zo quietly got up and poured himself another cup of kaviyeh.

Daoud turned to Sophia. "How do you think de Gobignon feels toward
you?" He hated to ask the question. He watched her face closely. What he
really wanted to know was how _she_ felt about de Gobignon.

Her eyes were heavy-lidded. Even with Hashishiyya-trained senses, he
could not guess what was behind that damnably unrevealing mask.

"I think I persuaded him that the cardinal's niece neither knows nor
cares anything about alliances and crusades. I--believe he could come to
love me."

Rage throbbed in his temples. What, in his sheltered existence, could
the young count have learned of love?

"Love you? Unlikely," Daoud challenged her.

He saw with quick regret that he had hurt her feelings. She recoiled as
if struck.

"Do you not think me worthy of a nobleman's love?"

Daoud crossed the room in three quick steps and stood over her. "Such
pampered creatures as he are not capable of love."

The mask was back. She shrugged.

"Love or lust, he is drawn to me. Do you mean to make some use of it?"

"Send him a note by one of the cardinal's servants asking him to meet
with you in a few days' time." Daoud turned and walked to the celestial
globe beside Ugolini's table and spun it absently as he studied Sophia.
"Let him pick the place, so he feels secure."

Again he had a glimpse through the mask. Her eyes widened in fear. She
thought he meant to kill de Gobignon. That angered him. Did she care so
much for the Frenchman, then, that his possible death made her lose her
composure?

To Daoud's surprise, Ugolini jumped from his chair and advanced on him,
shaking his finger and crying, "All of France will be down on us like an
avalanche if you harm that boy."

Daoud checked an impulse to laugh. Ugolini was such a comical figure in
the flapping white robe he had donned on returning to his mansion.

To Daoud, who had lived most of his life among men for whom death was as
common as fear was rare, the little man's tendency to panic seemed
contemptible. But, anew, he reminded himself that he needed Ugolini and
must treat him with respect.

"Please, Your Eminence," he said. "If I meant to have de Gobignon
killed, I would not involve Sophia. I want her to tell him what we are
supposedly doing. I hope to create conflict among the supporters of the
alliance."

"But Sophia takes a great risk meeting with him," said Ugolini. "What if
de Gobignon attempts to force t