decision.’
Suleyman slipped off his throne. Chinua began escorting the company out.
‘Vallon.’
He turned and saw that it was the Emir who’d spoken. ‘I’ll catch you up,’ he told the others.
‘I’m disappointed that you turned down the offer to serve in my army,’ Suleyman said in serviceable Arabic. ‘I’ll be here until dawn in case you change your mind. If you don’t, you and the Greek will leave for Konya tomorrow. From there an escort will take you to the frontier with a safe conduct.’
The opposite direction from the tower where the gospel was hidden. Vallon’s skin prickled at the risk he was about to take. ‘An escort isn’t necessary. We’ll make our own way. We’d planned to take the northerly route, riding back up Salt Lake.’
Suleyman shook his head. ‘I won’t allow my guests to travel without protection.’ He shrugged. ‘As for the route, choose your own.’
Vallon hid his relief. Almost there.
‘Will Walter’s brother be travelling with you?’
‘No. I’ve suffered his presence long enough.’
‘What do you want me to do with him?’
Vallon knew that if he said ‘Kill him’, the Emir would attend to the matter as casually as if he’d asked for a drink of water. ‘Let him travel to Constantinople on his own. I’ll provide funds for the journey.’
Without turning, Suleyman gave an order. Two of his men went out.
‘Is that all?’ Vallon said. ‘I don’t want to intrude on your time more than necessary.’
Suleyman looked up at Vallon from under drooping eyelids. ‘The Icelandic woman.’
Vallon forced a smile. Here it comes. If he tells me that he won’t let her go, there’s not a thing I can do to stop him. ‘Caitlin? What about her?’
‘She’ll be travelling with you to Constantinople?’
‘If that’s what she wants.’
‘Isn’t she sure?’
‘We haven’t discussed it.’
‘You haven’t discussed your plans with your lover?’
‘We aren’t lovers. That was a lie to protect her.’
‘I know. Her maids report everything she says.’ Suleyman stepped close. His head came up to Vallon’s shoulders. He pointed at the scales. ‘Leave her with me and I’ll give you as much again.’
Vallon shook his head.
‘In gold.’
A fortune. Vallon swallowed. ‘I won’t force her to do anything against her will. If she wants to stay, I won’t try to dissuade her. It will be her choice and I won’t accept any payment. If she wants to leave, I’ll take her with me.’
Suleyman studied him, nodding. ‘Very well. Let’s leave it in God’s hands.’
Vallon bowed and began to back away. Suleyman reached out to detain him. ‘Before we part, tell me what brought you here. The real reason. It wasn’t money and it wasn’t for love of Walter. So what?’
Vallon looked at the carpet. Its maker had woven a design of carnations and scorpions. ‘All journeys have secret destinations.’
‘And what is yours?’
‘I’m not sure I understand.’
‘When Cosmas negotiated Sir Walter’s ransom, I was curious why a senior Greek diplomat should bother himself with a Norman mercenary.’
‘I don’t know. I only met Cosmas on the night he died. We hardly spoke.’
‘I set a high price for Walter’s release, never expecting Cosmas to raise it. Then more than a year later, you arrived, having voyaged from the end of the world to save a man you’ve never met. Why all this interest in rescuing a Norman of modest rank?’
‘In the beginning … ’ Vallon looked up. ‘It was penance for a crime I committed.’
‘Penance?’
‘Expiation. I killed my wife and her lover.’
Suleyman’s eyes crinkled. ‘That’s not a crime.’
‘I have no regrets about killing the man. He betrayed me in other ways. But my wife … Killing her has left my three children orphans. I’ll never see them again.’
Suleyman tapped him on the chest with his mace. ‘A good commander never regrets his actions. If I think someone means me harm, I kill him first and leave God to do the judging.’
‘That’s why you’re an Emir and I’m only a captain.’
Suleyman pressed his mace against Vallon’s chest. ‘Did the falconer kill Walter?’
‘Why would he do that? Walter saved Wayland from the forest.’
‘If you save a wolf, it doesn’t mean it loves you. Walter told the Seljuks that the falconer led him into the bog.’
‘How would they know? They weren’t there when Walter lost his way.’
The pressure of the mace increased. ‘Walter swore it was murder.’
‘Men often rave when they come face to face with death. I’m sorry Walter died. We tried our hardest to save him.’
Suleyman relaxed the pressure on the mace. ‘It’s as well that he’s dead. His behaviour was becoming a scandal and I suspect that he was playing a double game with the Byzantines. I would have had to deal with him myself if … ’ Suleyman raised his eyes ‘ … he hadn’t fallen into the bog.’
He swung on his heel and joined his officers. ‘My offer still stands. You have until dawn.’
‘Can I ask you something, your Excellency?’
Suleyman looked back over his shoulder.
‘How many wives do you have?’
Suleyman’s eyes went vague. ‘Nine, I think. My chief secretary will give you the precise number.’
‘Eleven,’ said Faruq and pointed to the exit.
Hero jumped up, agog for news when Vallon returned to their quarters. ‘Are we free to return to the bastillion?’
‘Yes. Under escort.’
‘That could make things difficult.’
‘Suleyman’s suspicious. He can’t understand why Cosmas and me were so desperate to win Walter’s freedom.’
‘Do you think he has any idea of the gospel?’
‘No. I told him I’d made the journey to atone for killing my wife. It seems strange now, but it’s the truth.’
Vallon divided the silver into four equal parts, keeping two parts for himself and leaving the rest to be shared between Hero and Wayland. He washed and changed before heading back out into the night. The Seljuks had cleared most of the camp and scores of men were dismantling the Emir’s pavilion, wrestling with billows of flapping felt. Vallon stooped against the wind, making for the women’s quarters.
A eunuch led him down a corridor with chambers leading off it. The roar of the wind fell away to a distant sigh. The eunuch stopped outside an entrance and called out. A woman’s voice answered. He nodded and Vallon went in.
It was like entering a silken womb. Caitlin sat at a dressing table attended by two maids. She rose, her eyes outlined with kohl, her hair dressed in a complicated oriental style. She wore a costume of many gauzy layers, each layer semi-transparent. Jewellery sparkled at her neck and on her wrists.
Vallon smiled. ‘You look like a queen.’
She hurried towards him. ‘Is it true that the Emir’s going to war?’
‘I need to talk privately.’
Caitlin gestured and the maids went out. She sat on a divan. Vallon remained standing.
