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By Root 2805 0

Roxelana between them made Suleiman believe quite falsely that Mustafa wanted to usurp his throne. Roxelana wants her own son to succeed. Rustem pretty well does what she says and wants more power anyway. What Gabriel left out was that he was the third person in the plot, the go-between who carried messages from Rustem to Roxelana. The letters Philippa found, and which we have not shown Roxelana, prove that. It was the first concrete information we had about the thing. Then we found that Gabriel was stirring up the city, discreetly, with hints in all the right quarters about Rustem’s and Roxelana’s guilt. Of course she couldn’t let him continue as Vizier or anything else once she suspected and we proved that he was trying to betray her share in the plan. On the other hand, because of the letters we found here in the Seraglio, she knows that we are aware of the truth. The expectation beforehand was that, having found Gabriel guilty, she would swear us to silence and then kiss us on both cheeks and open the door. We were over-optimistic’

Or Kiaya Khátún was,’ said Jerott. He couldn’t leave it alone; not now. He said, ‘Wouldn’t a simple assassination have been easier?’ He leaned over and shook Lymond’s shoulder and Lymond said, his eyes opening, ‘I know. I’m awake.… I tried that. In fact, name some way I didn’t try it. He knew, you see. He was guarded from morning till night; even his food was tasted beforehand. Therefore the State had to do the butchering, and I had to get into the Seraglio to present my case to the State.’

‘With Míkál’s help?’

‘With Míkál’s help,’ agreed Lymond.

It was not Jerott’s moment for being magnanimous. ‘What a pity,’ he said austerely, ‘we were all required also to assist.’

Lymond sat up, his eyes blazing. He said, ‘Now, look …’ and then cut it off, shutting his lips. But Jerott, his face flushed, was already saying quickly, ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Francis. I know it was my own bloody fault. You didn’t mean the boys and Philippa to be brought back and you didn’t need Marthe to go to the Seraglio and you didn’t expect me or Onophrion …’ He stopped. ‘Where’s Onophrion?’

Lymond’s face was still white, but at least he was now very awake. ‘Yes. Where indeed?’ he observed.

26

Constantinople: Pawn’s Move

The big room seemed much emptier when they were all taken back. The eunuchs had gone, and the dwarves; and the Kislar Agha’s place by the empty throne had been taken by the Bostanji Bashi, the Chief of Security. The executioner. And against the flowering walls stood the silent ranks of the mutes.

Then Jerott saw that the Kislar Agha had moved down from the throne and was standing with Gabriel beside him and four other men: men whose faces were vaguely familiar, and whom Jerott recognized suddenly as having given evidence for their master. Gabriel’s pieces … but only five in all?

Answering the thought, the Kislar Agha paced over to Lymond, his bearing and dark fleshy face mantled in all the dignity of his African race. ‘Mr Crawford? I need not tell you that in chess it is usual for each master to play sixteen pieces. In this game we restrict you to five, of which you yourself, playing the King, are one. You will be permitted a Queen, a Knight, a Rook and a Bishop, to be chosen from the friends now accompanying you with the exception of the boy Míkál, for whom a replacement has been put forward. On Jubrael Pasha’s side, he will be permitted to play the same pieces and on opposing squares but for his Rook, which clearly must not confront his opponent’s Rook at the start of the game with no Pawns intervening. He also has two extra pieces: the gift of two Pawns, to be played by the children. These will stand before his King and his Queen, thus preventing the Queens from opposing. Do you understand?’

‘I think so,’ said Lymond. ‘You mean that we are to play five-a-side chess; but that Jubrael Pasha is to have seven pieces. I take it that it is beyond my powers to object. May I ask why Míkál is to be withdrawn, and who is to substitute?’

The Kislar Agha had a sovereign way with awkward inquiries.