Lorenzo spread his hands. "At first they did not trust me because they
thought I was a Christian. When I told them I am a Jew, they still
distrusted me because I admitted being from Sicily. That must have made
them suspect that I am connected with King Manfred. The Jews of Rome
live as clients of the pope. They cannot afford to get involved with
Ghibellini."
Rachel pressed her hands on David's knee as he sat on his horse looking
grimly down at her. "I beg you, let me come with you. There is no place
for me here in Rome."
"There is no place for you where we are going," he said gruffly.
Sophia felt herself melting within as she saw the misery on Rachel's
face. Swinging her leg over her mare's back, she slid down, rushed over
to the girl, and put her arms around her. She looked up at David.
"David, please."
David looked down at her, his face hard, as if carved from dark wood,
the eyes glittering like shards of glass. She could not read his
expression.
_How can I know what is in the mind of a Frank turned Turk?_
David got down from his horse and beckoned to Sophia and Lorenzo. They
followed him a short way along the street. When he turned to face them,
Sophia saw fury in his eyes, and her heart fluttered like a trapped
bird.
He spoke softly, through tight lips, and his voice was as frightening as
the hiss of a viper. "I begin to think King Manfred is my enemy, and the
enemy of my people, sending the two of you with me on this journey. From
now on both of you will do as I command, and you will not question me."