City of Ships Read online

  In Talia, she spent time with Flavia, Fausto and Duke Germano. She was now quite used to Vitale, the spotted cat, who seemed bigger each time she saw him. She was also getting used to Andrea the pirate, who was a much more dangerous domestic presence.

  He had come to visit Flavia once or twice and an uneasy truce had been struck between them. Isabel knew there was a lot of family history she had not been told, but didn’t dare ask who Andrea’s father was or if he had any brothers and sisters.

  And he had produced one positive effect on her: she was learning to swim. Not by being thrown overboard by a pirate, but by having private lessons at the local swimming pool. It was a deadly secret between her and her mother and Isabel was paying for her own lessons out of unspent Christmas money.

  She could now put her face underwater without freaking out and could do a width of breaststroke. She was never going to rival Charlie but at least if she fell off a pirate ship she would not sink straight away.

  William Dethridge was relieved to have Rodolfo and Arianna back in Bellezza but was quite confused to find them entertaining a di Chimici princess.

  ‘This is our dear friend Dottore Crinamorte,’ said Arianna, introducing the old Elizabethan to Beatrice. ‘Dottore, the Principessa Beatrice is staying with me for a while. She is in need of a holiday.’

  Dethridge’s manners were far too good to query this explanation and he kissed the princess’s hand with great courtesy but soon found an excuse to visit Rodolfo in his laboratory; there was nothing he could safely ask or tell Arianna in front of a di Chimici, even an apparently well-disposed one.

  ‘I wolde tell thee summe thynge,’ he said to the Regent as soon as he had found him. ‘I have resolved the probleme of the talismannes! At the leaste, I thynke so. We moste try yt oute.’

  ‘But that is wonderful!’ said Rodolfo. ‘It means that any Stravagante will be able to go to any of our cities. How did you do it?’

  ‘Ye moste allowe mee summe mysteries,’ said the Doctor, smiling. ‘I have a reputatioune to holde up as the source and origine of oure brethren, do I notte?’

  ‘True,’ said Rodolfo. ‘But what must the Stravaganti do?’

  ‘Wolle, atte this tyme they moste fall asleep thynking of their citie. Botte if they wishe to go to anothire, they moste thynke of yt.’

  ‘It can’t be as simple as that, surely?’ said Rodolfo.

  ‘Noe, yt is notte,’ said Dethridge. ‘Firste, they moste already be Stravaygers, who have travelled to their proper citie bifore. Thenne I thynke they moste speake out the name of the citie they want to visit – notte just thynke yt. Bot I cannot bee certaine until a Stravayger has made assaye.’

  ‘What a pity we don’t have a Stravagante from the other world in Bellezza just now,’ said Rodolfo. ‘But perhaps I could get a message to Isabella and see if she can try coming here?’

  ‘Thatte wolde be beste,’ said Dethridge. ‘Now, telle mee how ye fared in the Citie of Shyppes.’

  ‘Well, very well,’ said Rodolfo. ‘Duke Germano has agreed to join forces with us and I have found a spy who will give us the word when the attack is to be launched.’

  ‘A bettire espial thanne thatte Henry, I hope,’ said the doctor.

  ‘Enrico?’ said Rodolfo. ‘Well, I’m not sure you’d think so. He is a pirate known as the Black Raider, but in fact he is called Andrea and is the son of our sister Flavia in Classe.’

  Dethridge’s bushy eyebrows shot up. ‘A brigand? Are ye certaine hee is trusteworthy?’

  ‘We have Flavia’s word,’ said Rodolfo. ‘Not as a mother but as a Stravagante.’

  ‘And whatte of those Chymists?’ asked Dethridge.

  ‘The di Chimici are indeed in league with the Gate people,’ said Rodolfo.

  ‘Thenne wherefore do ye have one of these Chymists here in the palace?’ asked the Elizabethan. ‘Is shee a hostage?’

  ‘No,’ said Rodolfo. ‘Princess Beatrice is a runaway. She has defied her brother the Grand Duke, who wanted her to marry Filippo di Chimici.’

  ‘Thenne shee is a yonge mayde of goode sense!’ said Dethridge, ‘and worthy to be protected.’

  *

  Isabel had not long arrived at Flavia’s house when her Stravagante took her to her inner chamber where she had an elaborate set of mirrors. At first, Isabel thought it was the dressing table arrangement of a vain woman but then she saw that each mirror already had an image in it, though these were not reflections of anything in the room. Isabel peered closer and saw that each glass seemed to show a room or outdoor scene in what she guessed were other Talian cities. And then she spotted Rodolfo’s face in one of them.

  ‘He is trying to tell me something,’ said Flavia. ‘Wait – he says he wants to speak to you.’

  Isabel sat in front of the mirror and tried to concentrate on the Bellezzan Stravagante.

  Greetings, Isabella, he thought-spoke. I have a commission for you.

  Isabel was thrilled.

  But Doctor Dethridge is going to explain what we want you to do, Rodolfo continued. And I should warn you that you might find him difficult to understand. Luciano says that all Stravaganti from your world hear him talking in old-fashioned language, because he is an English speaker from your world hundreds of years ago.

  The others had told Isabel about William Dethridge, the man who had started the whole business of stravagation – by accident.

  Another face replaced Rodolfo’s in the same glass; it was a man in his sixties with white hair. He seemed very hale and had twinkly eyes.

  Signorina Ysabel, he thought-spoke, how wolde ye lyke to visite us hire in Bellezza?

  Very much, replied Isabel. But how can I do that? My talisman takes me only to Classe.

  Ah, I have bene laboring on thatte probleme. The nexte tyme ye stravayge, as wol as thynkinge about Bellezza in stede of Classe, ye moste say the name out loude bifore ye slepe. Do ye ondirstonde?

  I think so, said Isabel. I must think about Bellezza and say the city’s name out loud before I go to sleep?

  Yt wolde holpe if ye canne thynke about the palace of the Dutchesse, said Dethridge.

  How will I do that? said Isabel. I have never seen it.

  I wolle aske Maistre Rudolphe to describe yt to ye, said Dethridge. Fare ye woll, Ysabel.

  Rodolfo came and drew a thought-picture for Isabel of the Ducal Palace in Bellezza. In particular he described Arianna’s private sitting room. And Isabel agreed to give the new method a try that very night.

  *

  Cardinal Rinaldo received a summons from his uncle the Pope in Remora. This was not unusual. Less than a year ago, when the Cardinal had first taken orders, he had been his uncle’s chaplain. And the Pope sometimes forgot that his nephew had been elevated to the scarlet hat, Rinaldo’s rise in the church had been so sudden and dazzling.

  Pope Lenient VI was also Ferdinando di Chimici, the Prince of Remora, and it was a family matter he wanted to discuss with Rinaldo on this occasion.

  ‘Ah, nephew,’ he said when Rinaldo was shown in. ‘How are you? You are looking rather thin.’

  Rinaldo could not say the same of his uncle. Ferdinando, always corpulent, was now so fat he could hardly get out of his chair.

  ‘I am well, thank you, Holiness. Just preoccupied with our continued struggle with the Stravaganti.’

  ‘No progress then?’ asked Ferdinando.

  ‘No. We had a good lead in Padavia but it has all gone quiet again,’ said Rinaldo regretfully.

  ‘Well, enough of them,’ said Ferdinando. ‘I have had an urgent message from your cousin Fabrizio.’

  ‘From the Grand Duke? How is His Grace?’

  ‘Most perturbed. His sister has run away from home.’

  ‘Cousin Beatrice?’ said Rinaldo. ‘Whatever for?’

  ‘Apparently she did not want to marry Cousin Filippo.’

  Rinaldo closed his eyes. That dolt Filippo again! He could quite imagine his botching the business of proposing marriage as he had done the capture o
f the Stravagante.

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that, Holiness. But where is she now?’

  ‘That is what Fabrizio is trying to find out. He writes to ask if she has sought the sanctuary of the Church in Remora.’

  ‘And she has not?’

  The Pope raised an eyebrow. ‘Certainly not. I would have informed her brother straight away. Not that I approve of forced marriage, as I think you know.’

  He frowned at Rinaldo, who had forced his cousin Francesca to marry an old man and then had to come and beg the Pope to dissolve the marriage.

  Rinaldo pretended not to understand him.

  ‘I don’t suppose you have any news of Beatrice,’ said Ferdinando. ‘But what about that spy fellow you used to employ? Could he be used to search for the princess?’

  ‘As far as I know, Enrico is still in Padavia,’ said Rinaldo. ‘He is not working for the di Chimici any more. You can’t have forgotten that he helped to kill your brother in the duel.’

  ‘Ah yes,’ said the Pope vaguely, who had forgotten that. ‘Pity. Well, can you find another spy? I’m worried about little Beatrice. Such a quiet and innocent girl. I don’t like to think of her wandering in the world without the protection of a husband or brother.’

  In one respect, Rinaldo and Enrico were very alike: they had a good nose for opportunity. Rinaldo gladly accepted the commission to search out Beatrice. If he could find her, it would put him in Fabrizio’s good books.

  He stepped out into the circular campo and looked with distaste at all the astrological signs inset in its twelve panels. The anti-magic laws had been introduced in Remora, as in all the cities controlled by the di Chimici, but the Pope was doing nothing to enforce them.

  He is too old and too tired for the job, thought Rinaldo. Now, if I were in control here I’d have all this superstition uprooted in no time.

  *

  Arianna spent the morning in her private room but she had to make her excuses to Beatrice; she sent Barbara to tell the princess that the Duchessa had a bad headache. Arianna did not feel ready to trust Beatrice with the secrets of the Stravaganti yet.

  Besides, she did not know if this new scheme of Dottore Crinamorte’s to bring Isabella to Bellezza would work. Rodolfo came to wait with her for some of the morning but still the time dragged. Arianna was not the sort of young woman who had embroidery to occupy her. She sent for Mariotto and asked him to bring the remaining male African kitten so that she could begin to socialise him.

  Rigello, which was what he had been named, was fascinated to be in his mistress’s chamber and sniffed everything in it. He was extremely puzzled by the full-length mirror and advanced cautiously on his own reflection, a ridge of fur rising along his back as he confronted this other cat.

  Arianna was so entertained that she didn’t notice Isabel’s arrival in the room. But Rigello did and with one leap pinned the startled girl to the floor.

  ‘Oh no, Gello, let her go – she’s a friend!’

  But the half-grown cat growled. He knew there was something unnatural about the way this person had appeared in the room. The cat in the mirror had been bad enough – another male as big as him but without any smell. But this was worse: a human being where there had been empty space before. He took a lot of coaxing to release his grip on Isabel’s dress.

  He went off to sit in the corner and wash his ruffled fur but every now and again uttered another rumble from his deep chest.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Arianna, helping the flustered girl up.

  ‘He’s much bigger than Vitale, isn’t he?’ said Isabel, shaken. ‘And much fiercer.’

  ‘He’s not usually bad,’ said Arianna, ‘but he’s never seen anyone stravagate before. He’s a dear really. Just as gentle as his brother.’

  She fetched the cat a strictly forbidden sweetmeat and he took it daintily between his big white teeth.

  ‘What about me?’ said Isabel, grinning. ‘I’ve had a shock too.’

  Arianna held out the silver dish and Isabel took a couple of sugared almonds.

  ‘You did it,’ said Arianna. ‘You stravagated to a different city!’

  Isabel was looking round the room, comparing it with Rodolfo’s description and committing it to memory in case she needed to get here again. It was a room with two doors, one of them bolted. That must be the one to the secret passage that led to Rodolfo’s old palazzo with his laboratory in it.

  A knock on the other door preceded the entrance of a very good-looking middle-aged woman, who could only be Arianna’s mother, Silvia.

  ‘Good heavens,’ she said, looking at Isabel. ‘You must be the new Stravagante. And Guglielmo’s trick has worked.’

  Silvia came forward, her grey taffeta dress rustling over the floor, and made a close inspection of Isabel. Rigello whined from his corner and the former Duchessa laughed.

  ‘Remarkable,’ she said. ‘We live in remarkable times.’

  But she caressed the cat. ‘What is wrong, Rigello? Has Arianna put you in the corner because you have been bad?’

  ‘He put himself there,’ said Arianna, ‘because he pounced on Isabella as soon as she arrived.’

  The spotted cat came cautiously forward to sniff at Isabel, letting Arianna and Silvia stroke him. Isabel held out her hand to his furry muzzle.

  ‘You are not afraid?’ asked Silvia approvingly.

  ‘I have met his brother in Classe, ma’am,’ said Isabel.

  ‘Oh, call me Silvia,’ said Arianna’s mother. ‘All the Stravaganti from your world do. How is young Tino? What is his name in your world?’

  ‘Sky,’ said Arianna.

  ‘He is well,’ said Isabel. ‘But a bit sad,’ she added impulsively.

  ‘Why sad?’ asked Silvia.

  ‘Well, it’s his story, I suppose,’ said Isabel. ‘But he has broken up with his girlfriend.’

  ‘Broken up?’ said Silvia. ‘How vivid your modern language is. But I understand. Poor Tino, poor Sky. Still, she never did like Talia.’

  Isabel was impressed by the older woman’s immediate grasp of Sky’s situation.

  ‘Well, we must take you to Rodolfo,’ said Silvia briskly. ‘Though I think you have met him before. But Arianna, you must give her a mask. She is over sixteen, I’m sure.’

  And Isabel had to accept a green silk mask, which Arianna tied over her eyes.

  ‘I think we should take the secret passage, don’t you?’ asked Silvia. ‘Come, Rigello, this will be an adventure for you.’

  *

  Grand Duke Fabrizio was beside himself with worry and anger. No messenger had brought back any news of Beatrice from any of the di Chimici cities of the north and now he was reduced to sending to the independent city-states. It would soon be public knowledge that the di Chimici princess was missing and had run away from her brother.

  In this state he went to see Gaetano. Filippo had left the palazzo on the Via Larga and gone back to Bellona, feeing humiliated that his marriage proposal had been so badly received.

  ‘There is still no news,’ said Fabrizio, pacing the salon. ‘Suppose something terrible has happened to her?’

  ‘You mean something more terrible than a forced marriage?’ asked Gaetano quietly.

  His brother rounded on him. ‘Of course I would not have made her marry Filippo against her will,’ he said. ‘Not if she really hated the idea.’

  ‘But perhaps she thought you would,’ said Gaetano. ‘You must admit you are a forceful character.’

  Fabrizio stared him in the eyes. ‘You know where she is, don’t you? You’ve known all along!’ He took Gaetano by the collar as if he would hoist him up and choke him, but something in his younger brother’s unwavering gaze made him stop.

  He slumped into a chair and covered his face with his hands. ‘What has happened to me?’ he muttered. ‘My sister fled from me and my only remaining brother a conspirator.’

  ‘We were going to tell you when you had calmed down,’ said Gaetano, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder.
‘She is safe, I promise you.’

  ‘Where is she?’ asked Fabrizio, raising his face from his hands. Gaetano was moved to see it was streaked with tears. He didn’t doubt that his brother was really worried about Beatrice.

  ‘Well, I will tell you,’ said Gaetano. ‘But you must promise not to fly into a rage.’

  Fabrizio nodded.

  ‘She is with the Duchessa of Bellezza.’

  Chapter 11

  Spreading Wings

  ‘It was fantastic!’ said Isabel when she met the others after school next day.

  She had been bursting to tell them about going to Bellezza but had decided she really must spend some time with Laura and they had lunched together in the cafeteria. Her friend had looked at her with envy; Isabel seemed so much more confident these days, with a wider group of friends, but Laura was still the same – a mass of neuroses and phobias.

  Isabel was sorry for Laura but she knew she couldn’t explain to her why she herself felt so much more full of life and energy.

  It all burst out as soon as they were in Nick’s attic though.

  ‘Bellezza is amazing,’ she said. ‘Have you all been there?’

  ‘I went to Luciano and Arianna’s engagement party,’ said Matt. ‘But I didn’t see much – just the palazzo.’

  It made Isabel feel special to have wandered the streets of Bellezza in daylight. Each city seemed to have had its own Stravagante from her world but Bellezza’s had been Lucien and he was no longer here.

  ‘So, it really works then – you really can go to different cities with the talismans?’ asked Georgia.

  ‘It would be very useful if we were going back to Talia,’ said Nick, a bit wistfully.

  ‘You’d better tell us how to do it, in case we need to come and rescue you in Classe,’ said Sky, smiling.

  It was the first time Isabel had seen him smile for ages. The split with Alice seemed to have been final and she was even being cold to Georgia. Isabel was beginning to see how it could be problematic in both worlds, being a Stravagante. But she told them Dethridge’s simple formula.

  ‘I met him, you know,’ she said. ‘Arianna took me round to his house and I met him and his wife.’