“Not tonight. You and your men are to join the patrol here. And you might send one of them to fetch another detachment. We’re on full security. Orders of Duke Cesare.”
Ezio pricked up his ears.
The captain and the guard leader were still arguing about the extra patrol duty when a detachment of papal city police came up to them on the double. They were out of breath, and concern showed on their faces.
“What is it, Sergeant?” the guard leader said to their commander.
“
“And?”
“And so we investigated. I sent some men in—”
“Spit it out, man!”
“We found
“Luigi?” The guard leader turned to look up at the front door, through which Ezio had just disappeared. “Nonsense. He arrived here a few minutes ago. With the money. Must be some mistake.”
THIRTY-TWO
Ezio, after having quickly and discreetly divested himself of Luigi’s outer garments and hidden them behind a column, made his way through the crowd of richly attired guests, many of them wearing masks, keeping a close eye on the guards with the box of money. He drew nearer to them as they approached an attendant in fine livery, to whom they handed it.
“For the Banker,” said one of the guards.
The attendant nodded and, carrying the box with ease, turned to make his way toward the back of the hall. Ezio was about to follow when he was joined by three girls, who brushed against him. Their dress was as opulent as that of the other guests, but their decolletage left little to the imagination. With a shock both of surprise and pleasure, Ezio recognized them as courtesans from the Rosa in Fiore. He’d obviously underestimated his sister. No wonder she was so furious with him.
“We’ll take over from here, Ezio,” said one of the girls.
“It wouldn’t do for you to get too close,” said a second. “But keep us in sight.”
They swanned off after the attendant and caught up with him; one of the girls engaged him in conversation.
“Hi, there,” she said.
“Hello,” replied the man guardedly. But it wasn’t much fun, being at such a party and yet having to be on duty.
“Mind if I walk with you? All these people! Hard to get through them with any speed.”
“Sure. I mean—I don’t mind if you want to keep me company.”
“I’ve never been here before.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Trastevere.” She shuddered theatrically. “Have to pass some of the old ruins to get here. They make me nervous.”
“You’re safe here.”
“With you, you mean?”
The attendant smiled. “I could protect you—if the need arose.”
“I bet you could.” She looked at the box. “My, what a fine chest you have there.”
“It isn’t mine.”
“Oh—but you are holding it in those strong arms of yours. What muscles you must have!”
“Want to touch them?”
“My goodness! But what would I tell the priest in Confession?”
By now they had arrived at an ironbound door flanked by two guards. Ezio watched as one of them knocked. A moment later, the door was opened and a figure in the red robes of a cardinal appeared in the entrance, with an attendant similarly dressed to the first.
“Here is the money you were expecting, Your Eminence,” said the first attendant, handing the box to the second.
Ezio drew in his breath, his suspicions confirmed. The Banker was none other than Juan Borgia the Elder, Archbishop of Monreale and Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna. The selfsame man he had seen in Cesare’s company at Monteriggioni and in the stable yard at the Castel Sant’Angelo!
“Good,” said the Banker. Black eyes glittered in a sallow face. He was eyeing the girl, who still stood close to the first attendant. “I’ll take her, too, I think.”
He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. He looked levelly at the first attendant. “As for you—you are dismissed.”
The first attendant watched them go, then gave a resigned sigh. He started to leave, but then stopped, patting himself down. “My coin purse! What’s happened to it?” he muttered, then he looked in the direction the Banker had gone with the girl. They were surrounded by laughing guests, among whom agile servants moved with silver trays loaded with food and drink. “Oh, shit!” he said to himself and made his way back toward the front doors. As he passed through them, the doors closed behind him. Evidently all the guests had arrived. Ezio watched him go and thought,
Ezio turned and pushed his way through to a position close to the Banker. At that point a herald appeared on a gallery and a trumpeter blew a short fanfare to make silence for him.
“
“Come on, my dear—you shall sit near me,” the Banker said to the courtesan from the Rosa in Fiore, his bony hand snaking around her buttocks. Joining the press of people that now moved obediently through the double doors leading to the inner chamber, Ezio followed. He noticed that the other two girls were not far away, but now they sensibly ignored him. He wondered how many other allies his sister had managed to infiltrate into this gathering. If she succeeded in all he had asked her to do, he would have to do more than eat humble pie, but he also felt proud and reassured.
He took a seat on an aisle near the middle of the assembly. Papal guards lined the edges of the room, and another row stood in front of the dais that had been erected at one end of it. Once everyone had settled, the women fanning themselves, for the room was hot, a familiar figure in black strode onto the dais. He was accompanied, Ezio noticed, by his father; but Rodrigo simply took a seat behind him. To his relief, Lucrezia was nowhere to be seen, though she must have been released from her cell by now.
“Welcome, my friends,” said Cesare, smiling a little. “I know we all have a long night ahead of us…” And he paused for the laughter and scattered applause…“But I will not detain you long…My friends, I am honored that the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna has gone to so much trouble to help me celebrate my recent victories…”
Applause.
