you.'
'If you do well,' Cait promised, 'I will give you extra for a meal. But you must take us to the palace first.'
'Done!' The chair owner spun on his heel and clapped his hands. He called to his labourers, who rose from among the men gathered around the fire. One of them took a last gulp from the jar before passing it along, and then he and his three companions shuffled to a wide red-painted chair with a green cushion on its wooden bench seat.
Alethea nudged her sister in the ribs, and pointed at a green chair. It was newer, slightly larger, the pole rings were shiny brass, and the cushion was yellow satin. Cait nodded. 'Wait,' she said, and pointed to the green chair. 'That one.'
'My sister/ complained the owner. 'That one is very special-for the empress herself, eh?'
'If the empress wishes to hire it, we will gladly give it to her,' replied Cait, stepping into the chair. She held out the little stack of coins.
Philippianous sighed, but gave his men the nod to go ahead. Taking up two long brass-tipped wooden poles from among those leaning against the wall, they slipped them through the rings, lifted the chair, and started off. 'Enjoy your journey, my friends.'
'You come, too. I will give you an extra ten to announce us at the palace/ Cait said, adding a few more coins to the stack in her hand.
'Philippianous is at your service, empress/ said the chair owner, accepting his payment with a polite bow. The bearers moved out, and the owner ran on ahead, leading the way and clearing idlers from the path.
Alethea was instantly ecstatic. 'This is wonderful! Cait, we should travel like this everywhere,' she said, almost hugging herself.
Cait made no reply. She turned her eyes to the slowly darkening street ahead, and thought about what had been accomplished this day, and what was still to come.
'Why did you not say we were going to the palace?' asked Alethea brightly.
'Some surprises are best kept secret,' Caitriona replied.
Alethea snuggled closer, enjoying the mysteriousness of it. 'Is the royal family there?'
'No,' replied Cait. 'I have to see someone.'
'Who?'
'A man called Renaud de Bracineaux.'
It is to do with Papa's death?'
'Yes.'
Cait turned once more to her meditation on the day's events. As soon as the ship had been secured in its new berth in Bucoleon Harbour they returned to the church where Duncan was lying on his bier in the sanctuary, waiting for burial. She allowed Haemur to accompany them – more for Haemur's sake than for her own. The old sea captain had liked and admired her father very much, and it would have been a needless cruelty to have denied him the consolation of attending the burial.
So, leaving Olvir and Otti to look after the vessel, they had proceeded to the church where they were received by the abbot himself and conducted into the darkened sanctuary where burned but two tall candles, one either end of the shroud-wrapped corpse. Upon entering the chapel, Alethea had begun to cry. Once they were seated, the cleric had read a simple service for the dead, at the conclusion of which the body of their father had been taken up by the brothers and carried to a small burial ground in a portion of the garden outside the monastery scriptorium where a fresh grave had been dug in the dry, rocky earth.
After a lengthy prayer in Greek, Cait said another in Gaelic, whereupon Alethea, weeping uncontrollably now, had placed on the body a handful of summer flowers and foliage wrapped in a length of white silk. The monks lowered the body into the hole and, while the abbot read a passage from the holy scripture, the brothers slowly filled in the grave. Haemur stood with bowed head and folded hands, and both Caitriona and Alethea knelt as the monks heaped the dirt high over the bundled corpse, tamped it down, and then planted a new-made wooden cross in the mound.
The service concluded, the abbot led the little funeral party to the refectory where they were given some wine and honey cakes with raisins to refresh themselves. Afterwards, Cait delivered the monetary gift they had agreed upon – together with an additional sum for the grave to be continually maintained-whereupon the chapter's infirmarer was summoned. A stoop-shouldered man of middle age with sad dark eyes, the infirmarer presented the women with a small box made of lead; a chi-rho had been embossed in the soft metal, and the container sealed with solder.
(I thank you, brother,' Cait said, accepting the small casket from his hand. She then thanked the abbot for his care and kindness, and the three were conducted by the porter through the gates of the monastery and out into the light of a hot summer day. Cait moved out into the sun-bright street in a thoughtful mood, Haemur solemn and silent beside her.
Alethea, who had dried her tears, walked along the tree-lined streets with a buoyant step. The great tide of sorrow which surged over her unexpectedly now and again had ebbed for the time being, and she felt light- headed-as if the heavier humours had been drained off, and now she might float away on the breeze. 'It was a fine funeral,' she observed, once they were through the gate. 'Do you not think so, Cait?'
'It served a purpose.'
'You could have done better, I suppose.'
Not wishing to argue with her sister, she merely said, 'Papa wished Padraig to conduct his funeral,1
'Oh,' said Alethea. She had not thought of that. 'Of course.'
A Cele De funeral was a very sacred and special occasion, combining not only prayers and hymns, but stories, songs, and special readings. It culminated in a feast at which family and friends gathered at the banquet table to celebrate the life of the departed and share their fondest recollections. The feast generally began at dusk and continued through the night, finishing at dawn when everyone went out to witness the breaking of the new day and sing their brother and fellow pilgrim on his journey home.
Cait felt sorry that her father had not been able to receive such a funeral; it was his due. Still, she meant to do what she could.
'What is in the box?' asked Alethea. 'Strange they should give us a gift.'
'It is not a gift,' said Cait quietly.
'What is it then?' The younger woman snatched away the box which Cait held reverently in her hands. She turned it this way and that, looking for a way to open it.
'Thea, please.' Cait put her hand on her sister's arm and turned her around. She held out her hand for the box. 'Give it to me now.'
'No/ the young woman sulked, jerking the box away. 'Not until you tell me what's inside.'
Cait frowned, regarding her sister with sour disapproval. 'It is Papa's heart,' she said softly.
'What!' shrieked Alethea. Cait held out her hand, and Thea shoved the box into it with disgust. 'You had them cut out his heart?' she cried, tears welling at once. 'You cruel and thoughtless creature! How could you do vsuch a thing!'
'It was his dying wish,' Caitriona explained simply. 'He wanted his heart to be buried in the church at home.'
Alethea put her face in her hands and wept. Despite her aggravation, Cait felt sorry for her sister-always getting things twisted round and making herself look foolish. She passed the box to Haemur who was standing awkwardly to one side, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in embarrassment.
'Take this back to the ship, put it in a safe place, and wait for us there,* Cait told the grizzled old pilot. 'Remember what I told you. It will likely be very late when we return, so keep a light burning at the prow.'
Haemur accepted the lead box with a little bow, and said, 'As you will, my lady. Return when you like, you will find the ship in order and awaiting your command.'
Cait smiled; the old seaman seemed to be going out of his way to demonstrate his acceptance of her as the new master of the vessel. For that, she was grateful. She thanked him and sent him on his way, and then she had begun her work of revenge.
The previous day, the consul had told her that de Bracineaux was a friend of King Baldwin and a guest of the emperor. To find the Templar commander all she had to do was discover which of the many imperial residences was being used by the friends, relations, and entourage of the newly wedded couple. With Thea in tow, she had
