by Jane Jackson
Nick didn’t understand. ‘Why? How can she be? She’s under the governor’s protection.’
As Maggot translated the question, Nick watched the prince’s face stiffen and his eyes flash. He spat a reply.
‘He say you no ask questions, just take her away.’
‘Tell him that is why we’re here now, and why we’ve been coming each day. We want to settle things as soon as possible. But the governor is making us wait. Does he know why?’ Nick watched the prince as Maggot put the question and saw more irritation as he replied.
‘Pasha Abd-er-Azzak Medja – is governor’s name,’ Maggot explained quickly ‘He want money first.’
‘Mrs Vyvyan died while she was in his care.’ Nick was watching the prince. As Mulai Aruj caught his eye and instantly switched his gaze to Maggot, apparently waiting for him to translate, Nick wondered if the prince understood more than he wanted to admit. Pretending to need an interpreter would certainly allow him time to think before he responded. ‘Mr Vyvyan will not hand over any money until he has been permitted to see his daughter,’ Nick added, and saw the prince’s gaze slide away as a shadow crossed his face. Something wasn’t right. ‘Miss Vyvyan is well?’
As Maggot repeated the question, Aruj gave a brief nod and muttered a reply.
‘She is well. But Mulai Aruj say better Mr Vyvyan wait on ship for his daughter. You bring money. Miss Vyvyan leave with you.’
Nick frowned. ‘What’s going on? Why doesn’t he want Mr Vyvyan to see his daughter?’ He waited.
‘If Mr Vyvyan see his daughter,’ Maggot said, as the prince paced, ‘he make trouble for pasha. Pasha no like English. He tell Hassan es Zimmouri, then Miss Vyvyan in great danger. May be killed.’
‘Who is Hassan es Zimmouri?’
‘Chief of tribe, and father of betrothed of Mulai Aruj.’
Nick’s head had begun to ache. ‘But why should he want to kill Miss Vyvyan?’
The prince replied briefly, visibly irritated. Maggot stared at him, shock slackening his features for an instant. The prince flicked his fingers impatiently, indicating he should translate. Maggot swallowed.
‘What is it? Tell me,’ Nick kept his voice calm, but he could feel his muscles tightening. Something was very wrong.
Maggot’s dark gaze met his. ‘She –’ He curved his hands in front of his stomach.
‘She’s fat?’ Nick said blankly.
Maggot shook his head, then gripped his forearms, rocking them as if cradling a baby.
‘She’s with child?’ As Maggot nodded, Nick felt the room tip for an instant as he tried to absorb all the implications. ‘Mulai Aruj is responsible?’
‘I think is not good to ask,’ Maggot said, giving the briefest of nods.
Nick’s brain was racing as the prince spoke again.
‘He say you go now,’ Maggot said. ‘Put Mr Vyvyan on ship. You bring money tomorrow, take Miss Vyvyan.’
With a regal nod, Mulai Aruj swept out. Nick saw the milling throng part, falling to their knees as, joined by two uniformed Bukharis, he strode through them. Within moments, he had disappeared.
With Maggot at his shoulder, Nick returned to the anteroom.
As he entered, he caught Henry’s Corbett’s eye and saw immediately that the vice-consul was already aware of the situation. Why hadn’t he warned them? Even as the question formed he knew the answer. Already sick and mentally fragile from his own ordeal, William Vyvyan had needed time to come to terms with the devastating news of his wife’s death. It would have been too cruel to inform him at the same time that his daughter had been raped and made pregnant while in the governor’s care. But surely Corbett could have said something since? To whom? The only people with a right to be told were the girl’s father and her sister.
Kerenza. Her sister’s condition would reflect badly on her. Inevitably the news and attendant gossip would spread through both Falmouth and Flushing like a fever.
A fleeting image of Jeremy Ashworth hinting at Kerenza’s scandalous behaviour was followed by one of Edgar Tierney sitting behind his desk, sucking air through his teeth and shaking his head. Troubled family: not a good connection for an ambitious young man. He fought welling anger. He could not – must not – think about that.
The vice-consul knew, as Nick did, that William Vyvyan would have to be informed. But how, when, and where he learnt of his daughter’s condition would need to be carefully planned.
Putting his watch away, William glanced up. Seeing Nick, his brows rose. ‘Well?’
Nick was spared having to answer by Kerenza entering the room, escorted by a veiled female servant who immediately scuttled away. With the lower half of her face covered, all he could see were her eyes, shocked and stricken as they met his for an instant before she dipped her head. Nick started forward, placing himself between her and the couch.
‘Your father doesn’t know,’ he murmured. ‘Don’t tell him. We’ll talk later.’ Taking her hand he bowed over it, and spoke so all could hear. ‘Miss Tregenna. I’m sure your sister was happy to see you after all this time. I hope you found her well?’
He pressed her fingers gently and, to his consternation, saw her eyes fill. But she blinked back the tears before they could fall. ‘Yes, thank you, Mr Penrose. She’s as well as – as can be expected.’
Behind her another servant, male this time, entered the room. With his hand at his chest and a great deal of head shaking he made what was clearly a speech of regret. Then, with a final bow, he left. Everyone looked at Maggot, who showed no emotion as he translated.
‘Pasha Abd-er-Azzak Medja say he very sad, but the cherqi have give him headache. Can see no more peoples today. Please come tomorrow.’
William leapt to his feet, crimson with fury. ‘This is intolerable. We are here at his invitation. We had an appointment. I’ve never known such appalling manners.’
Nick watched Kerenza force herself forward in an attempt to defuse her father’s rage.
‘Papa, Mr Corbett did warn us –’
‘Oh be quiet, Kerenza,’ he snarled, and she flinched as if he had struck her. ‘I’ve no time for –’
‘Mr Vyvyan,’ Nick snapped. ‘You forget yourself, sir.’
William swung round, but before he could speak, Henry Corbett rose and took his arm.
‘It is indeed most frustrating,’ he sympathised. ‘At this very moment the consul may himself be experiencing just such a situation. But in our years here we have learnt that to show anger and displeasure weakens our position.’ Still talking quietly, he steered a stiff-backed William toward the door. ‘You see, it plays into the governor’s hands by confirming his power. I don’t think we want that, do we?’
‘No,’ William said grudgingly. ‘But –’
They moved ahead, with Mordecai following. Escorted by guards toward a door opening into one of several courts, Nick turned to Kerenza. ‘I can’t offer you my arm,’ he murmured. ‘Men and women aren’t allowed to touch in public. But may I walk with you?’
Keeping her head down, Kerenza gave a brief nod. He knew Dulcie was pregnant. But did he know by whom, or the circumstances? He could not. For surely the shame Dulcie’s behaviour reflected on the Vyvyan family would have shown in his eyes. All she had seen was sympathy. But when she told him, as she must, that, far from being violated, Dulcie had welcomed the prince’s advances, his encouragement would turn to dismay and disgust. She would have to watch it happen. Then part of her would die too.
As they walked back through the narrow streets, Kerenza wondered if she would reach Zohra’s house before her legs gave way. Pain skewered into one temple and queasiness churned her stomach.
‘Come on, sweetheart,’ Nick said softly, and the endearment wrenched her heart. ‘You’re doing fine. Once we’re inside, out of this wind, and you have something to eat you’ll feel better.’
Sweetheart. To call her that now – he would soon wish he had not. Did he really think she’d be able to swallow? That food would make a difference? None o
f this was his fault. Nor was it hers, but she would pay just the same.
How was she to tell her father? Was the prince really going to marry her sister? She could not believe it. Dulcie couldn’t possibly stay in Tangier alone. Surely she would not be expected to stay with her? Thoughts zigzagged across her mind like flashes of lightning.
Back at the house, Broad was waiting. After brief instructions from Nick, he bore William Vyvyan off upstairs with soothing suggestions of a nice cool drink and an hour’s lie-down before his evening meal.
Ten minutes later, after rinsing her face and hands and trying to prepare to tell Nick the full and terrible truth, Kerenza returned to the salon. Dina had set out glasses of fruit juice and a tray of mint tea. Maggot and Zohra had disappeared. Nick waited until she had sat on the couch then, indicating the seat beside her, raised his brows.
‘May I sit with you? I think it is best we keep our voices down. It will also be easier to talk’
‘As you wish.’ It emerged as a whisper. He would move away soon enough.
Half-turned toward her, forearms resting on his thighs, he cleared his throat, clasping and unclasping his hands. ‘Look, I know this is going to be painful for you.’
A sob caught in her throat and her hand flew to her mouth to smother it.
‘Kerenza –’ He groaned under his breath and, dropping his head, he raked both hands through his hair.
Pulling herself together, she took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry. It’s – I’m all right. I didn’t mean to interrupt. But before we – How did you find out about Dulcie? Who told you?’ She couldn’t meet his gaze. She didn’t want him to see her shame, anger, and grief. Instead, she stared blindly at her white knuckles.
‘While you were with your sister and we were waiting to see the governor, Mulai Aruj took Maggot and me into another room to talk about getting your sister away as soon as possible. Before we can decide how best to do this, I need to know what your sister told you and you have to hear what the prince told me. I’m asking you to trust me.’ Again. The word hung, unspoken, between them. ‘Can you? Will you?’
Did she have a choice? Despite what he had learnt, and despite her father’s boorish behaviour, he still wanted to help her. She needed him, for who else was there? She raised her head and looked directly into his eyes.
‘Yes. I’m really grateful –’
He jerked backward. ‘I don’t want your gratitude.’ His voice was rough and angry. ‘I want –’ He clamped his lips together and shook his head, then met her gaze once more. ‘Did your sister tell you what happened? How she came to be – in her condition?’
Kerenza felt a wave of heat course from her chest to her hairline. She wet her lips. ‘I thought – assumed – she had been – attacked. But she denies it. She believes Mulai Aruj wants – intends – to marry her.’
Nick stiffened. ‘What?’ He rubbed his forehead, his expression reflecting anger, helplessness, and frustration.
Now they had started, and because his reaction had so closely echoed her own, Kerenza found talking about it was not as difficult or as embarrassing as she had feared. She and Nick had already been through so much together on the packet: her father’s drinking, Captain Penrose’s death, and the birth of Judith’s baby.
‘She is convinced of it. She believes he went to see his father the sultan to tell him and ask his blessing.’ She watched Nick’s face grow hard.
‘Mulai Aruj is betrothed to the daughter of a local tribal chief,’ he said grimly. ‘He told me so himself.’
Kerenza’s eyes widened as her hand flew to her mouth. ‘But what about Dulcie?’
Nick hunched his shoulders. ‘Look, I don’t want to sound harsh. God knows –’
‘It’s all right. There’s nothing you can say I haven’t already thought for myself. Even though the situation is impossible, I hoped for her sake that he loved her.’
‘Perhaps he did.’
‘It’s kind of you to say so. But I doubt it. She isn’t –’ Breaking off, Kerenza started again. ‘I haven’t seen my sister for over three years. I had hoped when we met again – especially after all she’s been through, losing our mother and everything – that we might – that she might – but she hasn’t changed. The truth is, she has become even more –’ Kerenza stopped. Though she still smarted from Dulcie’s tongue-lashing, it would be wrong to disparage a member of her family to someone else. ‘She must have been very lonely and frightened, especially as our mother was so badly affected by captivity and my father’s absence. The prince is a handsome man. If he showed Dulcie kindness –’ Kerenza twisted her fingers. ‘But if he wants her to leave, then it’s clear he thinks she’s become an inconvenience.’
Nick shook his head. ‘It’s far more serious than that. He says she’s in grave danger.’
‘In danger from whom?’
‘Hassan es Zimmouri. The tribal chief whose daughter he’s engaged to.’ Leaning forward, Nick dropped his voice still further. ‘If the sultan arranged this marriage for political reasons, then neither he nor the chief will want any – complications.’ He caught her hand, holding it tightly. ‘The child – when is it due?’
‘I don’t know.’ In her mind she saw her sister’s ungainly shape, the effort it took her to stand, the way she leant back for balance. ‘But soon, I think.’ She looked up. ‘What do you mean by complications?’
‘Kerenza, if your sister’s child is a boy he will be the sultan’s grandson. Do you think the chief would allow him, or your sister, to live?’
‘But – I cannot believe –’
‘You must. Mulai Aruj made it clear that the chief will remove any threat to his daughter’s happiness.’
‘Dear God,’ she gasped. ‘You said my father doesn’t know?’
Nick shook his head. ‘Not yet. And it would be better if we can keep it from him as long as possible.’
‘Surely –’
‘Think about it,’ Nick urged.
Despite the desperate seriousness of the situation, or maybe because of it, she was acutely aware of his hand clasping hers, the warm strength in his fingers. She glanced down and saw that, without being aware of it, she had turned her hand. Now their hands were palm to palm, her fingers curled over the back of his, holding fast, drawing comfort and reassurance.
‘Your mother fell ill and died while under the governor’s protection,’ Nick reminded her. ‘How do you think your father will react when he learns what has happened to your sister? Can you see him being willing to pay the ransom for her release?’
Kerenza shook her head. ‘He’s more likely to complain to the British government.’
‘Which would create a political storm. That’s why both the prince and the governor want your sister out of the country as soon as possible.’
‘Then why is the governor refusing to see you? You’ve gone to the palace every day since we arrived.’
‘I think there’s a power struggle going on between the prince and the governor. The governor still wants the money, despite your mother’s death and – and what has happened to your sister. The prince has the authority to overrule him. But it’s my guess Mulai Aruj is using the money as a bribe so the governor won’t tell the sultan what’s happened. The governor is keeping the prince – and us – waiting to prove a point.’
Kerenza nodded slowly. ‘Do you think the prince cared for Dulcie?’ Or was she just a novelty, an amusement? Even though, as a man, he would know how men thought, she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Imagining how Dulcie would feel when she found out that the man of her dreams didn’t want her made Kerenza shrivel inside. She knew how that felt, and wouldn’t wish it on her worst enemy.
Nick shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. That was an answer in itself. ‘He wants your sister out of the country before the chief can harm her.’
That, Kerenza guessed, was as much to protect himself and avoid any trouble with his father as for Dulcie’s wellbeing. But she said nothing. Nick was trying to offer comfort, though
they both knew he clutched at straws.
He sighed deeply, forehead furrowed in concentration. ‘How do I persuade your father to wait on board Kestrel while I take the money to the palace?’
‘You won’t. It’s a matter of principle with him.’ She hesitated. ‘There’s only one way you will get him onto the ship and make him stay there.’ She found it hard to believe she could even think what she was thinking, much less say it aloud. ‘He will have to be drugged.’
Nick squeezed her fingers, and she knew he had already reached the same conclusion. ‘I’ll take Maggot with me to the palace to translate. But you’ll have to come as well, to escort your sister.’
‘How will I persuade her to come with me? Tell her that Mulai Aruj does not want to marry her?’ Kerenza shook her head. ‘She won’t believe me.’ She’ll say I’m jealous. She’ll accuse me of wanting to wreck her happiness. ‘Yet to tell her the truth, that he plans to marry someone else, seems so cruel. I know she’ll have to be told sometime. But to do so right now – the shock – especially as she’s so close to her time. Yet if I don’t tell her she’ll never agree to leave.’
Nick cursed softly under his breath.
Kerenza flinched, and tried to withdraw her hand, but he tightened his grip, refusing to let go. ‘I’m sorry.’ Her voice wobbled. ‘I’m not trying to make difficulties.’
‘It’s not you I’m angry with,’ he grated. ‘It’s your damn family. They’ve caused nothing but trouble and grief. Nor can I see it getting any better. In fact –’ He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and, with a grunt of disgust, shook his head.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
He frowned at her. ‘You’ve done nothing to apologise for.’
No, she hadn’t. But that wouldn’t protect her from the gossip, or her father’s expectations that she leave her grandmother and return to Falmouth to look after Dulcie. What was to become of the baby? How would friends and acquaintances of the Vyvyan family react to a child not only born out of wedlock – an appalling stigma on its own – but a child of mixed race? The shame –
Closing her eyes, she slammed a door on her thoughts. All that lay ahead. But first they had to get Dulcie away. There was still so much to be worked out.
