The Templar

The idea that he might get to hear of her behaviour secretly appalled her. He could make all sorts of trouble for her, especially now, with the little box so securely held in her purse, she thought, a hand going to it and stroking it through the leather. Merely to touch it like that made her heartbeat slow a little. Yes, Gregory could have caused untold harm if he had heard. He mustn’t ever learn of her fornication. It would all have been so easily resolved if Domingo had succeeded, the damned fool. All he had to do was kill Ruy and, regretfully, her tatty little lover Parceval, and all would have been safe. Instead the fool saw to the death of most of his men, including his own son, and since then his mind was turned more to his own grief than to what she needed from him. That was why she had to pay this blackmail.

It all came down to money. Always did. People had no interest in anything else. They wanted cash no matter what it cost others. Certainly Sir Gregory had never concerned himself about others. From the look of him he was short of money now. He could have been a friar. Maybe he was! That would be a joke. A loud, roaring, rich knight reduced to poverty.

It had been a terrible shock to see him on the way here. Blasted man! In all the lands of Christendom, why did he have to come here? Maybe it was because he wanted to atone for some of his past offences. There were certainly enough of them.

She was bemoaning her fate when she realised that a man was approaching her.

‘My dear lady! I felt sure it must be you as soon as I saw you in the crowd. Such elegance and grace could never be duplicated on this earth. Dearest lady, may I kiss your ring?’

She turned with a start, her heart leaping into her mouth, and gaped. ‘My God — Parceval!’

The Fleming bowed with as much grace as he could muster, smiling at the expression of shock on her face. ‘You didn’t expect me here?’

‘I didn’t, no. Not so soon. You made very good time.’

‘Well, a man in a hurry can always find a means of speeding himself on his way,’ Parceval said easily. He tugged his purse around his belt so that it was under his belly, and reached inside. Pulling out some coins and peering at them shortsightedly, he held one aloft for the tavern owner to see and peremptorily demanded wine.

‘Yes,’ he continued, ‘we set off at dawn and it was only later I asked where you were and was told you were staying behind. That was — oh — three days ago? You travelled quickly.’

‘No, I set off before you,’ Dona Stefania said. ‘I arrived here at noon yesterday.’

‘You must have hurried,’ Parceval said, but inattentively. He was watching the tavern-keeper.

It was fortunate that he didn’t catch sight of Dona Stefania’s face as he raised the coin again. Had he done so, he would have observed rather less pleasure at their meeting than he might have wished.

For her part, the lady was appalled that her lover had materialised here. She had enough troubles without this, but then another thought struck her and she stared suspiciously at his heavy purse.

She had hurried here, leaving in the dark to avoid meeting this man and his companions as soon as the blackmailer had made his demands. Frey Ramon had left with her, happy to be with his Joana, and delighted to be there to protect them both when Domingo’s men were left behind.

When she met Parceval two weeks ago, he had told Dona Stefania that he was a penniless pilgrim.

How, then, had he come to be in possession of so much money?

Chapter Five

Just as Parceval was sitting down with Dona Stefania, Baldwin and Simon were rising to leave the same place with Matthew.

‘Take a little of this, old friend,’ Baldwin said gently, holding out his hand.

‘No, Sir Baldwin. You keep it. You may have need of money on your travels. It is many leagues from England, as you will know. Many a weary mile to walk. How long did it take you?’

Baldwin held out the handful of coins for a moment longer, but seeing the proud expression in Matthew’s eyes, he shrugged. ‘We came by boat from Topsham. A merchant brought us in a matter of days. Sadly we were blown from our course, and ended up in Oviedo, so we had a walk of it from there.’

Matthew gave a smile that was all but a wince. ‘It is good to hear that you are successful, Sir Baldwin. I would not like to think that all my comrades were as unfortunate as me.’

‘I fear that many are,’ Baldwin said sadly.

‘Perhaps,’ Matthew said. ‘Some survived, though. In Portugal, some still hold positions of power and authority.’

‘I had heard that,’ Baldwin said. ‘In some of our old forts.’