“What of pirates, or mutiny?”
“My lord, every captain in my fleet has been with me for several years, as have all my ships’ crews. These men are used to working together under both good and bad conditions. They are a loyal and disciplined lot, unlike most crews. They’ll bring their ships through Hell if necessary, but they’ll bring them home to England.”
Cecil smiled thinly. “Your confidence is commendable, sir. I shall look forward to being amazed.” He turned to Skye. “And where, madam, do you come into this?”
“I finance it,” said Skye quietly.
“You must have great confidence in Captain Small,” said Cecil drily.
“I do, sir. He was my husband’s partner for some years, and never failed him once.”
“And your husband was …?”
“Don Diego Indio Goya del Fuentes, a Spanish merchant of Algiers.”
“The Spanish ambassador claims never to have heard of him, madam.”
“I would hardly think the Spanish ambassador to the English Court would be well acquainted with the residents of Algiers, my lord,” said Skye coolly.
“Perhaps not, madam. I merely mention it in passing. It is my duty to protect my Queen.”
“If you feel, my lord Cecil, that this venture is a danger to your Queen, or would bring some discredit upon her, then I shall withdraw my request for a charter, and you must rule against us with Her Majesty. However, to do so casts doubt upon not only my honor, but on Sir Robert’s as well. I am but newly come from Algiers, but Captain Small has always been a loyal and good servant of England.”
“Madam, you misunderstand me. I merely said that King Phillip’s man knew not of your late husband’s family.”
“Why should he? My husband’s family came to Algiers several generations back. The original Goya del Fuentes was, I believe, a younger son. There is still a branch of the family in Spain—near Granada or Seville. I can never remember which.”
Cecil sighed, exasperated, and Robbie hid a smile. Skye was doing a fine job of confusing the chancellor. It relieved him to see her fast thinking. Now he need not fear leaving her when he went back to sea.
“Really, my lord,” Skye allowed a slightly annoyed tone to creep into her voice, “what it is that bothers you I cannot imagine. I ask for nothing other than Her Majesty’s sponsorship. In return I offer her a quarter share of the profits, the latest mapping of the area, and my ships will be bringing to the peoples of the East word of our Queen’s greatness. This hardly seems to me a suspicious undertaking.”
“Dammit, madam, you deliberately twist my words!” roared Cecil.
“Do I indeed, sir? Pray then, enlighten me as to exactly what it is youdomean.”
A burst of tinkling laughter interrupted them, and from a shadowy recess in the room the Queen quickly appeared.
“Do not mind Cecil, Mistress Goya del Fuentes. He is overcautious of our welfare, and we are appreciative of his efforts. Although we might do without any other of our servants, we could not do without him. Come, my friend, you need not know the lady’s pedigree in order to do business with her. Our treasury is not so full that we cannot use the profits from this voyage, and it costs us nothing more than our goodwill. Captain Small’s record speaks for itself.”
“Very well, my lady Queen. I will see the charter is granted if you so desire.”
“I do, my lord Cecil. Work out the pertinent details with Captain Small. Mistress Goya del Fuentes will come and have a glass of wine with us.” The Queen strode from the room and Skye, after curtseying to Cecil, followed her.
As the door closed upon the women the chancellor remarked, “She’s a beautiful woman, Sir Robert, and she has a brain. Her Majesty approves of intelligent women.”
“She is the daughter I never had,” replied Robbie.
“Indeed,” murmured Cecil. “Then are you aware that she spent several days and nights in mid-January with Lord Southwood at the Thameside inn called the Ducks and Drake?”
“I am,” said Robbie, his anger beginning to rise. “You seem to be keeping a rather close watch on an unimportant and harmless young woman, my lord.”
“A woman of Irish descent who was wed to a Spaniard … both traditional enemies of England,” Cecil observed drily.
“And is Lord Southwood also under suspicion?” snapped the captain.
“Only to the extent that a valuable servant of the Queen might be subverted.”
Robert Small was on his feet. “By God, sir! I’ll hear no further slander against Skye! She has suffered greatly, and yet remains a sweet and good lady. There is not a devious or disloyal tendency in her, I assure you.”
