Love Wild and Fair (56 page)

“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 him he murmured, “Superb” at her beautiful rounded breasts with their dark-rose nipples. “Loosen your hair, and turn for me.” The tawny, honey-colored hair tumbled almost to her waist. He smiled. “When my master sees you, woman, he will be lost You are a delight to the eye. Now dress yourself again, and Osman will take you to your quarters, where your body servant waits. Are you hungry?” She nodded. “I will give orders that you be served a supper immediately. Afterwards you will have a bath, a massage, and a good night’s sleep. You will be a new woman. In three days’ time I will take you into the city myself, for there is something I wish you to see.”

He clapped his 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.”

“But will she yield, my friend? I see a stubborn streak in her that will be hard to break.”

Hammid smiled. “She will yield, my lord. Did you note the lushness of her body? It is the body of a woman used to almost daily lovemaking. It has been several weeks since she was captured, and Kapitan Khair-ad-Din assures me that she was untouched during the voyage. Though her mind will not admit to it, her body already grows eager for a man’s touch. We will make her world one of sensuous delights until her sexual hunger far outweighs her desire to withstand us. A week, two at the most, my lord Cica, and she will be yours!”

Cicalazade Pasha’s white teeth flashed in a smile. “What shall we call her?”

“Incili,” replied Hammid.

“Incili—the Pearl—yes! I like it, Hammid!”

And while they continued to talk, Cat followed Osman again through the maze of corridors, realizing suddenly that they had crossed some invisible line and were in the harem section of the palace. There were women everywhere, women of all races and colors, women of privilege and servants. Cat was able to hear some of their comments, but managed to keep her face impassive.

“Allah! What a beauty!”

“I wonder if the brain matches the face?” “They seldom do, Feriyke.”

“Lateefa Sultan will certainly have her royal nose put out of joint by this one.” “Isn’t that too bad.”

Then there was laughter, and then she was being led into a pleasant, airy room, and Susan was there. Mistress and tiring woman fell happily into each other’s arms.

“I was so worried,” said Susan. “Can we be ransomed?”

“No,” said Cat. “We will have to think of something else. However, I am safe from the vizier for the present.”

Osman, unable to understand them, demanded, “What language is it you speak, woman? Speak Turkish, or if your slavegirl is not facile enough to converse with you, speak French or Italian so I may understand you.”

Cat laughed at him. “We speak Gaelic, the tongue of our ancestors, but if it discomfits you we will speak Turkish.”

Osman looked uncomfortable. “The slaves will bring you supper, noble lady. Afterwards the grand eunuch has given orders that you be taken to the baths. I will return in the morning to see you.”

They were brought a large bowl of lamb chunks in a sauce of onions and peppers, two small loaves of hot, flat bread, a dish of yogurt, half a dozen ripe peaches, and a little bowl of sugared almonds. A decanter of lemon sherbet was provided for drink. The slavegirl who served them brought two bowls and two goblets, but there were no implements for eating. When Cat asked why, she was told that new captives were never given anything that might aid them in suicide. They would have to use their fingers, and the flat bread which had been provided. They ate ravenously, as they had not eaten since midmorning, and were surprised to discover how good it all was.

When they had finished, the slavegirl brought them a bowl of perfumed water and towels. Then an old slavewoman arrived to escort them to the harem baths. Susan was expected to fend for herself, but Cat was put into the capable hands of the bath mistress, who first saw that she was thoroughly washed, including her hair. Next a pale-pink paste was carefully smeared over the haired areas of her body, and when it was wiped away a half-hour later, she was completely denuded of body hair. While she waited for the pink paste to do its work, her fingernails and toenails were carefully pared. It would have been unthinkable for her lord and master to be scratched. She was exposed to a steam room, and then to a more temperate bath where she was stretched out on a marble bench and massaged. Cat was so relaxed and weak by this time that she could barely walk back to their quarters, where she immediately fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The next three days were spent quietly, with Osman coming each morning to escort them, heavily veiled, on their walk through the vizier’s gardens. Each afternoon she was escorted to the baths, where she was bathed and massaged with oils and creams until her skin began to be extremely sensitive to the touch of nearly anything. In the evening she was allowed to watch certain of the harem entertainments, usually dancing. Cat was at first astounded and then intrigued by the open sexual suggestions made by the dancer’s movements.

As boredom began to set in on the fourth day, Osman arrived with the information that she must put on her outdoor clothing and veil and follow him. “Your slavegirl will remain here.”

“It’s all right,” Cat told a protesting Susan.

She was led to a large litter and, once inside, was surprised to find herself sitting opposite Hammid. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “I see these three days of rest and relaxation have done you good. I did not think it possible that you could be lovelier, but you are.”

“I was beginning to get bored. I am not used to inactivity. Is this all your women
do?
Sit around waiting to be summoned to their master’s bed? How awful!” She stopped a moment to catch her breath and then asked, “Where are we going?”

“To the slave market. You are a woman of great determination. I will show you what will happen if you oppose my master. His bedchamber must be like a beautiful garden—peaceful, fragrant, and a delight to the senses. If you do not yield to him, but fight him instead, he will order you sold off. If this happens, you and your servant will undoubtedly be separated, and it is very possible that your exquisite fairness will attract a slave broker from the Arabian Peninsula, or the African interior. I do not think you would enjoy being stripped naked and inspected by prospective buyers. I do not think you would enjoy being sold to a jungle chief. If you yield to my master, however, your safety and comfort are assured. The choice is yours.”

The look she gave him was a candid one. “Why do you torture me, Hammid? You know that I must yield to your master.”

He nodded. “You are an intelligent woman, my beauty, but if you yield only your body to my lord Cica, he will know and be offended. You must yield all—your mind and your body!”

“I cannot! And you cannot expect me to, Hammid!”

“You must!”

They rode in silence until finally the slaves stopped and the litter was lowered to the ground. The grand eunuch climbed out and, offering her a hand, helped her out “There are many slave markets in this city,” he said, “but this one deals only in beautiful women.”

Cat looked about her, and saw women of varied ages, sizes, shapes, and colors. On the raised platform a beautiful girl was now being auctioned. She was completely nude, and the prospective buyers were not shy about poking and squeezing the girl. Her face revealed shame and fright. Cat shivered. Finally the girl was purchased by a man with a fierce mustache. Cat was forced to stand quietly watching for almost an hour. Then Hammid got involved in the bidding on an exquisite golden-blond Circassian girl of about thirteen. When he had secured her purchase Cat heard him tell the slave merchant, “Send the maiden to the Yeni Serai with the Vizier Cicalazade Pasha’s compliments.” Then he and Cat returned to their litter.

As they rode Cat said quietly, “I will try, Hammid, but I promise you nothing. It will not be easy for me.”

He smiled. “Good! I have not misjudged your character. Do not be afraid, my beauty. I will give you time to accept your status. You will be happy, I promise you. The vizier is a magnificent lover and he will pleasure you as no man ever has. He is like a young bull—hot and inexhaustible.”

Cat lowered her head as a flush swept her cheeks. It had been weeks now since she had last lain with Francis, and she was frankly edgy, but she would have died rather than allow Hammid to know this. The eunuch knew her thought and smiled. “I have decided upon your Turkish name,” he told her. “You will answer to the name of Incili. It means Beautiful Pearl, and you are that indeed. We will call your servant Mara.”

The next few days were quiet ones. Though she was permitted to mingle with the other women of the harem, she felt no particular urge to make friends. She was frankly curious about Lateefa Sultan, the vizier’s wife, but she never saw her.

When she had been in the harem for over two weeks, she returned from the baths one afternoon to find the grand eunuch, Hammid, waiting for her.

“I am going to present you to the vizier tonight,” he said.

Stricken, she implored him, “So soon?”

“The time is propitious,” he told her. “Come now, Incili, you are no virgin, but a woman of experience. Does your lovely body not ache for a man’s touch? Do you not crave a man’s hardness deep within you? How long now has it been since you last lay swooning in a lover’s arms?”

“Stop,” she whispered. “Oh, please stop!”

“I have left special clothing for you. I will come for you at eight.”

At eight she stood shivering in the hot summer night, waiting for Hammid. Her garments were the sheerest of pale-pink-mauve silk gauze. The pantaloons were embroidered at the ankles with a band of gold-and-silver thread, and a matching band rode her hips below her navel. A tiny sleeveless open bolero, its edges embroidered in seed pearls, barely covered her breasts. She was, of course, veiled. A second, longer veil had been placed over the first.

Hammid arrived with a small litter and walked alongside it as it was carried towards the vizier’s bedchamber. “I will go in with you tonight. Do not be afraid, Incili. My lord Cica will be kind.” Then they were there. His hand was at her elbow as he guided her through the door.

“I have brought the woman, Incili, as my lord commanded,” the eunuch said to a tall man in the shadows. Hammid then removed the head veil, the face veil, and the bolero. As her breasts were exposed, Cat heard a soft intake of breath from the man. The eunuch’s hands were swiftly drawing the pantaloons down and off. She was completely naked.

“Thank you, Hammid. You may go now.”

As the door closed behind her she stood frozen, frightened, wondering what to expect. Then the man stepped from the shadows, and Cat saw before her the handsomest man she had ever seen in her entire life.

He was tall, and ruggedly tan, but where his white pantaloons rode low on his slim hips she could see his skin was as fair as hers. His hair was dark, wavy, and cropped short with just a touch of silver at the temples. His eyes were, to her surprise, a light gray-blue. He was nothing at all like his sister, Angela. His facial features were those of a classic Greek statue, with high cheekbones, straight nose, well-spaced eyes, and a full, sensuous mouth. He wore a beautifully clipped and tailored dark mustache.

He held out his hand, his eyes locking hers. Automatically she placed her slender hand in his. His touch was like fire. “I have never possessed anything as exquisite as you, Incili.” The voice was warm velvet.

“You do not possess me yet, my lord Cicalazade,” she answered
him
coolly.

The white, even teeth flashed in a quick smile, and he laughed. “It is but a matter of time, Incili, is it not?” Bending, he picked up the larger of the two veils and, twisting it into a rope, put it about her waist and drew her towards him. As her breasts touched his bare chest she began to tremble, instinct warning her that this was not a man easily led. One hand firmly lifted her chin, bringing her face up so he might look down at her. He smiled. “Green eyes,” he said softly. “They are beautiful, Incili, but then you know that don’t you?”

Her heart was hammering wildly, and she could not speak. She was furious with herself. What was the matter with her? She tried to turn away, but his head dipped quickly, and his mouth closed over hers. Unreasonable panic gripped her, and she struggled to escape him, but he simply held her closer, gently forcing her lips apart to allow his tongue entry.