Pawn in Frankincense - Dorothy Dunnett [186]
‘Now thou art in the palace of thy lord. To the Mistress of the Harem thou wilt make accounting for thy body; and to the Imams for thy soul. Thou wilt embrace henceforth the teachings of Islam: the tongue of Osman will replace thine own, and with infidel speech and ways thou wilt lay aside the infidel name thou bearest. Durr-i Bakht: Pearl of Fortune is thy name. To me and to the Mistress of the Harem and to thy teachers thou owest service, obedience, humility. To our Sovereign Lord the Sultan Suleiman and Khourrém Sultán his wife, thou art as a grain of rice beneath the foot. Conduct thyself well, and thine will be the blessings of Paradise. Ill, and thou wilt weep tears of blood.’
Philippa said, her voice cracking, ‘May the child …?’
‘The Ethiopian may serve you.’
‘But the other——’
‘The white child is already provided for.’ It was the Kislar Agha’s final pronouncement. He had lost interest in her even before the translation was complete, although she heard a command in Turkish which she did not quite catch. As the eunuch who had brought her came forward to take her, she said quickly, ‘I want to take both the children with me.’ Kuzúm was clutching her skirt.
The eunuch hesitated and it was the interpreter who spoke. ‘The child goes to the Head Nurse, Lady; and thyself to the Mistress of the Harem. They dwell in the same courtyard.’ And backing, with Kuzúm by the hand and a smiling Tulip behind her, Philippa got out.
Afterwards, Philippa remembered only a brief journey to the oblong courtyard, at the bottom of a shallow flight of white marble steps, where the Mistress’s suite lay. Too brief: for soon, now, Kuzúm would be parted from her and soon she must face the woman now ruling her life: the Mistress who was also controller and head housekeeper of the harem as well as the Kislar Agha’s own deputy.
However frightening and distasteful the last interview had been, at least she had suffered no physical indignity. But to the Mistress of the Harem fell the responsibility of ensuring the health and seemliness of all the girls who might be invited to receive the embraces of the King of the World. Something fairly abominable, Philippa recognized, was about to happen; and she chatted, cheerfully and continuously, to Kuzucuyum, and helped him down his stilted descent of the first few steps, and when he came to a halt, dragging behind her, lifted him in her arms and reminded herself, with his lashes brushing her cheek, that he was his mother’s unwanted firstborn; born into danger and loneliness; and that he had no one else.
The suites of the Head Nurse, the Head Laundress and the Mistress all led off from the same pleasant courtyard, with the serving slaves’ kitchens and dormitories tiered around the same space. The Head Nurse was black, and came out of her quarters to meet them; chuckling at Kuzúm and speaking to him in Turkish. Philippa said impulsively, and uselessly, in English, ‘Oh, please.… He doesn’t understand. He speaks English. Could I stay with him just a little, until he gets used——’
The eunuch’s voice came, sharply, calling her new name. Philippa said quickly, ‘Or Tulip. Tulip, stay with him. I’ll come back. Kuzúm, I’ll corne ack.’ She knelt. Took, Tulip is staying with you. This is your new nurse. She’s your new nurse, who will take care of you. Show her your ball. I’ll come back.’
The eunuch called again, and getting up, with an unregarded cracking of seams, Philippa hurried into the dark entrance of the Mistress’s quarters, and was conducted along soft carpets to a little chamber behind. The eunuch, bowing, departed.
After the sunlight, it was dark inside, and scented, with a warm aroma she imperfectly remembered from a long time ago. A voice spoke, and a young, plainly dressed girl with a long-stemmed fan rose to her feet, bowed, and slipped out past Philippa. The voice spoke again in Turkish and Philippa, recognizing the command, took a long breath and went in.
The room was too small for a dais, but a deep