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“With Messer Benedetto and his good wife. As I was forced to leave Elizabet, I thought it wise to have her future settled.” Her smile deepened with mockery.

“I’m sure you can sympathize with such a decision.

I remember you were quite eager to have her settled yourself.

She’s to marry Alessandro within the month. ”

“Marriage! But she can’t—” Caprino whirled to Lion. “I’ve been cheated. The money you paid for Sanchia is not enough.”

“It was enough two minutes ago.” Lion’s tone was icy. “The arrangement stands, Caprino.”

“But that was when I thought—” Caprino broke off as he met Lion’s gaze. He was silent, struggling to subdue his anger. Finally he turned back to Sanchia. “You think you’ve bested me.”

“I didn’t try to best you. I intended only to protect Elizabet.”

“From me,” he snarled.

“From everything and everyone.” She gazed at him directly. “But yes, from you most of all.”

“You need not worry. Your Elizabet is no longer important to me.” Caprino’s voice was so soft the underlying malevolence was only barely discernible. “But you and your future are going to be of great interest to me, Sanchia. I don’t like to be cheated of something I want.”

A chilly finger of fear touched her spine. He couldn’t hurt her or Elizabet, she reassured herself, but still she felt his menace. “You won’t know my future. I’m leaving Florence.”

“I can wait. I’m good at waiting.”

“Leave, Caprino.” Lion gestured toward the door. “Our business is finished.”

“Good day, Magnifico.” His voice sounded of nothing but politeness now.

“I wish you joy in your purchase. May Sanchia bring you what you seek.” He opened the door and slanted them a faint smile over his shoulder.

“But you’d best hasten in your use of her.

Young girls such as she are fragile blossoms that sometimes wither and perish overnight.

” He gave them no chance to answer as he closed the door behind him.

The tension eased from Sanchia’s rigid muscles and she forced herself to release her grip on the bannister. “I’m sorry I overslept, my lord. I’m ready to leave.”

Lion’s glance shifted from the door to her face. “You do realize he just threatened your life?”

She nodded jerkily as she descended the last steps. “He’s an evil man.”

“Yet you’re paying no more attention to his threat than if he’d just told you he was going to make you a present.”

“What can I do about it? He’ll try to hurt me and perhaps he’ll succeed.” She gazed at Lion gravely. “But he’d hurt me much more if I let him poison all my hours and days with worry and fear.”

“An interesting philosophy.” He gazed at her with an odd intentness. “You advocate living for the present and not the future?”

“All I have is the present. A slave has only the future her master determines.”

The intensity of his gaze was making her uneasy and causing a tight stricture in her chest. He was so big . He towered above her and his simple apparel of black leather hose and boots and russet suede jerkin served only to emphasize the strength of his massive body.

“Then I agree we must make the most of every single minute,” Lion said softly as he drew on his heavy leather gauntlets. “Tell me, did you miss me in your bed last night?”

The tightness in her chest increased until she had trouble drawing breath. “How could I miss you when I’ve never slept with you? I fell asleep right away and didn’t stir until Giulia woke me.”

“Remind me to teach you the virtue of flattery. A man has need of pretty lies on occasion.” Humor glinted in his dark eyes. “It’s an art required of all my slaves.”

“But Messer Lorenzo said I’m your only slave.”

He airily waved a gloved hand. “Not important. One is enough to set a standard.”

He was joking with her, Sanchia realized with amazement. She had seen him in many moods since yesterday afternoon, but they had all been heavy—anger, suspicion, appraisal, lust. Now he appeared light-hearted, charged with energy and good humor. “You’re happy today.”

“I admit I’m very glad we’re on our way. I detest waiting for anything.” He touched her cheek. “Remember that, Sanchia.”

The hard leather of the gauntlet was rough against the soft flesh of her cheek.

She imagined the warmth of his finger beneath the leather and it caused a tingle of heat to spread from her cheek to her throat.

She took an involuntary step back. “I’ll remember.

” She moistened her lips with her tongue.

“What kept you here in Florence? What were you waiting for?”

“Why, you, Sanchia.” He turned to the door. “We were waiting for you.”

She gazed at him in bewilderment. “Me? But—” She stopped as the significance of Caprino’s presence earlier sank home to her. “Caprino said he sold me to you. The piazza…”

“A test of your skill, which proved very impressive.” Lion opened the door.

“Come along. Lorenzo is waiting outside with the horses. I purchased a few items of clothing for you from one of the women here; they’re tied on the back of your horse.

” He frowned. “I was able to obtain a very gentle mare for you. I assume you’ve never ridden. ”

“No.” She came toward him, her gaze searching his face. “A thief. That’s why you want me.” At least she knew now why he’d bought her and felt she was no longer blundering in the dark with him.

“When I bought you from Giovanni, I certainly believed I was getting only a thief.” He studied her face. “You seem pleased. I got the impression that taking purses was not to your liking.”

“It’s not; stealing frightens me. But now that I know what value I have for you I feel better.”

“So that you can seek a way to bend me to your will as you did Giovanni?”

Her eyes widened and she gazed up at him helplessly.

“For God’s sake, don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to beat you.” He shrugged wearily, “Sweet Jesus, why shouldn’t you try to manage me? I’ll do my best to use you in the way I see fit.”

“But I promised I would obey you in all things.”

No weapons, Lorenzo had said, and she looked poignantly defenseless at this moment, Lion thought.

What must it be like to be as helpless as Sanchia, and have to struggle to maintain even a modicum of dignity and independence in an uncertain world?

The thought filled him with astonishment.

Where did his anger at her situation come from?

Why this inexplicable need to comfort? “One theft,” he said curtly.

“That’s all you’ll have to do. Once we’re finished at Solinari you’ll never have to steal again. I’ll find some other—”

“Lion, caro mio.” Giulia was walking down the stairs, a dazzling smile on her face. “Were you not coming to bid me good-bye?”

“I thought we’d said our good-byes last night,” Lion replied. “I seem to remember you wished me a swift journey to…” He paused and gave her a half mocking bow. “A place with an extremely warm but unpleasant climate.”

Giulia shrugged. “I was angry. You know my bad temper is fleeting. Forgive me for attacking you as an apothecary would a barber. Caro , I am so sorry for my venomous words. Come, we must part friends.” She cast Sanchia a careless glance.

“We had no problem before she came. Do not bring her back and all will be well.”

“I don’t care for ultimatums, Giulia.” Lion’s hand encircled Sanchia’s wrist and he drew her toward the door. “Nor do I care for viragos. I don’t believe I’ll be returning to your casa.”

“But Lion, I didn’t mean—” Giulia stopped. The door had closed behind them.

Giulia’s hands slowly clenched into fists.

She should never have pushed him, she thought.

She had known it was a mistake to show her anger the night before, but she hadn’t been able to stem the vitrolic words.

Jealousy. Dio , she was jealous of that bony child.

It was just as well that this madness with Lion was at an end.

Caprino was right; a woman in her profession had to maintain control.

Money was important, not pleasure…not the pleasure she had received from Lion, certainly.

She turned away from the door, lifting her skirts as she started up the stairs.

Still, she did owe Lion a small debt for giving her so many hours of servicing in the bedchamber.

She would repay him by waiting until late this evening to summon Caprino and tell him what she had overheard as she came down to the front hall.

Caprino might be delayed as much as a full day before starting whatever it might be he chose to do with the information she would sell him.

He’d promised her seven ducats for finding out what Lion wanted Sanchia to steal for him.

In this she’d failed, but the name of the place where the theft was to occur should be worth at least five, Giulia thought shrewdly.

Solinari. The name sounded vaguely familiar, she mused. Now in what connection had she heard it?

“Where is Solinari?” Sanchia asked as Lion lifted her onto the saddle of the chestnut mare. She clutched desperately at the reins trying not to think how far she was from the ground.

“It’s a palazzo just outside of Pisa.”

“What am I supposed to steal there?”

“A kev.”

“A key to unlock what?”

“A door.” Lion mounted his own black stallion.

“Oh.” Sanchia was silent a moment. “What’s behind the door?”

She heard a low chuckle from Lorenzo, who was already mounted behind her.

“You’re very inquisitive.” There was an edge to Lion’s tone.

“I’ll have to know sometime, won’t I?” She asked anxiously, “Do questions displease you?”

“Cristo , what do I care? Question away as you please.”

Lorenzo chuckled again. “I’m sure she will.”

Lion scowled at him over his shoulder. “I never have to worry about you saying what you like, Lorenzo.”

“That must be a great comfort to you.”

“You’ll have to tell me how to please you,” Sanchia said quickly. “This is all new to me. I’ve had no master but Giovanni and he—”