"Yes," he said.
"Because your servants may spy on us and report to my relatives that I am not maintaining my chastity?" She touched his cheek with her slender fingers. "You need not worry on that account. I have spoken to my half-sisters and have said you are affectionate— and being a foreigner, your ways are unlike ours— but you do nothing that would give my husband a moment's qualms. They need not fear I will bring an incorrect child into the world on your account, and unless I do, what is said of me by servants is nothing more than envious rumor. No one will find us together in your house. Everyone knows that servants gossip, and that they often exaggerate. My relatives will not bring you before the Sultan's deputies for debauching a married woman."
"Have your half-sisters granted you so much?" He found it difficult to believe, although he did not want to contradict her.
She smiled, a roguish glint in her eyes. "Let us say they will believe me until I am with child, and then they will be happy to denounce me and seize my husband's goods for the sake of the family honor." Her smiled broadened. "Since that will never happen, they will have to continue to believe what I have told them."
He uttered a single chuckle. "You are a very clever woman, Avasa Dani."
Her suddenly demure manner was belied by her laughter. "I would not be here otherwise, and my life would be the poorer for it," she reminded him, and leaned over so that she could kiss him. Their lips met softly as a whisper, but ardor flared in them both; she slid from the chair, pulling three cushions with her, to kneel in front of him, their bodies pressed together, their arms circled around each other, each supported by the other. A sound between laughter and a sob rose in her throat and she loosened her silken garments in order to
give him access to her body, then reached for his hand and slid it under the shining fabric. "Do not deny me," she murmured before resuming their kiss once more.
For an answer, he slipped his other hand underneath her clothing and began to caress her shoulders, her back, her flanks, her breasts. He felt her desire mounting with every nuance of touch he offered her. His fingers sought out the curve of her side, where she was especially sensitive, and awakened greater voluptuousness in her with his coaxing touch that heightened her yearning for more of his tantalizing fondling. As she leaned against him, moving her body to ignite his carnality still more, he stroked her arms, sliding the silk from her shoulders. "Slowly, my dove. There is no need to hurry."
She surged her flesh the length of his body. "Do not wait." She took his ruby-studded silver necklace and lifted it over his head, dropping it onto the table beside the scroll.
"There is time," he said, more gently still, and bent his head to kiss her shoulders, the declivity at the base of her throat, the swell of her breasts. "Enjoy all that you can."
"But you—" She broke off. As was true of most women of her caste and station, she had been instructed since childhood in the art of pleasing a man; she was still surprised that Sanat Ji Mani put her pleasure before his own, and showed little respect for the teachings of the scriptures.
"I will be better satisfied if you are more completely fulfilled," he said before he touched her nipple with his tongue; she hissed in breath in intense pleasure. "There is so much more you can know of your exultation; let yourself achieve it. You will give me the greatest gift if you will do this."
She shivered as he continued his ministrations, her eyes half-closed so that she might feel his every contact with her body; it was as if she were being riven with light, as if her whole being was burning as the hands of holy men were said to burn. From her head to her thighs, she quivered with growing frenzy as Sanat Ji Mani evoked responses from every part of her; she wondered if this wonderful frenzy could melt her bones, for they seemed to be softened within her. As much as she had been pleasured by him before, it had been nothing so splendidly consuming as this. She had not suspected there was so
much rapture in her. When his lips touched the cleft at the top of her thighs, her trembling became a shudder, and she felt a little spasm shake her. She caught her hand in his hair. "That was—"
"There is more," he said, and continued his exploration, using his hands to summon greater sensation from her body than she had ever known.
"Ah." There was something gathering within her, centered at where his mouth and hand were most tantalizing. She could feel a delicious tightening in her loins. "Ah." It was almost impossible to breathe, for she might send herself over the brink; she swayed as if she were about to fall, and felt his arm come up to support her even as he rose and his other hand performed some unimaginable magic between her legs. "Ah. Ah. Ah." The cries were soft, but they came from the very root of her being. For a long, dizzying moment, she was caught up in the enormity of the release that went through her in deep pulsations, like a superb instrument played flawlessly. Then, as she came back to herself, she felt Sanat Ji Mani's lips on her neck, and she smiled. It was difficult to speak, but she knew she had to tell him. "There was more."
He kissed her again, his lips soft on hers, completing their joining as he had begun it. "You have been most kind, Avasa Dani."
She sank down onto the cushions, a marvelous lassitude coming over her. She was vaguely aware that she should dress herself again, but she could not bring herself to close her body away from all that had just transpired. "Will anyone come?"
"Rojire is the only one, and he will not until I call him." Sanat Ji Mani put his silver necklace back on, adjusting it to hang properly, then stretched out beside her.
"How did you know?" she asked, looking over at him. "I did not know."
"I have lain with you before, and I have learned much from you," he said, stroking her shoulder and arm.
She thought about his answer and decided she would have to be content with it for now. With a sigh she rolled onto her side. "I had better dress."
"Not on my account," he said, and took her hand in his so that he could kiss each of her fingers in order.
"No; on mine," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
He nodded and moved aside so that she could rise and pull her silken clothes about her, as if she were wrapping herself in a gorgeous cloud. Watching her, he knew it was now imperative to tell her the whole of his nature before they had another such encounter; he wondered if his revelation would blight the passion between them— it had happened before with others, and he told himself he would endure it happening again, but he could not pretend such a response would not cause him anguish. Long ago he might have tried to convince himself that her reaction was not important to him, but those times were long in his past. He decided he would have to talk to her in the next few days; not now, while her gratification made her movements liquid as dance— in a few days, before her need rose again. With a wry smile on his lips, he got to his feet and went to the door to call Rojire.
* * *
Text of a letter from Rustam Iniattir to Sanat Ji Mani, written in Parsi and delivered by an escorted slave.
* * *
My greetings and good wishes to the foreigner, Sanat Ji Mani, who abides in the Street of Brass Lanterns in the city of Delhi: may light shine upon him and all his endeavors.
I have today received word that the caravan we have sponsored has arrived in Shiraz and been received by your factor there with the cordiality and upon terms that you guaranteed would be the case. This is a most welcome confirmation of the agreement into which we have entered. I am pleased to tell you that it is most likely that the caravan will move on in a month, having traded in Shiraz such goods as we have agreed are to be traded there, and other goods procured for the next phase of the journey.
There are reports of activity on the part of Timur-i Lenkh that trouble me, for they are saying he is taking his men and striking off toward more wealthy cities than he has previously done. That may bode ill for Shiraz, or for Delhi. Delhi is far away, but it is said he and his men travel on the winds and can advance faster than anything but a storm. I am worried that this might lead to problems for our caravan, and I wish to consult you in case you are of the opinion that it would be wiser to permit the caravan to choose other routes in its travel to the west. You have knowledge of that part of the world, and
I would like to draw upon what you have learned, in case it becomes necessary for the caravan to alter the route it follows.
I have also been informed that there is illness in the cities of Ormuz and Damascus, and that is bound to have impact on all trading along those routes. Sickness is oftentimes unavoidable in this dark world, but it does not mean that it is prudent to put oneself in its path. I would favor turning the caravan toward the Mameluke Empire and the ancient land of Egypt, for surely our goods will find willing buyers in that place as they would in Aleppo or Trebizond. The Western traders come to Egypt as well as to the Black Sea, and they will deal with our men in either place, to our advantage.
In that two of my cousins are the leaders of the caravan, you may be certain they will do as I instruct them. As they rest at Shiraz, a message, carried by sea, and then ridden inland by courier, would reach them before they are intending to set out again. So that we may have a better understanding of our business in this difficult time, I propose to visit you in two days, when you have had an opportunity to reflect on all I have told you, so that we might have a frank exchange of our thoughts in these matters.
You have far more money invested in this caravan than I have, and you have supplied camels, asses, and horses for the trek. You will not want to endanger so much of value without having time to reflect on these various matters and deciding where your interests lie. As you have discerned from my remarks, I am inclined to send the caravan toward the Mameluke Empire, but you may have other preferences, and it is fitting, given your high investment, that your thoughts be included in our deliberations.
It is most distressing to me that this first venture of ours should have such a hindrance imposed upon it, particularly at this time, when we agreed there was much promise. I would not be offended if you reconsidered the caravan we discussed for China, as it is possible that travel eastward may be no safer than travel westward. You spoke of Tirhut, Kamaru, and Assam as being the most protected route: I do not disagree with you, but I question how much protection is possible at this time.
I am not averse to modifying the terms of our agreement, so that our current problems need not be added to by a reckless adherence to conditions that do not actually apply to circumstances at large. Do not
doubt that I am as inclined as ever to undertake these journeys, but we may wish to shift our plans for departures to a time when our success is more assured than appears to be the case now. You tell me that you are not wholly dependent on the profits of our trade to keep you and your household, which may be just as well if our present enterprise encounters any more thwarting.
Let us consider the winter as a better time to commence our next venture, when the world is less active. If our eastern-bound caravan does not go high into the mountains, but keeps to the roads of the foothills, it should not be delayed by snows, and by the time the passes into China are reached, it will be late enough in the spring that the way will be open, and there will be a swift passage possible.
Until we have agreed on these points, I propose that we do not consider any new caravans, not even one to Russia, which we discussed as a possible speculative trek for the year to come. If we cannot resolve any disagreements we may have with our current plans, it would be sensible to wait before adding anything more to our shared obligations, for that would only result in disputes that would be unsatisfactory to us both, and to our traders as well. I ask you to consider all these things before we meet to evaluate our projects.
Rustam Iniattir
Parsi merchant of Delhi
4
Firuz Ihbal stared at the black-clad foreigner and scowled, his moustaches bracketing his mouth as if to emphasize his displeasure. "You have not yet explained why you are sponsoring a second caravan. Your first venture was questionable enough, but now you say a second one is in order." He sat back on his elaborately carved ivory chair that was not quite a throne and rested the tips of his fingers together, his eyes half-closed as he contemplated Sanat Ji Mani. At thirty-six, he was at
the height of his power, and he knew it; he also knew he would not have many more years to enjoy his prestige and position as he did now, and was determined to make the most of it.
"If I did not believe that a caravan to China would be worthwhile, I would not ask to be allowed to sponsor one," Sanat Ji Mani said patiently, not the least intimidated by Firuz Ihbal's off-putting manner.
"But
why
do you believe it will be worthwhile? You yourself admit that it is unlikely that your first caravan will be able to reach the cities you intended it should." Firuz Ihbal sat forward a bit, as if he saw something suspicious about Sanat Ji Mani. Here in the audience chamber of the Sultan's palace, he was used to maintaining his authority with nothing more than a nod of his head, but there was something about the foreigner that perplexed him and made him wonder if he was truly as much master here as he believed he was. "You have proved you are a man of means, but you cannot continue to give away gems and gold forever. When you can no longer sponsor caravans and companies of soldiers for the Sultan, you will have to turn to our enemies in order to make your way in the world."
