pawns moving to take control of the center of the board.
“A true pleasure to see you again, Lady Emily.” Mr. Sutcliffe bent a silver gray head over my hand.
“I’m sorry to have interrupted your game.” I studied the board. “I’d suggest you accept his gambit. It’s not without risk. You’ll lose control of the center, but if you play it right, you’ll open yourself up to a greater freedom as the game goes on.”
“Just who are you supporting in this match, my dear?” Colin asked.
“We had only just begun to pass the time until you arrived and would not dream of continuing now that you’ve joined us,” Mr. Sutcliffe said. “I told your husband that, with his permission, I would like to speak to both of you, as it appears you’re equally embroiled in this dreadful business at the palace. I’m concerned in the extreme about Sir Richard.”
“We all are,” I said.
“The loss of his daughter is a blow from which he may not recover. I’ve seen it too often—not just from my own experience, but in the charity work I do to support families whose children have succumbed to illness. Often poverty is a mitigating factor—bettering their situations may serve to prevent more loss. At least that’s what I tell myself.”
“An admirable position,” Colin said.
“I cannot stand to see anyone suffer what I have. But when I think of Richard . . . Do you really think it wise to fuel his belief that the Ottomans have arrested the wrong man?”
“I’ve seen nothing that suggests he’s guilty,” Colin said. “And if he’s not—”
Mr. Sutcliffe shook his head and held up a hand. “I want my friend to have peace, and I’m full of fear that this investigation will give him nothing but the opposite.”
“How can he know peace until he finds out what happened to his daughter?” I asked.
“You think it’s possible to determine that?”
“It’s impossible to say at the moment,” Colin said. “Best case would be finding some physical evidence that links a suspect to the crime.”
“Wouldn’t that already have been apparent? Surely the guards would have seen it that night?”
“Oversights are made with horrifying frequency,” my husband said.
“So it’s not too late?” Mr. Sutcliffe asked.
“Not necessarily,” Colin replied, his voice all breezy confidence. “We’re taking every possible measure.”
“I can’t see the old boy hurt further. This is the sort of pain that can ruin a man.”
“I don’t think he’s verging on that territory,” I said.
“No? He’s coming completely unhinged and making more mistakes at his work than the ambassador will be able to tolerate for long. I assure you, Lady Emily, my concerns are well-founded. I’m doing all I can to help, but there are limits.”
“You’re a good friend,” I said.
“I’m far too familiar with his pain,” Mr. Sutcliffe said, “and hope that prolonging this investigation won’t make it harder for him. He’s been through quite enough.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I said. “And in an attempt to speed the process along, I’m afraid I must excuse myself. I’m expected at Y?ld?z.”
“I wish you all luck,” Mr. Sutcliffe said. “Physical evidence, Lady Emily. I’ll be crossing fingers that you find some.”
I thanked him, gave Colin a quick kiss, and stepped off the patio onto a waiting boat. Once again, the ride was interminable to my churning stomach, set in motion this time not only by the rough water, but by anxiety. I’d sent a note to Perestu, who had arranged for me to go to the hamam, agreeing that it might persuade the concubines I was someone they could trust. She’d promised to send English-speaking girls who knew Ceyden to talk to me. The prospect of bathing with untold numbers of total strangers was horrific, but I hoped to uncover some information of use.
Inside the harem, I followed a guard to the concubines’ hamam, where I was handed off to a bath attendant, an elderly woman
“A true pleasure to see you again, Lady Emily.” Mr. Sutcliffe bent a silver gray head over my hand.
“I’m sorry to have interrupted your game.” I studied the board. “I’d suggest you accept his gambit. It’s not without risk. You’ll lose control of the center, but if you play it right, you’ll open yourself up to a greater freedom as the game goes on.”
“Just who are you supporting in this match, my dear?” Colin asked.
“We had only just begun to pass the time until you arrived and would not dream of continuing now that you’ve joined us,” Mr. Sutcliffe said. “I told your husband that, with his permission, I would like to speak to both of you, as it appears you’re equally embroiled in this dreadful business at the palace. I’m concerned in the extreme about Sir Richard.”
“We all are,” I said.
“The loss of his daughter is a blow from which he may not recover. I’ve seen it too often—not just from my own experience, but in the charity work I do to support families whose children have succumbed to illness. Often poverty is a mitigating factor—bettering their situations may serve to prevent more loss. At least that’s what I tell myself.”
“An admirable position,” Colin said.
“I cannot stand to see anyone suffer what I have. But when I think of Richard . . . Do you really think it wise to fuel his belief that the Ottomans have arrested the wrong man?”
“I’ve seen nothing that suggests he’s guilty,” Colin said. “And if he’s not—”
Mr. Sutcliffe shook his head and held up a hand. “I want my friend to have peace, and I’m full of fear that this investigation will give him nothing but the opposite.”
“How can he know peace until he finds out what happened to his daughter?” I asked.
“You think it’s possible to determine that?”
“It’s impossible to say at the moment,” Colin said. “Best case would be finding some physical evidence that links a suspect to the crime.”
“Wouldn’t that already have been apparent? Surely the guards would have seen it that night?”
“Oversights are made with horrifying frequency,” my husband said.
“So it’s not too late?” Mr. Sutcliffe asked.
“Not necessarily,” Colin replied, his voice all breezy confidence. “We’re taking every possible measure.”
“I can’t see the old boy hurt further. This is the sort of pain that can ruin a man.”
“I don’t think he’s verging on that territory,” I said.
“No? He’s coming completely unhinged and making more mistakes at his work than the ambassador will be able to tolerate for long. I assure you, Lady Emily, my concerns are well-founded. I’m doing all I can to help, but there are limits.”
“You’re a good friend,” I said.
“I’m far too familiar with his pain,” Mr. Sutcliffe said, “and hope that prolonging this investigation won’t make it harder for him. He’s been through quite enough.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I said. “And in an attempt to speed the process along, I’m afraid I must excuse myself. I’m expected at Y?ld?z.”
“I wish you all luck,” Mr. Sutcliffe said. “Physical evidence, Lady Emily. I’ll be crossing fingers that you find some.”
I thanked him, gave Colin a quick kiss, and stepped off the patio onto a waiting boat. Once again, the ride was interminable to my churning stomach, set in motion this time not only by the rough water, but by anxiety. I’d sent a note to Perestu, who had arranged for me to go to the hamam, agreeing that it might persuade the concubines I was someone they could trust. She’d promised to send English-speaking girls who knew Ceyden to talk to me. The prospect of bathing with untold numbers of total strangers was horrific, but I hoped to uncover some information of use.
Inside the harem, I followed a guard to the concubines’ hamam, where I was handed off to a bath attendant, an elderly woman
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