"You failed to seduce him? I cannot believe that."
"Whatever you may believe, that was how it was."
"Why do you bother to lie to me?" Anger smoldered in his face. His cheeks were reddening.
"Why would I lie to you? It would make no difference to you if I went to bed with Simon."
"If, as you say, nothing happened, then explain to me why it did not." He folded his arms and sat hunched forward.
"When a man like Simon is in love—" she said, and stopped. "You do understand what I mean by love?" How did a man brought up in Egypt as a slave to Turks feel about women? Saracens, she knew, kept their many wives locked up most of the time.
Daoud shrugged. "I can only guess at what you mean by love."
"A man like Simon shows his love by holding back his ardor. He does not realize that I know this. I have let him think he is teaching me about courtly love."
"And what did you learn by letting him woo you in this courtly way?" He looked pleased. He was beginning to believe her.
"He tried to find out things from me. He is such an innocent. He had no idea that I was telling him what you told me to tell him."