es, glimpses. She stays in her
room."

"She is forced to stay in her room." Sophia sensed that Simon knew more
than he admitted about what the Tartar had done to Rachel and was
ashamed to be connected with it.

"What has this to do with you and me?" he demanded.

"You are close to the Tartars. You might be able to help her."

Simon glowered. "If I had been there that day in Orvieto, you may be
sure they would not have raided that brothel."

He might be on the enemy side, she thought, but he was not a savage like
the Franks of her childhood. He was a genuinely good man, and that was
what made the hopeless dream of marrying him so painful.

She put her hand on his arm and squeezed. "Will you try to get the
Tartar to release the girl? Cardinal Ugolini will take her in."

When she laid her hand on the hard, wiry muscle in his arm, she did not
want to let go.

_I still want him! My God, what is the matter with me?_

"De Verceuil would oppose me if I tried to take the girl away from John.
Incredible, is it not? A cardinal involved in kidnapping a young girl
for the pleasure of a barbarian?"

Sophia, taught by her Greek Orthodox priests that the Roman Church was a
fountainhead of wickedness, did not think the cardinal's actions all
that incredible. Besides, was she not in league with another cardinal
who was helping the Muslims?

"There _must_ be a way to help Rachel," she said.

He brought his face close to hers. "Sophia, I will speak to Friar
Mathieu. But, as I said, he has already tried to persuade John to let
the girl go free. With no success. And I am sure there is nothing more
Friar Mathieu can do before tomorrow, when I leave Perugia."

She loved that serious, intent look. It was as if light were coming from
his eyes.

But what he had just said took her by surprise.

"Leave Perugia? Where are you going?"

He shook his head. "No one is supposed to know."

"Simon!" She put anger into her voice, knowing he was vulnerable. If she
could get some information of use to Daoud from him, she would have an
excuse for having let Simon make love to her. And with Daoud far away in
Manfred's kingdom, there was no chance this time that he could hurt
Simon.

He touched her cheek with the tips of his long fingers, and she could
feel him struggling with himself.

"Swear you will tell no one."

"Of course."

_He really thinks I can be depended upon to keep an oath._

"All right. I had a message from Count Charl