Virgins Page 8

"May I present Monsieur Gershom Sanders and Monsieur Levi Champfleur. Our witnesses. And Reb Cohen, who will officiate."

  The men shook hands, murmuring politeness. Jamie and Ian exchanged looks. Why were they here?

  The vicomte caught the look and interpreted it correctly.

  "I wish you to return to Dr. Hasdi," he said, the effervescence in his voice momentarily supplanted by a note of steel, "and tell him that everything--everything!--was done in accordance with proper custom and according to the Law. This marriage will not be undone. By anyone."

  "Mmphm," said Ian, less politely.

  And so it was that a few minutes later they found themselves standing among the male wedding guests--the women stood on the other side of the canopy--watching as Rebekah came down the path, jingling faintly. She wore a dress of deep red silk; Jamie could see the torchlight shift and shimmer through its folds as she moved. There were gold bracelets on both wrists, and she had a veil over her head and face, with a little headdress sort of thing made of gold chains that dipped across her forehead, strung with small medallions and bells--it was this that made the jingling sound. It reminded him of the Torah scroll, and he stiffened a bit at the thought.

  Pierre stood with the rabbi under the canopy; as Rebekah approached, he stepped apart, and she came to him. She didn't touch him, though, but proceeded to walk round him. And round him, and round him. Seven times she circled him, and the hairs rose a little on the back of Jamie's neck; it had the faint sense of magic about it--or witchcraft. Something she did to bind the man.

  She came face-to-face with Jamie as she made each turn and plainly could see him in the light of the torches, but her eyes were fixed straight ahead; she made no acknowledgment of anyone--not even Pierre.

  But then the circling was done and she came to stand by the vicomte's side. The rabbi said a few words of welcome to the guests and then, turning to the bride and groom, poured out a cup of wine, and said what appeared to be a Hebrew blessing over it. Jamie made out the beginning--"Blessed are you, Adonai our God"--but then lost the thread.

  Pierre reached into his pocket when Reb Cohen stopped speaking, removed a small object--clearly a ring--and, taking Rebekah's hand in his, put it on the forefinger of her right hand, smiling down into her face with a tenderness that, despite everything, rather caught at Jamie's heart. Then Pierre lifted her veil, and Jamie caught a glimpse of the answering tenderness on Rebekah's face in the instant before her husband kissed her.

  The congregation sighed as one.

  The rabbi picked up a sheet of parchment from a little table nearby. The thing he'd called a ketubah, Jamie saw--the wedding contract.

  The rabbi read the thing out, first in a language Jamie didn't recognize, and then again in French. It wasn't so different from the few marriage contracts he'd seen, laying out the disposition of property and what was due to the bride and all--though he noted with disapproval that it provided for the possibility of divorce. His attention wandered a bit then; Rebekah's face glowed in the torchlight like pearl and ivory, and the roundness of her bosom showed clearly as she breathed. In spite of everything he thought he now knew about her, he experienced a brief wave of envy toward Pierre.

  The contract read and carefully laid aside, the rabbi recited a string of blessings; Jamie kent it was blessings because he caught the words "Blessed are you, Adonai..." over and over, though the subject of the blessings seemed to be everything from the congregation to Jerusalem, so far as he could tell. The bride and groom had another sip of wine.

  A pause then, and Jamie expected some official word from the rabbi, uniting husband and wife, but it didn't come. Instead, one of the witnesses took the wineglass, wrapped it in a linen napkin, and placed it on the ground in front of Pierre. To the Scots' astonishment, he promptly stamped on the thing--and the crowd burst into applause.

  For a few moments, everything seemed quite like a country wedding, with everyone crowding round, wanting to congratulate the happy couple. But within moments, the happy couple was moving off toward the house, while the guests all streamed toward tables that had been set up at the far side of the garden, laden with food and drink.

  "Come on," Jamie muttered, and caught Ian by the arm. They hastened after the newly wedded pair, Ian demanding to know what the devil Jamie thought he was doing. "I want to talk to her--alone. You stop him, keep him talking for as long as ye can."

  "I--how?"

  "How would I know? Ye'll think of something."

  They had reached the house, and ducking in close upon Pierre's heels, Jamie saw that by good luck the man had stopped to say something to a servant. Rebekah was just vanishing down a long hallway; he saw her put her hand to a door.

  "The best of luck to ye, man!" Jamie said, clapping Pierre so heartily on the shoulder that the groom staggered.

  Before Pierre could recover, Ian, very obviously commending his soul to God, stepped up and seized him by the hand, which he wrung vigorously, meanwhile giving Jamie a private "Hurry the bloody hell up!" sort of look.

  Grinning, Jamie ran down the short hallway to the door where he'd seen Rebekah disappear. The grin faded as his hand touched the doorknob, though, and the face he presented to her as he entered was as grim as he could make it.

  Her eyes widened in shock and indignation at sight of him.

  "What are you doing here? No one is supposed to come in here but my husband and me!"

  "He's on his way," Jamie assured her. "The question is--will he get here?"

  Her little fist curled up in a way that would have been comical if he didn't know as much about her as he did.

  "Is that a threat?" she said, in a tone as incredulous as it was menacing. "Here? You dare threaten me here?"

  "Aye, I do. I want that scroll."

  "Well, you're not getting it," she snapped. He saw her glance flicker over the table, probably in search of either a bell to summon help or something to bash him on the head with, but the table held nothing but a platter of stuffed rolls and exotic sweeties. There was a bottle of wine, and he saw her eye light on that with calculation, but he stretched out a long arm and got hold of it before she could.

  "I dinna want it for myself," he said. "I mean to take it back to your grandfather."

  "Him?" Her face hardened. "No. It's worth more to him than I am," she added bitterly, "but at least that means I can use it for protection. As long as I have it, he won't try to hurt Pierre or drag me back, for fear I might damage it. I'm keeping it."

  "I think he'd be a great deal better off without ye, and doubtless he kens that fine," Jamie informed her, and had to harden himself against the sudden look of hurt in her eyes. He supposed even spiders might have feelings, but that was neither here nor there.

  "Where's Pierre?" she demanded. "If you've harmed a hair on his head, I'll--"

  "I wouldna touch the poor gomerel, and neither would Ian--Juan, I mean. When I said the question was whether he got to ye or not, I meant whether he thinks better of his bargain."

  "What?" He thought she paled a little, but it was hard to tell.

  "You give me the scroll to take back to your grandfather--a wee letter of apology to go with it wouldna come amiss, but I willna insist on that--or Ian and I take Pierre out back and have a frank word regarding his new wife."

  "Tell him what you like!" she snapped. "He wouldn't believe any of your made-up tales!"

  "Oh, aye? And if I tell him exactly what happened to Ephraim bar-Sefer? And why?"

  "Who?" she said, but now she really had gone pale to the lips and put out a hand to the table to steady herself.

  "Do ye ken yourself what happened to him? No? Well, I'll tell ye, lass." And he did so, with a terse brutality that made her sit down suddenly, tiny pearls of sweat appearing round the gold medallions that hung across her forehead.

  "Pierre already kens at least a bit about your wee gang, I think--but maybe not what a ruthless, grasping wee besom ye really are."

  "It wasn't me! I didn't kill Ephraim!"

/>   "If not for you, he'd no be dead, and I reckon Pierre would see that. I can tell him where the body is," he added, more delicately. "I buried the man myself."

  Her lips were pressed so hard together that nothing showed but a straight white line.

  "Ye havena got long," he said, quietly now, but keeping his eyes on hers. "Ian canna hold him off much longer, and if he comes in--then I tell him everything, in front of you, and ye do what ye can then to persuade him I'm a liar."

  She stood up abruptly, her chains and bracelets all a-jangle, and stamped to the door of the inner room. She flung it open, and Marie jerked back, shocked.

  Rebekah said something to her in Ladino, sharp, and with a small gasp the maid scurried off.

  "All right," Rebekah said through gritted teeth, turning back to him. "Take it and be damned, you dog."

  "Indeed I will, ye bloody wee bitch," he replied with great politeness.

  Her hand closed round a stuffed roll, but instead of throwing it at him, she merely squeezed it into paste and crumbs, slapping the remains back on the tray with a small exclamation of fury.

  The sweet chiming of the Torah scroll presaged Marie's hasty arrival, the precious thing clasped in her arms. She glanced at her mistress and, at Rebekah's curt nod, delivered it with great reluctance into the arms of the Christian dog.

  Jamie bowed, first to maid and then mistress, and backed toward the door.

  "Shalom," he said, and closed the door an instant before the silver platter hit it with a ringing thud.

  --

  "Did it hurt a lot?" Ian was asking Pierre with interest, when Jamie came up to them.

  "My God, you have no idea," Pierre replied fervently. "But it was worth it." He divided a beaming smile between Ian and Jamie and bowed to them, not even noticing the canvas-wrapped bundle in Jamie's arms. "You must excuse me, gentlemen; my bride awaits me!"

  "Did what hurt a lot?" Jamie inquired, leading the way hastily out through a side door. No point in attracting attention, after all.

  "Ye ken he was born a Christian but converted in order to marry the wee besom," Ian said. "So he had to be circumcised." He crossed himself at the thought, and Jamie laughed.

  "What is it they call the stick-insect things where the female one bites off the head of the male one after he's got the business started?" Jamie asked, nudging the door open with his bum.

  Ian's brow creased for an instant. "Praying mantis, I think. Why?"

  "I think our wee friend Pierre may have a more interesting wedding night than he expects. Come on."

  --

  BORDEAUX

  It wasn't the worst thing he'd ever had to do, but he wasn't looking forward to it. Jamie paused outside the gate of Dr. Hasdi's house, the Torah scroll in its wrappings in his arms. Ian was looking a bit worm-eaten, and Jamie reckoned he kent why. Having to tell the doctor what had happened to his granddaughter was one thing; telling him to his face with the knowledge of what said granddaughter's nipples felt like fresh in the mind...or the hand...

  "Ye dinna have to come in, man," he said to Ian. "I can do it alone."

  Ian's mouth twitched, but he shook his head and stepped up next to Jamie.

  "On your right, man," he said simply.

  Jamie smiled. When he was five years old, Ian's da, Auld John, had persuaded his own da to let Jamie handle a sword cack-handed, as he was wont to do. "And you, lad," he'd said to Ian, very serious, "it's your duty to stand on your laird's right hand and guard his weak side."

  "Aye," Jamie said. "Right, then." And rang the bell.

  --

  Afterward, they wandered slowly through the streets of Bordeaux, making their way toward nothing in particular, not speaking much.

  Dr. Hasdi had received them courteously, though with a look of mingled horror and apprehension on his face when he saw the scroll. This look had faded to one of relief at hearing--the manservant had had enough French to interpret for them--that his granddaughter was safe, then to shock, and finally to a set expression that Jamie couldn't read. Was it anger, sadness, resignation?

  When Jamie had finished the story, they sat uneasily, not sure what to do next. Dr. Hasdi sat at his desk, head bowed, his hands resting gently on the scroll. Finally, he raised his head and nodded to them both, one and then the other. His face was calm now, giving nothing away.

  "Thank you," he said in heavily accented French. "Shalom."

  --

  "Are ye hungry?" Ian motioned toward a small boulangerie, whose trays bore filled rolls and big, fragrant round loaves. He was starving himself, though half an hour ago, his wame had been in knots.

  "Aye, maybe." Jamie kept walking, though, and Ian shrugged and followed.

  "What d'ye think the captain will do when we tell him?" Ian wasn't all that bothered. There was always work for a good-sized man who kent what to do with a sword. And he owned his own weapons. They'd have to buy Jamie a sword, though. Everything he was wearing, from pistols to ax, belonged to D'Eglise.

  He was busy enough calculating the cost of a decent sword against what remained of their pay that he didn't notice Jamie not answering him. He did notice that his friend was walking faster, though, and, hurrying to catch up, he saw what they were heading for. The tavern where the pretty brown-haired barmaid had taken Jamie for a Jew.

  Oh, like that, is it? he thought, and hid a grin. Aye, well, there was one sure way the lad could prove to the lass that he wasn't a Jew.

  The place was moiling when they walked in, and not in a good way; Ian sensed it instantly. There were soldiers there, army soldiers, and other fighting men, mercenaries like themselves, and no love wasted between them. You could cut the air with a knife, and judging from a splotch of half-dried blood on the floor, somebody had already tried.

  There were women but fewer than before, and the barmaids kept their eyes on their trays, not flirting tonight.

  Jamie wasn't taking heed of the atmosphere; Ian could see him looking round for her, but the brown-haired lass wasn't on the floor. They might have asked after her--if they'd known her name.

  "Upstairs, maybe?" Ian said, leaning in to half-shout into Jamie's ear over the noise. Jamie nodded and began forging through the crowd, Ian bobbing in his wake, hoping they found the lass quickly so he could eat while Jamie got on with it.

  --

  The stairs were crowded--with men coming down. Something was amiss up there, and Jamie shoved someone into the wall with a thump, pushing past. Some nameless anxiety shot jolts down his spine, and he was half prepared before he pushed through a little knot of onlookers at the head of the stairs and saw them.

  Mathieu and the brown-haired girl. There was a big open room here, with a hallway lined with tiny cubicles leading back from it; Mathieu had the girl by the arm and was boosting her toward the hallway with a hand on her bum, despite her protests.

  "Let go of her!" Jamie said, not shouting but raising his voice well enough to be heard easily. Mathieu paid not the least attention, though everyone else, startled, turned to look at Jamie.

  He heard Ian mutter, "Joseph, Mary, and Bride preserve us," behind him, but he paid no heed. He covered the distance to Mathieu in three strides and kicked him in the arse.

  He ducked, by reflex, but Mathieu merely turned and gave him a hot eye, ignoring the whoops and guffaws from the spectators.

  "Later, little boy," he said. "I'm busy now."

  He scooped the young woman into one big arm and kissed her sloppily, rubbing his stubbled face hard over hers so she squealed and pushed at him to get away.

  Jamie drew the pistol from his belt.

  "I said, let her go." The noise dropped suddenly, but he barely noticed for the roaring of blood in his ears.

  Mathieu turned his head, incredulous. Then he snorted with contempt, grinned unpleasantly, and shoved the girl into the wall so her head struck with a thump, pinning her there with his bulk.

  The pistol was primed.

  "Salop!" Jamie roared. "Don't touch her! Let her go!" He cl
enched his teeth and aimed with both hands, rage and fright making his hands tremble.

  Mathieu didn't even look at him. The big man half-turned away, a casual hand on the girl's breast. She squealed as he twisted it, and Jamie fired. Mathieu whirled, the pistol he'd had concealed in his own belt now in hand, and the air shattered in an explosion of sound and white smoke.

  There were shouts of alarm, excitement--and another pistol went off, somewhere behind Jamie. Ian? he thought dimly, but, no, Ian was running toward Mathieu, leaping for the massive arm rising, the second pistol's barrel making circles as Mathieu struggled to fix it on Jamie. It discharged, and the ball hit one of the lanterns that stood on the tables, which exploded with a whuff and a bloom of flame.

  Jamie had reversed his pistol and was hammering at Mathieu's head with the butt before he was conscious of having crossed the room. Mathieu's mad-boar eyes were almost invisible, slitted with the glee of fighting, and the sudden curtain of blood that fell over his face did nothing but enhance his grin, blood running down between his teeth. He shook Ian off with a shove that sent him crashing into the wall, then wrapped one big arm almost casually around Jamie's body and, with a snap of his head, butted him in the face.

  Jamie had turned his head reflexively and thus avoided a broken nose, but the impact crushed the flesh of his jaw into his teeth, and his mouth filled with blood. His head was spinning with the force of the blow, but he got a hand under Mathieu's jaw and shoved upward with all his strength, trying to break the man's neck. His hand slipped off the sweat-greased flesh, though, and Mathieu let go his grip in order to try to knee Jamie in the stones. A knee like a cannonball struck Jamie a numbing blow in the thigh as he squirmed free, and he staggered, grabbing Mathieu's arm just as Ian came dodging in from the side, seizing the other. Without a moment's hesitation, Mathieu's huge forearms twisted; he seized the Scots by the scruffs of their necks and cracked their heads together.

  Jamie couldn't see and could barely move but kept moving anyway, groping blindly. He was on the floor, could feel boards, wetness...His pawing hand struck flesh, and he lunged forward and bit Mathieu as hard as he could in the calf of the leg. Fresh blood filled his mouth, hotter than his own, and he gagged but kept his teeth locked in the hairy flesh, clinging stubbornly as the leg kicked in frenzy. His ears were ringing, he was vaguely aware of screaming and shouting, but it didn't matter.