al."

"Yes, Messer Giancarlo." Sordello lowered his eyes. Again, that
disarming humility.

The man was resourceful and quick-thinking. He was arrogant one moment,
humble the next.

"How did you come to Orvieto, Sordello?" Daoud asked him.

"I served Sigismundo Malatesta, governor of Rimini, until his death,"
said Sordello. "Since then I have not found a suitable master. I was
traveling south, thinking perhaps of offering my sword to King Manfred,
when I heard of you, Messer Giancarlo, while passing through Viterbo."

Daoud felt uneasy, hearing that Lorenzo's recruiting expeditions were
being gossiped of in the cities around here. And how easily Sordello had
been able to make the connection between Giancarlo and David of
Trebizond. Just as Tilia had said, it was impossible to hire men without
attracting attention.

He realized Lorenzo was waiting for him to speak.

"You may walk with us to Cardinal Ugolini's mansion," Daoud said.

When they emerged from the alley, there was no sign of the Filippeschi.
Two of Sordello's men walked in front of Daoud and Lorenzo, and Sordello
and the other man followed behind them. The wine had worn off
altogether, but Daoud felt a throbbing pain behind his eyes and a great
need to sleep.

"Well?" Lorenzo said, keeping his voice low. "The man wants us to hire
him."

"We need more men, and we want clever street fighters," said Daoud. "He
is that."

"Yes, but he is the type of man I detest," said Lorenzo. "I did not need
him to kill that Filippeschi bravo for me. He acts before he thinks."

"After tonight we may not have to attack the French directly," Daoud
said. "On the other hand, we are sure to have further need of
bodyguards, and I think Sordello and his three companions would suit.
Let us give ourselves time to think. Tell him you will meet him and give
him our answer in two days."

XXVI

It could not be worse, Rachel thought. She could not be more degraded.
An old man, and a Tartar. Were the Tartars even human, she wondered, or
was she about to commit the further abominable sin of mating with an
animal?

The door had closed behind him with a terribly final sound, and he was
standing in front of it, showing his teeth, large and strong and very
white, in a broad grin.

She wondered if he could see her knees and hands trembling. If only she
had accepted Signora Tilia's offer to release her from this. Was it too
late? Could she rush past the Tartar to the door