Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,26

she woke because the cart had stopped again. There was no sudden lurch, just the cessation of movement. Isaac and Brunetta were awake, too, Isaac with his head out of the draped cloth again, talking to someone out of sight. There was an odd, muffled quality about the light in the cart. Judith leant to one side and pushed apart the covering.

She could see nothing. A dense fog blanketed everything the reason for the muffled effect she supposed. She coughed in the cold, wet air, and drew back into the meagre shelter. Brunetta shook hr head and put her finger to her lips to discourage her from speaking. Now she could hear Isaac’s voice.

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"I have some goods here which must be taken across to England today," he said. " M y apprentice will go with them and I’ll pay you well. If you’re unwilling, perhaps you know someone else?"

There was a pause and then another voice spoke.

"Tell me how much you’ll pay, Jew, before I even consider it. It must be important business if you’ve travelled here yourself today."

It was the rough tone of a fisherman. Before Isaac could answer, another voice came out of the fog.

"What have you caught there, Pierre?"

"A rich Jew who must have his goods taken across," said the first voice, scornfully.

There was the sound of heavy footsteps and an exclamation of surprise.

"Isaac Hanuchin what brings you here?" Then, to the man called Pierre, "I know this man, he’s a friend of mine."

"Friend, eh," said Pierre. It’s your choice, I suppose, but...."

"Indeed," said the second voice, curtly. "My friends are my own choice."

There was a grunt, followed by more footsteps, this time walking away from the cart and fading into the distance.

Isaac leant down.

"My good friend, Master Bonami," he said, warmly. "Join us in here and get some shelter, while I explain the situation."

"Gladly," came the reply.

The cart rocked slightly, under the weight of the man who appeared beside Isaac and took a seat on the same side as Judith. He was a stocky, brown-haired man, with a broad smile, showing even, white teeth. His face was tanned by the sea winds and his eyes were grey. A gold earring glittered in one ear. Under his cloak, he wore a leather jerkin and his hose was black and salt stained.

He wrapped his cloak more tightly around himself, and leant back comfortably, nodding to Brunetta and glancing curiously at Judith, who kept her hood drawn over her face.

"Now Isaac Hanuchin, tell me your story," he said. "For story there must be, to bring you here, as the unsavoury Pierre says."

Judith leant forward anxiously, but Isaac stopped her with his hand held up.

"Let me explain first who you are, Master Bonami," he said. "Judith, this man is well known to me. He takes all my goods across to England, to my contacts there, and has done so for many years. He has no more love for de Montfort and his followers than you or me. I’m sure we can trust him is that not so, Master Bonami?"

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Bonami nodded, another smile beginning to form.

"Now, what have we here?" he said, bending down to peer into Judith’s face, hidden in her hood. "Would this be the goods you’re so anxious to have taken to England?"

"Yes," said Isaac. "She is here on King Henry’s business, and carries a message for a contact on the other side. It is a matter of increasing urgency. There was an ambush waiting for her, which she escaped, and by good fortune found her way to my house."

There was a scuffling sound outside the cart and a bump, as something struck the side.

With an oath, Master Bonami flung up the cover behind him. A man was thrust against the side, his face pressed awkwardly against the wood and his arm twisted behind him.

Isaac’s servant held him pinioned, while the knife he held in his other hand was pressed against the man’s cheek. A thin trickle of blood oozed from where the point had pricked the skin.

"So," said Bonami." Your curiosity got the better of you, did it Pierre? A pity for you you’ll have to lose at least a day’s fishing now!"

He turned back to the others.

"It looks as though I’ll be taking two people across to England," he said. "God knows where this little fish will swim to, if I don’t!"

"You surely don’t mean to sail in this fog?" said Isaac.

"Fog pah!", said Master Bonami, contemptuously. "I’ve left in worse fog