"We are coming to a town called Benevento. Right on the Hohenstaufen border. Supposed to be a papal city, but you never know. Border cities usually give their support to whoever is closer to them with the bigger army. The rumor is that whether the town is Guelfo or Ghibellino, King Charles will let the troops have their way with Benevento. And high time. How is a man to live on the miserable wages our would-be king doles out to us?" "Enough of your damned complaining!" a deep voice boomed. The flap of the tent flew open, letting in a blast of chill air, and Cardinal de Verceuil strode in. Terror raced through Rachel. She quickly dropped a quilted blanket over the chest containing her treasure. De Verceuil threw back the fur-trimmed hood of his heavy woolen cloak and, though his words had been for the Venetian archers, glared at Rachel accusingly. She felt herself trembling. He was dressed in bright red, but like a soldier, not like a man of the Church. He wore a heavy leather vest over his scarlet tunic, and calf-high black leather boots. _God help me, what is he going to do to me?_ Sordello, the capitano of the Tartars' guards, followed the cardinal into the tent. His lopsided grin was as frightening as the cardinal's angry stare. His eyes narrowed, and Rachel felt her face burn as he looked her up and down. "Out!" Sordello snapped at the two Venetian crossbowmen. After they were gone, the tent flap opened still another time, and Friar Mathieu hobbled in, leaning on his walking stick. "We do not need you," de Verceuil growled in his French-accented Italian. "John needs me," said Friar Mathieu. "To translate for him. And I think Rachel needs me too." "Stupid savage should have learned Italian by now," said Sordello. _Ah, you are very brave, capitano, insulting him in a language he does not understand_, thought Rachel contemptuously. De Verceuil glowered at Friar Mathieu. "You cannot protect her." "Protect me from what?" Rachel's voice sounded in her own ears like a scream, and her heart was pounding against the walls of her chest. "John can protect her," said Friar Mathieu, "if he understands what is happening." He looked full into Rachel's face, and there was a warning in his old blue eyes. She was almost frantic with fear now. She had not been so frightened since the day John and the rest of them had invaded Tilia's house and carried her off. What was Friar Mathieu trying to warn her about? "What do you know of Sophia Orfali, Ugolini's so-called niece?" de Verceuil demanded in his French-accented Italian. _Friar Mathieu has betrayed me!_ Rachel looked over at the old Franciscan and saw him close his eyes very slowly and deliberately and open them again. _Keep your mouth closed_, he seemed to be trying to say to her. She had to trust him. She could not believe he would say anything to turn de Verceuil against her. "I--I know nothing," she said. "Who is this you are asking about?"