Fools' Gold Read Online Free Page A

She slipped her hand in Luca’s arm and gripped his elbow. ‘We are married. This man is my keeper. I am his.’
    He looked from her determined face to Luca’s set jaw. ‘Really? Is this so, Inquirer?’
    ‘Yes,’ Luca said shortly.
    ‘But you are a man of the Church? Tasked to inquire into the end of days and report to your Order?’
    ‘I have broken my vows to the Church and taken this woman as my wife.’
    Brother Peter choked but said nothing.
    ‘Wedded and bedded?’
    ‘Yes,’ Luca said gripping Isolde’s hand.
    There was a moment, and then the man shook his head. He smiled disbelievingly, looking up at them both. ‘What? You bedded her? Took her with lust, had her beneath you, made her cry out in joy? You two kissed with tongues and you caressed her breasts? You held her waist in your hands, and she gladly took you into her body?’
    Isolde’s face was blazing red with shame. Ishraq looked furious.
    ‘Yes,’ Luca said unblinking. ‘We did all that.’
    ‘Kiss her.’
    ‘You can’t . . .’ Isolde began, but Luca turned to her and put a finger beneath her chin to raise her face and then he kissed her slowly and deeply, as if he could not bear to move his mouth away from hers. Despite her embarrassment Isolde could not stop herself, her head tipped back, her arms came around his shoulders, they held each other, her hand on the nape of his neck, her fingers reaching into his hair.
    Luca raised his head. ‘There,’ he said, a little breathlessly, when he finally let her go. ‘As you see. I do not hesitate to kiss my bride. We are husband and wife, she is my chattel now. Her brother has lost all his rights over her. She belongs to me.’
    Freize nodded sagely. ‘A wife must go with her husband. His rights come first.’
    Brother Peter’s face was frozen with horror at the lies spilling out of Luca’s mouth but he said nothing.
    The Lucretili man turned to him. ‘Am I supposed to believe this? What about you, Priest? Are you going to tell me you are married to the other one? Are you going to kiss her to prove it?’
    ‘No,’ Brother Peter said shortly. ‘I live inside my vows.’
    ‘But these two are truly husband and wife? In the sight of God?’
    Brother Peter opened his mouth. A little swell rocked the boat and he put his hand on the rail to steady himself.
    ‘You are their witness before God,’ the man reminded him. ‘I conjure you, in His name, to tell me the truth.’
    Brother Peter gulped.
    ‘On your oath as a priest,’ the man reminded him. ‘The truth, in the sight of God.’
    Brother Peter turned to Isolde as she stood, her arm still around Luca’s waist. ‘I am sorry,’ he said, his voice very low. ‘Very sorry. But I can’t lie on God’s name. I cannot do it.’
    She nodded. ‘I understand,’ she said quietly and moved away from Luca as he let her go.
    ‘He doesn’t have to say anything,’ Ishraq spoke up. ‘I will bear witness.’
    The man shrugged. ‘Your word means nothing. You are an infidel, and a slave and a woman. Your words are like birdsong in the morning. Too loud, and completely meaningless. Now,’ he turned his attention briskly to Luca. ‘Send both of the women over the side of the ship or I will order my men to board your craft and we will take them by force.’
    Luca looked down; there were about a dozen men in the galley, fully armed. He glanced at Freize, who stoically hefted his cudgel. Clearly, they could fight; but the odds were heavily against them. They were certain to lose.
    The commander turned to the boatman, who was grimly listening in the stern of the boat. ‘You are carrying stolen goods: these two women belong to the Lord of Lucretili. If I have to, I will board your ship to take them, and there may be damage to your ship or danger to you. Or you can give them up to me and there will be no trouble.’
    ‘I took them in good faith as passengers,’ the boatman shouted back. ‘If they are yours, they can go with you. I’m not