"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 Charles--he who gave me this task
of guarding the Tartars. He calls me to meet him at Ostia. That is why I
came here today, even though I knew you would not want me to. Knowing I
would be leaving here and might not see you for months made me
desperate."
Charles d'Anjou at Ostia--the seaport of Rome!
As she realized what Simon's words meant, terror raced through Sophia.
She was going to fall from the loggia and break into a thousand pieces,
like an icicle.
Anjou was going to take Rome and cut Italy in half. Instead of trying to
cross the Alps and then fight his way through the Ghibellino cities of
northern Italy, Charles must have come by sea. Now he would be able to
strike directly at the heart of Manfred's kingdom.
_What will Daoud do? What will happen to Manfred? If only we had Tilia
here, with her carrier pigeons._
Despite her fur-lined cloak, a chill seized her.
She had feared for Daoud, that he might have to fight a great French
army. And though she had long since ceased to love Manfred, she had
feared for him and his kingdom. But the thought of the many obstacles
between France and southern Italy had comforted her. Now, knowing that
Charles d'Anjou was so close to Manfred's kingdom, she felt herself
actually trembling.