City of Ships

  Filippo hadn’t been able to stay behind to wait for Isabel’s flag-training. He left for Bellezza on the Friday, missing Isabel’s next stravagation, but he knew that she and her brother had survived their adventure.

  He met Luciano at the Arsenale, where he was running errands for Admiral Gambone.

  ‘We are like ships that pass in the night,’ said Luciano, but saw from Filippo’s puzzled frown that this was not a Talian expression. ‘I mean I must soon leave for Classe, just as you arrive.’

  ‘I shall not stay long, Cavaliere,’ said Filippo. ‘Once I have conveyed all my messages to the Admiral, I too must go back to Classe.’

  ‘Not long now,’ said Luciano.

  He was feeling nervous. He had been kidnapped, more than once, drugged, fought in a duel – had even died, for goodness sake – and yet he had never taken part in a battle on land or sea. He felt ridiculously unprepared. Although he didn’t envy Filippo’s limp and scar, remembering only too well how he had come by them, he did wish that he himself looked a bit harder and more experienced.

  Then, seeing Filippo’s expression, he realised that the young Nucci was feeling just as nervous as he was. Luciano put a hand on his shoulder.

  ‘Come to visit us in the palazzo before you go back,’ he said. ‘Arianna would like to see you again and we have an old friend of yours staying with us.’

  Luciano saw from Filippo’s face that he knew who he meant. ‘I’m sure she’d like to see you too,’ he added.

  They looked out together in silence at the Bellezzan fleet, moored in deep water. It wasn’t as large as the fleet in Classe but there were still two ships being fitted out with sails and cannons. There would then be sixty-five fighting galleys; the Classe fleet had twenty more than that so they would deploy a hundred and fifty vessels altogether.

  ‘Will it be enough, do you think?’ asked Filippo, echoing Luciano’s own thoughts.

  ‘Andrea thinks there will be about two hundred on the Gate people’s side,’ said Luciano.

  ‘So I’ve heard,’ said Filippo. ‘But mostly galleys. They won’t have the big ships with guns that we have.’

  ‘Then we must trust to our guns,’ said Luciano.

  *

  There was a state of tension throughout Bellezza; rumour had rustled through the city that the lagoon would soon be under attack. Like most rumour, it was composed about equally of fact and guesswork. But Bellezzans knew that their fleet was mustering and that was enough to create fear and excitement.

  The news had reached Princess Beatrice, who was still sheltering in the Ducal Palace. She was not in Arianna’s confidence about state matters but she was very popular with the servants, who gave her snippets of gossip as they dressed her hair or brought her hot chocolate.

  ‘A battle at sea,’ was the whisper. ‘Here or further down the Talian coast. The Gate people. An enormous fleet of galleys. Bigger than Bellezza has ever faced. Terrible odds.’

  So when Arianna came to tell her she had a visitor and she saw Filippo Nucci enter the room in naval uniform, Beatrice immediately feared the worst. She didn’t know how he might be involved in the Bellezzan fleet but she felt straight away that he was going into danger and had come to say goodbye.

  ‘Principessa,’ said Filippo, bowing as well as his hurt leg would let him.

  ‘Please don’t be so formal, Filippo,’ said Beatrice, coming forward to take his hand. ‘We can use each other’s names surely? Haven’t we known each other since we were children? And we have been through a lot together.’

  ‘Beatrice,’ said Filippo, overcome.

  It was true that he had come to say goodbye, not knowing if he would return alive from the battle, but now that he saw her, the goddess of his mosaic, smiling kindly at him, he resolved to do more.

  Arianna caught his eye and said hastily that she was afraid she must leave them alone since she had remembered an urgent task she had to do.

  They scarcely heard her. Beatrice was looking at Filippo’s scar and he was gazing into her eyes.

  ‘Your poor face,’ Arianna heard the princess say softly, as she left the room.

  Outside the door she ran into Luciano and surprised him by the fervour with which she hugged and kissed him.

  ‘Do you know,’ she said mischievously, ‘I think the same thing will be going on in there very soon.’

  ‘Between Beatrice and Filippo?’ said Luciano. ‘I hope so. But won’t that make Fabrizio even more angry with Bellezza?’

  Arianna shook her curls at him. ‘What do I care about that?’ she said. ‘If his sister is happy with her choice, that’s good enough for me.’

  ‘Your mother would say you are thinking like an island girl and not like a duchessa,’ said Luciano, smiling.

  ‘Well, I am an island girl, really,’ said Arianna. ‘And sometimes I think I will make a better duchessa for it. Anyway, I have made my own choice, even though I am the ruler, so why should I begrudge her choice to another young woman with no responsibilities of state to hinder her?’

  *

  Classe was in an even worse state of jitters than Bellezza. Not only was their fleet mustering but the Duke was drilling his soldiers too. Classe did not have much of a standing army since no one could remember when last one had been needed, but Duke Germano had been recruiting for weeks. In this he had been helped by Enrico, who had revealed an unsuspected skill at enlisting men of Classe who would never have dreamed they had a calling as soldiers.

  Other men were repairing the walls of the city which faced inland towards Giglia. They were not massive and the cannon mounted on them were not very modern. And the foundries down in the Classe Arsenale had been so busy making shot for the fleet that the weapons on the wall had a serious shortage of ammunition.

  But the important thing was that the city was aware it was going to be attacked, by land and sea, and its people were ready. Now that it was not much more than a week away, they just wanted to get it over with.

  They had stacked sandbags against the sides of those churches and temples nearest to the walls, to give some protection to the precious mosaics inside. Germano had even commissioned Fausto’s workshop to take copies of the ones in the most vulnerable buildings.

  Andrea made his regular report to the Duke. Germano greeted him in his small office, wearing full military uniform, decorated with silver braid and tassels. Vitale sat at his side, occasionally patting the plumes on the helmet that the Duke had set aside on his desk.

  ‘They have been moving their fleet, ten ships at a time, for months,’ said the pirate. ‘Almost the full two hundred are at Ladera on the coast opposite Talia now.’

  ‘You are putting yourself in a great deal of danger to come back and forth between them and us,’ said the Duke.

  ‘I shall not be able to do it much longer,’ said Andrea. ‘I have to take the Revenge to join them in Ladera within a day or two. But I want to talk to Isabella again. She has not come today.’

  Germano told him about Isabel’s adventure with her brother and ending up in her world over four centuries too early.

  ‘Do you think she will be able to come back to us?’ asked Andrea, alarmed.

  ‘These things are beyond me,’ said the Duke. ‘But your mother seems to think so.’ He shook his head. ‘There’s another matter I wanted to talk to you about,’ he said.

  ‘Your Grace?’

  ‘Flavia has been telling me about what happened with your father,’ said Germano. ‘I know it is painful for you to speak of it but I wanted to say that if we both come through this battle, I intend to issue you with a pardon, in recognition of the provocation and of the service you have done the State.’

  ‘I can only thank you,’ said Andrea, feeling as if a crippling burden might be lifted from him. Then his face fell; he could never forget that the monster he had killed shared his blood.

  ‘You have done so much for us in Classe,’ said the Duke. ‘I owe you this. You shall not have to wear a disguise in my city much longer.
’

  When Charlie got in from school, he brought the rest of the Barnsbury Stravaganti with him. Isabel was so glad to see them all. She made sure that her brother knew who they all were and where they had travelled to in Talia. Even Nick.

  But after a while, Charlie said, ‘Sorry, guys. This is all just too weird for me. I mean, I know you aren’t lying. I’ve been there. But I can’t think about it. It creeps me out.’

  ‘That’s what Alice felt,’ said Sky quietly.

  ‘So I’m going to leave you to it,’ Charlie said, making for the stairs. ‘But if you ever need someone to give you cover or something, you can count on me. And I would say, look after Bel, except that I know she can look after herself.’

  ‘Wow,’ said Georgia softly when Charlie had gone. ‘That’s impressive. I bet he hasn’t said that before.’

  ‘I’ve never understood how someone could just walk away from Talia,’ said Nick.

  ‘I can,’ said Sky. ‘I think if you haven’t been chosen – if you go there by accident or try to go when you aren’t supposed to be there – then it just doesn’t feel right.’

  ‘Yesh has never wanted to go there,’ said Matt. ‘She’s not scared of it the way Alice was but she just doesn’t have room for it in her life. And she doesn’t want to muscle in.’

  ‘Well, that’s all right then,’ said Georgia. ‘Sorted. Charlie will cover for Bel whenever she needs it but not try to interfere. Best of both worlds.’

  ‘You’re all forgetting something though,’ said Isabel. ‘I don’t know if I can get back to Classe. Or if I do, whether I’ll get back here OK.’

  ‘You’ve done it once and that was the hardest,’ said Nick. ‘I bet you’ll be all right.’

  ‘There’s only one way to find out,’ said Sky. ‘And I’m definitely coming with you this time.’

  When Isabel materialised in the baptismal bath, she didn’t have to wait long before Sky turned up beside her. They had both stravagated from their own homes but it felt curiously intimate to have travelled together. Sky, who was wearing Charlie’s old Dracula’s cloak over his pyjamas again, smiled at her.

  ‘We seem to be in the bath together,’ he said.

  Isabel climbed out to hide her confusion. Sky was looking round the Baptistery with slow enjoyment.

  ‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘Last time I was in such a hurry to get to Flavia’s and find out what had happened to you that I didn’t really have time to look at it.’

  ‘I suppose I’ve got a bit used to it,’ said Isabel, seeing it again from Sky’s point of view. ‘But yes, it really is amazing to think that all that beauty is made up of squares no bigger than the ones in my talisman.’

  ‘I wonder if there’ll be time for you to show me the other mosaics in the city?’ said Sky.

  ‘I hope so,’ said Isabel. ‘I’d love that.’ But then they heard such a loud shout from outside the Baptistery that all thoughts of the great art of Classe went out of their heads.

  Chapter 22

  Death on the Water

  When Luciano came to say goodbye to Arianna, they both knew it might be for ever. They didn’t exchange many words; it was too serious for that. Luciano was leaving on the Admiral’s consort ship, the Duchessa, in the early hours of the morning. It would slip through the waters of the Lagoon and out into the Adriatic, with the Admiral’s Goddess and a third ship, and head for Classe.

  He was coming to love the life on the water. The complicated set of rules and systems by which the mariners took care of the vessel and the way they interacted with the armed men on board fascinated him. This wouldn’t really be put to the test until the battle began but he had seen enough of it to enjoy the camaraderie and the skill.

  ‘It’s always harder for the one left behind,’ said Arianna.

  ‘I’m not leaving you behind,’ said Luciano. ‘You are always with me. But I have to do this. I hoped you would understand.’

  ‘Oh, I understand,’ said Arianna but then she bit her lip. She didn’t want what might be their last memory to be of quarrelling.

  ‘You come back to me, do you hear?’ she said, trying to be playful. ‘If you don’t, I’ll kill you.’

  They both laughed but hysteria and tears were lurking under the laughter.

  And then Luciano was gone and Arianna could let all her emotion out. But she was not the sort of person to cry for long. Action, she thought to herself. That’s what he wants and I want it too.

  She sent for Barbara.

  *

  Isabel and Sky hurried out into the street and found a crowd of people looking towards the city wall. They mingled and tried to overhear what was going on.

  ‘It must have started,’ someone was saying. ‘That was cannonfire from the battlements.’

  Isabel looked at Sky in dismay. If the land attack from Fabrizio really had started earlier than expected, then the Gate people might be coming too. And she wasn’t ready. She dragged Sky off to the piazza and bumped into Enrico.

  ‘Steady, Signorina,’ he said, giving Sky a curious look. He remembered ‘Brother Tino’ from Giglia.

  ‘Can you find out what’s happening?’ Isabel asked.

  ‘On my way to,’ said the spy.

  He left them and they made their way down to the harbour. Isabel saw that Andrea’s caravel was just about to cast off from the quay.

  She ran over the cobbles, stumbling and tripping and leaving Sky to catch her up.

  ‘Andrea, Andrea!’ she called.

  He saw her and leapt on to the quay, yelling at the sailor who was casting off to hold the rope awhile.

  ‘Isabella,’ he said, ‘I’m so glad to see you. You got here without trouble?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Isabel, ‘but never mind about that. Has something happened?’

  ‘Many things,’ said the pirate, maddeningly. ‘But why do you ask?’

  ‘There was a crowd in the square,’ said Isabel, still out of breath. ‘They were saying that the land battle has begun. They heard cannonfire.’

  By then Sky had joined them. Andrea looked him up and down. ‘Can this be your brother, Bella Isabella? He does not look like your twin.’ He didn’t seem the least bit bothered about the cannonfire.

  Isabel concentrated on not blushing. ‘Of course not. He’s my . . . friend. From my world,’ she added. ‘You know, another one like me.’

  ‘Call me Tino,’ said Sky. ‘That seems to be my name in Talia.’

  Andrea gave Sky his hand. ‘You come at a time of trouble for the city,’ he said seriously. ‘Perhaps you too can help us if you are ready for a fight.’

  Then he turned to Isabel. ‘I know nothing about a land battle. My concern is with the sea. But listen – are you going to be on the flagship?’

  ‘I . . . I think so,’ said Isabel. All the business with Charlie and the gateway had caused her to lose sight of what her role was going to be in the battle. ‘I need to talk to Filippo.’

  ‘I heard he has gone to Bellezza,’ said Andrea. ‘I think you’d better get down to the Tiger.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Isabel.

  ‘So this is goodbye,’ said Andrea. He embraced her warmly, with Sky looking on, unsure about this silver-toothed brigand. ‘I feel we shall meet again, Isabella. Our story is not yet over.’

  And then he broke away and jumped back on deck, nodding to the sailor to loose the rope from its mooring.

  ‘Come on, Sky,’ said Isabel. She didn’t want to watch the caravel disappearing into the distance.

  They hurried down to the fleet but Isabel was faster than Sky. She didn’t need to stare about her at the boats, the quay-traders and the screeching gulls the way that he did; she was used to them now. Eventually they made their way out of the busy harbourfront area and away towards the navy’s moorings. It had swelled in size with all the Bellezzan galleys that had been joining it in the last few days.

  ‘There’s the Admiral’s ship,’ she told Sky. ‘The Tiger. The flagship of both fleets together. Tha
t’s where I’m supposed to be for the battle.’

  Sky gave a low whistle.

  ‘That looks pretty real,’ he said.

  *

  ‘Are you sure, milady?’ asked Barbara. ‘It seems such a shame.’

  She was holding a mass of Arianna’s heavy red-brown hair in one hand and a large pair of scissors in the other.

  ‘It won’t have long to grow back before your wedding,’ she said.

  ‘There won’t be any wedding if Luciano gets himself killed in Classe,’ said Arianna grimly.

  ‘Never say that, milady,’ said Barbara, waving the scissors wildly as she tried to make the hand of fortune gesture. ‘It is bad luck.’

  ‘It is bad luck to have my fiancé sign up for a battle he has no need to fight,’ said Arianna. ‘At least if I’m with him we can die together.’

  Barbara was appalled.

  ‘Cut it all off,’ ordered her mistress. ‘I can’t hide it under a cap during a sea battle. It’s not like a trip to Padavia. If we make it back, both of us, I’ll call it a new fashion.’

  The maid sighed but did as she was told. Tenderly, she gathered up the fallen curls and wrapped them in a muslin scarf. Then she helped Arianna into the clothes she wore as Adamo on her visits to Padavia.

  ‘Now you must change into my dress,’ Arianna told her. ‘You are about to give the longest impersonation of your life.’

  ‘Will you . . . ? Will you take Marco to protect you?’ asked Barbara fearfully.

  ‘No,’ said the young Duchessa, tying her own mask on to the maid’s face. ‘Do you think I would put your husband’s life at risk when I am going to try to save my own love?’

  The first week of the Easter holiday went faster than any other in Isabel’s life. At home she listened to her parents and Charlie talking about hot cross buns and Easter eggs but it was as if she heard them from somewhere far away and deep underwater.

  Every night she travelled to Classe, sometimes with Sky and sometimes alone. The commotion in the street had been a false alarm. One of the more ancient cannon on the walls had blown up when the soldier in charge had tried a test firing. He and another man had been killed in the explosion and two others badly injured. It had really brought home to the people of Classe that this was no drill and that there would be many more casualties this spring.