my men know the truth. My main concern, my only concern, is to ensure your safety. And to that end I am prepared to sacrifice anything.’ He tucked the parchment into his belt and made a sound of exasperation. ‘I thought you were intelligent, I thought you could be relied upon to understand the gravity of your situation. I seem to have misjudged you. Hairpins, indeed! I will not make that mistake again, I can assure you.’
So tall and assured. With every moment spent in his company, the conviction was growing that Ashfirth Saxon was a rarity in Katerina’s world, a dependable man. The Princess had insisted that such men existed and that Katerina was a fool if she let her experiences blind her to them.
He might confine me, but I really do not think he will hurt me.
Determination shone in those turquoise eyes. This man appeared to mean it when he said he was prepared to sacrifice anything for her. She was the Princess and he had been ordered to see to her safety. Many men would pay lip service to their orders, but if she could trust her instincts, this one was a rarity. He would carry out his orders with ruthless thoroughness, he would ensure her safety, he would die for her.
He thinks you are the Princess. If he knew your real identity, he would toss you overboard sooner than breathe.
Katerina thought quickly. Was Ashfirth Saxon dependable enough to be trusted with the truth? With matters as they stood, the real princess was in danger!
No, she could say nothing, it was not her truth to tell. She must remember her place—she was but a maidservant carrying out her mistress’s orders. It was not up to her to reveal Princess Theodora’s deception. I do not like lying to this man, but I have no choice. What an irony! The one time in her life she needed a man who was not dependable, and the Emperor sent this one! She could have done with someone like Commander Ashfirth years ago; God mocked her to send him now.
His eyes had darkened. He cleared his throat and shifted back a pace. ‘My lady, I will send Lady Anna to you.’
Katerina’s pulse quickened. Is he attracted to me? Yes, I think he is. He is watching my mouth, his fingers are digging into his palm, and …
The realisation that Ashfirth Saxon might be attracted to her sent panicky thoughts flying this way and that. Her stomach clenched; she could not cope with this!
Remain calm. Concentrate. This man is not driven by his baser instincts, he does not expect sexual favours from you, nor will he force compliance on you even if he desires you.
Indeed, there appeared to be a steadiness in his character that was at odds with what little Katerina knew of his comrades in the Varangian Guard. They were known to be wild, fierce fighters who fought to the death. Mercenary barbarians. If they had a fault, it was loyalty. No, they had another fault, Varangians had something of a reputation for drinking themselves insensible. It was hard to visualise this man doing such a thing, Commander Ashfirth was all control; anyone could see that.
Unfortunately, as far as she was concerned, this presented something of a challenge.
What if something happened to the Varangian galley while she was masquerading as her mistress? She would never forgive herself if the Princess and her baby came to harm.
What could she do? She was following the orders of her mistress. It would help if she knew more about Ashfirth Saxon’s background and nature. Perhaps he was not quite as honourable as she imagined. If she could only question him without raising his suspicions, she might discover another way to get word back to the Princess. But he was so angry with her! She must try to make amends.
He tipped his head, his attention caught by one of her earrings…that is, by one of the earrings Princess Theodora had given her. It was a gold filigree butterfly, Katerina had been told it came from somewhere in the East, somewhere beyond the land of the Turks.
‘Thank you, sir—’ she kept her expression carefully neutral ‘—I should enjoy Lady Anna’s company, but I do have some questions.’
His gaze shifted from the butterfly. ‘My lady?’
‘Will we make landfall this evening?’
‘No, tonight we will anchor offshore.’
‘Shall we be dining on board?’
‘Yes…but I should warn you, my lady, you will have to accustom yourself to simple fare. You and Lady Anna will be served here in the pavilion.’
‘I understand. It is Lent, I was not expecting a banquet.’ She smiled. ‘Sir, I have a favour to ask.’
A dark eyebrow lifted, his eyes were fixed on hers.
‘Since you have seen fit to deprive me of the company of my other ladies, and since you have confined me in here, I would be grateful if you would join us for the evening meal.’
His eyes were briefly lit by what looked like surprise. And was that a disarming hint of uncertainty? Yes, it was uncertainty; she had wrong-footed him with her invitation to dine. The tension lifted a little.
Then he bowed and shielded his eyes. ‘Thank you, my lady, I would be honoured.’
With a slight smile, he ducked out onto the deck, the parchment still in his belt.
Katerina stared at the swinging tent-flap.
Good, she would use tonight to learn as much as she could about Commander Ashfirth. She would test him. Subtly, of course. She would begin by seeing if he was one of the men who had helped the Varangians earn their hard-drinking reputation; she would try loosening his tongue with wine.
It was vital to find out exactly who she was dealing with, and not only for the Princess’s sake. If the unthinkable happened and the Princess did come to harm, the letter exonerating Katerina from blame might prove worthless, not to mention the promise of land and the gift of jewels. And as for that other precious document that was hidden in the jewel chest—the document of manumission that proved she was no longer a slave—that would become irrelevant. Would it weigh in her favour that Katerina had been obeying orders? She certainly hoped so, but she could not be sure.
Commander Ashfirth might appear to be able to control his temper, he might appear to be dependable, but he was a man. When he discovered how Katerina had deceived him, even he must be roused to anger. And men, as she had so painfully learned, became vicious when angry.
How confusing it was! She put her hand to her aching forehead. For years Katerina had longed to meet a reliable, temperate man, and now she thought she had found one, she felt as though she was stumbling about in a blindfold. But one thing she could see—their ship might be on its way to the capital, but that need not prevent her from helping the Princess.
The pretence must go on, she thought, as the ship’s bow lifted on a wind-blown wave.
The sun had set some time ago. The huge red-and-white striped mainsail had been furled, and above the mast the heavens were velvet black and patterned with stars. They were anchored in a secluded bay off the coast of Epirus. No Normans had been sighted this far south, but even though it was known to be a safe area, Ash had taken the precaution of putting extra men on watch.
He made sure to present himself outside the Princess’s quarters in plenty of time. It wasn’t polite to keep a member of the Imperial family waiting. His lips twisted. Princess Theodora might not
