Lost Love Found (45 page)

“Great-uncle!”

Javid Khan looked down to see an almond-eyed girl of about four standing by his chair. “Who are you?” he asked her.

“I am Aisha, daughter of Mangu Khan by his third wife, granddaughter of the Great Khan Devlet. Will you tell me a story, Great-uncle?”

Javid Khan lifted the child to his lap and settled her there. “What kind of a story would you like to hear, Aisha, my great-niece?” he asked her, warmed by her attention. He was enchanted by this little child who bore the name of his long-dead second wife.

“Tell me a story of love, Great-uncle!” the child answered.

“A story of love,” he repeated, and thought for a long moment.

“Great-uncle!” Aisha tugged impatiently at his robe, her small, round baby’s face eager.

“A love story, is it? Well, my jewel, how shall I begin? Once upon a time, long, long ago in a land far to the west, and over the stormy seas, there lived a beautiful princess—”

“A princess?” said Aisha excitedly. “What was the princess’s name, Great-uncle? What was her name?”

“Her name, my child, was Marjallah,” replied Javid Khan, and his light blue eyes were filled with sadness.

“And was there a handsome prince who loved her?” the little girl demanded, all impatience.

“Aye, my jewel.” He nodded. “There was a prince who loved her.”

“What was his name, Great-uncle?” The child’s face was alight with curiosity.

“His name, little one, was Javid Khan,” replied the prince, “and he loved the Princess Marjallah so very much that for his whole life there was never another. But you are getting ahead of me. I must begin again. Once upon a time, long, long ago in a land far to the west, and over the stormy seas, there lived a beautiful princess, and her name was Marjallah.…”

Part IV

I
STANBUL

S
UMMER
-A
UTUMN
1602

Chapter 10

“I
have lost you!” cried the Earl of Kempe, on seeing Valentina for the first time in three weeks. “I knew I should not have remained here while you made your journey!”

They stood—Valentina, Padraic, Murrough, Tom Ashburne, and the open-mouthed Nelda—within the privacy of the ship’s main cabin.

Valentina caught his hands in hers and looked up into his handsome face. His misty-gray eyes were smoky with pain, and she was deeply sorry that she should have to inflict this hurt on him. “Tom, dearest Tom! You never had me, so you cannot have lost me,” she said. She sighed. “I think that I have loved Padraic my whole life. As a child, I adored him as my favorite big cousin, but somewhere my feelings changed. I could not admit to those feelings, however. So stubborn was I in facing the truth that I was not able to decide on a husband for myself. How could I when I warred within myself? I found fault with all of my suitors. Perhaps that was my way of remaining unwed until I could face the truth in my heart. But when Anne and Bevin desired so desperately to wed the men they loved and Mama would not allow them their happiness until I had made up my mind, I pushed my confused emotions away and made a practical choice.”

“Edward Barrows,” Tom said dully.

“Aye, poor Ned! I often wonder, if his fate had not become intwined with mine, might he be alive today? That frets me, Tom, for he was a good man.”

“Then there is no chance at all for me, divinity?” he asked, hopeful but knowing the answer.

“I have promised to wed Padraic as soon as we can return to our families in England, Tom. It is the right choice for me. I know that in my heart! I love him! See?” She smiled happily. “I can say it out loud now! I
love Padraic Burke
! I always have, and I always will.” She loosed her hands from Tom’s and touched his face gently. “Somewhere, dear Tom, there is the right girl for you. I know it to be so! You have just not found her yet, but you will.”

He looked at her glumly. “Divinity, I am certain you have broken my heart irreparably, but because I want you to be happy, I will wish both you and Padraic well.” He was silent for a moment, then continued, “I have never lost at love before, divinity. I find it a unique, though thoroughly unpleasant, experience!”

Valentina laughed. “Your heart will mend, Tom,” she told him.

“But I will never find a woman like you!” he replied.

“Naturally, my lord, for each woman is different, even as flowers are different, even flowers of the same kind. Each one is separate from the other in some way. Somewhere, Tom, there is an English rose for you.”

He looked completely downhearted despite her cheerful words.

The next day, as they sailed across the Black Sea for Istanbul, Valentina scolded Padraic, who could not seem to keep his hands off her despite the presence of others. “My lord!” she said huffily. “I will not have you making poor Tom any more miserable than he already is. You seem to delight in flaunting your victory, and ’tis not kind—nor is it like you, Padraic.”

“I cannot help myself, Val. I adore you! I keep remembering our magnificent night in the camp of the Great Kahn, and when I remember it, I want you again.” He reached out and pulled her against him, her back to his front. His arm was tight about her waist while his other hand slipped into her bodice. “Val! Val!” he murmured, his soft, hot breath in her ear. “I love you!”

She felt his hand cupping her breast. His thumb rubbed seductively against her nipple, teasing it to attention. She leaned back against him for a moment, her eyes closing as she enjoyed his fondling. She wanted to go past the fondling, to lie with him as they had lain together in the yurt of the Great Khan. The creak of the sails as they filled before the wind brought her back to herself.

“Padraic!”

Laughing, he kissed her ear. “I cannot resist, you know,” he said sheepishly, withdrawing his hand.

“You must!” She turned to face him and stamped her foot. “Am I some doxy that you think you can tumble at will, my lord? I am your betrothed, and I will be treated as such, else I change my mind!” Valentina exclaimed.

“Divinity! Divinity!” She heard Tom’s amused voice as he joined them at the ship’s rail. “You are a hard woman, asking a man to refrain from loving you. I know that were Padraic’s and my positions reversed, I certainly could not ignore your obvious charms and play the Puritan.”

“I do it for your sake,” she protested.

“My sake?” He asked, stunned.

“Aye, your sake, you blond buffoon! For months you have both been courting me. Now I have made my decision. Padraic is happy, and you claim to have a broken heart. I would not flaunt our happiness beneath your nose, my lord. If I have rejected your suit, Tom, I have not rejected your friendship. A friend is caring of another friend’s feelings.”

“Why, divinity, how kind you are,” he said, “but you must not put Padraic off on my account. Seeing you together thusly helps me to accept what I might not otherwise accept.”

“I should have felt the same way myself,” Padraic said righteously.

Valentina looked from one to the other, outraged. “Oh, men!” she said furiously. “I want nothing to do with
either
of you
ever
again!”

As Valentina stormed off down the deck, Padraic said, “She doesn’t really mean it, Tom.”

“Aye, I know” was the reply, and the Earl of Kempe grinned conspiratorially at Lord Burke.

The two men understood each other perfectly. Already, without a single word being said, they had made their peace. Valentina was to be Padraic’s wife, and Tom would be their good friend. It was all quite simple.

Murrough, from his quarterdeck, watched the trio, his blue eyes alight with amusement. His mother was going to be quite pleased by the results of this voyage. Whatever happened in Istanbul, it would not change Padraic’s great love for Valentina or the plans they had made for their wedding. A marriage between cousins merely strengthened a family. He expected that, with luck, they would be home before the autumn gales began to blow, and that the marriage would take place before the year’s end.

Archangel
and her escort ships plowed gracefully through the deep, dark swells of the Black Sea. It had been Valentina’s responsibility to accept the expenses the voyage entailed, but the holds of all three ships were filled with beautiful furs, musk, amber, and precious gems from Asia, so Valentina would find, when the books were balanced, that she had made a fine profit from her trip. The English market would be eager for her cargo.

As the sea voyage to Kaffa had been pleasant, so was their return to Istanbul. They moved easily through the tidal currents at the mouth of the Bosporus and down that waterway to the city, once again docking in the Golden Horn late in the afternoon as the sun stained the waters molten gold. They could see for themselves how the harbor had gotten its name.

It had been two months since they had seen Istanbul, and spring was well advanced. Even from the harbor they could see the city’s many gardens and parks, filled with thousands of tulips in full bloom.

How the Kira family had known that the O’Malley-Small ships were returning that day, Valentina did not know. But awaiting them on the dock were horses for the men and the Kira litter for Valentina. A well-dressed Kira servant was shown into the main cabin, and he bowed politely to the assembled passengers.

“I am Yakob, the personal servant of the lady Esther. My lady bids you welcome again to Istanbul and invites you to dwell with her during your stay here. She thought you would enjoy staying ashore, instead of remaining aboard your vessel.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Valentina cried. “I can have a bath!”

The gentlemen laughed, and even the prim Yakob allowed a small smile to touch momentarily the corners of his mouth.

“We would be most delighted to accept the lady Esther’s kind and gracious invitation,” replied Murrough.

Yakob bowed again. “I have brought the conveyance for the lady and her servant. Bring nothing. All will be supplied.”

Once again, Valentina found herself within the confines of a curtained litter. The bearers made their way up the hill from the harbor area to the ghetto of Balata. This time, however, the place did not seem so strange.

“How long will we be here, m’lady?” Nelda asked curiously. “Geoff says his father hopes to get home to England by autumn.”

“I imagine that we will, Nelda. I am certain that the sultan’s mother will see me within a few days. In the meanwhile, I intend to enjoy our stay in such a beautiful city.”

“Home” Nelda sighed dreamily. “I love the autumn, m’lady! I love the colors that the trees turn, and all the little feast days like All Hallows’, All Souls’, Saint Martin’s, and Michaelmas! Oh, m’lady! Do you think we will be home for Michaelmas?”

“Heavens, yes, Nelda! Michaelmas is at the end of September, and ’tis only late May now. We should be long home by Michaelmas.” Valentina smiled at her young tiring woman. “Are you not enjoying our travels?”

“Oh, yes, m’lady, I am, but I won’t be sorry to go home neither. Besides, we’ve got a wedding to get ready for, don’t we?”