She Was There! - The Cilly Black Chronicles. Chapter 6 - The Banquet of Chestnuts
The three women sat in an adjoining chamber, smiling knowingly at one another.
“To our joint endeavour,” said Julia Farnese, raising her goblet.
“To its success!” replied Lucrezia, raising hers.
“To its success!” echoed Cilly, bringing hers up to join them.
The three brought their goblets to their lips, as they did Cilly cried out,
“Wait!” She looked at the others with dismay. “Are you sure we have the right goblets?” she giggled as a grin appeared across her face.
The pair giggled with her, and they all sipped their wine.
“We must to our business ladies, the cardinals will be here any moment,” instructed Julia. As confidente and mentor to Lucrezia, La Bella Farnese often took the lead when they were together (sometimes in quite surprising circumstances.)
Cilly didn’t mind this, if anything it gave her plausible deniability should any of their schemes unravel, better to be the clown than the ring leader. Nobody ever expects the clown.
Or the Spanish Inquisition, but that’s another story for another time.
After another sip of wine, the trio placed their goblets on the table and moved through to the main banquet chamber.
As they delicately glided through the little side door, the cardinals were piling through the rooms main entrance.
“Your Eminences,” Farnese greeted them enthusiastically.
“You are most welcome,” said Lucrezia.
The three ladies curtseyed together and then fanned out to fuss over the cardinals.
Cilly had been scanning the room since they entered. She had only just now seen, as she moved up against a wall to help a cardinal take his seat, what she had been looking for. Johann Burchard was secreted behind a seemingly innocuous screen, nothing special. Just a decorative piece.
Little did the fools know…
Once all the cardinals were sat and the three had served each of them wine, Farnese clapped her hands twice.
“I hope you have all bought your appetites with you, Eminences,” she cooed.
As she clapped her hands, musicians and courtesans flooded the room. The courtesans bearing platters of fine food, and flagons of wine.
The cardinals jibbered with excitement, and a little apprehension.
Sensing this Cilly said, “Eminences, this is your earthly heaven tonight, you are our guests. Please enjoy.”
Cilly gestured around the room and then brought it to rest on one of the Cardinals, she leant down and whispered in his ear. With her free hand she led one of the courtesans closer to them. She finished what she was saying, kissed the cardinal on the cheek (vinegar) and brought the courtesan to sit on his lap.
The cardinal cheered, and the others joined him.
Here we go.
The Banquet had begun.
Over the night Burchard would watch on in disgust as he catalogued in great detail the acts of debauchery he witnessed by the princes of the church. A catalogue that he would soon hand to his Holiness. Although one thing that he, Farnese and Lucrezia all missed, was Cilly slipping out of the room.
Cilly walked the corridors of the Apostolic Palace, turning corners. No need to rush, they won’t notice she’d left. Not with all the enjoyment they were partaking in. Even if they did, they would never suspect where she was going.
Nobody ever expects the clown…
Cilly arrived at the Pope’s chamber, it was guarded.
“Gentlemen,” she nodded, and carried on past.
“Sengora,” they both replied.
A few more turns and corridors, and she was there, La Bella’s door. The one she used to visit his holiness without anyone knowing. Cilly pulled a key from out of the sleeve of her dress. Julia Farnese had not noticed Cilly retrieve her key when they were performing a particular act for one of the cardinals. She would throw it into a corner of the banquet hall later.
Oh Julia, it’s here. It must have fallen.
She unlocked the door and snuck through it. A small antechamber. A door on the other side of the room which must lead into the papal bedchamber. Cilly divested herself of her garments, and opened the door.
“La Bella?” came the Pope’s voice.
“Not quite,” said Cilly, slinking into view.
“Cececilly?”
“Hello Rodrigo.”
“What are you/”
“No, no words, holiness,” she interrupted as she walked to the bed and kissed the Pope on the mouth.
When Cilly slipped back into the Banquet hall later, Lucrezia and Farnese, gave her a troubled look. She made her way to them and whispered,
“Something came up, but I took it in hand.”
“I’m sure you dealt with it expertly, my love,” Julia said smiling.
You have no idea.
The trio went back to attending to their eminent guests. They would see what else they could tempt them into, although they were quite Burchard had everything he needed by now.
Once the evening had concluded and the cardinals and courtesans departed. The three women sat together. Julia had mysteriously found a key belonging to her under one of the seats as they were leaving.
“Well that certainly went better than expected,” Julia smiled.
“It most certainly did,” Lucrezia agreed.
“To his holiness’ reign!” Cilly toasted raising her goblet.
“His holiness,” the others repeated. The two of them sipped from their Goblets, but Cilly did not.
She looked at the faces of her two companions, they looked at each other strangely, an odd feeling passing over them.
They all suddenly began to laugh. The two sipped their wine once more. Cilly again did not.
Some months after the banquet, Cilly sat in a small chamber within the palace. She was sat at a table, a goblet of water to slake her thirst.
After waiting a short while, the door opened and the Pope entered.
“What was so important that/” the Pope began to rage.
“I’m sorry, your holiness. I didn’t know what to do,” Cilly cried.
“What is wrong?” he asked, his voice much calmer. He sat down next to her.
“Your holiness and his family has always been so good to me, and I have done something so stupid,” she whined.
“What’s happened my dear?”
“ I have only ever wanted to be loyal to you and repay your kindness and friendship.”
“I know, I know. Calm yourself,” he patted her hand.
“Well,” Cilly choked.
“Yes?”
“That all changes now,” Cilly’s face and voice changed in an instant.
“What?” said the Pope, withdrawing his hand.
Cilly stood to reveal her swollen belly, she placed her hand upon it, staring coldly into the Pope’s face.
“Holy Father, let me make this plain. You have something that I want, something only someone in your position can access, and if you give it to me this baby could belong to any one of your adversaries. On the other hand, you could deny me and I can tell everyone the truth. Starting with La Bella Julia.”
“You have no proof.”
“Oh please, Julia isn’t the only person who can secrete someone in a room!”
The Pope mulled this over for a moment.
“What is it you want?”
“Oh just a little something, holiness.”
Be prepared for the murkiest scam.