Some of the traders called a greeting to the captain and his men and I was becoming more and more apprehensive about my eventual fate, for they seemed to know the purpose of his visit and I wondered how many other young women had walked along these streets with him. If only I could get to Simon. And what had they done with Lucas?
At length we moved into a wider street. Some trees grew here dusty palms, mostly. The houses were bigger; we turned in at a gate and we were in a courtyard where a fountain played. Around this squatted several menservants, I presumed, for they jumped up as we entered and started to talk excitedly.
One of them came up and bowed very low to the captain, who nodded an acknowledgement and waved his hands. We were led through a door into a large hall. The windows were heavily draped and set in alcoves designed, I was sure, to let in the minimum of heat.
A man in splendid robes bowed to the captain and seemed eager to show him the utmost respect. He was obviously telling him to follow, for he led us through another door and there, seated on a dais on a very ornate chair, was a little old man.
He was flamboyantly dressed, but so small and wizened that his clothes only seemed to accentuate his age. He was very ancient except for his eyes, which were dark and very lively; they reminded me of a monkey’s.
The captain went to the chair and bowed and the old man waved in greeting. Then the captain obviously told his men to leave him with Simon and me.
The captain pushed me forward. He let the cloak fall to the ground and pulled off my yashmak and snood so that my hair fell about my shoulders. The lively dark eyes opened wide. He muttered something which seemed to please the captain. The old man’s eyes were fixed on my hair, and he and the captain began to talk excitedly. How I wished I knew what they were saying.
Then Simon was brought forward. The old man’s shrewd eyes ranged over him, weighing him up and down. He looked very tall and strong, and it seemed to me that his physical strength made as good an impression as my hair.
The old man nodded and I guessed that was a sign of approval.
The captain moved closer to the old man and they were in deep conversation. That gave Simon and me a chance to get close together.
“Where is Lucas?” I whispered.
“I don’t know. I was taken away and brought here. He wasn’t with me.”
“I do hope he’s all right. Where are we?”
“Somewhere along the north coast of Africa, I imagine.”
“What are they going to do with us? What are they talking about?”
“Probably bargaining.”
“Bargaining?”
“It looks as if we are being sold.”
“Like slaves!”
“It would seem so.”
“What shall we Jo?”
“I don’t know. Wait for our opportunity. We are helpless just now.
We’ll have to wait for the right moment and then . get away . if we can. “
“Shall we be together?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh Simon … I do hope we don’t lose each other.”
“Let’s pray for it.”
“I’m very frightened, Simon.”
“I feel very much the same myself.”
“This old man … what is he?”
“A trader, I imagine.”
“A trader … in people?”
“That amongst other things … anything that comes to hand, I imagine, if it’s worth while. And that would include people.”
“We must get away somehow.”
“How?”
“Run … anywhere.”
“How far do you think we’d get? No, wait. If we can keep together, we will. Who knows, the opportunity may come. We’ll manage it.”
“Oh Simon, I believe we shall.”
I remember now the look which passed between us. I treasured it to remember in my darkest and most frightened moments. I was to think of it often during the weeks to come.
There are some things one does not wish to remember. One wants to shut them out and make believe they did not happen. Sometimes the mind helps so that they become a blurred memory. And that is what seemed to have happened to me.
I remember being in the trader’s house. It must have been for just one night. I recall my terrible apprehension, the ioz pictures supplied by a cruel imagination which continually taunted me as to what my fate would be. The old man seemed like a horrible ogre.
There was only one comfort to me. Simon was in the house. The transaction with the captain concerned us both.
Later on the day of our arrival the captain left the house and I never saw him again.
The next day I was enveloped in the robes in which I had arrived and my hair was completely hidden as before. Then Simon and I were taken through the streets of the Kasbah to the harbour where a ship was waiting. The old man was clearly in charge of us but he took no notice of us and I had the impression that he was only there to protect his property, which we now were.
We could not imagine where he was taking us.
Simon and I found one or two opportunities on board to talk to each other. Our main topic was Lucas.
Simon told me that there had been one or two meetings with the captain. They had not been ill-treated. He said they had been very interested in Lucas. Simon thought he had been taken away somewhere.
They had been separated and not able to talk but he fancied Lucas was hopeful-at least not unduly alarmed.
“I think he thought at one time that they might throw him overboard because he would be no use for work. I imagine that is what they want of me.”
I was silent, dreading to think what my fate might be.
Simon thought the place we had left was very probably Algeria.
“It used to be a refuge for pirates in the old days. They had the protection of the Turkish government. Perhaps it still remains a haven for them. The Kasbah must be an ideal spot for underhand business of any sort. I imagine few would want to venture there at certain times.”
He was probably right.
We pursued our journey along the Syrian coast to the
Dardenelles -and then to our destination which we learned in due course was Constantinople.
As we were approaching the Bosphorus, a woman came to my cabin. She had a girl with her and the girl was carrying what looked like an armful of diaphanous material. It turned out to be garments and these were laid out on the bunk. Then they turned their attention to me. I had seen these women about the ship and had wondered what their duties were. I soon realized they had come to the cabin to help me dress in these splendid garments.
There were long trousers made of flimsy silky material, baggy and caught in at the ankles. Over them went a gown of beautiful transparent material. It was sparkling with sequins which looked like stars. They unpinned my hair and spread it round my shoulders. They combed it and looked at one another, nudging and giggling.
When I was dressed they stood back and clapped their hands.
I said: “I want my other clothes.”
They could not, understand me. They just went on giggling and nudging each other. They stroked my hair and smiled at me.
The old man came into the cabin. He looked at me and rubbed his hands together.
My fear was greater than ever. I knew that Simon’s surmise was correct. We were going to be sold into slavery he as a strong man to work as directed while I was destined for a more sinister purpose.