The Sultan's Eyes Read Free Page A

‘calm yourself. We need to work out how to deal with this.’
    ‘I have already worked it out,’ she said. ‘It’s quite simple. I will have Fra Clement assassinated.’
    Willem burst out laughing, then just as quickly stopped. ‘You can’t do that,’ he said. ‘Can you?’
    ‘If it needs to be done, it can be done,’ she said with a shrug.
    ‘It would be simple enough,’ said Luis. He took an almond from a bowl on the table and cracked it between his teeth. ‘There are people who do such things, although it would be expensive.’
    ‘Worth every florin,’ said Signora Contarini.
    ‘Don’t even joke about it,’ said Al-Qasim.
    ‘I do not jest about such things,’ she said.
    ‘But that would make us no better than he is,’ said Al-Qasim.
    The signora gave a little laugh. ‘Nonsense. Who have we tortured? How many old men? Women? How many printers, philosophers, poets have we burned? Eh? Tell me that. We could never be as bad as he is.’
    ‘She’s right,’ said Willem. ‘He’s evil. I always knew it. Didn’t I tell you, Isabella? From the very start?’
    I shook my head, not sure if we were seriously discussing murdering someone — even if it was someone I hated. ‘You were right,’ I said. ‘But I didn’t listen. If only I had.’
    ‘You see?’ Willem leaned back in his chair and put both boots on the table. The signora raised one eyebrow and he sat upright, feet slamming onto the floor, and dusted off the table edge with his sleeve.
    ‘Fra Clement is evil,’ I said. ‘He’s wrong and he’s greedy and he doesn’t care who he hurts. He has the blood of many people on his hands. But that doesn’t mean —’
    ‘You don’t think I would do it?’ asked the signora .
    ‘I have no doubt about that, but Al-Qasim’s right. It would make us just like him, like them.’
    ‘Nonsense.’
    I paused, not quite willing to speak the words that were forming in my mind. ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we have to leave Venice.’
    There was silence for a moment.
    ‘Perhaps you’re right,’ said Luis at last. ‘You would be safer somewhere Fra Clement cannot follow you. Even Amsterdam would be better.’
    ‘Yes!’ Willem jumped to his feet. ‘Let’s go home.’
    I sighed. ‘If only that was possible.’
    ‘Come, Isabella, the city fathers will never let him back into Amsterdam after all he’s done. We’d be safe there. We could set up shop again, with Paul. It’ll be just like it used to be.’
    ‘With Clement’s spies watching our every move?’
    ‘You don’t know that,’ said Willem.
    ‘I do. I wish it wasn’t true, but it is. He has good reason to hate me, to hunt me down.’
    ‘He can’t be everywhere,’ said the signora . ‘Surely even Fra Clement will get tired of looking for you eventually.’
    ‘You must understand,’ I said. ‘He can see us no matter where in Christendom we flee. He has eyes everywhere, especially in Amsterdam. We already know that — we’ve suffered for it.’
    ‘Isabella is right,’ said Al-Qasim. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, sighing deeply. ‘After what happened in Seville, Fra Clement will not rest until he brings her before the Tribunal.’
    ‘And the same, I fear, applies to you,’ Luis said to Al-Qasim. ‘You must all go.’
    The two men exchanged a long look, until Al-Qasim bowed his head.
    ‘I know,’ he said softly.
    ‘This is an outrage,’ said the signora . ‘Why should you be hounded out of Venice?’
    ‘I’m afraid, signora , you are also not safe here,’ said Luis.
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she scoffed. ‘He can’t touch me. I am a Contarini. A Venetian.’
    ‘But not above the law.’
    ‘Who says?’ She crossed her arms.
    ‘ Signora ,’ I said, ‘remember how the Inquisition took Master de Aquila? In the darkness, silently? You might not have time to argue.’
    ‘No,’ she said. ‘You cannot make me afraid. I will not have it. We’re staying here, and if anyone