Free The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman Page A

– but don’t run.’ Ayshe put a warning hand on the girl’s arm. ‘They don’t like it if you run.’
    â€˜Don’t fuss – there’s no one to see us here.’
    The general annual exodus to the Valide’s summer palace on the Bosphorous, where everyone except a handful of the very youngest
kislar
, and the oldest servants, were still lodged, had given the outer reaches of the Sultan’s harem an echoing, holiday feel.
    â€˜Haven’t you learnt anything?’ Ayshe said crossly. ‘
Someone
will see you. They always do.’
    Ayshe led Kaya from the paved terrace with its fountain down a series of stone steps and through the palace garden: two small figures, scarlet and gold, flitting like dragonflies through the silent morning garden.
    â€˜Are you staying here? Or will you go back with her, do you think?’ Trying to match her pace to Ayshe’s quick footsteps, Kaya stumbled behind her, and once nearly fell. ‘Don’t walk so fast!’
    â€˜Keep up, can’t you. And patience – I’ll tell you when we are inside.’
    â€˜Patience! If you only knew … I swear to you, I’m sick to my stomach of being patient.’
    At the garden walls they turned sharply to the left, making their way past the harem hospital and then through a second courtyard. Turning to the left once more they followed a steep flight of wooden steps which led into the rectangular paved courtyard at the heart of the women’s quarters. There, in a small tiled vestibule at the end of the stone corridor which marked the entrance to the eunuchs’ quarters, Ayshe came to a halt at last.
    â€˜What now?’
    â€˜We have to wait here.’ Ayshe shrugged. ‘When she is ready she will send Gulbahar to get you.’
    â€˜How long will that be?’
    â€˜How should I know, goose,’ Ayshe frowned. ‘An hour. Two hours.’
    â€˜Two hours!’
    â€˜Hush, will you!’
    The two took up waiting positions, standing side by side with their backs against the wall. Kaya waited for the pounding in her heart to subside, clenched her now clammy hands, willing her jagged breath to return to normal.
    There were few women around that morning. Two ancient black slaves, too decrepit and sleepy with age now to be included in any of the Valide’s excursions, were sweeping the courtyard with bunches of old palm fronds.
    â€˜On your way now – go.’ Impatiently, Ayshe waved her hand at the two women. ‘The Valide is coming this way soon, and she does not want her eyes defiled by the sight of you hideous old crones.’
    â€˜Yes,
kadin
…’ The two slaves were already backing away, bowing respectfully. ‘Yes, my lady.’
    Kaya glanced at her friend. ‘What harm were they doing?’
    â€˜I just don’t want us to be overheard, that’s all. Not by anyone. And keep your voice down.’ Ayshe spoke very softly. ‘I swear, she can hear everything.’
    â€˜What does she want me for, do you know?’ Kaya felt her stomach muscles tighten in apprehension.
    â€˜As if you didn’t know! Probably wants to know if you’ve … you know…’ Ayshe put her hand to her mouth to conceal her sudden smile. ‘If you are still
gözde
. “In the Sultan’s eye.”’ She glanced slyly at her friend. ‘Are you?’
    â€˜Oh, she’d know all right.’
    â€˜Indeed she would,’ Ayshe agreed tartly, ‘She probably watches it all herself …’
    Kaya made an inarticulate sound.
    â€˜Really. I mean it. There is nothing she doesn’t make it her business to know.’
    â€˜Yes, but no one actually
watches
,’ Kaya glanced at her friend again. ‘They … they write it down in a book. I know,’ she added, ‘Hassan Aga showed me.’ There was a small silence. ‘And no, they haven’t written me in there