Chapter 34: Lovers

Again I feel that I’m close to discovering something important, but what it is still eludes me. Nebi’s preoccupation with Margit also confuses the issue. There is an obvious mutual attraction between Margit and Nebi, and the speed with which their relationship is developing is difficult to comprehend. Unless...

“Is it possible that Nebi and Margit have met before they came here?” I ask Hasan.

“It would be a huge coincidence if they had,” laughs Hasan. “But I suppose that it’s possible. Why?”

“Because I think Nebi and Margit were either lovers before their arrival here, or their romance is a ruse.”

“How do you arrive at that conclusion?”

“The way they look at each other suggests a longer relationship than one that could have developed in the short time they’ve had here,” I reply. “Unless they are pretending to love each other in order to distract any watchers.”

“So what are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting that Nebi may be intending to rescue Margit. Possibly the countess as well.”

I can tell that Hasan isn’t entirely convinced by my argument, but he doesn’t dismiss it out of hand. Even I must admit that not everything makes sense. In reality, it would be easy enough for Margit to evade the guards and escape. There isn’t likely to be a big hue and cry if one of the hostages’ maids were to suddenly disappear, although perhaps Margit doesn’t know that. But getting away from the lodge is the least of the dangers a woman alone would face in escaping. She’s more likely to end up in some slave trader’s coffle than succeed in reaching her homeland. With Nebi’s support, however, Margit’s chances of reaching freedom are much better. Rescuing the countess would be a much harder proposition, since a full scale search would begin almost at once.

“Has Margit said anything about the escape attempt the countess made before they were sent here?” asks Hasan, clearly thinking about what I’ve said.

“No. Bekir asked the countess about it when he tried to interrogate her, but the countess denied that she made any attempt to escape. Margit hasn’t said anything about it to me.”

“It concerns me that we have so few details about their previous escape attempt,” says Hasan. “The guards who delivered the countess and Margit here said next to nothing about what had occurred. I wish we had detained those guards until we had more information.”

We wake the next morning to the news that Nebi and Margit have run off during the night, leaving the countess behind. Bekir is surprisingly uninterested at the news, and, as I suspected, he only orders a token pursuit. Kosta is even less interested, but begrudgingly dispatches two of his men to join Kemel in the search for the fugitives.

The countess is displeased that she no longer has her maid to attend to her needs, and she demands that Bekir provide a replacement. Without consulting either Hasan or I, he offers the countess my services until Margit is recaptured, or a replacement can be hired. Knowing Heyreddin Pasha’s reluctance to spend money, I have a feeling that he’ll have no intention of hiring a replacement.

Hasan is angry at Bekir’s action, but there is nothing either of us can do if we want to remain here. I report to the countess later that morning to begin my duties. Memories of my time as Hürrem’s maid in the Imperial Harem flood into my mind. Given the reputation the countess has earned since her arrival here, I mentally prepare for a difficult task ahead of me. Fortunately the countess isn’t as helpless without her maid as she pretends, and my initial tasks are far less onerous than I expected. The countess orders me to leave Margit’s room untouched, but not before I notice that Margit didn’t take many of her possessions. As the day progresses I realise that my services aren’t really needed, and my presence is only for show. Nevertheless I keep myself busy cleaning and tidying the suite of rooms, and running the occasional errand for the countess.

The countess isn’t very talkative, and it is inappropriate for a maid to start a conversation. The silence doesn’t bother me as Hürrem often went for hours without talking to her maids. Consequently it’s early evening before I realise something which suddenly explains my previous unease about Margit. A quick search of the suite under the pretext of tidying and cleaning reinforces my suspicion. As soon as the countess dismisses me for the night, I go to find Hasan. He’s sat in the kitchen with some of the other servants, eating an evening meal. I quickly join them. I’ve not had a full meal since breakfast, although I’ve managed to grab a few bits of food during the day. Another trick I learned during my time in the harem, where a maid’s duties don’t always allow time for a normal meal.

“Any news about Nebi and Margit?” I ask.

“No,” replies Hasan. “The men sent looking for them haven’t returned yet. There’s plenty of speculation though, but we don’t know anything for sure. Did you learn anything from the countess about Margit’s escape?”

“She’s not saying anything,” I say, wanting to talk with Hasan alone before I reveal anything to the others.

The attitude of the other servants in the kitchen ranges from indifference to sympathy for the fugitives. To most of the servants, the escape is little more than two lovers running off together. Even Hasan seems more inclined to wish them good luck. Unfortunately my news is going to break him out of his relaxed attitude, but I decide to wait until we are alone.

Hasan can tell that I want to speak with him alone, but he allows me time to finish my meal before suggesting we retire to our room. The other servants make good-natured comments about my obvious eagerness to be alone with Hasan, even though they wrongly identify the reason. Their mistake at least means Hasan and I can leave the kitchen quickly without arousing suspicion.

“So what have you discovered that you are bursting to tell me?” asks Hasan once we are in our room.