Frightened, they scurried after him up to the deck and down the gangway. On the dock was a large, closed litter.
“Get in,” snarled their captor, and they quickly obeyed. “You’re going to the baths to be cleaned and prettied up,” he explained. “Do whatever they tell you to do. You’ll be sold at auction tonight. Be thankful Allah gave you beauty with your purity or you could have ended up like the others in your village.” He yanked the curtains shut and the litter began to move.
Celestine looked to her cousin Marie. “Shall we kill ourselves?” she whispered fearfully.
“Non, non, chérie,”scolded Marie. “We will pretend to meekly accept our fates, and perhaps later we can escape.”
“But if we are sold we shall be separated,” wailed Renée. Shehad been the village innkeeper’s only child, and was terribly spoiled, having been raised knowing that her dowry was the largest of any girl’s for fifty miles around. “How could you, a nun, suggest we yield to the infidel?”
“I am not a nun, Renée. I was a postulant for one short month. I do know, however, that God has forbidden us to suicide. Whatever I must endure in His name I shall. We are not in Tour de la Mer any longer, and it is unlikely we’ll ever see it again.”
At the baths the girls were scrubbed, massaged, bathed, denuded of body hair, creamed, and perfumed. Their long beautiful hair was washed, dried, and brushed until it shone. Marie’s rich chestnut curls were appreciated, but the blond locks of Renée and Celestine made them far more valuable. They were garbed in transparent silks and fed a light meal of capon breast and sweet fruit sherbet.
Promptly at moonrise the auction began. As they watched, Marie felt a soft languor steal over her, and realized they had been drugged to insure their cooperation. Helplessly she watched as Renée was sold to a fat black Sudanese merchant whose delight as he bore her off was evident. Renée opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came forth. Only her terrified blue eyes told of her fear.
Girl after girl was sold, and then it was Marie’s turn. Khalid el Bey quickly bought her, and because he looked kind she begged him to buy Celestine too. The bey was agreeable, but the eunuch who ran the harem of the captain-governor had marked Celestine for his master. Khalid el Bey was forced by etiquette to withdraw from the bidding for Celestine.
Marie was placed in the House of Felicity and trained as a courtesan. But when the time came for her to make her debut Khalid el Bey chose her to be a gift to Jean.
Celestine was not as fortunate. Her initial resistance to Jamil assured her immediate success with him. But the naive young girl fell in love with the cruel captain-governor, which made his interest wane. When he instructed his eunuch to sell the French girl off, Celestine committed suicide by leaping from the roof of one of the Casbah towers.
Marie had been devastated by her cousin’s tragic death. It seemed especially sad in light of her own good fortune. Jean’s strong love had supported Marie through the worst of it. But the captain-governor had made a bitter enemy in the young Breton girl. Marie did not know how, but she was determined to have her revenge.
Thoughts of vendetta, however, were far from Marie’s mind on this day. She was delighted to know that her mistress was also pregnant. “I can deliver both our babies,” she told Skye proudly. “My mother was the finest midwife in three villages, and I helped her many times.”
“The doctor tells me,” said Skye, “that I have borne more than one child, but of course I do not remember,” she sighed. “I wonder about those children. Are they alive? Are they boys or girls? How old are they?”
“Madam must not fret,” chided Marie.
Skye smiled sadly at the girl who, though several years younger than she, still attempted to mother her. “I cannot help but wonder if my children miss and mourn their mother,” she said. Tears filled Marie’s hazel eyes and Skye felt guilty and hugged the girl. “Now I’ve made you sad, and I did not mean to do so. I have heard that pregnant women are subject to emotional vagaries. Is it not true? I grow morbid, and you weep.” She made a face at herself, and Marie laughed through her tears.
Skye smiled back, then asked, “Master Jean, are we through for the day? If so, Marie and I shall spend the rest of the afternoon luxuriating in the bath.”
The bey’s secretary nodded. As Khalid el Bey was a good, kind, and gentle man, so was his wife a great lady, and Jean was grateful that she extended her friendship to his wife. “Go along, my lady. You have gotten so far ahead of me with the accounts that it will take me at least two days to catch up.” He smiled with contentment as the two women left him. Life was good here in the bey’s household.
In the early evening before the meal was served, Captain Robert Small arrived at the bey’s home, laden with gifts for Skye, shouting lusty greetings. Khalid delighted in the bluff seaman’s thoughtfulness, but Skye was truly touched by the care that had so obviously gone into Small’s choice of gifts. There were several bolts of fine China silk, rare spices, and a long strand of pearls from the East Indies. From the New World Captain Small had brought an intricately carved box of solid gold, lined in white velvet, containing the most magnificent necklace, bracelet, and earrings of Colombian emeralds that Khalid el Bey had ever seen. The emeralds, set in gold, glittered with a blue fire found in only the finest stones. “They reminded me of your eyes,” muttered the captain, flushing with the words.
“Why, Robbie,” smiled Skye, “how observant you are, and howvery, very generous.” She bent and kissed his ruddy cheek. “My thanks.”
“You’ll eat with us,” said Khalid. It was not a question. Skye left to inform the cook.
The seaman settled himself on a comfortable divan. “I need not ask, Khalid, for I see the married life suits you well.”
“Very well, Robbie. Do you think fatherhood will suit me also?”
“She isn’t!” A look of sheer delight crossed the Englishman’s face as the bey nodded. “She is! By God, Khalid, you dog! My next trip back I’ll have a fine gift for your son!”
“Or my daughter.”
“Nay, man, a brace of lads first, then a lass to spoil is always best. Do it that way.”
Khalid laughed heartily. “The deed is already done, my friend. We must take what Allah offers, and be grateful.”
The dinner arrived quickly, and Robert Small lowered himself to the table amid the pillows. Skye sat at one end directing the servants. There was a whole leg of baby lamb rubbed with garlic and stuck with sprigs of rosemary set upon a nest of greens and surrounded by tiny roasted white onions. A white bowl held small green artichokes in olive oil and red wine vinegar. Another bowl was filled with fluffy white rice mixed with sesame seeds, sliced black olives, green peppers, and sautéed onions. There were flat dishes of boiled eggs, purple and brown olives, strips of red pimiento, and tender green scallions. A basket of round, flat loaves of warm bread and a silver dish of sweet butter completed the main course of this simple family meal. Discreetly attentive slaves kept the three crystal goblets filled with subtly spiced fresh pomegranate juice.
The main course finished, the slaves removed the plates and brought in silver bowls of warm, scented water and tiny linen towels. Desert consisted of a huge platter of fresh fruits, golden brown dates, round Seville oranges, great black figs, bunches of purple and green grapes, sweet red cherries, and both green and golden pears. A filigreed basket was passed, containing tiny pastry horns filled with a mixture of chopped almonds and honey. Skye brewed the dark rich Turkish coffee.
Afterward, hot steaming towels were offered to cleanse sticky fingers, and water pipes were brought to the gentlemen. Two pretty young girls played and sang softly in the background while the men smoked and talked. Skye noticed that Khalid seemed sleepier thanusual, and she teased him. “It is I who should be tired now, my lord, not you.”
