But I can recall no letters passing between us.

My acquaintance with him is of the slightest." Cesare looked at him a second.
"Approach," he curtly bade him, and Ramiro came forward, one of the Borgia halberdiers on either side of him, each holding him by an arm.
The Duke thrust the letter under his eyes.

"Have you never seen that before ?" Ramiro looked at it a moment, and his attempt at dissembling bewilderment was a ludicrous thing to witness.
"Never," he said brazenly at last.
Cesare folded the letter and slipped it into the breast of his doublet.
From his girdle he took a second paper.

He turned from Ramiro.
"Don Miguel," he called.
From behind his men-at-arms a tall man, all dressed in black, stood forward.

It was Cesare's Spanish captain, one whose name was as well known and as well-dreaded in Italy as Cesare's own.