He had not yet nerved himself to propose to Sophia, but now that they had failed with Fra Tomasso, he could not wait to see her again.
Friar Mathieu scratched his white beard thoughtfully. "It was de Verceuil who tipped the scales against the Tartars. And it was we who sent de Verceuil. I thought this might be the one time he could be useful to us."
"Fra Tomasso had already sided with Ugolini's faction," Simon said. "That is why we sent de Verceuil."
"He told us today that he had been trying to be neutral," said Friar Mathieu. "But Sophia told you that Fra Tomasso had already sided with Ugolini's party. Do you suppose the great Dominican was not being candid with us? Or was it Sophia who was not being candid?"
Simon gasped at the sudden pain of a blow that was worse than their failure with Fra Tomasso. Sophia not honest? No, he could not live with that.
He stiffened so suddenly that his horse stopped walking. He stared at Friar Mathieu in dismay.
Friar Mathieu reached over and put his hand on Simon's arm. His touch was light but firm.
"Know where you are going, Simon. Do not travel blindly."
Simon nodded. There was a way to find out the truth about Sophia.
He must put Sordello to work. The mere thought of that blackguard spying on Sophia twisted his heart with anguish. But he had to know the truth.