d
he has disappeared. No one at the Monaldeschi palace will tell me
anything about why he left."

_Does he know that I just met with Simon?_

"Why ask me?"

"I know that it is Messer David's wish that you allow de Gobignon to
court you. If he has left Orvieto, perhaps you have heard where he is
going." He smiled, showing a gap in his upper front teeth. And now she
realized what the hidden feeling was. It was lust. She was disgusted,
and pushed past him to give herself room.

He said, "I saw you ride out earlier today, and I waited here at the
gatehouse for you to come back. You must have met with the count.
Madonna, I do not know what to do. And Messer David will kill me if I do
not tell him something."

She desperately wanted to get away. "I am going to Messer David myself
to tell him that Count Simon has left for Perugia. Where the pope is
going. He is recruiting more guards and preparing a refuge for the
Tartar ambassadors. You'll gain nothing with Messer David by telling him
the same thing."

Sordello frowned thoughtfully. "No, but I might try to catch Count Simon
on the road and talk to him."

Sophia's heart leapt with alarm and seemed to lodge in her throat. What
if Sordello followed Simon and discovered he was on his way to France
and came back and reported _that_ to Daoud?

"You needn't go to all that trouble," she said, keeping a grip on her
voice. "We will all be going to Perugia shortly, and you can question
Count Simon there."

He nodded, as if satisfied with that, and she felt a little better.

He bowed again and again. "Thank you, Madonna, thank you."

In a moment she was on her horse again and riding into the rain. She
wanted nothing more to do with Sordello.

But the encounter had helped her in one way, and now she felt more
confident about talking to David about Simon. Rehearsing the lie with
Sordello had helped.

* * * * *

"He is leaving the Tartars behind? After I came so close to killing
them?"

"They will be closely guarded. I do not think you will be able to get at
them again."

There was a bitterness in the small smile that quirked David's thin
lips. "I do not intend to try until the Sienese arrive here. When I seek
their lives again, a whole army of guards will not be enough to stop
me."

What would David do, Sophia wondered, if he learned that the alliance he
had fought so hard to prevent would soon be sealed in France by Simon de
Gobignon