think he's a witch-finder from the Grand Metropolitan in Rome, hunting Strega.'
'I thought the Petrines believed in tolerance of other religions?' whispered Marco.
Kat snorted quietly. 'Did he look tolerant?'
Benito had to agree. He didn't. Determined; powerful, yes. Tolerant, no.
'You don't know the other man? The one at the end of the alley? Or the woman?' Whispered Maria, before they got bogged down in theology.
'No,' said Kat.
Benito actually bit his tongue to stop himself from saying 'Francesco Aleri.' He must talk to Caesare. He didn't have a clue who the woman was.
* * *
Kat bit her tongue. She had no idea who the man was. But the silhouette of Lucrezia Brunelli's hairdo was unmistakable.
And from the foot of the stairs someone rasped. 'All right, Lorendana's kids. Aleri and the other guy have gone. You can go home.'
Kat hadn't realized she'd been holding Marco's hand. She felt him relax. Whoever this was, he wasn't bad. 'Thanks, Harrow,' said Marco.
The relieving party said nothing, just walked away up the alley. So they all got up and left too. Two minutes later she was out on the Grand Canal. Why was Lopez after her? The thought was scary. She'd better prompt Giuseppe to not have her at home to any visiting Spaniards. And she'd take the long way home to avoid the sweep.
* * *
Maria worked her oar in silence for a while. Then she said 'Marco, what did your Spook say?'
'Kat? She's not 'mine.' ' Marco sounded almost wistful about it. 'She's a wonderful girl, isn't she? And you heard what she said . . .'
Maria clicked her tongue in irritation. 'Tch. Lord and Saints, Marco. Not Kat. That burned-face troll that follows you around! Ugliest guardian angel in the universe.'
'Oh. Harrow.' Marco shrugged. 'He's just somebody who--knew our mother.'
'And the other name?' asked Maria, intently. 'Aleri?'
'Well,' said Marco thoughtfully. 'There was a high-up Montagnard in mother's time by that name. Francesco Aleri.'
Benito wished like hell Marco's memory was less good. He really had to talk to Caesare about this before Maria went in like a bull in a china shop. Aleri would have to die. But Maria must be kept well clear. Best to change the subject before Marco remembered something else inconvenient. 'So now you're crazy about Kat, Marco. What happened to the dream girl in the boat?'
Marco laughed happily. 'Kat is the dream girl in the boat, Benito.'
There was a long moment of silence from both Maria and Benito. Benito wound his jaw back up. Bossy-boots Kat, with too big a mouth, and a tongue that could scour brass?
'What!?' he croaked--in unison with Maria.
* * *
Late that night, there came a knock on Eneko's door. When the priest opened it onto the dimly lit Ghetto alley, a burly man with a badly scarred and burned face seized the Basque by the lapel of his cassock and forced his way inside. Then kicked the door shut behind him.
Eneko made no attempt to resist. The man's strength was enormous.
'Why are you following the boys?' the man rasped.
'I'm not,' replied Eneko calmly.
