Finally the captain tapped him on the shoulder and said: 'Luigi-are you all right?'
'Of course I am!'
'Then-again with respect-why are you taking us toward the Tiber?'
'Security reasons.'
'Ah-I did wonder. Normally we just go straight there.'
'This is a particularly important consignment,' said Ezio, hoping it was. But the captain didn't bat an eyelid.
While they had stopped to talk, one of the guards muttered to the other, 'Load of rubbish, if you ask me. This kind of arsing about makes me wish I were still a blacksmith.'
'I'm starving. I want to go home,' muttered the other. 'Stuff the security. It's only a couple of blocks north of here.'
Hearing this, Ezio breathed a sigh of relief, for his mind had flashed on the location of the palazzo of the other banker, Agostino Chigi, who dealt with the Pope's affairs. That was a little to the northeast of where they were now. It stood to reason that Cesare's banker's place would not be far away-in the financial district. What a fool he'd been not to think of that before. But it had been another busy day.
'We've made enough of a detour,' he said decisively. 'We'll take a direct route from here.'
He set off toward the Palazzo Chigi and was reassured by the sense of relief he got from his companions. After a while, the captain even decided to take the lead. They adopted a brisk pace and very soon reached a district of clean, broad streets. The large and well-lit marble edifice they then headed for had different guards on duty at the foot of its entrance steps and in front of the imposing double front door at their head.
Evidently, Ezio's party was expected.
'Not before time,' said the leader of the new guards, who clearly outranked the captain. Turning to Ezio, he added, 'Hand over the box to my men, Luigi. I'll see the Banker gets it. But you'd better come, too. There's someone here who wants to talk to you.' He looked around. 'Where's Senator Troche?'
'Dealt with as ordered,' said Ezio quickly, before anyone else could answer.
'Good,' replied the guard leader gruffly.
Ezio followed the box, now in the hands of the new guards, up the steps. Behind him, the captain made to follow.
'Not you,' said the guard leader.
'We can't go in?'
'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.'
'Porco puttana,' growled one of Ezio's guards, the former blacksmith, to his mate.
Ezio pricked up his ears. Cesare? He's here?-he thought to himself, his mind racing, and he went through the open doors into an entrance hall ablaze with light and, luckily, thronged with people.
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.
'Perdone, Colonnello-but we've just been on the beat near the Pantheon-the doors were open-'
'And?'
'And so we investigated. I sent some men in-'
'Spit it out, man!'
'We found Messer Torcelli, sir. Murdered.'
'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.'
'Onoratissima!' said the girl willingly, snuggling up to the Banker as the attendant tried to control the expression on his face. The second attendant disappeared into the room beyond the door and it closed behind him as the Banker led the girl back into the party.
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
