‘I’ll meet you, on the road outside the Monastery, just after midnight, with all three Princes,’ asserted Beowulf calmly as he parted from Roscow and Gareth.
‘If you say so,’ agreed Roscow, ‘although I still don’t see how. I don’t even know how you’re going to get in, let alone get out with three princes. Look at the place!’
Roscow gestured down the slope towards the Monastery. It was heavily fortified and there were obviously many, many guards patrolling the doorways, walkways and courtyards.
‘And they are sure to know that you’re coming.’
‘I’m counting on that,’ said Beowulf.
‘If you don’t come back, do I get to keep the money?’ he asked.
‘If you can outrun the armies of the Pope, the Duke of Jutland, the Marshall of France and the Queen of Britain without me,’ offered Beowulf cheerfully.
‘Good luck to you, then,’ said Roscow.
‘Thank you,’ replied Beowulf and set off down the slope.
Cardinal Mascarpone was in the lobby, looking blankly at the Britons.
‘I don’t know these people. I mean, I know who they are; you can’t avoid that, but “know them?” as in “meet with them in a social sense?” I don’t think so. Invite them on the King’s behalf to a select gathering? I really don’t think that’s likely! I’m sure I would have remembered saying something like, “provincial barbarians from the bog filled isle, would you care to join His Majesty Louis the King of France at an exclusive party to celebrate his wedding?” and do you know what? I don’t!’
Mascarpone turned to go and Heinrich, delighted with the outcome, began to shepherd the Britons to the door.
‘There you have it. The Cardinal does not know you; he does not want to know you. He hasn’t invited you and now, my blue stained friends, it’s time to go.’
Dorf ground obstinately to a halt and said in a very loud voice.
‘I am not at all blue stained and I don’t think the Cardinal remembers everything he says and does when he has had a drink!’
‘Come on, sir,’ said a guard, ‘time to go.’
Something in Dorf’s voice caught the Cardinal’s ear and gave him a moment of inexplicable anxiety; had he forgotten something?
As the guards pushed, Dorf stood his ground and uttered an enormous ‘Oink!’
Then he spoke again,
‘I’m sure the Holy Father is forgetting some of the things he has said and done when he’s had a few drinks. Oink, oink!’
Mascarpone felt a shiver of fear. There were things that would be best not mentioned, particularly around the King and Cardinal Bull.
‘Wait!’ he said, ‘I think I may have spoken with this man. Allow us a word.’
The guards backed off and Mascarpone approached Dorf.
‘My freend Pedro, ee keeps thee leettle peegs,’ Dorf hissed, so that only Mascarpone could hear, ‘If me and my friends are not invited to the party, then Cardinal Bull will be shortly hearing from a very distressed farmer about the nocturnal activities of a certain person from the Church. I don’t think he will believe that you “onlee wanted to be thee beeg bad wolf”, do you?’
Dorf smiled, the Cardinal gulped. The guards stood on tenterhooks, not knowing which way the situation was going to turn. Eventually Mascarpone managed to give a weak smile,
‘It is as the man says; I did invite them and then I forgot. How foolish of me! Please Captain let in these fine people. I am so glad you were able to come. Let me run ahead and let his Majesty know that you have arrived.’
He set off down the hallway and then turned back and whispered to Dorf,
‘Not a word to anyone.’
‘Oink! I mean, cross my heart, not a word, honest,’ agreed Dorf.
Amarilla felt a warm hand on her shoulder and turned to find herself face to face with D’Orbergene. He smiled a greasy smile and kept his hand on her shoulder,
‘Why, you are a pretty little thing! I am surprised to find you working in the Monastery kitchen.’
‘I am sorry Monsieur, I am only meant to serve the food,’ said Amarilla.
‘How tasty!’ said D’Orbergene, ‘I think you are doing it most beautifully. I would say that I have never had such “high class” service. What’s your secret, why are you here?’
He retained his hold on her shoulder. Amarilla tried to twist away but could not do this without causing a disturbance.
‘I think, Mademoiselle Amarilla De Cassiones, for it definitely is you, that things stand like this; last night, at dinner, you could not keep your eyes off me. I know this, as I am a very handsome man. Almost irresistible, I’ve been told; and as such, you could not resist me. I am sure you spent a sleepless night, thinking about what you were missing and then hit upon the idea of posing as a serving girl here in order to seduce me and know one night of true and absolute passion before surrendering yourself to an unsatisfactory marriage of convenience on the morrow.’
He paused to suck in a gasp of air before continuing in an oily undertone,
‘I am right, am I not? I usually am. The moment I saw you see me, I knew. I thought “the sparks are flying between us, this will be a great affaire.”’
Amarilla was dumbfounded. She was very disappointed that her disguise had been so easily seen through and she knew that if she were to fool Louie-Louie, Bull and Mascarpone she would need to change something quickly; but that was not the first problem! Here she was cornered by a lecherous idiot who could ruin her plan. As Amarilla De Cassiones, she wanted to slap his “irresistible” face and then kick him hard; however as a servant such a move was unthinkable. She looked again at his odious, lust filled face and suddenly she had a plan. She half turned and spoke very quietly, but as if she was in the grip of some deep emotion, taking advantage of a commotion that seemed to be taking place in the gambling room.
‘Sir, it is as you said. Since I saw you last night I have been able to think of nothing else. Please, please do not give me away. I had to see you. Please let me go now, but in ten minutes follow down the hallway to the kitchen and I will meet you in the second storeroom. You will recognise it as it is where they keep the meat.’
Amarilla slipped out of his grasp.
‘Come in ten minutes, my love’ she whispered and then was gone.
D’Orbergene smiled a huge, ugly self satisfied smirk and said to himself, ‘Eugene, you are the man! Women just can’t resist you! Even the King’s fiancé can’t help but throw herself at your feet. You are as charming as you are gorgeous!’
He decided that he should get in a hand or two of cards in before he ‘disappeared for a bit.’
He went back into the gambling room where there seemed to be a few more people than there had been a few minutes ago.