The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman

Author:Katie Hickman [Hickman, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2008-09-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Constantinople: 3 September 1599

Morning

‘I still can’t believe that you knew they were here.’

‘Yes.’

‘All along, you knew! That after all this time the English embassy is still here!’

‘Am I imagining it, or have we had this conversation before? I’ve said I’m sorry.’

Annetta lay on her bed, a mattress rolled out on to the floor, in the dormitory she shared with twelve other kislar. Although she sounded more like her old self, she still looked pale, and made no attempt to sit up.

Celia knelt down on the hard wooden floorboards beside her.

‘But not only did you know that an English ship had arrived here, with the Levant Company’s gift for the Sultan, but that they had sent some sort of replica of it – made of sugar, they tell me – right here, to the palace.’ So as not to arouse the curiosity of the servants who were waiting for her in the corridor outside, Celia kept her voice low. ‘And that they are now saying that this same sugar ship is what poisoned Hassan Aga.’

‘Why are you still tormenting me about this?’ Annetta said weakly.

‘I tried to tell you. Several times, I thought of telling you, really I did.

I just thought it was better if—’

‘Better if I didn’t know?’

‘Yes, you numbskull! Much better if you didn’t know,’ Annetta hissed out the words, ‘look at you now.’

‘But now I do know.’ Celia sat back on her heels. ‘You know what this means, don’t you?’

‘Don’t say it.’

‘It means Paul might be here.’

‘Don’t even think it!’

‘But I do think it.’ Celia, hiding her face in her hands, did not see the look of pity on Annetta’s face. ‘How can I help it? Day and night, waking and sleeping, everywhere I go he’s there, at my shoulder, in my dreams.’ She pressed her fingers to her eyes, feeling their cool tips against her hot lids. ‘You say that I torment you – but I tell you, Annetta, I am the one who is tormented.’ Celia pressed her hand to her side, the pain had returned, tenfold. ‘Only yesterday you asked me: ‘Does he know you’re dead?’ And I laughed, because it seemed such a strange thing to say – but now, now all I can think is: I have to find a way to tell him that I’m not dead. I’m here. I’m alive. Somehow, Annetta, I must—’

‘I know what you’re thinking.’

Celia shook her head. ‘No you don’t.’

‘You’re thinking that if only he knew you were here he’d come for you.’

At first Celia did not answer her. Her gaze flickered nervously towards the door. Then she began, speaking very rapidly, ‘Actually, Annetta, I think there might be a way—’

‘No!’ Annetta interrupted furiously. ‘I’m not listening to this.’ She put her fingers in her ears. ‘D’you want to get us both drowned?’

‘If I could just see him, Annetta.’ Celia looked up, her face piteous. ‘That’s all I ask. My father’s dead, I’ll never see him again. But if I could just see Paul, just one more time, I could bear this.

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