The palace is deserted but for Ms Lavish and the musicians, and the musicians stop playing and run for it even as the ducal party arrives.

The ducal party reached the end of the central walkway, halted and deployed.

The ducal party was only a few paces away now, their feet in desert boots crunching the sand.

Master Randolph was the first of the ducal party to go aboard, his handsome face alight with pleasure at the thought of the adventure he hoped awaited.

They cast around for perhaps fifteen minutes, at first touching only the consciousness of crew men and members of the ducal party aboard.

Kori jerked a thumb at the ducal party.

Now there was a great fanfare of trumpets because the ducal party was about to arrive.

The ducal party left the hall.

The crowds were sweeping forward; the ducal party and its retinue had now gone into the church; the service was in progress.

The center was held by the Normans, under the direct command of the duke and with many of his relatives and kinsmen grouped around the ducal party.