The Shining City by Joan Fallon

Author:Joan Fallon [Fallon, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, New, Historical
ISBN: 9780957689190
Amazon: B00JCT1B0S
Goodreads: 48548224
Publisher: Joan Fallon
Published: 2014-03-29T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

Once Omar had led the eunuch away from Isolde’s hiding place and it was quiet again, she crept carefully back to the alcázar. There were loud voices and the sound of shouting in the distance. The guards had been alerted and were looking for the intruder; she could hear them crashing through the bushes. She was careful to keep away from the pools of light cast by the many oil lamps and moved like a cat amongst the shadows. The women in the harem had come to the jalousie windows of the harem and were gazing out; she could see them moving behind the wooden slats, the flickering candles elongating their bodies into strange, ghostly forms. She must be careful. No-one must suspect her. She had been in the harem only a few months but she was already aware of the jealousies and rivalries that existed between the women. If they knew that she had tried to escape, there would be no hesitation in giving her up. Najm was her only friend; she was the only one she could trust. But would Najm stand by her if she were caught? She doubted it. What good would it do either of them? No. She was on her own.

She crept round to the side door and opened it quietly. There was no-one about. Everyone was too busy staring into the garden, wondering what was happening. She could hear their voices, high and shrill, like so many starlings. But she could not join them; they would know at once. Not only was her dress torn and muddy, her yellow hair pulled loose from its braids, she was shaking all over. Her body was trembling, out of control. She had to wash and change before anyone saw her. Luckily her room was close by. She pulled aside the curtain and went inside. Her maid was curled up on a mat, asleep.

‘Wake,’ she said, gently pushing the girl with her foot. ‘Wake up.’

The child, because she was no more than that, ten years old at the most, sat up, rubbing her eyes.

‘Bring me hot water. I need to bathe,’ she told her.

‘Are you all right?’ the maid asked. ‘You are trembling. And what happened to your dress?’

‘I fell in the garden,’ Isolde replied. ‘It was so silly of me to go out in the dark and now I fear I have caught cold.’

‘Shall I bring you something?’ the maid asked.

‘No, I will be all right soon. Just bring the hot water for my bath.’

While the maid went for the water she took off her ripped dress and hid it in the cupboard then unbraided her hair and lay down on her bed. She was safe she told herself. She was safe. Nobody would ever know that she had been in the garden. She was safe now. But she could not stop her heart racing nor her hands from trembling.

‘Jawhara, you’re missing all the excitement,’ said Najm, coming into the room. ‘There has been another intruder.

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