"But this time he would accept you," promised Leonardo. "In case we tell him what you have done for us – and that you have contributed decisively to the solution of this case."
That was, however, going too far for the redhead. He did not seem to understand either what Leonardo with his words really wanted to say. "What a case then?" asked the redhead. "I really do not get it, what you're talking about at the moment. In my view, it is now first the most important thing that you escape!" The redhead turned back in all directions and listened. Leonardo and Carlo were listening, too. Fortunately the old creek was roaring incessantly, mostly drowning the noises caused by the three boys.
"Come with me now, and stay close behind me!" murmured the redhead.
"What's your name?" asked Leonardo.
"My name is Giacomo."
"I am Leonardo da Vinci. And what I have just said about Andrea Meister and his workshop, it’s meant seriously!"
"Yes, yes ... sure."
"I'm going to convince him that he is in your debt!"
"Now get on! Otherwise I will really get in trouble! "
"Haven’t these bandits installed any guards?" asked Carlo.
"Yes, they have," said Giacomo. "But these men are sleeping tight ..."
"Then it's O.K."
"And now to the horses!" urged Giacomo.
It was impossible now to saddle a horse. That would have made much too much noise and worried the animals. But Leonardo and Carlo were already accustomed to ride bareback on the mare Marcella, who was standing in grandfather's barn.
Giacomo picked out a particularly quiet animal and helped Leonardo and Carlo to swing on the back. Then the papermaking apprentice gave the animal a pat.
Leonardo pushed his heels into the animal’s sides, so it started galloping. The hooves’ clapping mingled with the continuous noise of the nearby creek.
When reaching the ridge, Leonardo looked back briefly. He thought he heard voices. Maybe someone had awakened in the camp now and had raised the alarm.
Leonardo and Carlo could not wait to see what would happen anyway. They drove the horse further forward and finally disappeared in the dark shadows of the night.
Chapter 11: The Noble Lord
First, Leonardo and Carlo rode away as fast as they could. They still had the cover of darkness and even if they were followed by the bandits, they would therefore find it difficult to find them. But already were on the horizon the first sun rays. Finally they stopped and had a rest. They were still nearby the creek. Leonardo led the horse to the bank, so it could drink. The boys refreshed themselves a bit.
"Tell me, where do we actually ride now?" asked Carlo. "Do you think we will find the way to Vinci as long as it's so dark?"
"We do not ride to Vinci," said Leonardo.
"Why not?"
"That would be too far! The gang would probably find us!"
"And what do you suggest then?"
"We have to go to the mill of Master Andrea and tell him what has happened and where the gang has their camp."
Carlo did not seem to comprehend what Leonardo wanted. "There, the gang can catch us as well."
"But, the day after tomorrow the agent of the Medici Bank will come to Master Andrea. Then Master Andrea could inform him what had happened and the agent, then, could get help to thwart the plans of the gang."
"If they are not gone long ago," Carlo said.
"No, they will not be. You heard that the so-called Noble Lord was not satisfied with the quality of the paper and also the rags have run out of stock. This will force them to stay a while at Master Flavio’s mill. And the Noble Lord ... Someone like him does not want to sleep in the woods or on the lawn, but if possible in an inn! Well, and so many of them do not exist in this area, so that you could not figure out where a noble man who must be extraordinary to everyone, has found a room!"
"You don’t recall that your father perhaps could do something in Florence," said Carlo.
"I do," objected Leonardo. "I still have hope. But it's too uncertain, to stake everything on this card ..."
"You thus think it’s also possible that your father could not do anything?"
Leonardo took a deep breath. "Can we really exclude this possibility, Carlo?" He paused. For a few moments neither of the boys said a word. A few crickets could be heard chirping and also the slurping of the horse that stuck its mouth into the water and drank extensively. Finally, Leonardo asked: "Are you still mad at me? I mean, because, after all, it was my idea that we look at Mill Master Flavio."
Carlo shook his head.
"Not any longer."
"It's good."
"Everything has just gone well, fortunately."
"Until now, at least ..."
They decided to wait and see until the sun had risen as far that one could perceive the environment better. Although they were protected by the darkness from their pursuers, it made it on the other hand difficult to find their way to Master Andrea’s mill. And right now they simply could not afford to choose the wrong path.
When it was reasonably light, they rode on. Mist rose from the stream, and every crack of a branch or any other noises made the two boys jerking. Each time they were afraid then that suddenly some of the mercenaries would appear and they would both captured again.
But nobody appeared.
Meanwhile, both boys’ stomachs had begun to rumble. They found a few bushes with berries and Leonardo immediately jumped from his horse to pick a few of them.
"Are you sure that they are eatable?" asked Carlo.
"Anyway, they taste," Leonardo replied.
Carlo hesitated at first, but then his hunger was probably stronger than his fear and he ate the berries, too.
Leonardo had the idea to cross the creek several times to make it difficult to find their tracks.
"Even dogs will have difficulties!" he said. Carlo liked the idea. The water level of the creek was so shallow that a horse could wade through it well.
Then they moved away from the watercourse and rode a piece on the path that led to Vinci. In the meantime they did not quite agree on how they should come now to the mill of Master Andrea.
Meanwhile, the sun already shone quite hot from the sky. But whereas the sun rose higher and higher, the mood of the two boys fell to a low.
But then they met a farmer who was traveling with a hay wagon.
They asked him the way to Master Andrea’s mill.
"Strange," said the farmer. "Throughout the year, nobody has asked me that way – and then it happens twice one morning!"
"Twice?" Leonardo asked.
"Yes, you both are not the first ones who have asked me today the way to the mill of Master Andrea."
"Who else?"
"Oh, I met a man who had the same destination!"
Leonardo and Carlo exchanged a surprised glance. Then Leonardo turned again to the farmer and asked, "What kind of man was he? Can you describe him?"
"Certainly I will not forget him so quickly," said the farmer. "As I also can not forget that this Noble Lord has indeed ever spoken to me! He wore a hat with exactly three pheasant feathers. Decked like a peacock, he looked! He wore tights and a jacket with silver buttons. At his side hung a tiny sword that was so thin and delicate that it probably only served for decoration. To fight the thing was certainly hardly suitable only because of the gems on the handle! I myself would be always afraid that the jewels would break out of the socket, if one striked me properly! It was a rich man, I tell you!" He shrugged. "Perhaps a merchant from Florence – at least, someone who can afford such clothes. And concerning that ridiculous sword, he will hardly need it to defend himself if somebody dares to attack him."
"Why?" Leonardo asked.
"Because this man was accompanied by two armed guards. That's the reason why!"
The farmer was very friendly, describing Leonardo and Carlo in detail the way to master Andrea di Marco’s mill.
So Leonardo drove the horse on whose back Carlo and he sat o
n to greater speed. But the animal proved to be stubborn. It simply would not proceed more quickly. Perhaps it was because the horse had not been fed – but there was no time left to make it up now.
"It must be that man!" Leonardo gasped when the farmer was no longer visible. "The Noble Lord of whom this man spoke can be nobody else than the Noble Lord, of whom the bandits were talking! The man in the background ..."
"Isn’t it more likely that it is only the representative of the Medici Bank, who wants to visit Master Andrea in order to control things?"
"No, he will come tomorrow," explained Leonardo. Around noon Carlo and Leonardo reached Master Andrea di Marco’s mill. On the way they had repeatedly found tracks of a rider, probably caused by the well-dressed man of whom the farmer had spoken.
In front of the mill three horses had been tied to a crossbar.
"I do not know if it's really a good idea to emerge here right now," said Carlo. "We are just too late. If this rich man really is the Noble Lord ..."
"... Then we should look at him closer!" said Leonardo. He leaped from his horse. "You may remain sitting on the horseback and wait, then you can quickly ride off and get help in a case of emergency!"
But Carlo did not get to answer, because at that moment the door to the mill opened. Master Andrea stepped outside with a man who perfectly met the description of the farmer. The rich lord was accompanied by two bodyguards whose swords had normal size and were not set with jewels.
"I hadn’t expected a representative of the bank before tomorrow," wailed Master Andrea. "And until then I would have balanced the damage certainly!"
"Indeed? But how?" scoffed the elegantly dressed man. His hand wrapped around the handle of his ornamental sword which was trimmed with precious stones. "Whether you are allowed to continue manufacturing paper for our bank, it will turn out, but ..."
"Sir, it wasn’t my fault that these bandits have raided my mill!"
"You are responsible for the watermark – and that the form does not fall into the wrong hands, Master Andrea!" The nobleman was hard like adamant. "Do not try making excuses!"
"But, sir ..."
"We will see what kind of decision will fall," the nobleman said. He deigned to look at Leonardo and Carlo only with a short glance. Then he was helped on the horseback by one of his men and spurred the animal. His bodyguards also swung into the saddle and galloped following their Lord.
Master Andrea watched them go away and then turned to Leonardo and Carlo. "What are you doing here again?"
"The gang which has assaulted you, camped at the mill of Master Flavio," Leonardo said. "And the man with the gem-stoned ornamental sword is probably their leader!"
"You're talking nonsense! That's Alberto Mancini, commissioner of the Medici Bank! Do you have any evidence of what you say here?"
"That’s an assumption, I admit!" And then Leonardo began to report their experiences. From their captivity in the cellar of the mill of Master Flavio and the conversations among the mercenaries they had listened to. "This nobleman Mancini was here for one single reason! By his appearance, he wanted to prevent you from deciding to report the attack!"
"But where’s the gang’s profit in this?" asked Master Andrea. "Tomorrow, a bank representative will arrive! And by then I would have to admit that I was attacked at the latest!"
"Tomorrow the gang would normally have been up and away. But something has happened what no one expected."
Master Andrea put his hands on his hips. "And what?"
"The quality of the paper made by Master Flavio was far from being satisfying and that is why the gang has to stay here now longer than planned! That’s the reason why the Noble Lord, as the bandits call their leader, had to make sure that that does not happen."
"And when the true envoy does emerge?"
"I suppose that the gang will simply catch him and imprison him for a few days," said Leonardo.
"And why, if you please, should a man like Alberto Mancini, having an important position in the Medici bank and being a rich man, hire a gang of scoundrels to steal a watermark, with which he can fake banknotes? That does not make sense ..."
"What made Mr. Mancini do that, I do not know," Leonardo admitted. "But I'm sure there is a reason for it. Maybe I'll find it out ..."
"You little squirt?" Master Andrea asked doubtfully. He ran his hand over his face and shook his head.
"I should not at all listen to these tangled stories," he said.
"It's probably the end for me and I will have to close the paper mill ..."
"I don’t think so!" said Leonardo. "After all you've yet been able to provide the necessary quality – and as you can see at Master Flavio not every paper mill is capable enough! I implore you, now send one of your apprentices with the fastest horse you have to Florence, so as soon as possible a troop of city guards can arrest the gang at Master Flavio’s mill! Who gave them their orders, they will tell us afterwards without doubt ..."
"That makes no sense!"
"No, you would thus keep the damage to the Medici Bank less great! This will give you an advantage. And besides, you have no choice anyway ..." Leonardo climbed back on the horse's back. He accepted being helped by Carlo. "No matter what you will do, Master Andrea – we must go now."
"What are you planning, boy?"
"Following the man, whom I believe is the Noble Lord. Do you know an inn between your mill and Master Flavio’s?"
"Only the inn of the old Severio."
"Describe me where it is!"
"There, where the two widest roads in the area cross. There is a village called Croce."
Leonardo nodded. Before driving the horse, he looked at Master Andrea again and said, "You don’t forget your promise, right?"
"What promise?" asked Andrea Meister a bit confused before remembering, in the last moment, what he had promised Leonardo shortly after the robbery. "Oh, of course! How could I forget ..."
"You have to know that I really urgently need paper," confessed Leonardo. "But we cannot talk longer now!" He pressed the horse his heels into the sides and drove it forward.
Chapter 12: Locked up
Leonardo and Carlo followed the tracks of Alberto Mancini and his two companions.
"Do you think Master Andrea will follow your advice and really send someone to Florence?" Carlo asked in between.
"He should even go on his own, he himself," said Leonardo. "But I'm afraid he will not do anything."
"Maybe, for a change, we should once behave reasonably. We know everything now ..."
"No, we only guess; whether it is true indeed, nobody knows. And for me the case is only completed when the watermark form will have returned to its owner ..."
"... and Master Andrea will have given you a stack of paper for sheer gratitude!" completed Carlo.
"Exactly!" nodded Leonardo.
"By the way, I know the way to the inn Master Andrea mentioned," Carlo explained then, after a pause of silence. "My father has supplied the inn with all sorts of goods. And I have accompanied him on his trips frequently."
"I understand. Then you can lead us if necessary."
"Well, I’m not so sure that I know the way. But at the moment we still have the tracks to follow ..."
Leonardo sighed.
"Thank God!"
As Leonardo and Carlo finally saw emerge the inn of the old Severio at the intersection of two dusty roads, the horses of Alberto Mancini and his two companions were still standing at the door. So it could not be too long ago that the three riders had returned to the inn, because otherwise the animals would have been long since unsaddled and put into a stable.
A piece of road had yet to cover the two boys. On either side were shrubs, trees and dense undergrowth. Smaller woods followed.
"Now what?" asked Carlo. "This time tell me your plan first before we even approach this inn one single horse pace! Not that it’s ending again in a disaster, as with Master Flavio’s mill ... Who knows, in what kind of hole we would locked in next
time!"
Leonardo sighed.
"Make a plan, a plan ..." he mimicked his friend. "Some things cannot be decided by a plan in advance. Sometimes, you just have to wait and see what opportunities arise!"
"Yes – for example the opportunity to sleep in a dark basement next to a box of cattle bones," Carlo said quite crossly. "I really can imagine better opportunities!"
Laterally in the bushes, there could be heard a rustle. A branch cracked. Leonardo whirled.
From the undergrowth a gunman rose. The breastplate was blinking in the sunlight shining down between the treetops. He wore a crossbow.
"Stop and get off your horses!" commanded the armed man. Another armed man jumped from the other side of the bushes. He wore a sword at his side and an arquebus over back. His cloak was held together by a clasp, as worn by members of the City Watch of Florence. He pulled the horse just with him, so that it stood no longer in the street and couldn’t be seen from the inn.
Leonardo realized now that everywhere something was moving between the bushes in the undergrowth. At least thirty men were hidden there. Some of them came out of their hiding. Leonardo and Carlo were pulled down from the horse and placed on the ground.
"What’s that for?" shouted Leonardo.
"Just be quiet!" One of the men snapped.
And another said, "Within a hair’s breadth the two kids would have ruined everything!"
"Leonardo", then a voice blurted out. Leonardo turned round and saw his father in the midst of the armed men. "Leonardo! Carlo! What are you doing here?"
"That's a long story," Leonardo said, while his father took him in his arms.
"You have pursued the case with the stolen watermark, am I right?" Ser Piero said. "Exactly what you should not do!"
"And you obviously succeeded in convincing someone at the Medici Bank in Florence!" Leonardo emphasized.
"Yes, I'm here with Captain Baresi from the City Guard and a few people from the Medici Bank, to save what can still be saved. If the counterfeit notes once appear somewhere, the damage will be irreparable. Nobody will still trust in the promissory notes of the Medici Bank ..."
Da Vinci's Cases Page 8