Chapter 37: Harem

The Emir's Chief Eunuch hurried her out of the room and down a corridor, through a long narrow windowless room and into a huge open space where many women were lounging about, chatting, bathing and so on. The abaya was removed and she was dragged up to a middle-aged white woman.

"Princess," the eunuch said, "A new English one," and he turned away.

Samantha stood frozen to the spot; had he said, "Princess"?

The woman spoke, "Hello my dear."

Samantha could not for the life of her speak; she was sure he had said, "Princess".

A little irritably, the woman continued, "I am the Princess Ayda formerly Mrs. The Honourable Diana Featherstone, née The Honourable Diana Sturgess, wife to His Magnificence the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah, may he live for ever. You may call me Diana; everyone else does. Has my husband given you a name yet?"

"I-I'm Samantha, Your Majesty," and absurdly she tried to curtsey, naked.

"I said, call me Diana. Did my husband name you Samantha?"

"No ... Diana, my mother did that."

"He may well change your name. He does that. My daughter Susan he changed to Alima. Let's get you some clothes."

Samantha realised that all of the other women there were wearing thigh length silk gowns which opened down the front and were held in place by a loosely tied belt. None of then appeared to have any buttons, and they apparently came in all sorts of pastel shades. Just then the huge black eunuch came puffing up to them and gave her a similar gown, but in white.

"Oh, white," said Ayda, "I hadn't realised."

"What does white mean?" asked Samantha.

"Virgin. It's not unknown in here for new arrivals to be virgins, but it usually doesn't last more than twenty-four hours."

Samantha looked puzzled.

"He usually takes new virgins the first night they are here. That is unless he wants to give them to somebody else. I doubt that in your case, because you aren't a local girl."

"What's different about local girls?"

Ayda smiled and said, "Scarcely a week goes by without one of the local bigwigs giving him a virgin daughter. Usually it is in thanks for a favour he has done them, or in the hope of a future boon. Then he normally gives them to someone else, otherwise this place would be crowded out within the year."

"What do the other colours mean?"

"Nothing much, the pastel colours are all the same. There are occasionally women who are called Special Concubines and wear gold silk because they won competitions to get here, but it doesn't mean much in practical terms. Oh, and there is one old French woman who wears grey, but she is only here as a language teacher. She first came, from a brothel I think, to be a companion to a French concubine who has long since left us. I don't think Pamina has anywhere else to go."

After a moment she continued, "So what is your sad story? Kidnapped?"

"Oh, no, your Majesty,..."