Iris Johansen - The Treasure

“You’re sure?”

She was sure. How strange and wonderful that she was this certain Kadar’s child was growing within her. “I didn’t want to believe it. I refused to think about it.”

“You don’t want this child?”

“Of course I want it.” The answer came with an instant fierceness that surprised her.

Layla held up her hand. “Don’t attack me. It’s a reasonable question. You said you didn’t want to believe it, and neither you nor your bastard would have an easy time of it in this world.”

“I know that.” But she didn’t want to be reasonable. She was feeling soft and mellow as warm honey. She had never dreamed it would be like this. Where had all the fear and panic gone? A child was inconvenient, even a danger. None of that seemed to matter. “Do you think that I’d let my child be called a bastard?”

“How will you prevent it?”

“I’ll wed Kadar.” She sat up and swung her feet to the floor. “It’s not as if he would not wed me to protect our child.”

“And then?”

“I’ll return to Montdhu as I intended.” She went to the basin and rinsed out her mouth. Sweet Mary, it tasted foul. “Call Mario.

I need a bath and a meal before we start out.”

“And where are we going?”

“To Rome. You’re going to take me to Tarik’s house.”

“Am I?”

“Or I’ll go looking for it myself.” Selene looked at Layla over her shoulder. “I’ll certainly not stay here, and I don’t believe you’ll let me go alone, if you think Tarik sent me to you.”

“Very wise. I would not.” She frowned. “Though things are not going as I would have hoped. I never counted on the child.”

“Neither did I.” But it was here, and the knowledge gave her a buoyant feeling she had never experienced before. The exuberance might not last, fear and depression might soon intrude, but now she would ride the crest. “We must make the best of it.”

Layla smiled faintly as her gaze rested on Selene’s radiant face. “Yes, we can try to do that.” She turned away. “Very well, but we’ll take Haroun and Antonio.”

“I don’t want Antonio.”

“Because he’s my man? You’ll take him anyway. Don’t worry, I’ll have him stay out of sight as much as possible. But I won’t start this journey without a guard to stand watch.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Nasim is no fool. He will be moving.”

SIENBARA

“Genoa,” Balkir said. “Tarik has a ship there. We’ve questioned everyone in the castle and village. It has to be Genoa.”

“It’s too obvious.” Nasim frowned. “Too easy. Tarik is a deceptive man.”

“Should I return and try again?”

“Fool. What if it is Genoa? Should we let them sail halfway to Scotland before we’re able to overtake them?”

“But you said that-”

“We try Genoa.” He frowned. “The woman may have departed here before Tarik and Kadar. It could be that they sought to confuse me by going in different directions. Now, that’s a ploy worthy of Kadar and Tarik.”

“Then we leave Sienbara at once?”

He nodded curtly as he mounted his horse. “At once.”

“Not again,” Layla sighed as she fell to her knees on the ground beside Selene. “This is the third time since we started our journey. When does this morning illness end? It’s most distasteful.”

“I can’t help it.” She threw up again. “And you’re without wits, woman, to think that I can. I’d wager you threw up many times in the House of Death.”

“Only once. The beating I received for showing emotion made me hesitate to give in to weakness again.”

“Well, I’m not sorry for you.” But she was, and it only made her angrier. “Go back to your pallet and leave me alone.”

“You’d only keep me awake with your retching here in the bushes.” She made a face. “And it annoys me to have Haroun look at me with those big reproachful eyes. You’ve not seen fit to tell him of your affliction, and he thinks me a cruel and unnatural woman to ignore you.”

“I don’t care. He’s right. You are a cruel and unnatural woman.”

“Here.” Layla thrust a damp cloth into her hand. “Bathe your own forehead, since you’re not happy with my tending.”

“Tending?”

“I’m trying. Don’t I twiddle my thumbs, letting you sleep the morning away after you wake me at dawn with this nonsense?”

“It’s not nonsense. Many women have this affliction when they’re with child. And I never asked you to-”

“Shh, I know.” She gently brushed the hair back from Selene’s temple. “It’s a wonder that women have more than one child if this is the way of it.”

“Don’t be foolish. How would they keep from it?”

“There are ways.”

The illness was subsiding at last. She sat back on her heels and drew a deep breath. “You’ve never had a child?”

Layla shook her head. “And probably just as well. As you see, I’m not overgentle.”

Selene sensed a hint of pain beneath the carelessness of Layla’s words and said impulsively, “I think you’d be a very good mother.”

Layla’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You would,” Selene insisted. “You’re clever and strong and protective.”

“That would make me a good father, not a good mother,” Layla said dryly.

“Well, who is to say there must be softness. Besides, I believe you could be… gentle.”

“You near choked on that word.” Layla took the wet cloth and dabbed awkwardly at Selene’s lips. “And you clearly must be dizzy from your sickness. It’s time you went back to your pallet.”

“I’m not dizzy.” But she was weak as the babe she was carrying, she realized as she struggled to her feet. “I don’t have to sleep all morning. Just a small nap. I know we should not linger.”

Layla nodded as she stood up. “No, there are too many people at Sienbara who knew Tarik had a ship in Genoa. Nasim would have little trouble finding someone who would tell him about it, and Genoa is a small place.”

“But we’re no longer in Genoa.”

“But Mario is still there, and he has a tongue as loose as his wits.”

“You think he would tell him our direction?”

“With a little persuasion.” She shrugged. “Or maybe not so little.”

“Then we should leave at once.”

“And have you fall off your horse and break something? Then we would truly have a problem. A few hours will make no difference. We’ll make it up by stopping later for the night.”

Selene was not so sure it wouldn’t make a difference. “Just a small nap.”

“We will see.” She grasped Selene’s arm and gently pushed her toward the fire. “Leave it to me. I feel the need of a nap myself after witnessing the disgusting spectacle you made of yourself.”

“I did not ask-” Protests to Layla were like rain beating against a stone wall. Besides, she was beginning to learn she should pay more attention to Layla’s actions than anything she said. Her words might be harsh and completely lacking in sympathy, but during the last days she had been constantly at her side, unobtrusively watching, helping. Perhaps Layla could be no other way after the life she had lived. Selene could understand the need to build walls. She had erected high ones of her own. “I… thank you for trying to help me.”

Layla looked at her in surprise. “Then I’m no longer cruel and unnatural?”

“Yes, but I’ve decided you cannot help it and should be forgiven.” She smiled faintly. “But I give warning I may not feel the same when you rant at me tomorrow morning.”

“Then you should try to control this sickness. It annoys me.”

“Tell that to the babe.” She had reached her pallet and sank to her knees. “I seem to have no control of it. My sister’s illness went away after the fourth month.”