He had to have a look.
He opened the bag and held out the Eye, suspended on its chain and gently turning.
Aye. It was as beautiful — and as strange — as it had been in his dream.
He had intended to put it back in its bag and hide it away again. That was his intention; he was quite sure of that.
He was therefore quite surprised when, getting back into bed, he felt the hard shape of the Eye in its bag beneath him as he lay down.
In the morning, he would have put the whole experience down to a febrile dream. Except that there was the Eye, against his heart where he had borne it for so long. Very well, then, he thought. I shall take it with me on my travels. Why not? I can keep it concealed, that I know well enough. I brought it safely home all the way from Damascus, through all the perils of that journey. In comparison, a short visit across the Channel to Lewes is nothing.
Nevertheless, he resolved to attach a new, stout piece of leather thong to the Eye’s bag, by which to hang it around his neck.
He also resolved never to let anyone else see it.
Geoffroi and the Lombard set out, with a spring in their steps, later that morning. It was May, the sun was shining and there was a light, refreshing breeze; perfect travelling weather. They crossed the Channel (this time without being sick) and, once again, followed the now familiar route to Lewes.
They covered the miles from the port to the town in a day. Their boat had arrived very early in the morning and, the month being May and not December, there was more daylight in which to ride.
They went round the edge of Lewes, not needing to ask directions now, and, a little before sunset, rode into Herbert of Lewes’s courtyard.
As if she had been waiting for them, Ida came rushing out. Geoffroi’s smile of delight froze as he saw that she had been crying; sliding off his horse and hurrying towards her, he was about to ask what was the matter when she threw herself into his arms.
Even his acute awareness of her distress could not entirely rob the moment of its sweetness.
But she was sobbing now, and he made out the words, ‘Oh, you’re here! I’m so glad, I’ve prayed and prayed for you to come! It’s Hugh — Hugh has a fever, and Mother and I have tried everything, and he still burns as if he’s on fire!’
Geoffroi froze.
She felt it, poor lass, even in her anguish. Pulling away slightly so that she could look up into his face — he was a lot taller than she was — she said, ‘Geoffroi? What is it? What’s the matter?’
Instantly he recovered himself. Now was not the moment to go numb with terror at the thought of just what it might be that he carried around his neck, if, indeed, there ever was such a moment. Perhaps, he thought, in a swift burst of practicality, I should just thank God that I do carry it.
It was only later — a long time later — that it occurred to him to wonder just which, or whose, God he should thank.
Now, giving Ida a little shake, he said firmly, ‘Nothing is the matter. Take me to Hugh — it may be that I can help him.’
A smile broke through her tears, and, with a touching faith that he hoped — prayed — he was worthy of, she said, ‘I knew you’d save him.’
She took his hand and ran with him inside the hall, up a stair, along a narrow passage and past what appeared to be a small family chapel. Then into a chamber — not round, like the one in Geoffroi’s dream — where Hugh lay on a wide bed, his mother sitting beside him pressing a cloth to his forehead.
She looked up at Geoffroi.
She did not speak, but he read in her eyes, as clearly as if she had spoken aloud, my daughter believes in you, sir knight. Now let us see what you can do.
He said, ‘Greetings, my lady.’
‘Geoffroi.’ She bowed her head.
Hesitating only an instant, he said, putting all the authority he could summon into his voice, ‘I shall need water. Drinking water, if you have it.’
Ediva rose from her stool and fetched a jug and cup. ‘Here. Fresh from our own spring, cool and pure.’
He nodded. Very aware of the two pairs of eyes on him — Hugh lay as if asleep, except for his violent restlessness — he poured out half a cupful of water. Then, feeling foolish and unconfident — what if it fails? — he reached inside his tunic and beneath his undershirt and took out the leather bag. Removing the Eye, he held the jewel concealed in the palm of his hand. Then, keeping his movements hidden, he dropped it into the cup and swirled it around in the water.
Then, approaching the bed, he slid his hand and forearm beneath Hugh’s head, raised him a little from his damp pillows, and held the cup to the boy’s lips. Hugh took a sip, then another. Then, to Geoffroi’s surprise, he brought a hand out from beneath the bedcovers and grabbed the cup, gulping down the remainder of the water as if he hadn’t drunk for a week.
Then, the small effort having exhausted him, he slumped back on his pillows. He closed his eyes. After a few moments, he emitted a faint snore.
Into the stunned silence of the room, Ediva said, ‘Well! What have we here, Sir Geoffroi? A knight or a wizard?’
Not entirely sure that the remark should be taken as a joke, Geoffroi turned to her. He met her frank blue eyes, so like Ida’s. And made up his mind.
‘I was given a precious jewel,’ he said quietly. ‘In Damascus. I–I was able to render a service for an Emir and, although I swear to you that it was not done with reward in mind, he chose to make me this gift.’
For the first time since it had been in his possession, Geoffroi held up the Eye. He showed it first to Ediva, then to Ida, who gave a gasp.
‘And this jewel allows you to feed water into a sick boy who has refused a drop for the last two days?’ There was distinct irony in Ediva’s tone.
Geoffroi said, ‘I do not know, my lady.’ He hesitated. ‘That it has the power to assuage a fever is indeed one of the claims made by the man who gave it to me. And this is not the first time it has helped someone who was burning up.’
Ediva raised one eyebrow, but made no comment.
Desperate, wanting only to say the right thing and not alienate the mother of the young woman he loved, Geoffroi blurted out, ‘But you will have been praying, my lady, you and Ida both, and also there is the natural resilience of youth, and really I make no claim for the Eye, since it is far more likely that Hugh here was ready for a good drink, and that he-’
Surprisingly, Ediva began to laugh. ‘Geoffroi, my dear man, stop,’ she said, coming to stand beside him and placing her hand on his. ‘Who knows, ever, what brings about recovery — or the hope of it — when a loved one is sick? All that we know is that, for the instant, Hugh has at last drunk some water and seems a little better.’ She glanced down at her son. ‘Now, if you will stay with him, I wish to go to give thanks to God that my prayers have been answered.’
Geoffroi and Ida stood side by side as Ediva swept past and headed down the passage towards the chapel.
When she had gone, Ida said very softly, ‘There! I knew you’d come and I knew Hugh would get better.’ There was such certainty in her voice that his heart gave a lurch. In a whisper that he barely heard, she added, ‘I knew you wouldn’t let me down.’
Not thinking, letting his intuition guide him, he turned to her and took her little hands in his. ‘Ida, I will never let you down,’ he whispered back.
He would have said more — quite what, he did not know — but at that moment they heard a footstep out in the passage. In case it might be Ediva, on her way back, they sprang apart. Geoffroi went to the bed to lay a hand on Hugh’s forehead — sweating freely now, and correspondingly cooler — and Ida went to pour out some more water.