by Anne Herries
Eleanor felt hot and then cold. She trembled inwardly as she
remembered Suleiman’s words. In turn he had offered her both
gifts and threats—if he believed the gifts had not tempted her, he
might resort to punishment next. She had imagined he spoke of
the journal and scripts he had given her.
She went to her own rooms, folowed by a curious Anastasia
and Elizabetta, who had both heard what Karin had to say.
There, spread out over the divans, were robes of silk and cloth
of gold. A large casket had been placed against a wal, inside
which were other items of the finest materials she had ever seen.
On her desk was a smal wooden casket inlaid with ivory and
agates. Morna handed her a smal key, and when she opened the
casket she found a rope of beautiful emeralds and pearls strung
on gold wire. There was also a chain of emeralds for her wrist,
and a huge emerald pendant suspended from a headband of pure
gold.
‘Oh…’ Elizabetta breathed in awe as Eleanor lifted them out
to examine them more closely. ‘I have never seen such jewels.
They are much finer than anything Fatima has.’
‘No!’ Eleanor was aware of a feeling of terror as she realised
what the gift represented. ‘I cannot accept these—they must be
what the gift represented. ‘I cannot accept these—they must be
returned at once.’
‘Do not be foolish,’ Karin said from behind her. ‘Suleiman
has sent these things because he wishes to see you wearing them.
He is obviously planning to send for you soon—which means
there is no time to be lost. You wil spend this evening with me. I
shal explain to you exactly what wil happen when Suleiman
sends for you.’
‘Please…do not,’ Eleanor whispered her throat tight with
fear. ‘I cannot. I cannot be what you and he want me to be.’
‘You must—for your own sake and ours,’ Karin told her with
what was a severe look for her. ‘Suleiman has always been
generous, but he is a man and men have a lurking beast in their
nature. A clever woman knows how to subdue that beast, to
have it tamely eating from her hand. You are the one Suleiman
has chosen to be his wife…’
‘His wife? How do you know?’ Eleanor looked at her with
frightened eyes. ‘Has he spoken of this to you?’
‘No, not yet—but I know. These jewels are priceless. He
would not give them to a mere concubine. Suleiman wil take you
for his wife, Eleanor. You are the most fortunate of women, for
he wil give you al that your heart desires—even take you
outside the palace with him. Your life wil be so much better than
it could ever have been as one of the concubines. You must
accept the inevitable. You have no choice.’
Chapter Six
Eleanor was forced to spend the evening with Karin in her
apartments. She was treated kindly, and the food served to her
was the most delicious she had tasted either here at the palace or
elsewhere, but she was here for a purpose and there was no
escaping the lessons Karin was determined she must learn.
Her cheeks grew warm for shame as the older woman
described things that their master might ask her to do—and
others he might do to her if he chose. It al seemed terribly
wicked to Eleanor, and yet there was a very odd feeling in her
lower abdomen as Karin described the pleasures Suleiman could
give her. She found herself remembering the sensations his kiss
had aroused in her and trembled. Surely such things were wrong
—a woman was not supposed to take pleasure in what she had
been taught was a sin unless sanctified by marriage.
‘But I cannot alow…’ She swalowed hard, unable to meet
the other’s eyes. ‘I mean…it is not decent. Surely no respectable
woman could do…al those things?’
Karin smiled gently. ‘I know it must seem strange to you, and
perhaps sinful. You have not been taught these things as many of
our women have by their mothers. Some have been trained for
years simply to arouse a man’s sexuality—some to give pleasure
in other ways. But always to please, to obey without question.’
‘I have thought…’ Eleanor blushed. ‘It was pleasant when he
kissed me…’
‘He has kissed you…nothing else? Nothing of which I have
just spoken?’
‘No! I would not alow it.’ Eleanor was indignant! ‘I pushed
him away…and yet I did not truly want to stop him kissing me.’
Karin laughed at this confession. ‘I believe I have been
wasting my time, Eleanor. It seems you need no teacher. I
suspect that Suleiman wishes to teach you himself. Yes…’ She
seemed struck by this thought and nodded to herself. ‘Perhaps
he grows tired of women who are skiled in these arts. Perhaps
he looks for something different…’
‘Perhaps you are wrong?’ Eleanor looked at her anxiously.
‘He may just forget me. Perhaps he wil never send for me
again.’
‘No, I do not think so,’ Karin replied. ‘Fatima was angry
when she returned to the harem this morning. I think Suleiman no
longer favours her—he wants you. You must be careful of her,
Eleanor. She wil harm you if she can.’
‘Surely not?’ Eleanor frowned. ‘I have done nothing to make
our lord favour me above her. I believed he was angry with me. I
know he was! He may yet send the eunuchs to take back his
gifts.’
Karin shook her head at her. ‘You foolish girl! Do not fight
your fate, Eleanor. I think it was written in the stars that you
should come here—and I think your destiny wil affect al of us.
Indeed, it has already begun to do so in smal ways—but the
Indeed, it has already begun to do so in smal ways—but the
choices you make may have far greater consequences for al of
us.’
‘What do you mean? Suleiman would not punish the others
because he is angry with me—would he?’ Eleanor stared at her
in surprise. ‘I had not thought him so unfair…’
‘No, I did not mean that,’ Karin replied. ‘But my horoscope
was cast some days ago and I was told that change was coming.
Not just for me, but for others I cared for.’
Eleanor was silent. She knew that many people scoffed at
such predictions, but her father had believed there was merit in
them if honestly done. He had shown her how to read a chart,
and she knew that predictions of a trend could be frighteningly
accurate. She had known that her family would have to pass
through a period of danger, and that they would be forced to
leave their own land, long before it happened. There was more
truth in the stars than any man knew.
‘I pray that I do not bring bad fortune to you, Karin.’
‘I believe that what happens here in the future is in your
hands, Eleanor. You can bring good or evil…the outcome rests
with you and you should think carefuly before you reject your
duty.’
It was a heavy burden to carry, and Eleanor was thoughtful as
&n
bsp; she returned to her own apartments later that evening. She found
Morna working franticaly to restore the rooms to order, and
saw that some mischief had been done in her absence. Her
clothes were on the floor, and ink had been spiled on some
papers on her desk.
papers on her desk.
‘What has happened here?’ she asked, looking displeased at
the confusion.
‘Forgive me, my lady,’ Morna begged. ‘Fatima sent for me;
when I returned, I found that naughty monkey making havoc
amongst your things. I think nothing has been spoiled—except
those papers. Are they very important?’
Eleanor looked at them anxiously, but to her relief the papers
that had ink spiled on them were some she had already copied.
‘I shal have to explain what happened to the lord Suleiman
when I see him.’ she said. ‘It was not your fault, Morna. What
did Fatima want of you?’
‘She said she had not sent for me, that I must have been given
the wrong message—but it was her servant Dinazade who
summoned me.’ Morna frowned. ‘I think it was she who set the
monkey loose in here, on Fatima’s orders.’
‘Yes, perhaps you are right,’ Eleanor agreed. ‘I shal ask
Karin to order that the monkey be shut in its cage at night so that
this does not happen again. Much precious work might have
been lost had other papers than these been destroyed, and then
the lord Suleiman would have been angry.’
‘If you give the order it wil be obeyed, my lady.’
‘Why—what do you mean?’
‘Everyone says you are to be Suleiman Bakhar’s wife. You
wil then rule the harem. Al the women wil obey you.’
‘What of Fatima?’ Eleanor frowned. ‘I do not think she wil
obey me.’
‘Then you may have her punished. You could have her
‘Then you may have her punished. You could have her
beaten for this if you choose. I am sure the eunuchs would obey
you.’
‘I do not choose,’ Eleanor replied. ‘I believe that Fatima may
have caused this to be done—but it is merely a spiteful prank. I
would not have her beaten for it. Besides, if it is true—if she is
no longer our lord’s favourite—she is suffering enough. I believe
she truly cares for him in her way.’
‘Fatima cares only for herself.’
Eleanor frowned. She knew that the other women did not like
Fatima, and she suspected that some of the bolder ones might
now try to punish her.
‘Fatima may yet regain Suleiman’s favour,’ she warned her
servant. ‘No one should assume that her rule is over. I think it
would go hard with those who do if he should change his mind
and send for her again.’
Morna was regarding her thoughtfuly, and Eleanor knew that
her words would be repeated in the harem. It was al she could
do to help Fatima, and perhaps more than she deserved.
‘Come into the garden,’ Anastasia said persuasively. ‘You
work too much, Eleanor—and it is such a lovely afternoon.’
‘Yes, I shal stop now,’ Eleanor replied. She sighed and laid
down her quil. ‘I have finished al the work Suleiman set for me.
I shal give the journal to Karin and ask her to deliver it.’
Standing up, she shrugged off a faint feeling of tiredness. She
had worked hard this past week—a week during which
had worked hard this past week—a week during which
Suleiman had been silent. No one—not even Karin—had been
sent for. Some said that their master had been training even
harder than usual, some said that he had been out with his hawks
every day—and others thought he had left the palace for a
hunting trip with the Caliph.
Karin had told Eleanor that this last was not true. The Caliph
had been working as always.
‘He is a good and just man,’ she said to Eleanor. ‘I was
fortunate—though I was only his second wife. He loved
Suleiman’s mother and no other.’
‘Did you give the Caliph children?’
‘Two daughters—both are married now,’ Karin said a little
sadly. ‘They married into good families, but I never see them. I
should like to visit them one day.’
‘Would that be permitted?’
‘If they lived in this city, yes,’ Karin replied. ‘My lord is
generous. I am alowed to visit my brother’s family sometimes—
but my daughters live far away. I have my duties here for the
moment, and cannot be spared—nor would I wish to leave while
things remain as they are.’
‘And if Suleiman had a wife?’
‘Then I might be granted permission to leave for a while.’
‘I see. You must hope that he wil marry soon.’
‘Only if he chooses the right woman. Fatima would make life
intolerable for the others if I were not here to restrain her.’ She
frowned. ‘I do not understand why Suleiman has not sent for you
frowned. ‘I do not understand why Suleiman has not sent for you
before this.’
‘Perhaps he is stil angry with me?’
Eleanor had wondered why she had heard nothing more from
Suleiman Bakhar. Did he think her ungrateful for his gifts? She
would have thanked him had she been given the chance. Indeed,
she was anxious to do so.
‘Listen to the birds caling,’ Anastasia said, recaling her to the
present. ‘Someone has been cleaning their cage…’
Eleanor’s attention was drawn towards the aviary of singing
birds that Suleiman had sent to them. Her nerves tingled as she
looked at the servant who had been tending them, and something
about the slight figure who was now bending down to fasten the
cage securely touched a chord in her.
‘Richard!’ she cried, her relief and pleasure in seeing her
brother again leaping up in her. He was alive! Alive! Oh, God be
praised! Her brother was alive and here in the palace. She forgot
caution, and al that Karin and the others had taught her. ‘Oh,
Richard, my dearest!’
She was racing towards him as he turned and saw her. His
face lit up with pleasure as he heard her cal his name again and
knew her for his sister. He moved towards her, his arms opening
to receive her as she flung herself at him.
‘Eleanor,’ he choked, emotion weling over. ‘My beloved
sister. I have thought you dead long since. How are you—have
these devils harmed you?’ His eyes went over her and she saw
understanding dawn as he realised how scantily she was dressed.
‘You are one of our master’s—’ but she was pressing her fingers
‘You are one of our master’s—’ but she was pressing her fingers
to his lips, kissing his cheek and hugging him, cutting off the
terrible thoughts. ‘It does not matter. Father would not think il of you, Eleanor…he loved you too much. He would want you to
live no matter what you were forced…’
‘I am not yet…’ she told him as soon as she could bear to
stop kissing him. ‘But I think Suleiman may soon take me as his
wife…’
‘Those murdering devils des
erve to boil in oil for what they
have done,’ Richard said bitterly. ‘I hate them al and would kil
every last one of them if I could.’
‘No, no, my dearest,’ she choked. ‘You must not say such
things. Suleiman Bakhar is not like those men who…’ The words
died on her lips as she saw three of the eunuchs coming towards
them. There was no mistaking their purpose, and Eleanor
suddenly realised what she had done. ‘Oh, no! It is forbidden for
a man to be within these gardens. How did you come here?
They have not altered you? You are not as they are?’ Her fear
was that he had been made less than a man, and given the work
here, but he shook his head, denying it. Then, seeing the
approaching eunuchs, he realised that he was in danger and she
saw fear in his face. ‘Who sent you here?’ she asked, sensing
some mischief.
‘I think his name was Abu…he is chief eunuch of the
harem…’
‘No! No…no longer…’
It was the last thing either of them managed to say to each
other before they were both seized. Eleanor’s arm was taken in
other before they were both seized. Eleanor’s arm was taken in
a firm grasp, though she was not roughly handled, but Richard
resisted fiercely and was knocked to the ground and then
dragged to his feet by the two eunuchs. She heard his stifled cry
of pain and turned to her captor, begging him to save her
brother.
‘Please…he did no harm. He did not know where he was…
he was sent here by…’
‘Be quiet, woman! You wil not speak until your master tels
you!’
‘You are taking us to Suleiman?’
Eleanor looked at his harsh face but there was nothing more
to be gained from him. She glanced back at her brother and saw
that he was fighting his captors, which meant that they were
dragging him along the ground much of the time. She wanted to
tel him not to fight, but knew that anything she said might result
in him being struck again.
It was al her fault…al her fault. She ought to have
remembered what Morna had told her on her first night in the
harem—the women were always watched. By her impulsive
action she had brought this trouble on them both, and she was
very afraid for her brother. She might be beaten, but her brother
—Richard could be put to death simply for being in the harem.