Love Wild and Fair

hard already you could break it off!' Smiling, Hussein handed the dice to the young navigator. 'Go on, Ibrahim. You first.' Ibrahim's toss netted him a three, and he laughed good-naturedly. 'I always end up last.' Abdul snatched up the dice, and chuckled as an eight showed. He eyed the naked girl, licking his lips in open anticipation. 'You'll have to go some to beat that, Hussein,' he gloated, but the first officer coolly took up the dice and, after rolling them around in his palm for a moment, suddenly threw them across the table. 'Allah curse you,' muttered Abdul as nine came up. Hussein laughed. Ibrahim, snatching up the dice, said to the angry second officer, 'Come on, Abdul… we might as well continue dicing while lucky Hussein has his turn with the girL'

Pushing Susan down onto the cushions, Hussein straddled his terrified prize. Hungrily he kissed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, darting about like wildfire, rousing emotions in the unwilling virgin that she had never known she could feel. His hands seemed everywhere, feeling eagerly, touching gently, squeezing cruelly. Then his hand was between her legs, seeking to ascertain the truth of virginity-he grunted satisfaction to find her intact. Struggling wildly, she tried to fight him off, and he laughed.

'I like spirit, wench, but you'll not win!' She felt his manhood hard and seeking against her thighs, and she tried to turn her body away. To her shame the other two men were kneeling at her side, encouraging Hussein and offering advice.

'Is the little virgin too much woman for you, Hussein?' mocked Abdul. 'Get off her, man. I'll show you how to put it in right!'

'Can we hold her down for you?' teased Ibrahim. 'I'll take the fight out of her when it's my turn.'

'She'll have no fight left after a real man's had her, boy,' bragged Abdul.

At that point Susan felt a burning pain spread through her loins, and she screamed with it But as Hussein moved quickly back and forth within her, the pain lessened and her screams died to a wailing moan. To her everlasting shame she could not control her own hips, and they moved in time with Hussein's. The man atop her suddenly convulsed and collapsed on her. He was quickly polled off. Above her, the bushy, bearded Abdul loosened his baggy pantaloons and fell on her. She tried to buck Mm off, but he slapped her cruelly, and her teeth cut her lower lip, drawing blood. He was in her quickly but, to the amusement of his companion, was as quickly drained of his passion.

The boy was immediately in his place, groaning and straining above her. Unable to bear any more, Susan fainted. But when she had regained consciousness, she found that her ordeal was not over. She was forced to submit to each of them again.

Finally, they let her sleep. But again in the morning she was forced to service each of them. By this time, however, her shame had eased, and she demanded they bring her water for washing the dried blood and semen from her thighs. Laughing and patting various parts of her anatomy, they brought her a small wooden tub and a rough towel, and somewhere Hussein found a sliver of soap, which he offered her, grinning.

Clean and wrapped in a towel, she demanded of him, 'And what am I to wear, you who were so quick to tear my only garment?'

'There's a trunk in your cabin. You'll find suitable garments in it for both you and your mistress.' Then he patted her cheek. 'You're a good little wench,' he said kindly. 'I hope we didn't hurt you too greatly last night.'

'No,' she whispered, blushing furiously. And fleeing back to the cabin next door, she allowed herself the luxury of a few tears. She found the trunk and, opening it, saw that it contained all manner of indecent-looking garments. She lifted out sheer silk pantaloons, gauze blouses, brocaded boleros, see-through little veils, and soft kid slippers.

'Are ye all right?' The question made her jump, and she turned to see Cat sitting up in the bunk.

'Aye, my lady.'

'Were ye raped?'

Susan's head drooped, and she sank down beside her mistress. 'Aye,' she whispered.

'Why did ye lie to me, lass? Ye were a virgin, weren't ye?'

Susan nodded, then said simply, 'I couldn't leave ye alone, my lady. I thought ye'd need me. It wasn't too terrible. Just the officers, and there were only three of them-one just a boy.'

Cat put a protective arm about her servant. 'Oh, Susan! I am so sorry, my dear. I would nae have had this happen to ye for all the world. I was no help to ye at all, fainting like a green girl! What has happened? Where are we? And who are they?'

'Everyone at the villa is dead except May. Once they had us they did not search further, thank God. They are Turkish corsairs, and have orders to convey us to Istanbul. Ye are to be a gift to the grand vizier, Cicalazade Pasha- from his sister, the Contessa di LiCosa.'

'What?' Cat's face was incredulous. ' 'Tis absurd! She carina do such a thing!' Then, 'My God! She has! I hope Francis strangles her! If her brother is anything like Angela…'

'Khair-ad-Din tells me that the vizier is very important. There will be no ransom. And no escape.'

Cat closed her eyes for a moment, then said, 'We must not panic. Yesterday I gave in to fear, but I will not allow it to conquer me again. I must survive to revenge myself on Angela di LiCosa. I must survive to return to Francis. Dinna be afraid, my faithful Susan.' The leaf-green eyes twinkled for a moment. 'Ye did tell me ye wanted to travel, did ye not, lass? What stories ye'll have to tell yer grandchildren!'

Susan couldn't help but laugh, and Cat was relieved. The young woman was indeed made of strong fiber. Well, why not? She was a Leslie!

'Get dressed, my girl, and pick something out for me too. My God, the garments are thin enough, aren't they? Oh, Susan-one thing. Confide in no one but me. Trust no one but me. Together we shall outwit the Turk. And I, for one, shall enjoy it!'

Happy to see that she had cheered Susan, Cat wondered silently to herself if there would ever come a time again when her life was quiet and orderly. Then, forcing herself to the humor in her predicament, she laughed and said, 'Oh, well, I should probably be very bored with an orderly existence!'

PART VII. THE VIZIER

Chapter 49

EVEN the fates seemed to be conspiring to whisk her quickly to her destination. The ship sped down the Tyrrhenian Sea through the Straits of Messina, and into the Mediterranean towards Crete, where they stopped to take on water and fresh food. A small shiver ruffled Cat's outward calm as she gazed at the shoreline and realized that she was following in her great-grandmother's footsteps.

For the first time the fairy story of Janet Leslie's life became real to her great-granddaughter, and Cat was afraid. She wondered if the thirteen-year-old Janet had been afraid. At least I won't be exhibited naked on the slave block, she thought with relief. If you please the grand vizier you won't, a small nagging voice whispered in her head. But what if he does not like you? How can you possibly compete with young girls? You are over thirty!

'Why do you frown so, little girl?' inquired Khair-ad-Din, who had taken to playing chess with her in the evenings. 'Are you finally ready to admit that I am a better chess player than a mere woman?'

Forced from her nightmare, Cat laughed. 'No, you old sea trout! I am not!' Then her lovely face became serious again.

'Tell me,' he said. 'Share your troubles with me, and perhaps I can ease them.'

'I am afraid, Khair-ad-Din. I am no nubile virgin to be offered to the grand vizier. I am a grown woman with children. I have been married twice. What can I possibly offer Cicalazade Pasha? He will laugh at his sister's gift, and sell me in some slave market.'