A Bolt from the Blue

“My men are waiting for me, Excellency,” Leonardo coolly countered. “If I am not returned to them hale and hearty by noontide, they will consider me a captive and your action one of aggression. As for my flowery accusations…”

He paused and shrugged. “Just as Pontalba has its spies in Milan, so Milan has its spies in Pontalba. Let us agree to that much. And so, let me speak plainly.”

“Do go on,” the duke replied with an ironic nod.

Nodding in return, the Master continued. “We know that you hold as a captive Ludovico’s court engineer, the great genius Leonardo, a man of unrivaled talents known to all the surrounding provinces. We also know that you have stolen his magnificent invention, the likes of which has never before been seen, and that you intend to use that invention for ill.”

He paused again… solely for dramatic purposes, I was certain. Then, like a magician performing his final illusion, he gave a sweep of his hand.

“And so, I present the Duke of Milan’s fi nal offer. Return both man and machine without delay, and our great excellency will forget this vile breach of your alliance with him.”

“And if I refuse?” Nicodemo countered with a feral grin.

Leonardo shrugged again. “If you refuse, you must prepare yourself for a siege that you shall not win.”

The muttering recommenced, and far louder this time. I watched in alarm as the nobles and men-at-arms began putting their hands to their hips, fingers stroking sword hilts. The situation was fast growing dire, I realized. Moreover, I likely had but little time left to find my father and make our escape before the guards were ordered to seal the gate.

I was prepared to slip away as silently as I had entered, when I heard a stir at the rear of the hall. Two men-at-arms were striding down the broad aisle toward where the duke sat, a third man a prisoner in their grasp. Though I could not make out his face for the small crowd that had surged closer to the aisle for a better look, I recognized in dismay his mane of dark hair and his bearing.

Halting alongside the spot where Leonardo stood, the soldiers released their prisoner and stepped back a few paces. The duke surveyed the two men, his feral grin returning.

“See, Captain, I am not an unreasonable man,” he said with cool joviality. “I have complied with part of your demand. Here is your missing master engineer, Leonardo the Florentine.”

21

*

… the bird would follow other rules which will subsequently be defined in due order.

– Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Arundel

Leonardo spared the briefest of looks at my father before giving the Duke of Pontalba a cool bow.

“My thanks, Excellency. You are a reasonable man and a worthy ally of Milan. And now, perhaps we might discuss the terms for returning the flying machine.”

The duke chuckled.

I winced, for the sound uncannily resembled that of the chain as it raised and lowered the castle’s portcullis. To my relief, his amusement was short-lived. The chuckling ceased, and his features slipped back into their familiar lines of cold deliberation.

“My good captain, you misunderstand me,” he replied, tapping his fingertips together. “I have no intention of giving up the flying machine. Indeed, I wish to build many more like it. And so, upon further consideration, neither will I relinquish the man who designed it.”

A ripple of laughter washed over the room. Nicodemo, looking pleased with himself, leaned back in his chair and awaited the reaction of the man he believed to be Ludovico’s captain of the guard.

I could not see Leonardo’s face, but I noted an almost imperceptible tightening of his bearing. His tone no longer conciliatory, he replied, “That is unacceptable, Excellency. Milan demands the return of both man and machine.”

“Milan… demands!”

Nicodemo’s roar filled the room as he leaped to his feet, all pretense of humor gone. I reflexively skittered back a few paces, for the force of his outrage was palpable. Some of his men shuffled a few prudent steps to the rear, as well, no doubt having seen previous examples of the duke’s lapses into fury.

Leonardo, however, stood unmoving.

The duke strode around the broad table that separated him from the rest of the hall, the broad skirts of his surcoat twitching like a wild cat’s tail with every livid step. Planting himself inches from where Leonardo stood, he raised his beefy forefinger again.

“How dare you think you can tell the Duke of Pontalba what he must do? I do not answer to you nor to Ludovico!”

Snapping a look at his nearest man-at-arms, he commanded, “Take this so-called captain and hang him from the gatehouse tower, so all his men can see what I think of Milan’s demands!”

I slapped both hands over my mouth to stifle my horrified cry. But as the guards seized Leonardo from either side, I heard my father’s voice ring out.