Page 73 of The Swordmaster's Daughter

“May I be of assistance,” she said firmly but politely.

“You can give me back the purse you stole, puta Anglese.”

“Firstly, no one has stolen any purses. It must be a case of your belongings being mixed up with someone else’s in all the confusion as my Grandmother has suggested. Secondly, I am English, but I am not a whore or a thief, nor a chupador de pene either, and, if you continue to threaten us in this manner, I will be forced to defend the integrity of this establishment. I am sure you remember how well that ended yesterday?”

“You are lying. I insist on searching these premises.”

“Call my daughter a liar, and I will whip you myself,” Father said. He had walked in on the confrontation with Corvacho and by the growl in his voice he meant what he threatened. “You are welcome to look for your purse, Signor Corvacho, but as the ladies of Whitefriars have suggested, it is more likely that another fencer has taken it home. If you could exercise a modicum of patience, whoever has it by mistake will no doubt return it when they come looking for their own purse.”

Corvacho had the sense not to continue his aggressive stance but nor did he back down. “My purse was filled with a lot of coin. This purse was filled with half-groats and pennies. If there is anything missing, I will hold you responsible.”

“Would you like to make a list of all the contents?” Father suggested. “Then we could check it for you.” Oh how she could kiss him.

Corvacho’s eyes flickered briefly, for the first time showing some hesitation. His eyes were black as crows and hard to read. “That won’t be necessary,” he said grudgingly.

Father kept pressing home his point. “Go on, feel free to search. Why don’t we all search together in case the purse was dropped or mislaid? It would not be the first time.”

“I cannot stay. I have meetings all day in Whitehall. I will trust you to inform me when my purse is returned. You can keep this piece of mierda.”

“Shit,” Lucinda helpfully translated as Corvacho threw down Moll’s substitute purse. “If Signor would like to tell us when he might be home, we could deliver the purse to your residence once it is returned.”

“Excellent suggestion,” Father smiled, squaring his shoulders up to Corvacho’s. Even missing one arm her father was not a man to be pushed around.

“Room fifteen, in the foreign lodgings at Whitehall. I will not be home before sundown,” Corvacho said tersely.

“Quite close to the Spanish ambassador’s quarters, I believe? I have fenced with Signor De Tassis on many a happy occasion. Now if your business is concluded, and you must make your way to Whitehall, we shall bid you farewell.” Father held the door open for Corvacho while motioning with his hands for Lucinda and Grandma Jones to move away. “We will do our utmost to locate your missing purse, but after yesterday’s events you can understand why you are not welcome to return here.” He lowered his voice to what he probably thought was a whisper, but an old soldier’s hearing is not the best. “If you ever call my daughter a whore again, I shall personally rip off your bollocks and shove them down your throat.” He bowed to Corvacho who clicked his heels, scowled, and stepped out of the door, muttering to himself in Spanish.

Corvacho was not the only one in trouble. Grandma Jones hauled Lucinda into their bedroom and sat her down upon the bed. “Lord a mercy! I am away for two days, and I come home to this! You have a power of explaining to do young lady.”

Lucinda gave her grandmother an update, leaving in the parts about the fight between DeGuerra and Corvacho and the infamous incident with the whip but omitting her on again/off again courtship/betrothal. One mess at a time was enough.

“So that was how the purses were muddled. I can understand it seeing they were bundled out in a hurry. Now, those Spanish phrases you used…they were the insults that dreadful man used which provoked the fight?”

“So I am told.”

“And their meaning?”

“I do not think you would wish to know.”

“That is for me to decide, not you.”

Lucinda took a deep breath and looked down at her shoes before saying in a rush. “Whore and sucker of cocks.”

She expected Grandma to be outraged but she did not expect what she said next.

“No wonder you got out the whip.”

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