We galloped the donkeys to the street.
Where to go?
People stared as we pelted along. We reached the market in the cathedral plaza, where I slowed my donkey, then dismounted. Hamdun followed my lead and lifted Belo off, too. I reasoned we’d be less noticeable on the ground with everyone else.
A faint breeze tickled my cheek, but I didn’t think about it.
We stood by a Moorish fruit seller, whose table supported a pyramid of oranges and another of onions, and a basket of dried figs. I saw nothing big enough to hide behind, not even the butcher’s stall, with its sheep carcass hanging from a hook on a wooden frame and drawing flies.
I heard shouts. “Make way!”
An alley ran next to the cathedral, but we’d be seen entering it.
“King’s business!”
Could I bribe someone here?
Don Miguel shouted, “Don Joseph!”
Who? We had no time.
Could I bribe them all?
Not hurrying, I led my donkey toward the alley. Hamdun and Belo followed with their donkey.
The cries grew louder, close now. “Stand aside!”
Closer, but not yet at the alley, I reached into my saddlebag and filled my fist. “Ai!” I cried. “My ducats! Ai!” I scattered them.
God, let us have enough left for our passage.
Silence fell on the market—followed by an uproar. “Coins!” “Watch out!” “You oaf!”
Madness broke out, through which we surged steadily toward the alley, reached it—
—and discovered it was too narrow for the donkeys.
Hamdun and I exchanged glances. Before I could say anything, he whispered in the ear of one of the donkeys, then slapped both of their rumps. The donkeys cantered away—with our Muslim clothing and Belo’s ducats.
I touched Bela’s pendant. God, we are in Your hands. As we always were.
We entered the alley.
If we didn’t get the ducats back, maybe our jewelry would be enough to pay our way.
Behind us, the uproar grew louder. We progressed through the alley, passing, on the cathedral side, a niche with a statue of Mary holding Jesus as a baby on her lap.
At the end of the alley, I asked Belo, “Do you need to rest?”
He shook his head and half-smiled again.
We emerged into another avenue. I no longer heard our pursuers. Where to go? We had to hide, and we had to have water and food. Toward the docks or away?
Toward. We had to try to reach the ship to Naples.
We couldn’t wait on the quay again, because Don Miguel would return there. Belo, how I wish you could tell me what to do!
Two mules trotted past us, pulling a covered wagon. The driver rode the gray mule; the white was unencumbered.
Hamdun supported Belo’s right side, as if they shared three legs between them, and he held tight to Belo’s right arm around his shoulder.
A warehouse would be the perfect hiding place, but all of them would be locked.
We were in God’s hands, and it would be no trouble for Him to open a door.
The late-afternoon sun shone obliquely into the avenue of the warehouses, which was still deserted. The buildings seemed to continue forever. A white cat arched its back and hissed at us. Ai!
We started up the street. A drinking song drifted from a tavern, but no one emerged or went in. The scent of fried fish mingled with the salty air. Belo panted with the effort of walking so far. Hamdun picked him up and ignored his garbled protests.
The warehouse doors were wide and tall enough to allow in wagons and horses. The first four were locked, but God was with us, and the fifth hung ajar.
It might be unlocked because people were inside.
I heard nothing. We slipped in. Slowly, I drew the door shut and eased home the bolt, hoping the door hadn’t been cracked on purpose and someone was returning soon.
The only light came from narrow windows high above us. From where we stood, an aisle divided rows of canvas sacks on our right from rows of amphoras on our left that stood as high as my chest. Curious, I put my nose to a sack and smelled coriander, to the stopper of a jug and smelled olive oil. My stomach roared.
We glided down the aisle and continued to the door on the wharf side, which I tugged open a few inches. Harbor noise poured in. We could see only a stripe of the world: a small cloud motionless in a blue sky above the masts of a single ship: not our ship—this one had four masts, and ours had three. I couldn’t see the ship itself, because of a parade of people, beasts, and wagons. Our stripe was so narrow that a horse’s head and neck would fill it, followed, bit by bit, by the rest of the animal. I didn’t see Don Miguel, but he could be an inch to the left or right of our vision. Hamdun and I pulled three sacks to the door to serve us as cushions.
We sat. Belo leaned against me. Minutes ticked by.
I couldn’t bear our ignorance, and we had to eat.
Had Don Miguel noticed Hamdun enough to recognize him?
I waited, lost in indecision, until my stomach convinced me. “Hamdun,” I whispered, pulling a reale from my purse, “we need to know if Don Miguel is there—”
“Lo!” Belo shook his head energetically.
I understood. Belo thought Hamdun might betray us for a reward.
But I trusted him, and we needed a spy. “Make sure he doesn’t spot you. And buy us food. Don’t let anyone observe you coming back in here. Wait if you have to.” I gave him the coin.
He slipped out the door and was gone.
Softly, I recited the prayer asking God and His angels to protect us. Belo’s voice, though his words were garbled, rose and fell with mine.
When we finished, we waited. Nothing outside seemed to change.
At best, we’d sail to Naples, and I might never be reunited with my family. If Belo died, I would be entirely bereft. Did he think of this? He could think—that much was clear. But he couldn’t say what he thought.
He snored.
My thoughts rolled on. What would I be without the littles?
A sad and angry husk.
This was more sacrifice than a person should have to make.
If we could have a conversation . . . If I could share my agony—yes, agony!—what would he say?
That his feet needed to be massaged?
Was he thinking of me at all?
He reached over with his good hand and patted my knee. A minute later, he snored again. I called the littles’ faces to mind.
In the stripe beyond the warehouse, the colors took on the intensity of dusk.
Outside, people shouted. Figures ran by. A cloud flew across the stripe.
Wind!
The sails on the masts I could see were hoisted and billowed. Soon the ships would sail, and we’d be stranded.
Hamdun wormed inside, bearing something in a cloth.
I jumped up.
“Don Miguel was watching; I couldn’t come sooner. But now, he’s run to the ship that’s most ready to sail.” Hamdun opened the cloth to reveal three fish pies. “I’m sorry they aren’t hot anymore.”
“Thank you!”
We made short work of the pies. When I finished, I wished for three more.
Night fell. Torches lit the ships. Hamdun went out again and came back in a few minutes to say that Don Miguel was marching from ship to ship as they were loaded.
After an hour or two, the ships began to sail, according to Hamdun, who kept slipping out and returning. Finally, all but ours were gone. Except for it, the sea was dark. What was it waiting for?
A shape filled our slice of the outdoors. Don Miguel? The breath rushed out of me. We had no time to get away.
The shape—a man—entered. Tall, but not tall enough to be Don Miguel.
“Beautiful lady, I’m back.”
Our fellow!
“I’ve known where you are ever since your man went out. The one you fear has given up for the night. I saw him depart.”
Hamdun slipped outside. Belo shifted away from me and slumped back. No one spoke.
In a few minutes, Hamdun returned. “I don’t see him.”
“Why is your ship still in the harbor?” I said.
“Master Ambrosio de Miedes hasn’t yet been found, but he will be soon. You want to sail on her?”
“Will Master Ambrosio de Miedes take our jewels for passage?”
“He would, but I’ve already paid the steward. You’d give away too much, and I’m feeling generous.”
I stared at him.
Belo gurgled, which frightened me until I realized he was laughing.
“I’ve become wealthy.”
The scoundrel! “The donkeys and the ducats belong to us, not you!”
“They’re mine now. We should go to the ship. The master will be along.”
We were in God’s hands. I let the donkeys and the ducats go.
But not the littles. I couldn’t let them go.
“Come!”
Though there was no moon, the stars were sharp, and the ship’s torches flared in a brisk wind. The wharf was deserted, except for a figure on the pier by the ship. We made our way to him.
In a few minutes, we’d leave Spain. Almighty, let me sprout wings to fly back!
There would be no such miracle.
The figure identified himself as the steward. A ramp ran from the dock to the ship.
I formed a desperate resolution that tore my heart in half. With trembling fingers, I untied Bela’s pendant, pulled off my ruby ring, and squeezed both in my fist.
A rumbling sound grew.
“That’s Master Ambrosio de Miedes,” our fellow said. “We’ll be away in a moment.”
I tugged on the fellow’s sleeve and he stepped away with me.
“Yes?”
I found his hand and folded my ring into it. “It has a ruby. Watch over my abuelo.”
“Pretty lady, you’re—”
“Don’t let anything bad come to him.”
I heard him breathe deeply. “I won’t. But I hoped to sail with the beautiful young lady.”
I ignored that. “Belo has relatives in Naples. The family’s name is Furillo.” I hoped the name didn’t tell him Belo was a Jew. “Please help Hamdun find them.”
“I will, lovely lady.”
“Massage his feet.” If you think I’m so pretty.
He looked startled. “That’s a lot to ask for a ruby.”
We went back to Belo and Hamdun. I tied Bela’s amulet around Belo’s neck. “Bela will protect you. I have to go home to the chil—”
Belo cried out. He grabbed my arm with his good hand.
I broke away. “The children need me. I need them.”
As I ran toward the warehouse, Belo shouted and wailed.
Merciful One, forgive me!