women, nor a just reward for their faithful service. What has
provoked such a display of temper?"
Leila looked out across the moonlit rooftops, then down
at the tray, anything to escape her mother's inquisitive gaze.
What could she say? That she was being tormented by
lustful thoughts about the crusader? Her mother already knew of their valuable
patient, but Eve hadn't yet heard that Leila had actually spoken with him
earlier in the day. Oh, why couldn't she avoid the unsettling subject
altogether?
"I was thinking of the crusader, 'tis all,"
she mumbled, opting for a version of the truth. "He regained his senses
this morning and attacked a guard."
"And this has made you angry, my daughter?"
Leila sighed with convincing exasperation. "Only
because Father and I worked so hard to save his life last night. His wound
could have opened. He could have bled to death before we arrived, and the
governor's ransom would have died with—"
"But the wound did not open, did it?" Eve
interrupted her sharply.
Puzzled by her mother's tone, Leila answered, "No.
It is better in fact. The swelling is almost gone."
Eve nodded as if she was not surprised by this news. "I
prayed that it would be so," she said more softly. "God is with him."
She fell silent and gazed into the distance.
Leila felt a tug in her breast as she watched a
familiar haunted, faraway look settle over Eve's lovely face. She was about to
ask her what had been bothering her these past weeks when Majida suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs leading to the terrace. The tall
odalisque hurried over to the divan and bent down on one knee, taking Leila's
hand in her larger one.
"Your mother has told you the wondrous news, yes?" Majida asked, her gray eyes shining with excitement.
She pressed Leila's hand to her smooth cheek. "A thousand and one
blessings be upon you, my young mistress!"
Leila was so surprised she could only stare from Majida , who was covering her hand with kisses, to her
mother.
" Majida , please,"
Eve began, her voice wavering, "Leila has not . . ." She faltered,
then threw up her hands, her many precious rings glittering in the moonlight. "I
have not told her yet."
Majida's mouth fell open in
embarrassment. She released Leila's hand and prostrated herself on the enameled
tiles, her forehead resting atop Eve's slippered feet.
"Forgive me, O my mistress. Such a flapping
tongue! I thought by now you would surely have shared your tidings. I waited by
the stairs, impatiently counting the moments, and I could contain myself no
longer. I was so happy. Ah, forgive me. I did not mean to spoil the surprise."
Eve leaned over and grasped the odalisque's broad
shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. " 'Tis no matter, Majida . Please stand up. I dislike it so
when you do this. We can tell her together, you and I. Stand up, dearest
friend—"
"Such a foolish tongue. I curse it! May it shrivel
up and fall from my mouth, then I shall stomp upon it!"
"What utter nonsense. You have done nothing wrong,
only given of your heart's joy. Come. Sit here by me."
With a plaintive sigh, Majida rose. She smiled apologetically at Leila as she sat on the edge of the divan.
"There. That is so much better," Eve said
calmly, though she still appeared flustered. She patted the odalisque's hand. "Now.
Go on, Majida . Tell Leila why you are so elated."
Leila stared at her mother, feeling for some strange
reason that Eve was reluctant to share this news herself. She glanced
questioningly at Majida , who was again smiling
broadly.
"A date has been set for your marriage to Jamal Al-Aziz.
One month hence, my young mistress, you will be a bride!"
Excitement blazed through Leila. "When was this
decided?" she asked, astounded that she had been thinking of such a thing
only a short while ago.
"Late this afternoon," Eve replied quietly. "Your
father received a letter from Jamal at the hospital not long after you left,
but since his work will stretch far into the night he sent a
provoked such a display of temper?"
Leila looked out across the moonlit rooftops, then down
at the tray, anything to escape her mother's inquisitive gaze.
What could she say? That she was being tormented by
lustful thoughts about the crusader? Her mother already knew of their valuable
patient, but Eve hadn't yet heard that Leila had actually spoken with him
earlier in the day. Oh, why couldn't she avoid the unsettling subject
altogether?
"I was thinking of the crusader, 'tis all,"
she mumbled, opting for a version of the truth. "He regained his senses
this morning and attacked a guard."
"And this has made you angry, my daughter?"
Leila sighed with convincing exasperation. "Only
because Father and I worked so hard to save his life last night. His wound
could have opened. He could have bled to death before we arrived, and the
governor's ransom would have died with—"
"But the wound did not open, did it?" Eve
interrupted her sharply.
Puzzled by her mother's tone, Leila answered, "No.
It is better in fact. The swelling is almost gone."
Eve nodded as if she was not surprised by this news. "I
prayed that it would be so," she said more softly. "God is with him."
She fell silent and gazed into the distance.
Leila felt a tug in her breast as she watched a
familiar haunted, faraway look settle over Eve's lovely face. She was about to
ask her what had been bothering her these past weeks when Majida suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs leading to the terrace. The tall
odalisque hurried over to the divan and bent down on one knee, taking Leila's
hand in her larger one.
"Your mother has told you the wondrous news, yes?" Majida asked, her gray eyes shining with excitement.
She pressed Leila's hand to her smooth cheek. "A thousand and one
blessings be upon you, my young mistress!"
Leila was so surprised she could only stare from Majida , who was covering her hand with kisses, to her
mother.
" Majida , please,"
Eve began, her voice wavering, "Leila has not . . ." She faltered,
then threw up her hands, her many precious rings glittering in the moonlight. "I
have not told her yet."
Majida's mouth fell open in
embarrassment. She released Leila's hand and prostrated herself on the enameled
tiles, her forehead resting atop Eve's slippered feet.
"Forgive me, O my mistress. Such a flapping
tongue! I thought by now you would surely have shared your tidings. I waited by
the stairs, impatiently counting the moments, and I could contain myself no
longer. I was so happy. Ah, forgive me. I did not mean to spoil the surprise."
Eve leaned over and grasped the odalisque's broad
shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. " 'Tis no matter, Majida . Please stand up. I dislike it so
when you do this. We can tell her together, you and I. Stand up, dearest
friend—"
"Such a foolish tongue. I curse it! May it shrivel
up and fall from my mouth, then I shall stomp upon it!"
"What utter nonsense. You have done nothing wrong,
only given of your heart's joy. Come. Sit here by me."
With a plaintive sigh, Majida rose. She smiled apologetically at Leila as she sat on the edge of the divan.
"There. That is so much better," Eve said
calmly, though she still appeared flustered. She patted the odalisque's hand. "Now.
Go on, Majida . Tell Leila why you are so elated."
Leila stared at her mother, feeling for some strange
reason that Eve was reluctant to share this news herself. She glanced
questioningly at Majida , who was again smiling
broadly.
"A date has been set for your marriage to Jamal Al-Aziz.
One month hence, my young mistress, you will be a bride!"
Excitement blazed through Leila. "When was this
decided?" she asked, astounded that she had been thinking of such a thing
only a short while ago.
"Late this afternoon," Eve replied quietly. "Your
father received a letter from Jamal at the hospital not long after you left,
but since his work will stretch far into the night he sent a
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