‘And I do declare it a famous success,’ Sforza purred, topping up Jared’s wine, which he’d hardly touched. ‘I’m bidden with all urgency to attend on the signore on the morrow with a view to discussing terms. I can tell you, these will not be made easy for him.’
‘You’re happy with it all, then,’ Jared muttered, still shaken.
‘Why so dolorous? I can see how this will lead to a bright future for the House, can’t you? Provided we take suitable precautions.’
‘Oh?’
‘You will want to keep your trade secrets safe. Should others learn of the processes we lose our monopoly and our usefulness.’
‘Yes, I see.’
‘And therefore any who join with us, work for us, we do not in any circumstances trust. At all times they are under our eye and suspicion. And as well, after today’s events, from this time forward there will be spies, assassins and those with honeyed words all about, which you should guard against the whole while.’
‘Anything else you’d recommend?’ Jared asked caustically. ‘Perhaps a daily escort?’
‘That will not be necessary at this time,’ Sforza came back smoothly. ‘But there are two things more – the first, I’d advise a poignard to be carried about you at all times.’ He lifted his tunic to reveal the gleaming hilt of his own.
‘Learn the Italian fluently. If not tomorrow, then by the next day. It may save your life.’
The buoyant mood that he’d had at their progress had evaporated and he went on in a sombre voice, ‘You have seen enough to know that it is the most favourable to us of any situation. Kindly do your part and I’ll do mine.’
The next day Sforza was his old self again, urbane, considerate and dignified. ‘We have an agreement.’
‘May I know of it?’ Jared asked.
‘For the provision of not less than fifty gunnes of a power capable of slaying a man at a hundred paces we receive, well, a considerable sum on the Frescobaldi Bianchi of Florence in gold florins. Together with an advance of one quarter of the sum, and a handsome provision for your subsistence and workshop expenses.’
‘Ah. The workshop. I thought that—’
‘An entire smithy and its workers has been taken in hand and turned over to you to conduct matters to your satisfaction, its materials and running costs to the account of the signore.’
‘Where will I live?’
‘A town house and servants close by the palazzo will be assigned to you for the duration of the works. And to allay your anxieties further, I’ve been able to make an arrangement that satisfies more than one condition.’
‘Oh?’
‘The signore has specified that at the same time as the gunnes are being made, a body of men be taught their operation.’
A look remarkably like that of smugness briefly appeared. ‘And for these I know where I can go.
‘First you must understand that it is the practice in Italy, including Arezzo, to forswear maintaining an army. It’s expensive and needs quartering between wars. Instead, prosperous cities hire in their soldiers who can be dismissed at the peace. These mercenary bands are then unemployed, roaming and pillaging unless bought off. They call themselves free companies and we find some mainly German, others Gascon, still others from Navarre.
‘To our advantage there are several English free companies and I suggest that a middling-level band be approached with an offer to train as gunne-people with us. They stand to win constant employment for little danger and will have a war skill that will soon be most lucrative. This is to the one side. To the other is that the captain of the band will interpret for you in the workshop and elsewhere until you have the Italian, but more to your liking will be that he and his band will be your protectors and allies. And dare I say it, a friend to you in a strange place.’
‘But are you not my friend?’
‘Our friendship is of the highest value to me,’ Sforza replied loftily. ‘But alas, my duty to the House of Barnwell calls me away to my customary responsibilities. After we have settled here I must be on my way. For financial and other matters I have appointed a trusted merchant to act for me – and for yourself, of course.’
He gave a broad smile. ‘Shall we now inspect your lodgings? Should they not be to your satisfaction …’