“I am happy for you to desert me while you recover,” I told him. “I will take a walk.”
“Have Brewster accompany you,” Grenville said, his smile leaving him. “There are plenty who might believe a lone Englishman easy pickings.”
“I tramp about plenty in London, which is as dangerous a city as any. But I will have a care.”
Grenville sent me a look of misgiving, though he did not pursue the topic. Before he could make for the staircase and find his chamber, Bartholomew came charging through the courtyard and inside to the anteroom.
“Visitor for you, Captain. An Italian man.” His creased face indicated that he did not approve of visitors pouncing on us immediately upon our arrival. “His bloke gave me his card.”
Bartholomew thrust a pale rectangle at me. I took it in curiosity, then regarded it in astonishment.
“Conte Vittorio Trevisan,” I read in a stunned voice.
Chapter7
Trevisan?” Grenville regarded me with equal amazement. “What the devil is he doinghere? If he has sent men around to arrest you again, I shall have something to say about it.”
That Trevisan had reached Napoli so quickly, or possibly even before us, did not baffle me. He could have used a swift carriage, or even ridden horseback, as I had contemplated, while we’d dawdled on the road and spent two nights en route.
The only way to solve the mystery of his presence was to ask the man. “Send him in,” I told Bartholomew. “With your permission, Grenville.”
“By all means,” Grenville said crisply, his temper not improved by his motion sickness. “Let us quiz him.”
Bartholomew quickly departed. Grenville planted himself by the window, so he was in place to turn, rather disdainfully, as Gautier, whom Bartholomew must have fetched, ushered the conte into the reception room.
“Conte Trevisan, sir,” Gautier said, his tones haughty. “From Milan.”
Trevisan entered, equally as arrogant. He halted just inside the door and made no move to advance into the small chamber. Gautier, his task complete, vanished like this morning’s fog.
“Gentlemen.” Trevisan gave us a polite bow, one far more deferential than what he’d bestowed on me when I’d first encountered him.
Grenville returned the bow. “Conte. Welcome. What brings you to my home?”
“The captain is the reason for my visit.” Trevisan faced me and favored me with another bow. “I have come to apologize for the incident in Rome. I did not mean for the magistrate to send out his men to detain you and your man outside Mr. Grenville’s friends’ abode. The captain of the patrollers was imprudent and foolish. I vow to you, such a thing will not happen again.”
I listened with growing incredulity, but his tone was sincere. Perhaps someone in his household had mistaken Trevisan’s angry rantings for a call to have me arrested, as had King Henry with Thomas à Beckett. I suppose I could be thankful they hadn’t tried to murder Brewster and me on the spot.
“You are good to look me up to tell me so,” I said without inflection. “Quite a long journey for so simple an errand.”
The conte’s cheekbones stained red. “I have … business … in the area. I was told that you and your colleague had taken this house, and I decided to find you and offer my apologies. My servants, in their zeal, supposed you were a danger to me.”
His explanation was smooth, but his manner held no guile.
“I see.” I leaned on my walking stick. “Well, I am pleased you have decided to approach me. It was kind of you.”
“Indeed,” Grenville put in. “I would invite you to dine with us, but I fear I do not know how well the house is stocked, or what the cook can prepare.”
“No, no.” Trevisan raised an elegant hand. “I have no wish to disturb your household. I wanted only to explain to the captain what had happened as quickly as possible. You deserved an apology.”
I nodded. “I do appreciate your trouble in coming here.”
“Do you stay in Napoli long?” Trevisan asked, though I discerned the question was merely polite. I doubt he had any interest in us other than ensuring that I was not going to bring suit against him for wrongful accusations.
“A week perhaps,” Grenville said. “We are keen to examine the ruins at Herculaneum and Pompeii.”
“Of course. Many a foreigner comes here for that purpose. I know several gentlemen who catalog the work on Herculaneum. Scholars who know it and Pompeii well. I could ask that one of them show you the cities.”
“A kind offer,” Grenville said. “Actually, we would be delighted. Thank you, sir.”
