The Spymaster's Protection (40 page)

The queen looked at her sympathetically, studying her
expression. “You will both stay here tonight,” she insisted with a gracious
smile. “I will give you rooms adjoining a private bath and have clean clothes
delivered. Gabrielle, I imagine you had to leave much behind in Tiberius.
Lucien, will you require armor and weapons?”

“Nay, lady, I have what I need, but I’m sure Lady Gabrielle
will be grateful for your offer. She did have to leave nearly all of her
personal belongings in Tiberius.”

Sibylla nodded. “I understand Master de Ridefort was
threatening to arrest both of you.”

“It was not safe for Gabrielle there.”

“He is a pompous ass,” the queen declared with a disdainful
sniff.

Gabrielle could not help but laugh. “My sentiments exactly,
your highness.”

“Sibylla,” she corrected her friend. “Here, in this room, we
are all just friends, and in the coming months, I am afraid I am going to need
every bit of that friendship.”

The serving women returned with trays of fruit, sweetmeats,
dates, bread, cheese, and chilled wine. While they arranged everything on the
gleaming table in front of the queen, no one spoke. When they were alone again,
conversation resumed.

“Count Raymond came here to pay public homage to Guy several
weeks ago,” Sibylla informed them. “The king received him graciously, while
Master de Ridefort grumbled and complained to Guy about coddling a traitor. You
have no doubt heard that my husband ordered an arriére ban at the end of May.”

“I assumed he would.” An arriére ban required all able-bodied
men to answer the call-to-arms. The moment Lucien had seen how deserted the
streets of Jerusalem were, he’d known the king had issued one.

“Master de Ridefort has given Guy most of the money the pope
required King Henry II to give the Templars as penance for his part in the
murder of Thomas Becket. Guy used it to recruit mercenaries. They are riding
under the English banner.”

Lucien set his goblet of red claret aside and burst out
laughing. “My God, that must have taken a good deal of persuasion on the king’s
part to pry that gold out of de Ridefort’s tightfisted hands!”

The queen nodded. “Cresson shocked us all. That was a terrible
loss of men. I think de Ridefort felt the need to restore his image.”

“He was the reason for that needless loss of life,” Lucien
pronounced bitterly.

“In the final analysis, I think he knew that. It was probably
what prompted him to turn over the gold. It went a long way to putting him back
in the king’s good graces.”

Gabrielle had been sipping her wine and nibbling on the dates
and nuts, quietly listening. Truth be told, she was teetering on exhaustion.
They had ridden hard from Damascus, and been in the saddle sunup to sundown for
four days. The potent wine was only making her drowsy. Still, she had to know
one thing before she begged her leave.

“What word have you, Sibylla, of Reynald and Armand?”

“The fortresses of Kerak and Montreal remain in their hands,
but they have lost the rest of the demesne. Saladin’s troops have ravaged the
countryside, and encouraged all Muslim residents to flee across the border to
Syria. Reynald and your father answered the king’s call and rode with him to
Acre. Their garrisons continue to hold out against the sultan’s forces. Silvia
is staying at your house here in Jerusalem.”

Gabrielle nodded. “I had not intended to go back there.”

“I banned her from the palace when I heard that she had
assassins after you.”

“I do not think it was her who set them upon me.”

“Your husband, then?” Sibylla asked sympathetically.

“Yes. Lucien and I met with Saladin and his general, the Blue
Wolf, while we were in Damascus.” When she saw the queen’s eyes widen, she
smiled. “I will tell you all about it later. It is an interesting story, to say
the least. But Amir Gökböri assured me the Assassin leader had been persuaded
to leave me alone. I do not expect any more attacks on my life, and I am no
longer in need of sanctuary. I will continue to work at the orphanage. I found
people who are going to help me place the children in good Muslim homes. I
think we will have to wait until things calm down to do so, though. But right
now,” she sighed, “I am just too tired to think straight. We traveled hard from
Damascus.”

“You should both seek your quarters then. I have kept you much
too long. We will talk again before you leave, Lucien. And Gabrielle, you must
stay here for a while. I have been worried about you, you know.”

“I will spend some time with you,” Gabrielle agreed, feeling
the queen’s loneliness and anxiety. “And thank you for your concern.”

When Sibylla rose, so did her two guests. Gabrielle stepped up
to the young queen and hugged her.

There was a sheen of moisture in Sibylla’s eyes when they
separated. “We will need to be strong together in the coming months, Gabrielle.
I will lean on you, and you on me.” The queen smiled wanly, then rang a bell
for her servants. When one appeared, she shooed both Lucien and Gabrielle away.
“Go now and rest. Enjoy your evening. I will bother you no more today.”

They were escorted to apartments on the top floor of the
palace. As soon as the servant left them, they wandered through the three
rooms. The spacious, sumptuously appointed chambers were discreetly connected
by a tiled bathing room. The small pool in the center of the lamp lit room was
sunk into the marble floor, surrounded by marble benches that were topped with
thick silk cushions. Drying sheets made of luxuriant Egyptian cotton were
folded on a table in one corner, and two silk robes, one for a man and one for
a woman, hung on pegs. An assortment of soaps and oils was laid out near the
pool’s edge.

“Scandalously decadent,” Gabrielle giggled.

“No more so than our rooms,” Lucien pointed out. “My God, I
could get lost in either one of those beds, they are so enormous. I’m afraid my
Templar ascetics have gone into shock. But,” he said with a wicked glint in his
eyes as he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, “I intend to
do all of this justice…. After you get some rest.”

“And you?”

“I have to see to a few things, but I promise I will be gone
only a couple of hours at the most.”

Her hand rose to his cheek and caressed it lovingly. “Be
quick. Be careful.”

+++

It was the end of June and the weather had grown warmer,
taking on the full heat of summer. Even as the sun started its daily descent to
the west, the air was still heavy. Gabrielle awoke from her afternoon slumber
damp with sweat. Rising from the magnificent silk canopied bed in her chamber,
she went to the row of wood shuttered windows and opened each, letting in the
sporadic breezes that drifted across the quiet city rooftops.

From this corner tower of the palace, she caught glimpses of
the streets below. They were uncommonly empty for early evening. It was as if
the city was holding its breath, waiting, just as she was doing.

She and Lucien had spent over two months together, but she was
so afraid this would be their last night together. She knew he was out there
right now, preparing to depart for Acre tomorrow. How could he not? He had a
duty to his king. He could not remain here with her. She knew that, but she had
to remind herself over and over, and the necessity of his duty did nothing to
lessen her grief over having to let him go.

It would not be long now until the Christians went to war with
Saladin. Both armies had been amassing their forces for over two months. Every
able-bodied man under the age of three score was gone from the streets of
Jerusalem.

Lucien had been right all along. The battle would begin near
Tiberius. Both armies were settled in on either side of the lake there; the
Christian army at Sephorie, to the southwest of the lake, and the Arab army on
the Golan bluffs, to the east of the lake, not far from the cave she and Lucien
had stayed in weeks ago.

Thinking about their locations made her realize that Raymond’s
castle sat in the center of the opposing armies. It must have been why Lucien
had not allowed Gabrielle to return there after leaving Damascus. It would be
much too dangerous in the weeks to come. Count Raymond must be with the king in
Acre, but where was Lady Eschiva and the rest of her family; her
daughters-by-law and grandchildren? Hopefully, they, too, had escaped to a
safer place.

By the Blessed Virgin! If Saladin won the battle that was sure
to be waged at Tiberius, he would undoubtedly march straight to the coast, then
to Jerusalem. His life’s goal, afterall, had been to reclaim the Holy Land and
the Holy City. After meeting him, Gabrielle knew if anyone could accomplish
such a challenging feat, it would be him. He was a magnificent leader, a
mesmerizing man, a ruler like no other before him.

In fact, she had come away from meeting him in conflict over
her loyalties. She could understand the issues on both sides of this
godforsaken war. Heaven help her! She had friends on both sides! Could there
not be a solution other than war? Men always seemed so eager for it. Gabrielle didn’t
want to lose any of her friends to it, most especially Lucien. What if he died
and Reynald survived? The consequences terrified her. She could never return to
her old life, not after knowing and loving Lucien de Aubric.

She had to fight the despair that was threatening to overwhelm
her. She did not want it to tarnish her last night with Lucien. She did not
want to fall apart in front of him. She had to remain hopeful. She had to
remain strong, so that he would. Surely a just and merciful God would return
him to her. She would put her faith in Christ, and continue to pray vigorously
for this man He had sent into her life to love and cherish.

With those fortifying thoughts, she made preparations for
their night together, then changed into the stunning silk robe the queen had
sent up along with a few other things. She had just finished brushing out her
long hair when a servant knocked on the door and ushered in others who carried
in ewers of wine and water and several bowls and trays of delicacies for the evening
meal.

As they were finishing setting the table in her room, Lucien
came through the door. Several of the younger serving girls glanced at him and
giggled. Gabrielle shooed them out with a thank you and closed the door behind
them.

“Have I died and gone to heaven?” he laughed, scanning the
food, the bed, and lastly Gabrielle.

She flushed under his scrutiny. “I hope you will feel that way
by morning,” she replied as she crossed the room to him. “Would you rather eat
first or bathe?”

“Which do you suggest?” The teasing glint in his eyes nearly
left her witless.

“I suggest we eat first. Bathing could take a while.”

While they ate, seated at chairs on either side of the
well-laden table, Lucien talked about his decision to leave on the morrow. “I
hate to leave you, Gabi, but the king is going to need my intelligence as soon
as possible.”

“I understand, Lucien. You must do your duty. There are people
depending on you.” Gabrielle was pleased with her calm, logical response,
wishing all the while she could beg him to stay.

“I think you will be safe enough here in the city. Reynald and
your father will be with the king’s forces, as I will. Hazir knows you will
come to him when you need to. I believe the queen may need you for a while,
though. This appeared hard on her. With Guy gone, she has been left alone to
see to the needs of city.”

“Sibylla has been good to me. I will stay with her as long as
she needs me. Did you go by the Hospitaller commandery?”

“Aye. They have elected a new grand master, but there are only
elderly brothers left at the preceptory. I visited Brother Giles’ grave. They
erected a simple stone cross bearing his name and years of service above it.
They will allow you to visit it, I was told.”

Tears blurred Gabrielle’s eyes. “He was such a good man; such
a good friend. I do not know what I would have done without him after I left
Kerak. I will miss him dearly.”

“As will I. We were friends many years, as well.”

Despite the wide variety of appealing edibles set before her,
Gabrielle had only picked at the food on her brass trencher. “How long will it
take you to reach Acre? The king has more than a day’s head start on you.”

Lucien took a sip of his wine and continued to heartily attack
the food on his own trencher. “A day and a half, if I ride hard. The king rides
with many. They will travel more slowly.”

Gabrielle set her cup aside. “What will you do when you cross
paths with the Grand Master and Reynald?”

Lucien lifted his gaze and saw the concern in her stunningly
deep blue eyes. “I will ignore the Grand Master, but I may just run a sword
through your accursed husband the moment an opportunity arises.”

Those eyes widened with alarm until she saw the way one corner
of his mouth lifted in a teasing grin.

“I suspect Saladin has plans for your husband should they meet
on the battlefield. Damnation, how I hate calling that man your husband!” Anger
clenched his lightly bearded jaw momentarily, then he reached across the table
for her hand wearing a crooked smile. “But I predict that in a year’s time you
will no longer be married to him. By then you will be calling me
husband,
sweet Gabi.”

“How I want that!” Staring into his penetrating dark eyes, she
believed it could really come to pass.

“Then you shall have what you want. You certainly deserve to
have it, after all you’ve endured.”

“Lucien, I love you so much,” she whispered, fighting back the
desperation and the tears that threatened.

Sensing the battle she waged, Lucien rose up abruptly from the
table. “Then come and help me bathe this road dust from my body so that I may
take you in my arms and love you the way I have been dreaming of all day.” As
he helped her to her feet, he traced the satin lapel of her robe, his fingertip
curling inside to caress her warm skin. “You appear to have bathed already.
Would you like to do so again perchance?”