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"True," Ross agreed, "but it would be remiss of me not to make provisions for the possibility. There is a great deal of property involved—if we were to have a son, he would be the next Duke of Windermere. A daughter would be a considerable heiress. Since we have been separated for years, if you just sent a letter to England saying that I had left a legitimate heir, you would certainly face doubts and perhaps legal challenges from whichever cousin inherits after me. I wouldn't want you to have to face that."

Juliet's trembling fingers curled over the statement spasmodically. Our son. Our daughter. "You think of everything," she said, her tone brittle. "But what if I have a baby and don't want to give it up?"

"I'm not suggesting that you give it up. I just want to ensure that any heir of mine will receive what it is entitled to." His voice roughened. "This is probably the only hope of a child I'll ever have. If the amir decides to remove my head in the next few days, I'd like to die with the knowledge that perhaps I've left something meaningful behind me."

Juliet had not known that he cared that much about having a child. She had not dared let herself know.

Her voice low, she said, "Don't worry. If... what we are talking about comes to pass, you can trust me to do everything in my power to give your child the future you would want for it."

"I do trust you." He took her hand, his fingers lacing with hers. "I'm just trying to make matters as simple as possible."

If Ross died, nothing would ever be simple again. Juliet closed her eyes to block incipient tears. She had already cried once today, and that was one time too often.

She was grateful that a knock sounded on the door before she had to speak.

This time the servant on the other side proffered an invitation for Lord Khilburn to dine with Abdul Samut Khan. Ross muttered something unflattering under his breath. "I'm a little tired of his company, but I suppose there is no help for it." Raising his voice, he ascertained that there was time for a bath and ordered that water be brought up.

After Ross had bathed and gone to join his host, Juliet took advantage of the water, soaking a long time as an antidote for the stresses of the last twenty-four hours. Then, clean and dry, she settled down and worked through her escape ideas step by step, making notes of questions that must be addressed.

Finally Ross returned from his dinner. Juliet had not been quite sure how the evening would end, for over the last day there had been both joy and conflict between them. But Ross made it very simple by yawning and offering her his hand. "It's late, Juliet. Let's go to bed."

Taking his hand and going with him was the most natural thing in the world.





Chapter 21





Five days after Ross's fateful interview with the amir, Juliet had a private meeting with Muhammad and Hussayn Kasem. Knowing that if she went to their home her Tuareg garb would make her conspicuous to the ubiquitous Bokharan spies, she had sent a message saying that she would come to their busy fabric shop, where she would blend into the steady stream of people.

When she entered the shop's shadowed interior, Hussayn approached as if she were just another customer, but it did not take long for him to guide her into the back of the building on the pretext of searching for new stock. The shop was a labyrinth of rooms, all piled with rolls of lush fabric that glowed with color like Aladdin's cave. Drawing aside one last embroidered curtain, Hussayn gestured Juliet into a small thickly carpeted room where his father sat cross-legged by a samovar.

Unhurriedly the Kasems served their guest with tea and spiced cakes as inquiries were made into everyone's health. After etiquette was satisfied, Muhammad said, "I have heard that Khilburn is now confined to Abdul Samut Khan's house. I find that disturbing, for the British officer Cameron was treated the same way shortly before he was sent to the Black Well."

"What you have heard is true." Carefully Juliet set down her delicate porcelain teacup. "Khilburn has decided that the amir is not going to grant him permission to leave, so he must escape in secret. He has sent me to beg for your aid."

"There is no need to beg, for it will be our privilege to assist him," Muhammad said graciously. "What might we do?"

"Escaping the nayeb's house should be easy, but it will be harder to leave the city because the gates are always guarded. Also, we will need desert-bred Turkoman horses, the kind of mounts that it might not be possible to purchase in the city." Juliet drew out a small leather purse that clinked with gold coins and laid it beside the samovar. "We will need three horses. Of course Khilburn will pay for them, for such animals come very dear."