Chapter 23: Return to England

By degrees over the couple of days available to him, using the windows of the upper stories to help with her training, Derek accustomed Shulah to the reality of 'outside' and the fact that the world was so very much larger than the harem which had previously been her entire universe. He even took her out in the car several times until it no longer frightened her to be driven through the streets. He tried to prepare her for the flight by describing it as being a car journey writ large. He was, however, at a loss as to how to explain England to her. The problem of clothing was an acute one, since it was now December and the weather would be colder than anything she had ever experienced in her life. He decided to forget underwear, except for long socks, and to persuade her that a dress and overcoat were the English form of an abaya, never to be removed outside the house. That would be a start. A beret and a scarf would complete the ensemble for the journey.

In the event the flight, once she was aboard the airliner, was not so very frightening for her. The Emir had been as good as his word, and they had a private Airbus to themselves, and it was kitted out as a roomy house. The area in which they sat had four luxurious seats and occupied the entire area devoted to the first class passengers on a normal flight. Derek was interested to see that the stewardesses were all dressed only in their smart caps and slippers, but nothing else.

The Embassy car was waiting at the foot of the steps when they landed, and Derek appreciated the privilege of avoiding the dreary queues at Immigration and Customs. On the journey he left the windows clear, and tried to accustom Shulah to the idea that women as well as men walked openly in public in England, and that the women neither wore abayas, nor were they attacked by every man who chanced to see them.

Through the good offices of the Kobekistani embassy in London he had bought a house in the stockbroker belt, easily commutable from London, but not so fashionable as to cost a fortune. Although his extremely generous salary had all been banked during his stay in Kobekistan, it was still a finite amount and he had no immediate source of income. Once there, he set about finding a job, leaving Shulah in the house alone whenever he went to London.

The first meeting between Shulah and their next door neighbour was confusing for both of them. Molly Davenport was a somewhat air-headed trophy wife and looked forward to meeting another such when she heard that a management consultant called Derek Pullman and his wife were moving in after a tour of duty in the Middle East. As soon as Derek had left one morning a couple of days after their arrival, she knocked on the front door and introduced herself to the shy little woman, hardly more than a girl, who answered it.

"Hullo. I'm Molly Davenport. We are your neighbours and I thought I would pop round and see if there was anything you want?"

Shulah was at a loss as to what to say or do, so she played it safe. She dropped to the floor and pressed her forehead to the tiles in full obeisance.

Molly thought she had fallen, and said, "Are you all right?" as she helped the girl to her feet.

"Highness," said Shulah, "My Master is not here."

Molly stared at her as if Shulah had just arrived from another planet, then pushed past her into the sitting room. 'My Master', as a way of referring to one's husband, and 'Highness' when addressing the next door neighbour sounded utterly fascinating and she wanted to learn more.

Sitting down in an easy chair she asked, "What's your name? I know your husband is called Derek, but I don't know yours."

"Highness," Shulah blushed deep red, "I have no husband. I am only a concubine, given to my Master by His Magnificence, the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah, Emir of Kobekistan, may he live for ever. My mother was one of His Magnificence's slaves, may he live for ever."

"You speak good English?" Molly ventured, taken aback at this news.

"My mother was English, and I am British," said Shulah, "I can show you my passport if you wish."

"No, no. Let me get this straight. You mother was a slave to this Emir and you were his concubine until he gave you to Derek?"