Free Labyrinth by Kate Mosse Page B

whole market heard. Now, no more about prayer, ?”
    Confused about what he’d done to make Senher Marti so angry, Sajhe scrambled to his feet. Na Marti turned on her husband. They seemed have forgotten all about him.
    “You’re being too harsh on him, Rogier,” she hissed. “He’s just a boy.”
    “And it only takes one person with a loose tongue and we’ll be round* up with the others. We can’t afford to take risks. If people think we associate with heretics—”
    “Heretic, indeed,” she snapped back. “He’s only a child!”
    “Not the boy. Esclarmonde. It’s common knowledge she’s one of them. And if it gets out that we go to pray in her house, they’ll accuse us of following the Bons Homes too and we’ll be persecuted.”
    “So we abandon our friends? Just because of a few scare stories you heard.”
    Senher Marti dropped his voice. “I’m just saying we should be careful. You know what people are saying. That an army is coming to drive’t heretics out.”
    “They’ve been saying that for years. You are making too much of it.. for the legates, these ”men of God‘ have been strolling around the countryside for years now, drinking themselves into the grave and nothing ever come of it. Let the bishops argue it out amongst themselves and let the rest of us to get on with our lives.“
    She turned away from her husband. “Take no notice,” she said, putting her hand on Sajhe’s shoulder. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
    Sajhe looked at his feet, not wanting her to see him cry.
    Na Marti continued in an unnaturally bright voice. “Now then, were you saying the other day that you wanted to buy a present for Alais? Why don’t we see what we can find?”
    Sajhe nodded. He knew she was trying to reassure him, but he felt muddled and embarrassed.
    “I don’t have any means to pay,” he said.
    “Well, don’t you worry about that. I’m sure we can overlook that j this once. Now, why don’t you take a look.” Na Marti ran her fingers over the colorful rows of thread. “What about this? Do you think she’d like it? It’s a perfect match for her eyes.”
    Sajhe fingered the delicate copper-brown thread. I’m not sure.
    “Well, I think she will. Shall I wrap it for you?”
    She turned away to look for a square of cloth to protect the thread. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, Sajhe tried to think of something safe to say.
    “I saw her earlier.”
    “Alais, yes? How was she? With that sister of hers?”
    He pulled a face. “No. But she didn’t look very happy all the same.”
    “Well,” said Na Marti, “if she was upset before, then this is just the right time to give her a present. It will cheer her up. Alais usually comes to market in the morning, doesn’t she? If you keep your eyes open and your wits about you, I’m sure you’ll find her.”
    Glad to be excused from the strained company, Sajhe tucked the package under his tunic and said his goodbyes. After a couple of steps, he turned to wave. The Martis were standing side by side, looking after him, but saying nothing.
    The sun was now high in the sky. Sajhe wandered around, asking after Alais. No one had seen her.
    He was hungry now and had decided he might as well go home, when he suddenly caught sight of Alais standing at a stall offering goat’s cheese for sale. He broke into a run and crept up on her, throwing his arms around her waist.
    “Bonjorn.”
    Alais spun round, rewarding him with a wide smile when she saw who it was.
    “Sajhe,” she said, ruffling his hair. “You gave me a surprise!”
    “I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he grinned. “Are you all right? I saw you earlier. You looked upset.”
    “Earlier?”
    “You were riding into the chateau with your father. Just after the messenger.”
    “Ah, earlier,” she said. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’d just had a tiring morning. How lovely to see your lively face, though.” She gave him a kiss on the top of his head, making Sajhe scarlet. He