THE SOLDIER OPENED his mouth.
My knife was in my hand and up against his throat before he could utter a word. ‘Do not cry out,’ I warned him.
The lantern wavered but he didn’t lose his composure. ‘And what happens when you kill me, lad?’ he said.
‘I don’t know,’ I retorted, ‘but I will not die alone.’
‘And what becomes of her?’ His eyes narrowed and abruptly he snatched the veil from Zarita’s face. Her eyelids were closed but she was obviously not the age of the nun named on the pass before him. He looked at me in puzzlement. ‘You are risking your life to rescue one of the prisoners? Why?’
‘Love.’ I answered the question almost before he’d asked it.
‘How did you manage to smuggle her out of her prison cell?’
‘An older nun, her aunt, has taken her place.’
‘And if the gaoler notices an exchange has been made?’
‘It’s not in his interests for it to be known that he allowed a heretic to escape.’
‘That’s true,’ said the red-haired soldier. ‘Even if he realizes what’s happened, he’ll say nothing and hope that in the chaos of tomorrow’s executions no one will notice.’
‘Her aunt intends to go to the stake fully veiled, and she told me that she will not recant, for if the executioner went in to end her life more quickly, her veil might be pushed aside.’
‘That’s courage indeed,’ marvelled the red-haired soldier.
I didn’t add that Sister Beatriz had said that the only person who might be watching closely was Father Besian, and as it was her he truly hated then he would be more than happy to see her suffer. ‘They have a nun to burn tomorrow,’ I added. ‘I’ve not deprived them of their sport.’
The soldier kept staring at me in amazement as I spoke, and I remembered that this guard had been the one who’d ended my father’s agony by pulling sharply on his legs, the one who had given me water when I was almost dying of thirst in the hold of the ship.
‘Twice before I’ve witnessed you cheat Death, boy.’ His voice had a tone of wonder in it. ‘I said that you were born under some special star.’ He crossed himself.
‘Be merciful,’ I urged him, ‘and I’ll ask the sisters of this order to say a prayer for your immortal soul.’
‘Make sure they say more than one.’ He grinned. ‘You have a charmed life, lad, and I’ll not go against whatever god protects you. I’m on execution escort duty tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure that the nun’s head and face are properly covered.’
Rafael was waiting where he said he would be.
He’d been a great help to me but I’d kept back most of the huge payment I’d promised him to ensure that he was there. I’d told him that I would need two horses as I would be escorting Zarita’s aunt out of the city. I let him know that she had permission to go but it would be better if it were done during the darkest hours and as discreetly as possible. If Rafael guessed at the truth of the situation, then he gave no sign. In the event, I had to leave one horse behind, for Zarita could not have stayed upright on hers.
I sat her on the saddle in front of me, and Rafael led the horse, its hooves muffled, through the lanes and alleyways until we came to a remote sally port. He went forward to speak to the soldier on duty and show the passes. I opened up my travel bag and pulled from it a heavy bag full of coins that I’d previously cut from the peacock jacket.
‘This is yours,’ I said, tossing it down to him. ‘Inside you’ll find silver and gold. There is enough there for you to buy a mansion house, fill it with servants to wait upon you and live like a grandee for the rest of your life.’