far better price for you,” Karim told her. “You will have some sailor between your legs before Donal Righ has left the establishment,
and
you will be dead of overwork and disease within a year. Is that the life you would choose?”
Both she and Morag looked shocked at his words. “Donal Righ would not do that to me,” Regan protested nervously. “He is kind.”
“Only because you are of value to him, Zaynab,” he told her. “Now raise your arms and put them behind your head as I have commanded you.”
For a long moment their gazes locked in a silent battle of wills, and then Regan obeyed him, albeit reluctantly. Morag let out an audible sigh of relief, and Karim chuckled. He stepped back a pace and let his eyes sweep in leisurely fashion over Regan’s body. His look was assessing, never lewd. Reaching out with his hands, he molded her breasts, causing a soft flush to rise in her cheeks. Her top teeth caught her lower lip and worried at it as he fondled her, but again there was nothing lascivious in his touch.
“Do you want me to open my mouth that you may inspect my teeth?” she muttered darkly.
“Shortly,” he said quietly, “but for now I would like you to turn about. You may lower your arms to your sides. Slowly, Zaynab. Anticipation is an art you must practice, I can see.”
Regan turned as he had ordered her. “What is it you call me, my lord? Zaynab?”
“In the tongue of the Moors it means
the beautiful one
,” he told her. “You must have a Moorish name, and so I shall call you.” His eyes traveled from her pretty shoulders down thedelicate line of her backbone to her buttocks, which, he decided, were like the twin halves of a firm young peach. She was tall for a woman, but not too tall, and her length was in her torso, not her legs with their graceful calves. Kneeling, he lifted up a foot. It was slender, and the arch was high. Her bones were small. She was finely made. Donal Righ had not lied. She was like the sun and the moon.
Karim stood and unfastened the clasp on her hair. The silvery gold tresses spread themselves like a fan across her shoulders, reaching just to the tip of her tailbone. He fingered a lock. It was like the finest silk.
“You may turn back to face me now,” he said, and when she had, he ordered her to open her mouth.
Regan was outraged. She thought he had been mocking her when she snapped at him a moment ago. She thought of refusing him, but then saw Morag’s pleading eyes and obeyed.
He peered in, noting, “Her teeth are all there, and they are free of rot. Her breath is sweet. It’s a good sign.” He took Regan’s chin between his thumb and his forefinger, turning her head this way and that as he peered again, this time at her skin. “The skin is translucent, and healthy,” he said. “The nose is pretty, the mouth tempting, and the eyes a fine color, like a first quality aquamarine.” Releasing Regan, he turned abruptly away from her, rejoining the two men on the dais. “She has definite possibilities, Donal Righ, and as you say, she is strong-willed.”
“Then ye will take her and train her for me, Karim? I would entrust her to no one else. I know two lords in al-Andalus who have Love Slaves schooled by ye. These girls have brought their masters so much happiness that they prize them above all other women. The girls are called Aiysha and Subh. You educated them about seven years ago.”
“I remember the maidens involved,” Karim said. “Aiysha was sent to a rich lord in Seville, and Subh went to the king of Granada. I received magnificent gifts from both men in gratitude. It was after those successes that I was sent that poor girl who later killed herself. I have not trained another girl since, Donal Righ.”
“
But ye will train this one, won’t ye, Karim?
” the older man said with a sly grin.
The younger man laughed, resigned. “Aye, old friend of my father, I will school Zaynab for you. When she is ready, I will take her to the
and
you will be dead of overwork and disease within a year. Is that the life you would choose?”
Both she and Morag looked shocked at his words. “Donal Righ would not do that to me,” Regan protested nervously. “He is kind.”
“Only because you are of value to him, Zaynab,” he told her. “Now raise your arms and put them behind your head as I have commanded you.”
For a long moment their gazes locked in a silent battle of wills, and then Regan obeyed him, albeit reluctantly. Morag let out an audible sigh of relief, and Karim chuckled. He stepped back a pace and let his eyes sweep in leisurely fashion over Regan’s body. His look was assessing, never lewd. Reaching out with his hands, he molded her breasts, causing a soft flush to rise in her cheeks. Her top teeth caught her lower lip and worried at it as he fondled her, but again there was nothing lascivious in his touch.
“Do you want me to open my mouth that you may inspect my teeth?” she muttered darkly.
“Shortly,” he said quietly, “but for now I would like you to turn about. You may lower your arms to your sides. Slowly, Zaynab. Anticipation is an art you must practice, I can see.”
Regan turned as he had ordered her. “What is it you call me, my lord? Zaynab?”
“In the tongue of the Moors it means
the beautiful one
,” he told her. “You must have a Moorish name, and so I shall call you.” His eyes traveled from her pretty shoulders down thedelicate line of her backbone to her buttocks, which, he decided, were like the twin halves of a firm young peach. She was tall for a woman, but not too tall, and her length was in her torso, not her legs with their graceful calves. Kneeling, he lifted up a foot. It was slender, and the arch was high. Her bones were small. She was finely made. Donal Righ had not lied. She was like the sun and the moon.
Karim stood and unfastened the clasp on her hair. The silvery gold tresses spread themselves like a fan across her shoulders, reaching just to the tip of her tailbone. He fingered a lock. It was like the finest silk.
“You may turn back to face me now,” he said, and when she had, he ordered her to open her mouth.
Regan was outraged. She thought he had been mocking her when she snapped at him a moment ago. She thought of refusing him, but then saw Morag’s pleading eyes and obeyed.
He peered in, noting, “Her teeth are all there, and they are free of rot. Her breath is sweet. It’s a good sign.” He took Regan’s chin between his thumb and his forefinger, turning her head this way and that as he peered again, this time at her skin. “The skin is translucent, and healthy,” he said. “The nose is pretty, the mouth tempting, and the eyes a fine color, like a first quality aquamarine.” Releasing Regan, he turned abruptly away from her, rejoining the two men on the dais. “She has definite possibilities, Donal Righ, and as you say, she is strong-willed.”
“Then ye will take her and train her for me, Karim? I would entrust her to no one else. I know two lords in al-Andalus who have Love Slaves schooled by ye. These girls have brought their masters so much happiness that they prize them above all other women. The girls are called Aiysha and Subh. You educated them about seven years ago.”
“I remember the maidens involved,” Karim said. “Aiysha was sent to a rich lord in Seville, and Subh went to the king of Granada. I received magnificent gifts from both men in gratitude. It was after those successes that I was sent that poor girl who later killed herself. I have not trained another girl since, Donal Righ.”
“
But ye will train this one, won’t ye, Karim?
” the older man said with a sly grin.
The younger man laughed, resigned. “Aye, old friend of my father, I will school Zaynab for you. When she is ready, I will take her to the
Similar Books
