e somber eyes to him again. "It all depends on you. I
am gambling that you can do it."

Daoud felt a powerful warmth toward the Sicilian. There were times when
he had wished Lorenzo were not with him, times when he distrusted him.
The foolishness of involving them with Rachel and her husband. The fact
that Lorenzo was a Jew who had abandoned his religion. Even his dog was
a nuisance. But at this moment to have Lorenzo's support made him feel
as strong and confident as if the Mameluke orta he commanded had
suddenly appeared in Orvieto.

He grinned at Lorenzo. "You proved how good a gambler you are by losing
to de Verceuil."

Lorenzo chuckled. "What must we do first?"

Daoud said, "Arrange for me to meet secretly with Marco di Filippeschi.
And send word to King Manfred that the pope and the French are about to
reach agreement on the Tartar alliance, and when they do the French will
come pouring into Italy. Tell him now is the time for his Ghibellino
allies in the north to march on Orvieto."

Lorenzo nodded. "I will send one of my men to Lucera." He shook his
head. "My God, how I wish I could go myself!"

"Once the Tartars are dead," Daoud said, "we will all go home. Now, find
Sordello and send him to my room."

As Daoud left Ugolini's cabinet, he glanced back to see the little
cardinal slumped over the table, knotting his fingers in his fuzzy white
hair. He would have to spend more time with him, to build up his
courage.

* * * * *

Sophia was standing in the hallway when Daoud emerged from his room that
night, on his way to meet with the Filippeschi chieftain. He was not
surprised to see her. Someone, Ugolini or Lorenzo, would have told her
about his new plan. He beckoned her into his room and closed the door.

Each time the thought of defeat arose in his mind, he had felt the
greatest anguish over what it would mean for Sophia. That forced him to
admit to himself how much he cared for her. Now that he looked into her
amber eyes and told her what he intended to do, the pain he felt was
sharper than ever. He wanted to persuade her that she had nothing to
fear. But he knew that would be a lie.

He tried to keep what he said simple, practical. "You, like Sordello,
will bear witness that Lorenzo and I had gone to Perugia while the
Monaldeschi palazzo was under siege. Lorenzo has allies in Perugia who
will confirm that."

Sophia stared at him with wide, solemn eyes. "You are riski