Free Ilario, the Stone Golem by Mary Gentle Page A

wife.’
    ‘Federico. That’s my foster father you’re insulting,’ I added, settling
    the folds of the green cloak about me. ‘Accurately, I may say. Although
    Valdamerca has her charitable moments.’
    Berenguer chuckled, at least partly with relief that his lord’s son-
    daughter hadn’t chosen to take offence when treated like a woman and
    spoken to like a man.
    ‘Her husband’s about to be very charitable!’ He held the room door open for me, hand on the hilt of his bastard sword. ‘Do you think you
    could look frightened for us?’
    ‘Us’, it transpired, were fifteen of my father’s soldiers – Attila and
    Tottola without smiles, and therefore at their most intimidating; every
    man else in brigandine or breastplate, with swords or maces; even
    Saverico with his polished sallet under his arm, a red and gold silk sash
    tied from shoulder to waist.
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    A tall, thin soldier with his cloak hood raised proved, on lifting the
    edge of it, to be Honorius.
    ‘Help,’ I observed gravely. ‘Oh, oh, I am being stolen away! Will
    nobody help a poor defenceless—’
    ‘“Defenceless”’, my backside!’ Honorius brushed his knuckles against
    my cheek with open affection. ‘I told Berenguer when he brought me this
    story – if we just take the money and hand you over, not only will we be
    rich, I’ll have some peace and quiet!’
    Under the cover of general amusement, and donning of cloaks over
    armour, intended to disguise the immediate passage of armed mercen-
    aries through Venice’s alleys, I asked Honorius, ‘What in Christ-the-
    Emperor’s name does he think he’s doing !’
    ‘Lord Videric? Sending your foster father to buy off my soldiers. After
    all, they’re only common mercenaries.’
    Over the less-than-sincere thanks offered by his men at that point, I
    managed to amend my question. ‘Truly, I meant Federico.’
    ‘Being desperate! That’s what he’s doing.’ My father produced a short
    length of rope, wrapped it about my wrists in a false knot, and gave me
    the two ends to grip in my hands so that I looked sufficiently bound. ‘I
    spoke to the Egyptian about this. He suggests that, if messages and
    travellers are getting through from the Peninsula, Federico will have
    heard directly from Videric. I think he’s right. Whether or not Videric
    knows we disposed of Carrasco, he’s clearly told Federico to move his
    arse.’
    I nodded. ‘Something was going to happen, now. It’s inevitable.’
    The sky above me was the colour of lapis lazuli ashes. The warm air
    shifted, bringing me the scents of cooking, canal water, and the lagoon.
    However cold it may still be, and how wet, the world is beginning to
    move again. If long sea voyages are still unsafe, there are the coastal
    routes. And some of the better-maintained roads, the Via Augusta
    included, will be open.
    ‘Is Rekhmire’ coming to make sure I’m properly sold?’
    Honorius shook his head. ‘He’d be recognised. I’ve requested him to
    stay here with the rest of the guard, and protect my granddaughter.’
    I ignored a stab of disappointment. Because, injured leg or no, I will
    trust Rekhmire’’s determination to protect Onorata above most men’s.
    ‘Videric will send more men to kill me,’ I observed as we walked across
    the Campo S. Barnaba. ‘True, the more men he hires, the more gossip,
    the more danger people will hear what he’s doing – but I think he’ll be willing to risk that, now.’
    ‘Bandits. Pirates. Thugs.’ Honorius grunted. He pulled the front of his
    hood forward. Dressed as a plain soldier, there was nothing to mark him
    out from the other cloaked mercenaries. ‘Knew I should have brought
    more than three lances . . . ’
    45

    ‘We’re worth six!’ Saverico grinned. Tottola slapped him on the
    shoulder, which all but sent the slight ensign staggering.
    I expected a boat to be waiting, but we instead walked on into the mass
    of lanes and small squares, until we had left the Dorsodura