I WENT FORWARD at her command and took in my arms the woman I had vowed to kill.
‘May God go with you,’ the nun said in a low voice.
I hung back.
‘Don’t wait,’ she urged me. ‘All your strength is needed now. Call upon your own resources and the good Lord to help you.’
‘I do not believe in the goodness of your Lord.’
‘Then I will do the praying, Saulo. And you may do the fighting.’ Sister Beatriz smiled and blessed me. ‘Go,’ she said, ‘and don’t look back.’
But I did look round, just once, as we left the cell.
She was already on her knees, where the glow from the lantern light bathed her features in a strange ethereal luminescence.
I hefted Zarita on my arm to support her.
‘Saulo?’ Her voice was hushed in disbelief. ‘My beloved. You are really here?’
‘I am here,’ I said softly.
‘I love you.’
‘As I do you.’ I edged her nearer the door.
‘Wait,’ Zarita said, slow realization of what was intended beginning to penetrate the fog of the drug Sister Beatriz had given her.
‘Be quiet,’ I hissed in her ear. The gaoler, although befuddled with sleep and liquor, could not be completely deaf.
Zarita pulled against me. ‘She mustn’t be allowed to do this. I have already caused too many deaths.’
‘And you will cause more,’ I told her brutally, ‘if you don’t silence yourself. For if this deception is discovered, then we will all surely be executed, as will the man who waits outside guarding the horses that might take us to safety.’
At that she collapsed against me, but began to weep and sob. ‘She cannot die – she cannot – please don’t let her die.’
Which was the most appropriate behaviour for the gaoler to witness as he escorted us away. I imagine he’d seen many similar scenes and would have expected the last visit of a relative to end with a man supporting a weeping female.
He took us through the main chamber and we ascended the stairs to the upper level. But it was a different matter at the entrance to the prison. There had been a change of guard and the new one studied us closely.
‘Your eyes are very distinctive,’ he commented. ‘I think I know your face.’
‘Most likely.’ I yawned, hoping to infect him with my pretence of weariness, for a yawn can be catching and the hour was late. ‘But we don’t have time to chat.’
He glanced again at the papers I’d handed him.
Zarita gave a moan and leaned against me.
The guard looked at her and looked again at the papers in his hand.
A soldier who could read! This we did not want. We needed only a guard who would look at the official seal of the queen, recognize it and, as two people had passed in earlier, allow two people to pass out.
‘I have definitely seen you.’ He was in no hurry. Some minutes of conversation would break the monotony of a long boring spell of duty.
‘I don’t think so,’ I assured him.
He wasn’t convinced. Beside me Zarita stirred again. If we delayed much longer he would see that the girl I supported on one arm was in a drugged state and not suffering a swoon of grief.
‘I am with the explorer Christopher Columbus,’ I said, trying desperately to divert him. ‘You would have seen me at court where we gave our petitions to the queen and king.’
‘I’ve never been so close to court affairs.’
‘But you should know that Señor Columbus has the queen’s favour, so it would be better that you let us pass without delay.’ I said this not too arrogantly so as not to prickle his pride. ‘It is the queen’s seal on this document.’
‘So it is.’ The guard handed it back to me and I tucked it in my doublet. ‘And yet,’ he went on, moving with infuriating slowness to get out of our way, ‘it’s not here that I’ve seen you before. A mariner, you say? I spent some time travelling on ships while our lieutenant looked for the best billet for us as the war progressed. Perhaps that’s where I—’ He broke off and brought the lantern closer to examine my face. He stared into my eyes.
‘Christu!’ he gasped. ‘I have it now!’
And in the instant he recognized me, I recognized him.
It was the red-haired soldier. The one I’d first seen in the compound of the magistrate, Don Vicente Alonso, as he’d helped hang my father from a tree.