Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [76]
“Am I an idiot that I’d reveal a secret that would bring me my freedom?”
“Not an idiot, but you are a child.” Kadar grimaced. “At least I thought you were. I should have heeded Thea’s warning.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips to speak. “Very well, it wasn’t your youth that kept me from telling you, but that dragon that listened in on every word I spoke.”
“She was alone on the streets of Constantinople for three weeks?” Thea asked, horrified. “Anything could have happened to her.”
“Perhaps you don’t know her any more than I did,” Kadar said. “When I found her, she was living in the bazaar with a family of bedouins, learning how to make camel bells. In another month’s time she would have been ordering them about as she has me during this excruciating journey.”
In spite of his mocking tone Thea could discern an odd note of possessive pride in Kadar’s voice.
“Don’t be foolish,” Selene said. “It would have taken me at least six months. The woman was reasonable but the old man was stubborn.” She turned back to Thea. “And then after Kadar finally told me it was you who had sent him, I had to send him back to Nicholas to get the silk.”
“Silk?” Ware asked.
Selene studied him. “You must be Lord Ware. Kadar told me about you.”
“I’m sure he did,” Ware said dryly. “What silk?”
“Well, since Kadar clearly had money enough to buy me, I thought he must have some left over. He actually handled the negotiations quite cleverly.”
Kadar bowed slightly. “Thank you.”
Selene waved an impatient hand. “But he was going to leave without buying silk, Thea. We won’t be able to make our own cloth for some time, and Nicholas’s is the best-woven silk in the world. I thought if you could embroider the silk and we could sell it, the profits would help us to open our house.”
“By the saints,” Thea whispered, excitement growing by the minute. She had not thought past rescuing Selene. “How many bolts?”
“Twelve,” Kadar said. “She beggared me.”
“Since it was my money, I’d say she beggared me,” Ware corrected.
Thea scarcely heard them. Twelve bolts. She couldn’t believe it. “I’ll return the money he spent. My embroideries bring a fine price. Far more than the silk itself.”
“Kadar arranged to have a wagon bring the other bolts next week, but I brought with me a length of white silk,” Selene said. “We cannot start too soon.”
“No.” Thea could hardly wait to begin. She had not realized how much she had missed her work. “Tomorrow. As soon as the light is good.”
Kadar chuckled, his gaze on Selene’s intent face. “Now that you’ve arranged things to suit yourself, may I suggest you retire for the night? I’d wager you’re going to be as sore tomorrow as you were this morning.”
“I wasn’t sore. Well, perhaps a little. He wanted to put me on a mule, Thea.”
“As is fitting for women and children,” Kadar said. “The latter which you are, the former which you will become.”
“I’m sure men put women on mules only so they can look down upon them from their horses.” She yawned. “But I am weary. It was a long journey from Acre.”
“Come along.” Thea slipped her arm about Selene’s waist and urged her toward the steps. “You can sleep with me in my chamber tonight. Tomorrow we will find you your own place.”
“My own place.” Selene looked up at the vast castle, and for a moment her boldness faltered. “It’s very different from Nicholas’s house, isn’t it?”
Kadar answered from behind them, “As different as the bazaar where I found you. You must promise not to change quite everything to suit yourself. Ware would be most upset.”
Selene’s moment of uncertainty immediately disappeared. “Thea and I won’t be here long enough to make changes worthwhile.”
Clever Kadar, Thea thought. He had eased Selene away from that moment of fear without damaging her pride by expressing sympathy. He must have got to know Selene very well on their journey from Constantinople.
Selene stopped suddenly on the top step and turned to face Ware. “I thank you for caring for my sister, Lord Ware.”
Thea smiled at the child’s solemn formality.