Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [109]
“No time,” Thea said. “Hurry. Danger.”
“The banner.” Selene sighed. “I knew it would bring us grief. I’ll be right back.” She vanished from the doorway.
Thea opened the carved wardrobe box at the end of the bed and drew out her cloak. “Is Kadar here?”
Ware nodded. “Trying to soothe an uneasy captain.”
“He’ll have no problem. It’s good you left the falsehoods to him. Kadar can talk anyone into anything. He even persuaded me to forgive him.” She put on her cloak. “Since he’s busy, you’ll have to get our wagon from the stables.”
“Wagon? We’ll take the horses Kadar said Kemal gave you, but no wagon.”
“We’ve packed all our goods and a basket of silkworm eggs in a wagon.” She quickly folded the tapestry she had been embroidering. “We have to take it with us.”
“No,” he said flatly.
“You don’t know exactly when Kemal will arrive, and it will take only a few minutes longer to harness the wagon.”
“It may be a few minutes too long.”
“Your threatening to strike me down wasted more time than it would take you to harness the wagon. You should behave sensibly and assume I have the intelligence to realize danger when I see it. We’ll take the risk. To leave our work would be to lose these two years.” She added fiercely, “And you’ve taken too much from me already. Now, go get the wagon. We’ll meet you in the courtyard.”
For an instant she didn’t think he’d obey her. She drew a sigh of relief as he turned with a muttered curse and strode out of the chamber.
Selene hurried out of the chamber with their packing box. “What’s happened?”
“Kemal is on his way here to avenge a massacre at Acre.” She moved toward the door. “No one here knows yet of the massacre. Kadar is trying to convince the captain that Lord Ware is only reclaiming his property.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’ll worry about that when we’re away from here.”
“We’re taking the wagon, aren’t we?”
“Of course.” She stuffed the tapestry into the bag. “We must display meekness and sadness as we leave.”
“Meekness? Then they will certainly suspect something is amiss.”
Selene was probably right. Thea had made her presence felt here, and any change of demeanor would be wrong.
Domo was standing uneasily by the horses in the courtyard when Selene and Thea left the women’s quarters. “I do not know…You are my responsibility. Lord Kadar says that Lord Ware and my master have decided to dissolve their bargain, but perhaps Lord Ware should wait until my master returns.”
Thea shrugged. “Your master has been very kind to me. It would please me to stay and say good-bye, but my master says I must go. It’s not for us to question.” Was that too meek? She could see by Domo’s surprised expression that it probably was. “But perhaps you could intercede for me. Speak to Lord Ware.”
Domo’s eyes widened in alarm. “I could not. It is not my place.”
Thea sighed. “Then I suppose I must go with him. You are right. It’s not our place to question.”
“I did not say—” He stopped as he saw Ware driving the wagon across the courtyard with two horses tied behind. “Or perhaps I did.”
Kadar broke away from the young captain and came toward them. “Domo, help the women into the wagon. We must leave while there’s still a little light.”
Selene frowned. “I don’t wish to ride in the wag—” She stopped as Thea pinched her arm. Kadar was right—the sight of women riding on horseback through the gates would jar their captors, and that was to be avoided. “Oh, very well.”
Domo said, “Perhaps you should wait until morning.”
“Lord Ware is impatient.”
After a moment’s hesitation Domo lifted first Thea and then Selene onto the bed of the wagon. “May Allah bless you.”
Domo would be grateful, she knew, to have back the peaceful life he had known before Thea had disturbed his existence. He had been annoying at times but never unkind. She hoped her escape would not cause Kemal’s wrath to fall on him. “May heaven protect you also, Domo.”
The wagon started with a lurch, then rumbled toward the front gates.
How many times had she stood at her window and looked out at those tall gates, seething with frustration