Anna nodded. ‘I’ll do it.’ Tucking the roll of parchment out of sight beneath her veil, she went out on to the deck.
Some half an hour later, Katerina was leaning against the ship’s guardrail, ostensibly watching crates of Venetian glass being offloaded. In truth, she was gazing at the Varangian galley moored in the deeper water on the next quay. With the Varangians’ shields mounted along the gunwale, it was unquestionably a ship of war. Katerina looked at the barbaric shields and shuddered. Dragons and wolves snarled at each other from the brightly painted limewood; rams clashed with bulls; ravens flew over whales.
As the Commander had planned, every eye in the port was on that Varangian galley.
And this was the vessel in which the Princess must sail!
The message had been sent. Lady Anna had bribed one of the sailors with a gold coin Katerina had unearthed from a purse at the bottom of the Princess’s trunk.
Yes, matters were apparently proceeding exactly as Commander Ashfirth had ordered. The second party had arrived from the convent some minutes ago, Katerina could see the Imperial entourage milling about on the Varangian ship.
They hadn’t needed heralds to announce them. If there were Norman spies in Dyrrachion, they wouldn’t be able to miss them. Rich gowns bellied out in the breeze, laughter rang out above the gulls as the sea breeze blew veils out like pennons. Fishermen stared, porters goggled. Against the mailcoats and leather jerkins of their escort, against the drab sun-bleached clothes of the sailors, the silk gowns of the ladies-in-waiting looked as bright as poppies waving delicately at the edge of a field.
Katerina felt as though she had swallowed a stone. It was too late to regret taking part in this scheme, but the Princess would put it right, the Princess would know what to do. She had to!
Much as the Princess wanted to delay her marriage to Duke Nikolaos, surely when she read the letter she must realise their plan had become unworkable? Even now—Katerina cast a surreptitious glance in Commander Ashfirth’s direction—it was not too late to confess all. If the Princess were to board this ship and admit to the truth, Commander Ashfirth must accept it.
He was standing amidships. He chose that moment to glance across and as their eyes met, Katerina’s stomach clenched. It was odd how her body reacted when she looked at him; she felt a tightening in her stomach, a shiver of…what? It must be the old fear, but she was no longer certain.
Was this fear? It must be. And yet…he had held her in his arms on the ride from the convent and, though she had been wary of him, he had behaved impeccably. Of course, he would not hurt her, not while he believed her to be the Princess. She had thought his touch would distress her, but it had not; when he had looped back her veil she had felt perfectly safe.
A lock of his dark hair lifted in the breeze; his eyes seemed to bore right into her. Out of his body armour, Commander Ashfirth was startlingly attractive. His shoulders were wide, his waist narrow. Commander Ashfirth had none of the bulk of Sergeant Toki, but she suspected he had all of the strength. It was there in his confident stance, in the alertness of his gaze, in the way his men jumped to his command. When a dark eyebrow lifted, Katerina realised she had been staring.
Flushing, she nodded to him and returned to her contemplation of the Varangian galley. Please, Princess, please. If you will not put an end to this, at the least let me know that the message has reached you, that you know to take care …
‘Theodora?’ Lady Anna had torn herself away from the horses and had come to stand at her elbow.
‘Anna?’
‘I am sorry, ‘ Lady Anna’s voice was so low Katerina could barely hear it above the rumble of cartwheels on the dockside. ‘That Viking…oh, Lord…he spotted our sailor and …’ Her voice trailed off and she jerked her head in the direction of the quay where the Varangian galley was moored.
Katerina’s stomach gave a sick lurch. Sergeant Toki was stalking towards their ship, the parchment crushed in his fist. Some straw from one of the packing cases was wafting across the dock; he strode straight through it.
Oh, no!
And there stood Princess Theodora amidst the bright, sparkling flutter that was her ladies. The Princess was affecting carelessness as baby Martina, snug in Lady Sophia’s arms, was being clucked over by an enormous Varangian with legs like tree trunks.
Had the message been intercepted before or after it had been delivered?
Katerina bit her lip. Commander Ashfirth was by the handrail, head tipped to one side as he watched his sergeant’s approach. No more than curious yet.
Holy Virgin, this was not good.
Katerina’s heartbeat quickened; she wanted to wave at the Princess, to jump up and down and catch her eye. Had she read the letter before it was intercepted? Katerina had to know.
With a frown, Commander Ashfirth pushed away from the handrail and went to meet his sergeant. His eyebrows became a black line. The sergeant pointed, first at the galley, then at Katerina. There was a brief exchange of words and the parchment exchanged hands. And then Commander Ashfirth was striding towards her, the heels of his boots loud on the deck.
‘Lady Theodora?’
Katerina stood tall. The look in those turquoise eyes alarmed her, the set of his mouth was unyielding. She cleared her throat. Her mouth was dry with fear, but she would die before he knew it. ‘Sir?’
His jaw clenched as he took her arm above the elbow. It was not a gentle grip.
Heart banging like fury, Katerina lifted a brow. She glanced loftily down at the hand on her elbow, as though startled that he had dared to touch her. React as a real princess would react.
‘Really, sir!’ She was pleased with the way her voice came out. Shocked. Indignant. With a small hint of outrage.
It had no effect. The Commander’s fingers tightened like steel, and she was swivelled towards the canvas shelter.
Anna made a movement as though to come to her aid. Hastily, Katerina shook her head.
‘This way, my lady,’ Commander Ashfirth spoke through gritted teeth.
Strong fingers bit into her as she was hauled towards the pavilion and unceremoniously bundled inside.
Chapter Four
He paused in the entrance, and for a brief moment the glare of light from the deck made a silhouette of him. Time seemed to stop, and for a heart-stopping moment he was stripped of his individuality. This was not Ashfirth Saxon, Commander of the Varangian Guard, but a broad-shouldered, powerful man such as she had seen striding across the side of an antique vase. A man with no face. He was invincible, one of the heroes of myth, and she was entirely in his power.
Katerina’s hands began to shake. No, no, no. Not now. I am no longer a slave forced to do every man’s bidding.
Bile rushed to her mouth and she was swept back in time to the moment when Vukan—a fellow slave—had pushed her into a storeroom and issued her with an ultimatum.
‘Bed with me,’ Vukan had said, ‘and I will keep you safe from the others. No one else will come near you.’
Outside, the gulls were screeching in Dyrrachion’s harbour.
I am no longer in Rascia. Think about the gulls scrabbling for leftovers from a fisherman’s haul; think about anything, but do not let the old fears take hold. You must act at all times as though you are the Princess.
Ashfirth Saxon stepped towards her and the instant the light fell on his face—proving beyond doubt that this was the Commander—the blind terror left her. Her pulse remained jumpy, she was still