Ignoring the flattery, he said, "Sophia has bread and cheese that we
bought at a village called Bagnioregio. And some red wine to wash it
down."
Tilia laughed. "Bagnioregio? Then you must have passed near the ruins of
Ferento--the town that was destroyed for the heresy of displaying a
statue of Christ on the cross with open eyes."
"What? I saw no ruins. Open eyes?"
"The ruins are off the road. But that will give you an idea of how
careful one must be where religion is concerned. I cannot imagine that
anyone makes decent wine in Bagnioregio. There is another town near
here, Montefiascone, where they make the best wine in the world. Wait
until you taste that."
"I drink wine only to deceive Christians," he said gruffly. "I do not
like it. Let us finish this conversation before you refresh yourself. I
do not want those two to know any more than I tell them."
Annoyance flickered in her face. She was not used to being denied, Daoud
thought. But she shrugged. "I presume you plan to use that beautiful
woman who travels with you as bait to win over some of the high-ranking
churchmen."
To Daoud's surprise, the thought pained him.
"She is a skilled courtesan and was Manfred's mistress," he said. "And
before that, King Manfred told me, she was a favorite of the Emperor of
Constantinople. We will want to keep her in reserve. I have in mind that
she could live with the cardinal, pose as his niece."
"Hm. And the other girl? She is very pretty and very young. The older
and more powerful churchmen are, the more they are drawn to youth."
"We owe Rachel a debt. We have promised to find a home for her among the
Jews of Orvieto."
"Oh, is she a Jew? But there are no Jews in Orvieto."
"Somewhere nearby, then."
"The nearest Jews live in Rome."
Rome--where the Jews had already turned Rachel away. "She cannot go to
Rome."
"Well, the girl would find working for me far more rewarding than living
on charity."
"I am sure of it," said Daoud. But a dark memory from long ago rose to
trouble him.
He fixed his eyes on hers. "You would not force her into whoring, would
you?"
Tilia pressed her hand to her bosom in mock horror. "Force! Women _beg_
to be accepted into the family of Tilia Caballo."
_A terrible thing to do to the child, but it would solve my problem_,
thought David. _Rachel already must be aware that Sophia and Lorenzo and
I are involved together in some secret enterprise. It would be best to
keep her where we can watch her._
"For the time being, Rachel will stay with us at the cardinal's mansion,
serving Sophia as her maid," he said.
Tilia looked up at him, startled. "You _all_ intend to live with the
cardinal?"
Her surprise, in turn, startled Daoud. But then he saw that her eyes
were too firmly fixed upon him, and knew that she was dissembling.
"As Morgiana, did you not approve this arrangement with my lord the
sultan?"