‘Oh, don’t be ridiculous,’ Luca said impatiently. ‘We will protect them.’

‘We have our mission!’ Brother Peter objected.

Luca turned to Isolde. ‘You may travel with us under our protection until our ways diverge. We are on a mission of inquiry, appointed by the Holy Father himself. We don’t yet know our route but you may travel with us until our ways part.’

‘Very important,’ Freize supplemented, with a nod to the young woman. ‘We are very important.’

‘You can accompany us and when you find safe and reputable travellers on the road you can transfer to them, and travel with them.’

She bowed her head. ‘I thank you. I thank you for myself and for Ishraq. And we will not delay nor distract you.’

‘It is absolutely certain that they will do both,’ Brother Peter remarked sourly.

‘We can help them on their way at least,’ Luca ruled.

‘I should give you my name,’ the young woman said. ‘I am Lady Abbess no longer.’

‘Of course,’ Luca said.

‘I am Lady Isolde of Lucretili.’

Luca bowed his head to her, but Freize stepped forwards, bowed low, his head almost to his knees, straightened up and thumped his clenched fist against his heart. ‘Lady Isolde, you may command me,’ he said grandly.

She was surprised, and giggled for a moment. Freize looked at her reproachfully. ‘I would have thought you would have been brought up to understand a knight’s service when it is offered?’

‘He is a knight now?’ Brother Peter asked Luca.

‘Seems so,’ came the amused response.

‘Say a squire then,’ Freize amended. ‘I will be your squire.’

Lady Isolde rose to her feet and extended her hand to Freize. ‘You do right to remind me to respond graciously to an honourable offer of service. I accept your service and I am glad of it, Freize. Thank you.’

With a triumphant glance at Luca, Freize bowed and touched her fingers with his lips. ‘I am yours to command,’ he said.

‘I take it you will house and clothe and feed him?’ Luca demanded. ‘He eats like ten horses.’

‘My service, as the lady well understood, is that of the heart,’ Freize said with dignity. ‘I am hers to command if there is a knightly quest or a bold venture. The rest of the time I carry on as your manservant, of course.’

‘I am very grateful,’ Isolde murmured. ‘And as soon as I have a bold venture or knightly quest I will let you know.’

When Isolde entered the bedroom, Ishraq was sleeping, but as soon as she heard the soft footsteps, she opened her eyes and said, ‘How was dinner? Are we arrested?’