The Kadin - Bertrice Small [14]
Abdul motioned to the eunuch, who now untied the ribbons at Janet’s waist The tunic slipped with a whisper to her feet and a sigh ran through the bidders. Janet was completely naked.
At this point Janet felt as if her mind and her body were two separate entities, and wondered why she hadn’t fainted at this new shame to her body. But all the while, a voice pounded in her ears: “A Leslie never shows fear. A Leslie never shows fear.” Stiffening her backbone, she stood still—cold and scarcely breathing.
Eighteen thousand. Eighteen thousand nine hundred.
Like a dog sensing the kill the slave merchant reached out and with one hand removed the pearl clasp holding Janet’s hair. It spread over her shoulders and back like a fan. With the other hand he whisked the veil from her face.
“By the teats of Fatima,” came another faceless voice, “a face that rivals the body.”
“The caliph of Baghdad bids twenty thousand gold pieces!”
Oh, holy Mary, thought Janet there isn’t that much money in all of Scotland, let alone San Lorenzo. I am lost!
“And the duke of San Lorenzo bids twenty-five thousand gold pieces to ransom his son’s beloved betrothed.”
Inwardly, Janet whispered gratefully, “I apologize, gentle Mary. I will give you a finely wrought enamel-and-silver statue with real sapphire eyes in thanks for my deliverance.”
“Twenty-five thousand,” taunted the voice of Abdul ben Abdul. “Who will bid more?” He looked hopefully about the room. It was a good price. Janet heaved a sigh of relief in the deep silence of the room. Abdul had raised his gavel to finalize the sale when a voice called out, “The sultan of Turkey bids thirty thousand gold pieces.” A tall, slender, elegantly garbed man made his way to the platform “I am Hadji Bey, chief of the sultan’s black eunuchs.” He flung the happy Abdul a purse. “You may count it,” he said.
Janet glanced at him from beneath her lowered eyelashes. His height dwarfed all in the room, and though his features were Negroid, he was, she was sure, of mixed blood. His skin, unlike that of other dark men she had seen, was neither black nor brown, but rather a rich, deep, golden color. His eyes were somewhat elongated in shape and shone velvety black beneath their heavy-lashed, hooded lids. His forehead was high, the smooth brow running into a shaved round skull that showed from beneath a small green turban. His nose had a slim bridge that widened as it descended to broad, flaring nostrils, and his lips were thick and sensual. His body had none of the flabbiness associated with eunuchs, lacking the sagging breasts Janet found so obscene in these castrated men. This was probably due in part to his height He was a large man, but definitely not fat
His clothing was magnificent He wore a long-sleeved, open pellsse, spring-green in color and banded from neck to hem and also at the midarm and wrists with dark, glossy sable. It was lined, she saw when he moved, in gold cloth. Beneath it shone a flowered red silk brocade underrobe belted with a broad gold sash which was sewn with a fortune in tiny pearls and emeralds. His turban sported a cabochon emerald from which sprouted a white egret feather, and his feet were encased in very soft heelless dark brown leather boots. Rings adorned his long, supple fingers, and about his neck he wore a heavy round gold medallion in which was carved a lion’s head.
Pietro di San Lorenzo leaped upon the platform. “I protest! You raised your gavel to finalize the sale,” he shouted at Abdul ben Abdul. “The girl is mine!”
“But I did not knock with it If you wish to bid again, I will permit it”
Hadji Bey smiled gently. “Yes, good knight If you desire to raise my bid, feel free to do so.”
Pietro turned to the other men in the room. “By your own religious laws, this auction is illegal. This girl is betrothed to the heir of the duke of San Lorenzo. The contracts were formally signed last