Page 92 of Silver Angel

“I’m sorry,” Rahine said soberly. “I didn’t know about that.”

Chantelle shrugged. “My aunt always said a little hard work never hurt anyone. And it was no punishment, Rahine. At the time, I was delighted to be in the kitchens.”

“But you wouldn’t be now.”

Chantelle gave a very unladylike snort. She had known that “I told you so” would come around eventually.

Chapter Forty-four

The day of the shadow play rolled around only three days later. Due to Jamil’s letting it be known that he needed a distraction, Noura spent day and night learning the required moves and put on a preview performance for the ladies that morning, which was a success. Even Chantelle had enjoyed it. Now if everything went according to plan tonight, Noura would be exposed before the day was out.

But that was many hours away. Chantelle took advantage of finding the pool empty to while away one of those hours. She enjoyed the pool. Actually, she had come to enjoy the entirehammam. It was a lazy place, where soothing hands were always ready to massage tired muscles back to life or rub sweet-smelling oils into already soft skin. But Chantelle didn’t laze about in this room, where the sunken body of water was so reminiscent of the ocean to her. She used it for exercise, swimming laps back and forth and beneath the water, pushing her muscles to the limit just for her own satisfaction. The water wasn’t deep. Few of the harem ladies knew how to swim, so the water at the deepest point only reached the breasts. But it was cool and invigorating, and Chantelle could almost imagine that when she surfaced from the water, the Dover cliffs would be there to greet her.

Today when she came up for air, her imagination took second place to water-clogged ears. She left the pool to dry off, shaking her head to clear it, but still there was only a loud droning in her ears.

Oh, this is just wonderful. Noura has her one and only angry fit tonight, and my ears are too clogged up to hear any of it.

Impatiently, Chantelle quickly donned her robe and bundled her hair up in a towel, then bent forward and turned her head to the side, wiggling her earlobe. There was a pop, and then the amplification of the water lapping at the sides of the pool.

And then the voice, clear and irate. “I should have known the pool wouldn’t be empty. It never is. But shouldn’t you be primping before a mirror by now? Or did Jamil finally summon someone else?”

Chantelle didn’t answer. She was too dumbfounded. She sat there on a bench staring at the woman in the doorway, not knowing what to think. How could it be her? Her eunuch’s name was Orji, not Ali. And she would have nothing to gain by killing Jamil. It made no sense.

Yet the voice was the same, even more recognizable when she snapped, “What are you staring at, Englishwoman?”

“A murderess,” Chantelle replied boldly as she came to her feet. “I was so certain it was Noura, but it was you, wasn’t it?”

“You’re crazy! I haven’t killed anyone.”

“Perhaps not with your own hands, but there isn’t much difference when your coin paid to have it done.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” was the haughty reply.

“Yes, you do. I heard you and Ali outside the steam room the day you ordered poor Murad’s death. Did you see me leave? Is that why you had me poisoned, Mara?”

That was a guess, but it paid off. The woman gave up all pretense of innocence, sneering, “Too bad it didn’t work. I could have used the few extra gems the Dey’s rage and grief would have brought me.”

“Yes, it must be getting harder and harder for you to steal them now that everyone knows what a clever thief we have among us.”

“I was up to the challenge. I found it quite thrilling, actually.”

Chantelle shook her head in amazement. The woman was bragging now. She didn’t seem at all fearful of having been found out.

“All to kill Jamil? Why, Mara? It can’t be the whippings, because I was told you enjoy them.”

Mara became enraged suddenly. “What do you know about it, you stupid bitch? I hate him! I hate all men, but especially Jamil, for discovering my shame and using it against me. Do you think I am proud that I can receive pleasure only through pain? If I could find the man who made me like this, I would chop him into little pieces, slowly, so that he would survive to the end. But first I would roast his balls and his—”

“I’m sorry for that first experience that affected you so…bizarrely, but Jamil hasn’t done anything to you that you haven’t let him do. You could have put an end to it at any time by simply making your feelings known.”

“No one refuses the Dey what he wants.”

“I did.”

“For how long?” Mara sneered.

Even though Chantelle’s cheeks tinged with pink, she still insisted, “That was different. I was seduced, not threatened. And it could never have happened if I were not attracted to the man.”

“How splendid for you, but he sickens me,” Mara bit out. “And Orji told me I had no choice.”