The Sword of the Templars

LA ROCHA

“La Rocha,” he murmured to himself.

“Pardon?” Duroc said.

“The name La Rocha.”

“Portuguese,” replied the French professor. “The same as mine actually. It means ‘The Rock.’ ”

“Where’s Ponta Delgada?” Holliday asked, watching as the yacht motored out through the breakwater entrance.

“The island of Sгo Miguel in the Azores,” said Duroc. “It’s the main way station for sailboats crossing the Atlantic.”

“Didn’t the Templars settle in the Azores after they were disbanded?” Holliday asked, vaguely recalling something about it from his reading on the subject.

“They exiled themselves to Portugal and called themselves the Knights of Christ. The ships Columbus used to cross the Atlantic carried the Catalan Cross on their sails.”

“Could de Flor have reached the Azores with his fleet, or at least a single ship?”

“Certainly,” said Duroc. “With ease.”