All the Sweet Tomorrows

palace itself where Turkhan lay soundly asleep, unsuspecting that he had at last escaped her web. Dawn would not break for several hours yet, and by then they would be safely at sea. He didn't know how long he sat silently watching as the city grew more and more distant, but suddenly he felt the full swell of the sea as the ship passed out of the sheltered harbor.

The door to the cabin opened and Robert Small entered the room again. 'There now, m'lord. We're safely away.'

'Skye? Why isn't she aboard?' Niall demanded anxiously.

Robbie poured himself a whiskey and seated himself next to Lord Burke. 'It was thought if you both escaped at the same time a link between you might be established which would in time lead back to Osman and his family. ''Twould be a poor way to repay Osman, for 'twas he who told us you were yet alive, and arranged for Lady Burke to get to Fez to verify your existence.'

'When will she come, Robbie? When?' Niall stuffed another jelly into his mouth, which, despite the whiskey, seemed dry and scratchy.

'A few days at the most, m'lord. We'll just sit quietly off the coast waiting for her. Bran Kelly and his crew will be there to take her out.'

Niall nodded. 'He's a good man, Bran. Did he ever marry Skye's little Daisy?'

'Last year, m'lord, and within nine months of the wedding she gave him a red-faced and squalling son. They're waiting in Devon for you both.'

'No England,' Niall said. 'I want to see Ireland again! I want to go home.'

“The children, most of them, are at Wren Court with Cecily.'

'My bairns?' Niall was surprised. 'Why?'

'Mistress Skye felt them safer with Cecily in Devon.'

'Safer than with my father at Burke Castle?' Again Niall was surprised by Skye's seemingly strange actions.

Robbie hesitated a moment, and then he began to speak. He was going to have to tell Lord Burke everything, for the man was full of questions, having been out of touch almost three years.

When his friend had finished, Niall nodded. Now he understood. Skye had done well despite the odds, but then she had always been competent in a man's world. The fact that she had survived without him he found unreasonably irritating, even though he knew that she had done it before. She was an unusual woman, but he loved her.

“Then we wait,' he said to Robbie, and the little man heaved a great sigh of relief. Niall laughed. 'What, Robbie? Did you think I was going to order an immediate attack upon the city of Algiers in order to rescue my wife?' He was beginning to feel better, almost elated with the sure knowledge that he would soon see her.

'You've been known in the past to act rashly, m'lord,' was the honest reply.

“True, Robbie. 'Tis a fault Skye's often accused me of, but I think my time in captivity has taught me patience.' He grinned mischievously. 'Although I will not guarantee it, for once I am back in my own land I may very easily revert to my old ways.'

Robbie chuckled. 'I'll not question yer behavior in Ireland, m'lord, only here while we have yet to regain Mistress Skye. Ye'll find the cabin comfortable, and if you need anything you've but to ask. As you've said, we wait.'

***

In the early afternoon Skye met Alima in the baths, who whispered once they were out of earshot of the bath attendants, 'Your husband escaped this morning, and is safely at sea, dearest lady.'

“Thank God!' Skye breathed, and Alima squeezed her hand comfortingly.

'Osman says that the princess is hysterical and furious by turns. The Dey is embarrassed that a prized slave could walk with ease from his well-guarded palace, and no one claims to have seen him go. He has not been seen in the town, and it is a great mystery. The city guards have, of course, been doubled. It will be difficult for the next few days for you to leave. My husband advises patience.'

Skye laughed ruefully. 'From the moment I was introduced to Kedar I have been patient, but the next days will be the worst, Alima. Still, knowing that my Niall is safe lifts the burden from my heart!'

Again Alima squeezed Skye's hand and smiled warmly at her. 'Let us walk in the gardens after we have bathed,' she suggested, 'and perhaps you will tell me again of life in your Queen's fabulous court.'

'Of course!' Skye agreed generously. She knew how very much Alima enjoyed hearing of Elizabeth Tudor's court, and French-born as she was, of the beautiful clothing worn by the men and women alike. Skye had many times explained in detail the quantity of beautiful gowns in her own possession, and as the two women wandered hand in hand in the garden she wondered if her clothes would now be all out of style. It was a thought she shared with Alima, who clapped her hands excitedly and exclaimed, 'Oh, I hope so, lady Skye! Then you can have all new gowns made! How wonderful!'

Skye laughed, and it was the merry sound of her laughter that attracted the notice of the blond woman who had been pacing restlessly in Osman's library. The woman peered through the latticework that covered the windows down into the garden. She stared hard, and her breath quickened with excitement. 'Who are those women in your garden, lord Osman?' she demanded sharply.

Osman arose from the rather disquieting chart he had been silently reading, and peered down. 'It is my wife, and my nephew's favorite, Muna, who is her dearest friend. Why do you ask, lady Nilak?'

“The dark-haired one reminds me of someone I once knew.' She turned from the window with reluctance, and then asked, 'Well, lord Osman? You are reputed to be the most famous astrologer in all of Algiers, in fact one of the best in the known world. What does my chart tell you?'

'It tells me you have done much evil, lady Nilak. It tells me that you are not one bit repentant for your wicked ways. You are as much the director of your own fate as are the stars.'

She laughed harshly. 'I am not interested in the past, lord Osman. Tell me of the present! Will the lord Jamil marry me? Tell me of the future! Will the Sultan make him the new Dey? Will we rule Algiers together? These are the things that interest me, nothing more! Jamil has recommended you highly. Tell me what you see?'

'I see death in your chart,' he said flatly.

Horrified, the woman stepped back, her hand going to her throat. 'You lie!” she hissed at him. 'You are nothing but a fraud! A faker! You know nothing! Nothing!'

'I see your death,' Osman repeated, 'and before dying you will cause the death of at least two people.'

With a small shriek of anger and horror Nilak turned and fled the room. Osman did not bother to follow her. He was far too excited by what he had learned. Quickly he drew both Skye and Kedar's charts from their places on the shelves. Reaching up, he drew down yet another rolled parchment, this one belonging to Jamil, once the capitan commander of the Casbah fortress, now retired with the rank of full commander, or agha. Spreading the three charts upon the large library table next to the one he had just done for the lady Nilak, he studied them carefully with growing interest. There was no mistake. The four people represented were fated to meet, and their conjunction would end in death for three of them. Osman closed his eyes briefly. Most of the time he enjoyed his gift of sight, but there were times, times like this, when he saw things that gave him pain. Then he did not enjoy his special ability. Perhaps, just perhaps, he might be able to prevent a tragedy, for every soul was offered two paths by which to travel. Wearily he sat down and tried to think what he might do.

While Osman pondered on what he had seen, Nilak hurried downstairs and climbed back into her silk-draped palanquin. Sharply she ordered her slaves to quickly return her to her house. The girl in the garden had been Skye O'Malley's twin, and Jamil had been enamored of Skye when she was in Algiers. If she, Nilak, could bring the girl to Jamil's attention, and if she could buy the wench from Osman's nephew, would not Jamil be grateful to her? Would he not see that she loved him, and was looking out for his interests? She did not care if Jamil fucked the girl a dozen times a day, as long as she, Claire O’Flaherty, now known as the lady Nilak, was Jamil Agha's wife.

She smiled contentedly. She was going to make Jamil so very happy, and then too, she would be happy as wife to the Sultan's new Dey. Surely Jamil would gain the appointment to govern Algiers once the old man who now