'And he said he hoped my penance at the convent would soon come to an end.'
'You would break your vows?'
'I ... I do not know. I believe ... I have given my life to God. I never expected, or hoped for, anything to change.' She looked briefly into his face, and then kissed him, softly at first, but then with increasing passion.
After a moment, he pulled away, though she fought to keep him in an embrace. Gently, he prised her from him. 'I am a man of easy morals, but you will regret this if we continue,' he said. 'I would not wish that upon you.'
She bowed her head in shame, but he raised her chin and added, 'There is no shame in honest emotion. This business makes us into people we are not. It ruins lives, and forces us to battle with ourselves along the road to misery. We deserve better, all of us. Do not think badly of yourself, Sister Adelita.'
She allowed herself a slight smile, but her breath was still short with passion. 'One day we can all be who we are.'
He nodded in agreement without really believing it. The war would never end, he was sure of that. There would be battles and bloodshed and death, but it would continue as long as men were men and the Unseelie Court were whatever they were, both sides led on by their own weaknesses. To fight without hope of victory, to fight without truly knowing the reason for that fight, was the very definition of madness, but as long as it was a shared madness there would be no end to it.
'Did your brother give you any reason for his hope? Any information that might help me?' he asked.
'He sought my aid. There is a priest in Cadiz who is known for his struggles with the Devil. He undertook the rite of exorcism for the soul of a young girl in Arcos de la Frontera and cast out several demons, and he is knowledgeable in matters of the occult and those who practice such things. Father Celino is often petitioned by the local people, but many of their requests are frivolous and so he will only consider matters on recommendation.'
'And your brother asked you to recommend him to this priest?'
She nodded. 'He met him at the cathedral. I do not know what they discussed, but later that night my brother left for Seville in a great hurry.'
'Then I would wish to meet with this Father Celino.'
Her face fell, and Will knew that if she recommended him to the priest she would be accused of aiding a foreign spy, and that would likely mean her death.
He held her for a moment longer and then guided her back to the front room where Launceston still watched the street. The door crashed open as they entered, and Carpenter burst in dragging Mayhew, who threw himself free and stalked to the corner of the room, shifting sheepishly.
'Do not accuse me!' Mayhew jabbed his finger at each of them in turn. 'I needed air and some time to gather my thoughts!'
Carpenter toyed with his knife, his eyes flickering between Will and Launceston, who also had his hand on his hidden dagger.
Will stepped before Mayhew to calm the situation. 'We need to know you will not drag us down to hell, Master Mayhew,' Will said calmly. 'Your absolute support is required in this work. We cannot afford your personal weaknesses to lead us to disaster.'
'Or what? What will you do?' Mayhew raged. 'Kill me? Do it! Nothing can be worse than this life!'
Without hesitation, Sister Adelita stepped by Will and took Mayhew's hand. He was surprised and unbalanced by her touch, his anger dying in his throat. 'You have troubles,' she said. 'I have spoken to your friend here, and I understand what you do. It is God's work, and that is never easy, but the rewards are shared by all.'
Tears sprang to Mayhew's eyes, and he blinked them away quickly before the others saw it as a sign of weakness. 'I do not do God's work,' he replied quietly. 'I am weak, and I am not up to this.'
Sister Adelita looked to Will and said, 'Let me speak with him in private while you make your arrangements. If you wish me to make recommendations to Father Celino, I will.'
Will agreed, but he had already started to formulate a plan. Once Mayhew had been led away, Carpenter said vehemently, 'He will be the death of us, I tell you now.'
'Then let him stand in line. There are more pressing matters that could lead us to the grave,' Will said.
'How long are you going to keep protecting him?' Carpenter snapped.
'Till I am certain he is a danger to us. I am not so quick in taking the life of a fellow as you, Master Carpenter.'
'No, but you are quick to abandon them.'
'You know I thought you dead.'
Bristling, Carpenter made to confront Will until Launceston stepped between them. 'Is this how it will be? We do the work of the Enemy and the Spaniards ourselves?'
'Listen to the voice of reason, Master Carpenter,' Will said.
'Besides, I can slit Mayhew's throat in an instant if he truly becomes a problem,' Launceston continued.
Will sighed. 'Enough talk of slitting and cutting and stabbing the people we know. Let us direct our attention to the matter at hand.'
Sister Adelita emerged with Mayhew shortly after. Whatever she had said to him, he had calmed considerably and was contrite. Offering his apologies, he promised not to give in to his weaknesses. 'It was a momentary lapse,' he said.
After Will had ordered de Groot to make arrangements for their urgent departure from Cadiz, Sister Adelita guided them along a circuitous route to the cathedral that avoided all the busy areas and the plaza in front where they guessed the foot soldiers would still be watching. A side door used by the cathedral staff was open. Sister Adelita ushered them inside.
The cathedral was cool after the heat of the day, and at that time was still and quiet. Soon, Will knew, it would be bustling with merchants arranging business and the local people at their devotions or lighting candles for loved ones at sea. The stained-glass windows cast jewels across the flagstones, and the great vaulted roof high overhead caught and magnified every sound with the perfect acoustics of the medieval builders. Will silently cautioned the others to move with extreme quiet.
Like all the Catholic cathedrals Will had seen, the chapels were filled with paintings and relics, gold chalices, crosses, and other iconography that showed the great wealth of the Church.
Mayhew, Carpenter, and Launceston slipped into hiding places along the nave, while Will waited in a small chapel close to the high altar. Nodding to Will, Sister Adelita stood in the nave and called loudly for Father Celino. He emerged with a lazy gait, a tall man with a Roman nose, heavily tanned, and with jet black hair despite being in his fifties.
'Sister Adelita, is there a problem?' he asked with a note of concern. 'I did not expect to see you here.'
'Yes, Father. It is about my brother,' she replied, her head bowed.
'Don Alanzo? Is he well?'
'I am worried about him, Father. I have not heard from him and I would know where he is so I can seek him out.'
'Your brother is in Seville, Sister,' Celino said with an aloof manner. 'As always, he is engaged in important matters. He would not wish to have his affairs intruded upon by one such as you.'
'Then you cannot tell me who he sees?'
'Of course not!' Celino snapped.
Will caught Launceston's eye, who waited like a spectre in the shadows behind a stone column, and he passed on the sign. Instantly, Carpenter, Mayhew, and Launceston darted from their hiding places and grabbed Sister Adelita, who screamed as she attempted to fight them off.
'What is this?' Celino raged. 'Leave her alone! Help! Help us now!'
Drawing his knife, Will glided silently to Celino's side and whispered, 'Silence, Father, or it will not only be her blood that stains the flags.'
Celino fell silent. 'Who are you?' he asked gravely.
'English cutthroats who think nothing of spilling Spanish blood.'
Celino blanched.
'Kill her,' Will said.
'No!' Celino cried, but Launceston and Carpenter were already dragging Sister Adelita into one of the chapels.
