An Evil Eye

27

The great oda, overlooking the Bosphorus, emptied out. The orchestra packed up their instruments. The ladies of the harem drifted away. The children were shepherded off by the black eunuchs, still sniffling. It had been a very remarkable day; not an auspicious one. There was lots to discuss later.

Only the lady Talfa remained, with her slave.

“Bring me coffee.”

Yusel heaved herself to her feet and was about to waddle off when she raised her hands in surprise. “What have we here?”

On the carpet at the foot of the divan sat a little girl, fast asleep, with her head on her knees.

Yusel bent down and shook her gently. “Best run along now, little one.”

The girl saw Yusel bending over her and scrambled to her feet, looking blankly from Yusel to the lady Talfa.

Yusel mimed a low temmena, a bow with the hand almost trailing the ground. The girl took the hint. She presented Talfa with a graceful bow.

She looked about five years old.

“Very pretty, very nice,” Talfa murmured. The sad events of the afternoon had put her into a good mood. “And what, little one, is your name?”

“Roxelana, hanum.”

“Charming! And tell me, Roxelana, who looks after you?”

Roxelana glanced down and traced a pattern in the carpet with her little slippered foot. “No one, hanum.”

Talfa frowned. “No one? Where do you sleep?”

“I sleep-with the girls.” She slid her foot against her leg. “Wherever I am, hanum.”

“The Kislar aga knows about this? And Bezmialem?”

The little girl glanced up, biting her lip.

The princess let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s a muddle, that’s clear. Never mind, I’m glad we’ve had a little chat. I will see that something is done for you.”

Roxelana looked down at her slippers and stirred her foot on the dark flags. “You won’t send me away, hanum?”

“What a ridiculous notion!” Talfa giggled. “As long as you behave yourself, my dear, you’ll stay in the harem forever and ever. Now run along. You can visit me this evening, after prayers, and we’ll see what can be done.”

The little girl bowed again, and walked with self-conscious solemnity to the door of the oda.

At the door she turned and flashed a timid smile. “Thank you, my princess.”

Talfa waggled her fingers. A small smile hovered on her lips.