeit, and you’ll suffer the consequence.’
‘Don’t frighten the boy,’ Olbec said, patting her arm. He beckoned Wayland closer. ‘Imagine falcons so noble that only kings and emperors have title to them. White ones, as big as eagles. You’ll voyage further than most knights travel in a lifetime. On your return journey, you might even make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.’ Olbec’s eyes swam. ‘By God, I wish I was going with you.’
Most of this had passed over Wayland’s head. He tried to imagine a white falcon as big as an eagle and produced a mental picture of a swan with a hooked beak and wings like the angels his mother had described.
Drogo clapped in mock applause. ‘What an excellent choice: a dumb falconer for a dumb enterprise. Now all we need is a crew to match. Oh yes, and a leader. I know,’ he said, pointing at the figure in the shadows, ‘why don’t we send Richard?’
‘I’d go. Anything to get away from here.’
‘We’ll commission an agent,’ said Margaret. ‘A merchant adventurer experienced in the northern trade.’
‘You’ll lose control the moment he sets sail. The chances are you’d never see him or our money again.’
‘Drogo’s right.’
It took Wayland a moment to work out that it was the Frank who’d spoken.
Vallon stood. ‘If breath were wind, by now you could have blown a fleet to Norway. But no ship leaves harbour without a captain. What kind of man are you looking for? He would have to be a man you trusted through and through. A man brave enough to cut through the known hazards and resourceful enough to navigate around perils as yet unseen. He would have to be a man who, if he couldn’t find a path, would make his own. You might find a man who has one of these qualities. You won’t find a man who has them all.’
Wayland sensed crosscurrents swirling about the chamber. Drogo cocked his head in puzzlement.
‘For a moment I thought you were proposing to take up the challenge.’
‘God forbid. I lack both the qualities and the incentive.’
Margaret slapped the arm of her chair. ‘He’s a stranger. His words carry no weight.’
But Vallon’s intervention had tilted the balance. Olbec rapped his stick on the floor. ‘I’d hazard my fortune if I was sure that it would secure Walter’s release, but it seems to me that we’d lose the one without gaining the other. No, my lady, I’ve reached my decision. I’ll send an ambassador to Anatolia and frankly state my position, offering a ransom more in keeping with our station. What do you think, Vallon? You know the Emir; you say he holds Walter in affection. Surely he’s open to reason.’
‘He’s a rational man. I’m sure he’d consider your offer carefully.’
Margaret shot out of her chair, her arms rigid by her side. Her eyes raked around the room. ‘Since none of you will help, I’ll make my own arrangements.’ Gathering up her skirts, she ran out of the chamber.
Drogo clasped Olbec’s hand. ‘Well said, Father. Too many times you’ve let your lady’s passions cloud your judgement.’
Olbec looked up at him with curdled eyes. ‘Not so clouded that I can’t divine your motives.’
The screen parted and a soldier rushed in.
‘What’s wrong?’ Drogo demanded.
‘Guilbert went outside for a piss. Didn’t see the dog in the snow. Next moment he’s flat on his back with that hellhound at his throat.’
Drogo turned on Wayland. ‘I warned you.’
Wayland stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Nailed feet hammered on the floor and moments later the dog loped through the curtain like a creature out of myth or nightmare, its eyes sulphurous yellow, its steely hackles rimed with frost. When it saw Drogo’s threatening stance, its muzzle wrinkled in black corrugations. Wayland hissed. The dog made straight for him, lay down at his feet and began licking its paws.
Olbec held up his cup for another refill. ‘I’m not wrong,
‘Don’t frighten the boy,’ Olbec said, patting her arm. He beckoned Wayland closer. ‘Imagine falcons so noble that only kings and emperors have title to them. White ones, as big as eagles. You’ll voyage further than most knights travel in a lifetime. On your return journey, you might even make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.’ Olbec’s eyes swam. ‘By God, I wish I was going with you.’
Most of this had passed over Wayland’s head. He tried to imagine a white falcon as big as an eagle and produced a mental picture of a swan with a hooked beak and wings like the angels his mother had described.
Drogo clapped in mock applause. ‘What an excellent choice: a dumb falconer for a dumb enterprise. Now all we need is a crew to match. Oh yes, and a leader. I know,’ he said, pointing at the figure in the shadows, ‘why don’t we send Richard?’
‘I’d go. Anything to get away from here.’
‘We’ll commission an agent,’ said Margaret. ‘A merchant adventurer experienced in the northern trade.’
‘You’ll lose control the moment he sets sail. The chances are you’d never see him or our money again.’
‘Drogo’s right.’
It took Wayland a moment to work out that it was the Frank who’d spoken.
Vallon stood. ‘If breath were wind, by now you could have blown a fleet to Norway. But no ship leaves harbour without a captain. What kind of man are you looking for? He would have to be a man you trusted through and through. A man brave enough to cut through the known hazards and resourceful enough to navigate around perils as yet unseen. He would have to be a man who, if he couldn’t find a path, would make his own. You might find a man who has one of these qualities. You won’t find a man who has them all.’
Wayland sensed crosscurrents swirling about the chamber. Drogo cocked his head in puzzlement.
‘For a moment I thought you were proposing to take up the challenge.’
‘God forbid. I lack both the qualities and the incentive.’
Margaret slapped the arm of her chair. ‘He’s a stranger. His words carry no weight.’
But Vallon’s intervention had tilted the balance. Olbec rapped his stick on the floor. ‘I’d hazard my fortune if I was sure that it would secure Walter’s release, but it seems to me that we’d lose the one without gaining the other. No, my lady, I’ve reached my decision. I’ll send an ambassador to Anatolia and frankly state my position, offering a ransom more in keeping with our station. What do you think, Vallon? You know the Emir; you say he holds Walter in affection. Surely he’s open to reason.’
‘He’s a rational man. I’m sure he’d consider your offer carefully.’
Margaret shot out of her chair, her arms rigid by her side. Her eyes raked around the room. ‘Since none of you will help, I’ll make my own arrangements.’ Gathering up her skirts, she ran out of the chamber.
Drogo clasped Olbec’s hand. ‘Well said, Father. Too many times you’ve let your lady’s passions cloud your judgement.’
Olbec looked up at him with curdled eyes. ‘Not so clouded that I can’t divine your motives.’
The screen parted and a soldier rushed in.
‘What’s wrong?’ Drogo demanded.
‘Guilbert went outside for a piss. Didn’t see the dog in the snow. Next moment he’s flat on his back with that hellhound at his throat.’
Drogo turned on Wayland. ‘I warned you.’
Wayland stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Nailed feet hammered on the floor and moments later the dog loped through the curtain like a creature out of myth or nightmare, its eyes sulphurous yellow, its steely hackles rimed with frost. When it saw Drogo’s threatening stance, its muzzle wrinkled in black corrugations. Wayland hissed. The dog made straight for him, lay down at his feet and began licking its paws.
Olbec held up his cup for another refill. ‘I’m not wrong,
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