The fat man sitting opposite her looked back at her with sympathy. 'Little girl,' he said patiently, 'have you looked in a mirror lately? There is not a man alive who, given his choice between you and some poor virgin, would choose the virgin. And neither would Cicalazade Pasha. His harem is quite famous. The vizier prefers beauty, charm, and wit to innocence. Let the sultan amuse himself with a weekly procession of virgins-not so with my lord Cicalazade. And another thing, my beauty. If my lord Cicalazade desires to sell you off, I will buy you myself!' And his laughter rumbled throughout the cabin. 'I have as much chance of that as I do of being pope,' he wheezed, chuckling happily.
The ship sailed on into the Aegean Sea, skirting the small Greek islands. When the ship slipped through the Dardanelles and into the Sea of Marmara, Cat felt a wrench of real loss, knowing that she now had truly left her world.
Already the Turkish clothing she wore felt familiar and comfortable, and she could not help but wonder what Cicalazade Pasha was like. Perhaps when she explained the situation to him he would accept a ransom for her, and allow her and Susan to return home. His reputation belied that of a man so desperate for a woman that he would hold one against her will. Cat comforted herself with that thought. He sounded almost civilized.
They reached Istanbul in late afternoon when the sun was spreading its light across the Golden Horn, giving the newcomers an understanding of the famed waterway's name. Khair-ad-Din sent a messenger immediately to the palace of the grand vizier, and within an hour a closed litter and a troup of armed guards appeared at the ship to take them away,
'It is unlikely I will ever see you again, little girl,' said Khair-ad-Din to Cat. 'May Allah guide you-even if you are a better chess player than I am.'
The tears sprang to her eyes. Impulsively, she kissed Ms cheek. He patted her shoulder and led her onto the deck, where he turned her and Susan over to a black eunuch. -
'I suppose, captain,' said the eunuch pettishly to Khair-ad-Din, 'that they do not understand Turkish. Which of the barbaric Western tongues must I use?''
Cat stamped her foot angrily and, speaking in flawless Turkish, berated the eunuch. *Toad! Uncircumcised spawn of pig's offal! How dare you speak to me in such a fashion? In my land I am a great lady. I will not be shown disrespect by such as you!'
The eunuch almost fainted, and Khair-ad-Din bit back his laughter. 'The noble lady speaks the truth, Osman. Though she be here against her will, she is a special gift from Cicalazade's sister. She and her servant are to be treated gently.'
Osman eyed Cat warily. Here was trouble. His judgment of women slaves was always infallible, and this one would be trouble. 'How is it, noble lady, that you speak our tongue? Does your servant also?'
'I learned many languages as a child,” replied Cat, 'and yours was one of them. My servant is just learning, but has a good ear.'
The eunuch nodded. 'It is always easier when they understand yom,” he observed to Khalr-ad-Bin as if Cat wasn't there. 'Very well noble lady,' he said, turning back to her, 'if you and your woman will follow me to the litter.' He looked at them. 'Are your veils tight? Ah, yes, I can see that they are.'
And before she could say another word, she and Susan were hustled off the ship. She barely had time to turn and raise her hand in a gesture of farewell to Khair-ad-Din. The curtains were pulled tightly shut, and she felt a little jolt as the slaves raised the litter and trotted off. She and Susan looked at each other in wonder. Where were they going? They would have given anything to peek through the hangings, but when they ventured a peep out, Osman squeaked with outrage.
The litter moved at an even pace through the noise, breeze, and sea smell of the waterfront to the noise, heat, and human smells of the city, and then to the cooler, quieter area near the Yeni Serai of the sultan. Here along the shores of the Bosporus near the imperial palace was located the smaller palace of the grand vizier. Safe within its courtyard the litter stopped, and was set down, and the curtains opened.
'Please to step out, noble lady,' said Osman, and they climbed from the litter. 'Your servant will be taken to your quarters, noble lady. You are to come with me to Haramid, the grand eunuch.' And Susan found herself being led off by a black slavewoman.
Cat followed Osman into the palace through what seemed a maze of corridors, and finally through a large, carved door into a square room. Sitting on a pile of cushions was a short but enormous coal-black man, dressed in red and blue silk robes. Upon his head was a cloth-of-silver turban with a large center ruby.
'Make obeisance to the grand eunuch,' hissed Osman frantically, falling to his knees and bowing low.
'Insect,' she whispered fiercely at him. 'I am a king's cousin. I kneel to no one but God and my lord.'
Rich laughter rumbled forth from the great mountain of flesh. 'Well said, woman! My lord Cicalazade likes spirit-provided it is tempered with wisdom.' The voice was high, and seemed strange in so large a man. 'Osman, wait outside.' And as Osman left, the head eunuch turned to Cat. 'I am Hammid, master of the vizier's household. What is your name, my beauty?'
Drawing herself up proudly, she said, 'I am the Lady Catriona Stewart-Hepburn, the Countess of Bothwell. I am a cousin to his majesty King James of Scotland, who will, on the death of Queen Elizabeth, also be King of England. I am here against my will, having been kidnapped with my servant from my home by your master's sister. She covets my husband, and he refused her. She thinks to revenge herself on us by sending me here. If you will but send word to my husband, Lord Bothwell, he will pay your master double whatever ransom he wishes. There will be a rich reward for you also.'
'The vizier is not in the habit of collecting ransoms, woman. You were not sent here for that purpose, as you are well aware. If the vizier's sister wished to extort monies from you she would have done so. She wished you removed from your husband, and saw a chance to do her brother a good turn at the same time.' He watched her from beneath hooded lids to see the effect his words would have on her. This was his way of judging her worth. He would have been very disappointed had she not showed spirit.
'I am a married woman,' said Cat. 'I will not submit to your master. I would sooner be dead!'
The eunuch's laughter again rumbled across the room. 'Nonsense,' he said. 'You are life itself! Do not make idle threats. I have dealt too long with your sex to know when they are serious about suicide.' He saw the glint of tears in her eyes, but she shed not a one, and he was pleased that she showed courage in this difficult situation. 'Do not be afraid, woman. You are not to be delivered shrieking to my master. You will need a few days of rest to recover from your ordeal, and to observe our ways. Come closer now so I may see you better.'
She slowly moved forward until she was standing directly in front of him.
'Disrobe for me, woman.'
'No!' She looked startled at -his request, even mutinous.
Hammid sighed. 'I do not wish to embarrass you, woman, but if you do not obey me I shall simply call in Osman, and he will do it for me.'
For a moment she stood rigid with anger, determined to make it difficult for him. Then, realizing the futility of her situation she shrugged and slowly pulled the veil from her face and then from her head. Next she removed the satin brocade bolero. Her fingers trembled as she undid the tiny pearl buttons on the gauze blouse and took it off. Lastly she kicked the kid slippers from her feet, and stepped from the silk pantaloons.
'Put your hands up behind your head, woman,' and when she obeyed
He clapped Ms hands, and Osman reappeared to lead her out Hammid sat motionless for a moment after they left, and then said, 'Well, master, I think your sister has unknowingly done you a great kindness. What do you think of the woman?'
A tall man stepped from behind a carved screen behind the grand eunuch. 'She is magnificent! Allah, Hammid, I am eager to have her! Already my loins burn to have her beneath me, helpless and half-fainting with my love!'
'Gently, my lord. She will be yours, I promise you, but first I must win her over and gain her trust. This is a prize worth waiting for, my lord.'
