t the convent of the Dominicans.
He says he wants to hear more about your travels."

David nodded. "Excellent. I have been wanting to find a way to meet
privately with him."

Ugolini threw the paper to the floor and shook both fists. "Mother of
God! Do you not understand that this is a trap? The Dominicans are in
charge of the Inquisition. They are called the domini canes, the hounds
of the Lord. They can _smell_ heresy."

David laughed. "They will not smell it on me. I am a good Muslim."

Though Sophia felt inclined to share Ugolini's fear, she delighted in
David's humorous courage. She could not take her eyes from his golden
head as he stood in the middle of the room with the light from the
window shining on him.

"That, d'Aquino will find even easier to detect than heresy," said
Ugolini.

A small, amused smile played about David's lips. "Do you not think I
have prepared myself for such a conversation? We need a respected man
who can write letters and give sermons warning Christendom against the
Tartars. If Fra Tomasso can be convinced the Tartars are dangerous, and
if I can offer him something he wants badly enough, he might be the
man."

"He and his fellow Dominicans will eat you alive," Ugolini moaned.

"I can accomplish nothing hiding here in your palace." David gazed down
at the cardinal, unruffled.

Sophia sat perfectly still, hands folded in her lap, looking down at
Ugolini's beautiful Persian carpet. But the quarreling made her writhe
inwardly. If they could not agree, if they were not careful in their
planning, if they started to hate one another, they surely would end by
being torn to pieces on the public scaffold.

"Let us speak about the young French count," she said. "He, too, might
be a man we can use. I did my best to attract him to me today."

_If he thinks there is hope of my seducing Simon, he will not be so
quick to want to kill him._

David's eyes held hers for a long moment. "That is what I want you to
do. That was why I was angry, not understanding this courtly love." His
face was somber. "That is what I brought you here for."

She nodded, thinking, _If only you could be my lover. There would be
nothing courtly about it, and it would bring us both great happiness._

But only a moment ago, had she not been thinking of Simon, fearing for
Simon's life? Had she not almost felt love for him?

_What is happening to me?_

Her hands in her lap clutched at each other. She felt dizzy. I