She hated this conversation. It turned him into a panderer and her into a whore. And she sensed that he hated it as much as she did.
"Do what you think is necessary," he said coldly.
"Necessary to what?" she demanded through gritted teeth.
He turned toward her and held up a finger. "To win his trust." He held up a second finger. "To hear and remember anything he may let slip." He held up a third finger. "Most important, to tell him things."
"Tell him what?"
"Tell him that Cardinal Ugolini has persuaded Fra Tomasso d'Aquino to oppose the alliance of Christians and Tartars."
"And if Simon believes you have won over Fra Tomasso, what will that accomplish?"
"The unbelievers are already desperate to repair the damage I have done to the reputation of the Tartars," David said. "If they think they have lost Fra Tomasso, they may be provoked to do exactly the wrong thing."
"What would that be?" Sophia had heard that Muslims were devious. She certainly could not follow Daoud's mind in this.
"Not knowing Fra Tomasso is actually trying to remain neutral, they will use every means they have to try to win him back, as they think, to their side. I am hoping they will try to bring Cardinal de Verceuil's influence to bear. If de Verceuil goes to Fra Tomasso—or, even better, to Fra Tomasso's superiors—he may well drive the learned friar over to our side."