Lord Constantine shifted in such a way that William could no longer see Anna. Without thinking, William moved to put her back in his line of sight—he liked looking at her. The realisation hit him like a dash of cold water.
Mon Dieu, the sooner he left, the better, he had no business gazing at a lady of the Imperial Court. He must remember his ambitions. If he did not return to the Duchy soon, he would lose all chance of learning who ordered him killed. And he was determined that his enemy would not escape justice.
But there Lord Constantine sat, the Devil blast him, stroking her hand. She had laughed and said she thought of him as a brother, so why was she not objecting?
‘Children?’ Lord Constantine paused thoughtfully. ‘One is not weaned while the other is only this tall?’ He held out his hand to the level of the table.
‘Their names are Daphne and Paula, Constantine,’ Anna said, smiling warmly into Lord Constantine’s eyes. William felt as though a dagger had been planted in his gut.
‘I believe they have also been taken to Commander Ashfirth’s house, they went with a couple of maidservants to keep the Princess company.’
‘There, William!’ Expressive grey eyes filled with relief. ‘The girls are unharmed. The Princess is kindness itself, she will take good care of them. She has a…special understanding of their plight.’
William nodded. It was time to leave, the girls were safe. The sense that something was eluding him was still there, hiding in a dark corner of his mind. He had harboured the feeling for some time…surely if it were important it would have come forwards, into the light?
No matter, the girls were safe. He could leave Constantinople with a clear conscience.
Empty inside despite the food, William pushed to his feet. ‘It is time I was on my way. The Palace will doubtless be in an uproar when the new Emperor arrives.’
‘William, you cannot leave!’ Smoky eyes frowned up at him. ‘I…I have not dismissed you.’
‘You refer to that service you wished me to perform for you?’
For a moment, she would not meet his eyes. ‘No, I find that is no longer necessary. But you cannot leave without the document, I want you to have it.’
‘My lady, I told you, the document is irrelevant to me.’ William must go and the sooner the better. It seemed that every moment in her company made it harder for him to leave.
‘You will not stay for the enthronement?’
‘I am sorry, my lady, urgent affairs await me at home.’ William extricated her hand from Lord Constantine’s and bowed over it. A subtle drift of jasmine caught in his nostrils and the dagger in his belly turned. ‘I am in your debt, my lady. When I can find a way, I shall repay you.’
‘Sir William, I meant it when I told you not to consider it. I am sorry that you are to leave us, but I wish you a good journey. Here…’ reaching for the pot of salve, she pressed it into his hand ‘…you may find this of use.’
William turned away, his throat tight. ‘My thanks, Lady Anna.’
The cloak she had provided for him was draped over the painted screen, he scooped it up in passing and headed for the doors.
The great double doors opened and again the dagger twisted. The urge to look back was unbearable, resisting it caused more pain than the battering he had received in the days of his slavery. Fortunately, blocking pain was something William had mastered in his knightly training. He strode through the apartment doors and they snapped shut behind him.
* * *
Anna stared after William, her mind was in turmoil. ‘He has no money. I don’t know how he thinks he will pay for his passage home.’
‘He’s a Frankish knight, he probably thinks he can bludgeon his way on board. Maybe he hopes to find a captain who is a sailor short.’
‘You have not seen his bruises.’ Rising, Anna walked distractedly to the brazier. The sight of the marks on William’s naked back as he fought that mercenary near the Augustaion leapt into her head. She swallowed. ‘He will try, of course, it is not in his character to surrender. But he… Sir William has suffered much of late. His sword arm is damaged and it is possible he has a broken rib or two. He should be resting, not thinking about hauling sailcloth about on a ship!’
‘You exaggerate, I am sure, the man looks as strong as a lion.’
‘He has been trained to make light of his hurts.’
Constantine tipped his head on one side and held his hand out. ‘Anna, come here.’ He was wearing the most crooked of smiles.
‘What?’
‘You don’t want this knight to leave, do you?’
‘I don’t want him to injure himself!’ Retracing her steps, she took Constantine’s hand. It was a little disturbing to realise there was truth in Constantine’s statement, but this was not the time to think about it. ‘Constantine, it is quite ridiculous, William can be as stubborn as a mule. He says he has family in Constantinople, yet he shows no desire to find them. I am sure if he were to contact them, they would provide him with everything he needs for his passage home.’
Constantine’s gaze sharpened. ‘Sir William has family in the City?’
‘So he said, but he will not stay to meet them. I have not known him long and there is much he has not told me, but it seems likely that someone in Apulia has wronged him most dreadfully. His mind is taken up with the thought of returning to reclaim his rightful place in the world.’
‘Someone in Apulia wronged him? How?’
‘Constantine, he has not told me everything. I would like to help him though—can you think of anything we might do?’
‘We?’
‘Could…could you not find him…employment of some sort?’
Constantine gave a bark of laughter. ‘The man is a Frankish knight! He trades his strength and his skill at arms. If his strength has been compromised, I cannot see that he has much to offer.’
‘Think, Constantine, I beg you, there must be something he could do. I wish I had money to give him, but the few coins I took with me to Rascia have long gone.’ She grimaced. ‘My jewellery is of little value, I gave Kari my last gold bracelet so that he might find William some clothes. Quickly, Constantine, think!’
‘You really do care for him,’ Constantine said slowly.
Her face burned. ‘Yes. Yes, I do.’
I like him far more than I ought to like a Frankish knight, I like him enough to wish that he was not a barbarian who lived far beyond our western borders. And the thought that I shall never see him again is almost unbearable.
‘Very well. Though I shall be hard pressed to find work that a Frankish knight will feel able to accept.’
Thinking aloud, she stared at Constantine. ‘You have always shown an interest in the peoples living at the edge of the Empire. In the past, you have often lamented the lack of a strong Emperor who might share your interest and make better use of your knowledge. Soon, we will have a strong Emperor…’
Constantine’s eyes became hooded. ‘Your point being…?’
‘General Alexios will, I am sure, appreciate your talents far more than Emperor Nikephoros ever did. And think how impressed he would be if you spoke Norman French.’
‘Anna, I must tell you, my Norman French is already fairly tolerable.’
‘Tolerable? You can settle for fairly tolerable?’ She tipped her head to one side. ‘Wouldn’t you rather be fluent?’
‘I suppose, for you, I could let the Frank teach me the refinements.’ Constantine looked thoughtfully into the distance. ‘Anna, I think you may have hit on something… Sir William could earn his passage home by tutoring me in his language—’
‘And in the meantime his body will have time to heal properly.’
Constantine reached forwards and kissed her on the cheek. ‘I know you are not suggesting this for my sake, but this could be useful. I shall be glad of the chance to improve my Norman French.’
Spirits lifting, Anna tugged at Constantine’s hand. ‘Hurry! He will be halfway to the gate by now.’
&nb
sp; Constantine swung his cloak about his shoulders. ‘Do you know which gate he will use?’
Her cheeks warmed. ‘The one by the street of the perfumiers.’
Chapter Nine
William had left the Boukoleon Palace by the main north door and was halfway across one of the courtyards by the time he was hailed.
‘Sir William! Sir William, a moment, if you please!’
William swung round to see Anna on Lord Constantine’s arm, they were passing a group of courtiers by a fountain. Anna was holding her blue skirts clear of the ground in a grand manner that was only slightly marred by the jagged tear in the fabric. Vaguely, William wondered why she had not taken the time to change. Looking at her, it was as though a weight he had not known he was carrying lifted from him.
‘Lady Anna!’
Conversation round the fountain ceased. Heads turned.
‘A moment, sir, if you please,’ Anna spoke into silence, her veil drifting about her like blue mist.
‘Lady Anna, Lord Constantine.’ Conscious of the eyes watching their every move, William gave them his most formal bow—this was the Imperial Court.
‘Sir William, we should be grateful if you would care to accompany us,’ Anna said, indicating a curving path that led away from the fountain. ‘Let us walk awhile.’
They followed the path across a broad swathe of grass and came to a halt in an area where the grounds were less well tended and apparently deserted.
William looked curiously at her. ‘My lady?’
Her hand fell from Lord Constantine’s arm. ‘We have been discussing how you planned to book your passage for Apulia, and wondered if you might need some…assistance.’
‘Why should I need assistance?’
Grey eyes looked anxiously up at him. ‘What were you going to do, William, fight your way onto a ship and force the captain to give you passage?’
‘Something like that.’ He lifted his shoulders. ‘In truth, my only thought was to get clear of the Palace. After that…well, I shall take things as they come. I can always hire myself out as a deck hand.’
A small hand touched his sleeve. ‘William, you must not think of such a thing, you are in no fit state. We would be honoured to help you.’
He watched them exchange glances. This was about money—Anna knew he had no money. It made him uneasy to know they had been talking about him. ‘I don’t need any more charity,’ he said stiffly. ‘My lady, I am already in your debt.’
Anna opened her mouth, but Constantine set her gently to one side. ‘Anna, it might be best if you explored the gardens for a while, I can take it from here. It shouldn’t take long.’
Anna met Constantine’s gaze and, with a slight frown, removed her hand from William’s arm. Nodding at them, she continued down the path towards a grove of trees. The ribbons of her cloak streamed out behind her, her veil fluttered. She had an elegant and sinuous way of walking, her whole body swaying…
Abruptly, William noticed that Constantine’s dark eyes were on him, running over his green silk tunic, the new cloak.
‘You have no purse, Sir William,’ he said, bluntly.
‘You are observant, Lord Constantine, but you do not need to concern yourself on my behalf.’
‘On the contrary, I do. Anna worries about you, and what concerns Anna concerns me.’
Lord Constantine’s proprietorial manner towards Anna was irritating. She might think of Lord Constantine Angelos as a brother, but she clearly had a high regard for him and the man knew it. He must be confident she would eventually choose him as her husband.
‘Lady Anna has already been more than generous,’ William said, gesturing at his clothes. ‘I have no intention of asking for more. Particularly since I am certain she sacrificed a gold bracelet to acquire these for me.’
‘She was right then, you do need money.’
William’s hand went to where his sword-hilt should be. ‘Lord Constantine, I would prefer that we do not continue this conversation. Lady Anna had no right to discuss my affairs with you.’
‘Relax, man, she was discretion itself. However, one doesn’t need the wisdom of Solomon to see that you are in need of a friend.’ With a glance down the path that Anna had taken, Lord Constantine held out his hand. ‘And that is what I offer you: friendship. For Anna’s sake.’
Warily, William clasped the outstretched hand. ‘I won’t take your money, my lord.’
‘No charity, of course not. Wouldn’t dream of offending you by offering it.’ Lord Constantine grimaced. ‘A man has his pride. Women never seem to understand that, that is why I suggested Anna walk in the gardens for a time.’
William narrowed his eyes. ‘You sound as though you have something in mind.’
‘A small proposition,’ Lord Constantine said.
They strolled past an abandoned building as, with a whir of wings, a pigeon flew out from under the portico. Broken statues flanked a boarded-up doorway, ivy was winding up the marble columns. Despite the dereliction, the building had an air of grandeur. It must be an ancient palace that had fallen into disuse.
‘My lord?’
‘In Apulia you are a knight, a horse-soldier, I seem to recall?’
William grunted assent.
‘And you hire yourself out, do you not?’
‘Ye…es, but—’
‘How do you feel about putting yourself up for hire here?’
William drew his head back. ‘As a cavalry officer? Are you suggesting I enlist in the Imperial army?’
‘That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind…’ Lord Constantine lifted an eyebrow ‘…although I am sure you would be well paid to show off your prowess in the Hippodrome.’
William’s lip curled. ‘Circus tricks.’
Lord Constantine grinned. ‘Thought that would be your response. No, Sir William, I have something else in mind. I have always had a—how should I put this?—a hunger to learn about the peoples who live outside the Empire. I would be in your debt if you could teach me as much as possible about your country, particularly your language.’
‘I am not certain I have a country,’ William said, carefully. ‘My mother was Greek and I have no idea who my father was. I was told he was a Frank, but I have never set foot in Normandy or France.’
Dark eyes held his, steady and determined. ‘You speak three languages, I assume.’
William rested a foot on the cracked bottom step of the ruined portico and nodded. His upbringing at the convent and later with Sir Bruno had ensured that he spoke Greek, Latin and Norman French.
‘Sir William, I already know the rudiments of Norman French and I am eager to learn more. Will you stay long enough to teach me? Name a fair fee and I will pay it. Well? What do you say?’
William hesitated. He could certainly use some money and the red purse hanging from Lord Constantine’s belt was reassuringly plump. This was a battle, and he must do what he could to return home and discover the identity of his enemies. And if he were realistic, he was somewhat out of condition—accepting this man’s money for a few days’ tuition might not be such a bad idea…
If he held back his plans for, say, a couple of weeks, he could easily help Lord Constantine. He might also help Lady Anna, the debt he owed her for freeing him was incalculable. It was obvious that something was preying on her mind—when they had been breaking their fast in the Boukoleon, she had gone chalk-white. Her concern seemed to revolve around Princess Theodora. The military coup, which by all accounts had resulted in a popular and efficient general seizing the Imperial crown, seemed to be causing her no little distress. Why? William didn’t begin to understand what was going on, but he was certain Lady Anna needed a friend almost as much as he had when he had stumbled on to that auction block. He would be happy to assist her in any way he could.
‘Very well, Lord Constantine, I shall give you two weeks of my time if you cover my passage home.’
‘Agreed.’
‘My lord, there is one caveat…’
‘Oh?’
‘Of late there have been a number of disagreements between your people and mine on the borders of the Duchy. I would have you note that I am not prepared to do or say anything that might compromise the holding of any Frank. As long as you understand that, we have an agreement.’
Lord Constantine gave him a broad grin. ‘I understand. Tutor me in Norman French for a couple of weeks and you shall have your fee.’
‘I would also like money for a bracelet for Lady Anna.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
William’s cheeks grew warm. ‘You may give it to her, but I want her to have another bracelet.’
‘Agreed. In the meantime…’ Lord Constantine tugged at the strings of his red purse and handed him several heavy gold bezants ‘…take these as a token of my good will. Anna expects me to find you lodgings, too, but Lord knows how I shall do that—the Palace will be in turmoil until power has been transferred to General Alexios. The General’s men will be expecting billets, and his wife, the new Empress, has her own entourage. Normally the Empress would be expected to take up residence in the Boukoleon, but that is, I hear, undecided.’ He shook his head. ‘Whatever happens, there aren’t likely to be spare beds. Lady Anna might be able to help you—’
‘No!’ When Constantine’s eyebrows lifted, William expanded. ‘I have troubled Lady Anna too much already, I will not ask for more.’
‘Sir William, Anna enjoys helping people.’
‘That may be, but I am already beholden to her.’
Lord Constantine made a sound of exasperation and was on the point of replying when his gaze shifted to something behind William. His expression froze.
Two men, one in his middle years, the other a stripling, were at the head of a ragged procession as it wound its way down the path that led from the Boukoleon. Fur-lined cloaks and jewelled cloak-pins marked the leading two out as aristocrats, the others were dressed as servants or slaves.
‘Lord Isaac!’ Constantine bowed to the older man. ‘What an unexpected pleasure to see you again so soon.’
Chained to the Barbarian Page 13