y. He turned
toward her, and his face glowed with adoration.

_Oh, the boy! The dear, beautiful boy! He loves me, and he means it with
every fiber of his being._

She felt a wave of warmth, not love but surely a kindliness, going out
from her to him. He turned and took her shoulders in his big hands. She
liked the feel of his hands on her. If only she could forget about
David, she could happily give herself to him.

But she _was_ acting for David, and she was here to find out what this
Frank was planning. She must make some guesses, and then see if she
could get him to confirm them. Such as, where was he going, and why was
he leaving the Tartars behind?

She had to tilt her head back to look into his troubled face. "Come, let
us sit down," she said. She took his hand and led him to a tree whose
trunk was wide enough to let them rest their backs against it. Her silk
skirt formed a dark green semicircle around her, bordered by an
embroidered orange and red design of flowers.

There was a grace in the way he sat down, despite his long arms and
legs. With a practiced movement he swept his sword back behind him, out
of his way.

"Where were David of Trebizond and Giancarlo the night of the attack on
the Monaldeschi palace?" he asked suddenly. She went cold. Did he
suspect them, and her too? Had d'Ucello told him of his unsuccessful
effort to see David and Lorenzo that very night?

"They had both left the city," she said. "They went to Perugia and
Assisi. David wished to see the wonder-working body of San Francesco at
Assisi."

"I thought he was interested in silk, not saints." Simon glowered at
her.

She made herself laugh. "Surely you do not think David the merchant was
in the streets, fighting, the night the Monaldeschi were attacked?"

She heard a bell ring somewhere in the distance. Some little hillside
church ringing out the hour of Tierce. The chiming sounded clear and
peaceful.

_Dear God, sometimes I wish I could have become a nun._

Simon sighed and took her hand gently and held it resting on his thigh.
"Why does it have to be Cardinal Ugolini who is your uncle?"

"If not for my Uncle Adelberto I would not be here and we would never
have met," she said.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

The adoration in his eyes was like a dagger in her heart. She wanted so
much for it to be for her, and it was for a woman who did not exist.

_I am so far from what he thinks I am. Michael and Manfred treated me