Why does she have this need to buy slaves? When Ash was at leisure, he would find out.
‘Where are you taking me?’
‘Somewhere safe.’
She dug in her heels. ‘What about Paula and Daphne? I want them to be safe, too.’
He released her hand. ‘Why should anyone harm a couple of slave children?’
She stepped closed, placing her fingers on his chest. His heart warmed, even though he could barely feel her touch through his armour. ‘Yet you seem to believe I am in danger?’
He spread his hands. ‘Your case is different. You have taken Princess Theodora’s place for several weeks—there are bound to be repercussions. I want you to be safe.’ He touched her cheek. It was warm. Soft. He wanted to kiss it. ‘Under normal circumstances you must realise your position is tenuous, and at the moment…Katerina, I cannot say whether General Alexios will succeed in his bid for the throne or not. If he fails, Emperor Nikephoros is bound to have questions for you.’
‘And if General Alexios takes the throne…’ Katerina heard her voice crack, she was unable to continue. Ash, you might be killed!
‘Whatever the outcome,’ Ash continued, ‘I will have you safe.’
Katerina looked up at his face, but the torch on a nearby wall had cast it in shadow and she could not read his expression. He wants me to be safe. And I want him to be safe.
‘Katerina, we must hurry.’
Ash sounded so curt. Asking for the jewel box had clearly infuriated him, but he really did appear to care about her safety. Katerina’s heart twisted. Why, she wondered, did the longing to believe him hurt so much? This is love.
‘You are certain the children will not be harmed if they stay with Sylvia?’
‘I am quite certain. In any case, they would hate it where we are going.’
‘Very well, Commander. Where are you taking me?’
‘To the safest place in the Empire.’
‘And the children wouldn’t like it?’
‘It is no place for children.’
Saints, where on earth was he taking her?
Chapter Fifteen
They crossed several darkened courtyards and stopped at a plain windowless building with a line of burly men-at-arms in front of it. A flickering torch silvered the curve of their battle-axes. Varangians. They sprang to attention.
‘We’re going in, Sergeant.’
The Varangians stood aside to reveal a squat door, heavily banded with iron. Ash produced a key that was the size of a small dagger, and two of the men dragged the door open. Behind the door, more torches flared, lighting up soot-stained walls and a narrow stone corridor. A curl of stairs ran down into darkness.
‘Shut the door behind us,’ Ash said. ‘I will lock it from the inside, but I won’t be long.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
Katerina’s hand was taken in a firm grasp; Ash had to duck his head to avoid the low lintel. No sooner had they stepped across the threshold than the door thudded behind them. Ash locked it and tucked the key into his belt. We are closed in! Her temples throbbed.
No place for children, indeed!
‘Is…is there nowhere else?’
‘It is the safest place in Constantinople.’
He pulled at her hand, but she balked at the head of the stairs. Gripping the enamelled casket, she shook her head. The idea of going down into the earth made her flesh creep.
‘It is the safest place,’ he repeated softly. ‘I do not want the Princess’s lady to be harmed.’
Tell him. You must tell him that you are no lady, and you must do it this instant! He will not thank you for continuing to mislead him in the middle of this crisis. You are wasting his time and it is precious.
‘Ash…’ Her lips felt stiff, it was as though she had not spoken in years. ‘Ash…’
Tell him!
She made her hand lie lax in his, ready for the moment when he would drop it. ‘Ash, it is not necessary for me to go down there. I am no lady of the Court in need of protection. I come from Crete. I…I am only a peasant.’
His eyes were black in the poor light, he frowned down at the casket for a moment before looking back up. ‘From a village in Crete?’
‘Yes.’ His face was a mask, it was impossible to tell his reaction to her words.
‘You have no family in the city?’
‘No.’ Her chest felt like lead. Unable to meet his eyes, she looked at the wall behind him. ‘So you see, there is no need for your concern, I am not important. I am not the Princess, nor am I a great lady.’
His fingers squeezed hers, his thumb was rubbing the skin on the back of her hand. ‘Katerina?’
His voice was warm, almost amused. She risked a look. He is smiling, Ash is smiling at me!
Utterly bemused, for amusement was the last thing she had expected, she opened her mouth, but, with no clear idea of how to respond, she quickly closed it.
He raised her hand to his lips. ‘Katerina, you are important to me.’ His eyes gleamed. ‘And if you think a hasty confession will get you out of going down there, you can think again. I want you out of harm’s way.’
He sounds as though he means it! She stared. His reaction, so different from what her experience had led her to expect, completely baffled her.
Somewhere outside, a bell began to toll. The sound was too muffled for Katerina to identify clearly, but she did not think it was the alarm bell.
‘Strange,’ Ash murmured; he, too, had heard the bell. ‘That sounds like Hagia Sophia.’ He tugged at her. ‘Hurry, I must get back. It is possible the Emperor has come to his decision. One way or another I must stand with my men.’
He started down the steps, leaving Katerina no choice but to follow. His words rang in her brain. You are important to me. He cannot mean it…
The stairs were steep and winding. There was a hand-rope, but because of the necessity of holding the jewel box, she tripped over the hem of her skirts and almost fell headfirst.
‘Give me that thing.’ Taking the box from her, Ash continued down the stairs.
As they went down she saw faint light ahead. Praise be, there are torches down there!
It was very cold. At the bottom of the stairs, they came face to face with another door; this, too, was heavily banded with iron. More Varangians were on guard, helmets shiny in the yellow torchlight.
‘Open it.’
And then they were hurrying along winding corridors, some lined with stone, others with brick. Are we in the dungeons? Some sort of crypt? Whatever this place is, it is incredibly old.
They passed yet more locked doors, more Varangian Guards, more doors. As they moved on and through, each door was locked behind them. The walls glistened with damp, salt crystals bloomed in broken plaster. The air became still, the torches fewer; the flames no longer flared and spat, they streamed steadily upwards.
Goosebumps rose on Katerina’s arms; the hairs lifted on the back of her neck. Down here, it was as chill and as quiet as a tomb. Passages ran off to left and right. There were shadowy tunnels that appeared to go nowhere, some were bricked up a short way in.
It occurred to her that if Ash were angered by her confession, he could leave her down here as a punishment. But he did not seem angry any more, certainly not as angry as he had been when she had asked him to return the jewel chest. Rather the reverse, in fact.
‘Where are we? What is this place?’
‘You sound afraid—don’t be. We are underneath the Palace.’
‘Yes, but wh—?’
‘This is the Imperial Treasury.’
‘The Treasury!’ Her jaw dropped; she felt the blood drain from her face. Surely he could not have brought her to the Emperor’s Treasury?
He took her into one of the smaller tunnels running off the main corridor. It had a barrel-vaulted roof and was empty save for a worm-ridden storage chest. He set the jewel box on the chest and stared pensively at it. ‘You are not a lady-in-waiting?’
‘No.’
‘So you have no lands, no great estates? In short, this—’ long fingers touched the box ‘—is all you have.’
‘Apart from a small gift of land, yes.’
‘And you would use your jewels to free slaves.’ Turquoise eyes held hers; never had they watched her so intently. ‘You are a remarkable woman, Katerina. Quite remarkable.’
She had no answer for that. Were her lack of estates and family connections a disappointment? Ash did not look disappointed, in truth, his eyes were warm, but again this man was leading her into uncharted territory, and she did not know how to respond to him.
Her palms felt clammy, she wiped them on her skirts. ‘Am I your prisoner, Ash?’
The warmth left his expression. ‘Is that what you think? I thought you understood, this is the safest place in the Palace.’ His lips twisted. ‘In the entire Empire.’
Her throat worked. ‘But, Ash…the Imperial Treasury? You are going to lock me in the Treasury?’
‘You are afraid.’
‘Yes! I…I don’t like the thought of being trapped.’
He gestured back at the corridor. ‘This cellar is open. See? No door.’ He gave a strange laugh. ‘You have been given the run of the vaults.’
‘I don’t like it. I am still locked in down here, and it is dark.’
He frowned at her for a moment and went out into the corridor.
‘Ash? Ash!’ Pulling his cloak more closely about her, Katerina shivered. I must not scream, I must not scream…
He was back with one of the corridor torches before panic had time to take hold. Jamming it in a rusting wall bracket, he pulled her to him. ‘That should keep the demons at bay.’
She looked at the torch and back into his face. A warm hand slid round her neck and he pulled her to him, bending his head so their foreheads touched. ‘Katerina, try to remember, I seek to protect you. My men will guard you with their lives.’
‘Even though I have confessed my true worth? I am nothing, nobody!’
He grimaced. ‘Do not underestimate yourself, Katerina.’
‘Please, Ash, let me out of here.’ She put a hand on his chest. ‘I would far rather be back in the apartment. I hate to be confined.’
‘You will be released.’ Easing back, he shook his head. ‘For pity’s sake, try to trust me. Always you expect the worst of me. I am a man and so I am condemned. If you do not take care, Katerina, you will turn into an embittered woman. Can you not try trusting at least one man? Hmm?’
‘But, Ash…’ Her fingers would have curled into his mail coat, but she could get no purchase on it; the metal links were rough on her fingertips. Hard. Cold.
He stepped back, glancing at the corridor. ‘I must go. Have no fear, you are not chained, after all. This is a storage vault, not a prison cell. Have faith, Katerina.’
Have faith. If I could have faith in anyone, it would be this man.
She managed to nod. She even tried to smile.
‘That’s better.’ His face lightened. ‘You will not be alone. I will send Hrodric to bear you company. Unless you would prefer Sylvia?’
She shook her head. ‘Sylvia would loathe it here. Besides, the children need her. I…I should like to see Hrodric, though.’
‘Very well. Stay calm. I hope to return soon…but I can make no promises.’
Hooking his hand round her neck in the familiar way, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. At once she began to melt against him, but the contact was fleeting, he had lifted his lips from hers and was gone before she had a chance to respond properly.
Take care, Ash, take care.
She strained to hear his footsteps, but soon they were lost behind the clang of a distant door and the scrape of a lock.
Like a moth to a flame, Katerina returned to the circle of light beneath the torch. Ash’s cloak was heavy round her shoulders and she was grateful for it. Without it, the chill in these vaults would soon seep into her bones. The cloak smelt faintly of him; she could almost imagine his arms were about her. Enfolded in his cloak, she prayed the torch would last until Hrodric reached her.
This place was like a tomb. If something happened to Ash, would anyone remember where she was? She might die and lie undiscovered for eternity…
Hurry, Hrodric, hurry—before I forget Ash promised to send you.
It seemed like an age, but in truth it could not have been long before she heard the rasp of a key and the groaning of a rusty hinge.
‘Hrodric, thank God you are here!’
Hrodric gave her a quiet smile. ‘Couldn’t have you down here alone, could we?’
Hrodric had brought the welcome glow of an oil lamp with him. There were more footsteps and a Varangian guard appeared, carrying a roll of blankets, a sack and a couple of wine-skins. Setting them in front of the wooden chest, the guard bowed to Katerina and withdrew.
Hrodric untied the sack and pulled out a loaf of wheat bread and a round of goat’s cheese. He also produced several slices of meat wrapped in a cloth, and a small pot of olives. Katerina watched with widening eyes as he set them on a platter on the wooden chest and offered her one of the wineskins.
‘A drink, my lady?’
She shook her head. As if she could! ‘No, thank you, later, perhaps. Hrodric?’
‘My lady?’
‘There is no need to address me in that way, Hrodric. I…I don’t know if Ash told you, but I have no title. I am…Katerina, simply Katerina.’
Hrodric nodded. ‘Very well, Katerina.’
Thoughtfully, she watched for any reaction, but Hrodric seemed no more shocked by her admission than his master had been. His eyes were just as kind as ever, just as calm; indeed, his demeanour was sympathetic enough to encourage a confidence.
‘Hrodric?’
‘Katerina?’
‘I should have told him to take care of himself.’
‘He has been doing that for a long time, my l— Katerina, never fear.’
‘He is a fool!’
Hrodric’s brows rose. ‘Katerina?’
‘It strikes me he is fighting for a lost cause. Emperor Nikephoros has lost control of both his army and his navy. The Patriarch is suggesting he abdicates, yet Ash must return to his men.’
‘Such is the nature of the vow he has made. Men of the Varangian Guard remain loyal till death.’
‘I know, I know.’ Suddenly close to tears, she wrapped her arms around her middle. Why was it that worry made one weak? ‘It is that wretched honour of his. But Ashfirth is a fool, Hrodric, a fool! If that damned honour of his gets him killed, I shall never forgive him!’
Hrodric simply smiled. ‘May I ask a question?’
‘Please…’
‘The Commander told me you have a fear of confinement, but when I entered it struck me that you were not letting your worries rule you.’
‘Your point being?’
‘You are concerned for the Commander, of course, but you never doubted that I would come, did you?’
‘He said he would send you.’
‘And you believed him.’
‘Yes.’
‘I hope he knows this, it would gladden his heart to hear you admit it.’ Hrodric glanced at the wine-skin in his hand, shrugged and took a long pull from it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘That’s better, I needed that. Katerina, forgive my impertinence, but what do you plan to do when he returns?’
Ask him to forgive me for the trouble I must have caused him.
‘I am…undecided. If, no…when he returns, I expect I shall have to face his anger. I deceived him and if the Emperor survives this attempt to topple him, Ash will have to answer for my actions.’ She looked him square in the eyes. ‘How long have you known?’
‘That you are not Princess Theodora? Almost as long as Ashfirth.’
She grimaced and felt a light touch on her arm, a reassuring touch.
‘Katerina, you must not fear that I shall betray you. Doubtless you were acting on Princess Theodora’s orders
?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you think Ashfirth holds this against you?’
‘He must do. He was ordered to bring the Princess back to the Palace and instead he brought…me.’ She stared blindly at the opposite wall. ‘I am a very poor substitute for the Princess—he must feel betrayed. Hrodric, please understand, I never wanted to take Princess Theodora’s place, but I owe her a great deal. And later, once I came to know the Commander and to…to like him, it became doubly difficult.’ She gave a brittle laugh. ‘In his place, I would be furious!’
‘Did Ashfirth strike you as furious when he left the Treasury? Did he berate you? Did he threaten you in any way?’
She twisted her fingers together. ‘Ash has never threatened me. Not when he discovered how he had been misled, nor when I confessed my true identity. Although…’ She hesitated, glancing guiltily at the enamelled casket gleaming in the lamplight. Ash had not liked it when she had asked for the return of the jewel chest, he had definitely been angry then. He had been angry on board ship when her message to the Princess had been intercepted and he had confined her to the pavilion, but never, not once, had he threatened her with violence…
As she stared at the shiny casket something clicked in her mind. I hurt him! My lack of trust cuts him to the quick.
‘He made no threats, I am sure,’ Hrodric murmured. ‘That is not his way.’
‘No, he would never threaten.’ How my father would bluster in his place. But not Ash, Hrodric is right, that is not his way. ‘He was most anxious to get back to his men. When he returns, I shall pray he forgives me.’
‘Naturally, he will forgive you, he asked you to marry him.’
‘That was b-because—’ her cheeks scorched ‘—because…’
Hrodric grinned. ‘Because you spent several hours together in that bedchamber?’
‘His wretched sense of honour made him ask me to marry him.’ She lowered her eyes. ‘It motivates his every action.’
‘His every action? Katerina, there you are wrong, very wrong. Ashfirth is on fire to marry you. To have you for himself.’
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