Templar's Acre

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Baldwin woke late that morning, and arched his back as he stretched. In the past months he had slept on the roof, but with the recent rains he had taken Ivo’s advice and now slept in this comfortable chamber.

He would never have thought to live in such luxury. Soft linens made his bed, and even though others said it was chill at night, for him, used to the miserable damp and cold of a Devon winter, it was balmy and delightful.

Rising, he pulled a tunic over his nakedness, and made his way to the chamber where Ivo had installed Lucia. Her room was empty, and for a moment his heart fell, as though finding her again had been nothing more than a dream. Surely she had not left in the night to return to Lady Maria? But then he saw that her bed had been slept in, and there were blood spots on the sheet where her scabs had wept overnight.

The memory of the overseer taking his whip to her made Baldwin grit his teeth. Hearing a sound, he walked through into the garden and his rage disappeared at the sight of her sitting on a bench near the front door.

‘I like these moments,’ he said.

‘I am sorry?’ she asked, starting to her feet.

He waved her back down. ‘Before the full heat of the sun. I like this time, when the breeze is cool, and the air is still gentle. It is the best time of the day.’

‘Yes,’ she said.

He sat beside her. She was painfully beautiful, he thought, as she averted her gaze. She wore a simple shift of linen, and while she had tried to bind her hair decorously behind her head, the lack of hood or veil made her anxious, made her feel wanton and shameful.

‘You are troubled,’ he said quietly.

‘What should I do? I am a runaway slave! If she catches me. .’

‘You are safe here,’ he said reassuringly.

‘My Lady Maria may not see the affair in so clear a light.’

‘It doesn’t matter. You’re free, and here, and that is all I care about.’

She closed her eyes, but the tears forced their way past. She would like to believe him, but she could still see the Kurd leaning over her. She was not meant for happiness. ‘You don’t understand. She is powerful — here, and elsewhere in the land. If she decides to have me killed, I will die. If she decides to see you dead, you will die.’

‘I am not so easy to kill.’

‘Please! You saved my life. But now, if I remain, your life will be endangered.’

‘Let it be. I shall defend us both,’ Baldwin said. ‘This house is guarded, and Ivo and I are both trained in the use of weapons. Even if someone wanted to attack us, they would think twice because we are friends to the Templars.’

She nodded, miserable.

He was persuaded to promote his offer of marriage. ‘If you wished to be safe and demonstrate that you cannot be a slave, you could-’

‘No. I will not renounce my faith. I am a Muslim. I believe in Islam. I cannot change my beliefs for a temporary convenience.’

He wanted to persuade her, to show her that the only True Faith was his own — that of following Christ — but he didn’t know how.

‘I would marry you if I could,’ he said at last.

‘I know. And I am grateful.’

He smiled and moved to kiss her. Her horrified expression startled him. ‘Why? What is it?’

‘Do not do that, I beg!’ she said, but her voice was full of suppressed rage rather than offended pride. She could not escape the picture in her mind of the Kurd, the feel of his hands on her, the rasping, sour breath.

Baldwin was hurt. Her reaction convinced him that she did not love him as he loved her, and he stood at once and walked away. She was the same as Sibilla, he thought bitterly. He had thrown away everything for her in England — home, prospects, everything — and come here to fight in the Holy Land, and now God mocked him by causing him to fall in love with another woman who did not want him.

God did not mean him to be happy with a woman. Instead, he would remain here and fight for the Holy Land as he had originally planned, and if he lived, he would find a small, quiet space far from all women, and forget about them.

He kicked at a rock and sent it flying. He would never love again.