Tilia pulled the drape aside, and there was Rachel, curled up nude on top of yellow silk sheets. Her skinny arms and legs made her look even younger than she was. Sophia felt heartsick as Rachel's eyes opened wide at the sudden light. She sat up in bed, dragging the sheet across her body, then drew back against the wall. She looked terrified. Sophia wondered what sort of awakenings Rachel was used to in this place, and a sudden return of her rage at Tilia made her tremble. _Well and happy, is she?_ But she dared not be angry with Tilia now. Tilia was the only person who could help her. Rachel's black eyes fell on Sophia, and the fear went out of her face. It was replaced by a glad smile that hurt Sophia's heart all the more. _I abandoned her to this, and yet she is happy to see me._ "I will leave you two to talk," Tilia said. Sophia sat on the gold sheets and took Rachel's hand when Tilia was gone. For a moment she forgot her own grief and fear, as an urge to comfort Rachel pushed to the fore. "All of us are going to be leaving Orvieto soon, and when we do we will take you with us," she said. Rachel's dark eyes glowed. Sophia went on. "Wherever we go, you will not have to stay with Tilia anymore and do--what Tilia expects of you. We will find a home for you." She was not sure how she was going to keep such a promise, but she decided that Daoud would have to kill her before she would let him put Rachel in another brothel. Again the knife in her breast as she remembered she might never see Daoud again. Rachel shrugged. "I may be better off doing this than I would be as some man's wife." She looked down at her hands, and Sophia saw that her fingers were long and slender and quite beautiful. "John Chagan has made me very rich, you know." Sophia thought of the three locked chests in Tilia's room. She would have to make sure that Rachel, when she left this place of shame, got all the gold that was rightfully hers. And how outrageous, that Tilia had been filling Rachel's head with lies about how lucky she was. "Tilia and the others here have to believe that this is the right life for them. But there is not a woman here who would not trade whatever riches she has earned for a real home, with a husband and children." Rachel was silent a moment. Her face was all straight lines, Sophia saw, yet delicate and feminine at the same time. _As a woman, she will be much more beautiful than I._ "Even you?" Rachel said suddenly. Sophia was surprised. "We are not talking about me. I am not--a courtesan." "What are you?" Rachel asked softly, shyly. _What word is there to describe me?_