Defender of the Realm by Seamus O’Griffin

Author:Seamus O’Griffin [O’Griffin, Seamus]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781622740659
Publisher: Seamus O’Griffin
Published: 2014-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

Cyprus / Tortosa/ Acre

Ten

We arrived on the morning of the following day. The crossing from the Levant had been uncommonly calm. The weather was beautiful. A warm breeze from the south and bright sunlight greeted us as we slid into our berth in the harbor at Limassol. Even Roger de Flor was mollified by the easy crossing, although he stopped me before I was to debark and said, “Mac Alasdair, you better find some outstanding wine while you’re here. You’ll need at least a cask to pay me for all the trouble you’ve caused this last week, making me sail in December.”

“Roger, the problem is, if I pay you, I’ll have to drink with you on the way back, or you’ll give me no peace.”

“All the more reason to make sure that wine is damn good!” he exclaimed.

I laughed as he pulled me aside. He clutched my arm and in a gruff whisper said, “You will find your woman in Famagusta. She has found refuge at the court of Henry de Lusignan.”

I was speechless. He nodded and squeezed my shoulder with affection. “I made discrete inquiries. I knew that at some point you would come to Cyprus, that there would be unfinished business between you two.”

I was grateful. The information would be of considerable help. Unlike my arrival in Venice, I didn’t have Himbert to help me. Here, I was on my own. “Roger, as always, I am in your debt.”

“Of course, you are,” he smiled.

Conrad and I left the galley and were met by a Templar escort of one knight and five sergeant brothers. The escort was armed and armored, and their leader did not look like the typical Templar garrison knight who was soft from easy duty. He was almost as tall as I, with the tanned leather face of someone who has spent years in the Levant. He introduced himself at once. “Brothers, I am Brother Udes de St. Lo. I will be your escort to the commandery here in Limassol.”

I inclined my head and then stepped back as de Flor’s sailors brought our kit off the galley and dropped it at our feet. Conrad thanked them and then bent and picked up our gear, handing me my pack. “Pax vobiscum , frater, “ I replied and then switched to French. “Are things so dangerous here that we need to wear mail?”

He smiled a gapped-tooth smile and said, “Let us say that the king is not happy with Master de Beaujeu at the moment. In fact, he is entertaining a delegation from Genoa as we speak. Commander de La Haye will tell you more when we reach the castle.”

Our kit was taken and tied to a pack horse while we were brought horses. It was a relatively short ride to the commandery in Limassol and the weather was fine. Though the sun was shining, the air was not hot. There was a pleasant breeze coming off the ocean, and Brother Eudes proved to be surprisingly companionable.

We entered the commandery to a great commotion.

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