The Love Slave by Bertrice Small Page B

caliph’s court myself and present her to Abd-al Rahman for you. Be warned, however, she will not be easy. She has as strong a streak of independence as ever I have seen in anyone, man or woman.”
    “Ye have named her!” he chortled “
Zaynab
. I like it! It suits ye, Regan MacDuff, and that’s the last time I shall call ye by the name yer mam gave ye. Morag, reclothe yer mistress and take her to the special chamber that has been prepared for her. Erda will show ye, girl.” He turned back to Karim. “This girl is now in yer charge. Ye will stay with me, and Alaeddin too.”
    “Not until tomorrow, Donal Righ,” the captain told him. “I have been at sea for several weeks. I both need and want the company of a skilled courtesan. Alaeddin and I have made other arrangements for tonight, but I will begin Zaynab’s education tomorrow, I promise you, old friend of my father’s. It is agreed then?” He held out his hand and Donal Righ grasped it gratefully.
    “It is agreed Karim al Malina,” he assented “Abu, take the women back to Erda.”
    Regan and Morag were escorted out, and when they had gone, Alaeddin asked Donal Righ, “Would you object if I paid a bit of court to the little one with braids? She sets my heart to racing. How old is she?”
    “Old enough,” Donal Righ answered with a chuckle. “Erda says she has her woman’s flow, but be advised that she is a virgin.”
    “I’d like to be her first,” Alaeddin ben Omar admitted.
    “Ye’ll spoil her for other men.” Donal Righ chuckled again, and his companions laughed as well.
    Regan and Morag could hear the men’s laughter as they followed Abu back to the women’s quarters, where old Erda resided When he had left them in her charge and departed Regan exploded with anger.
    “Ye would hae thought I was a mare or a cow for sale,” she fumed, outraged. “I hate that man! He is horrible and awful! He actually dared to look in my mouth! He sniffed at my breath, Morag!”
    “I thought him rather gentle, and nice,” Morag ventured.
    “
Nice?
” Regan hissed.
    “He wasna cruel, mistress,” the girl said quietly, “and nae once did he look at ye wi’ lecherous eyes.”
    “How could ye tell, lassie? Ye were much too busy flirting wi’ the black-bearded companion of his,” Regan snapped.
    Morag giggled, admitting her guilt. “He’s verra handsome, mistress, and he flirted back wi’ me.”
    “Did he put his hands between yer thighs?” Erda demanded.
    “
What?
” Regan shrieked, horrified.
    “Did he put his hands between yer legs?” Erda repeated. “Did he investigate yer private parts?”
    “
Nay!
” she answered, outraged by the very thought.
    “Then why do ye carry on so, my chick?” the old woman wondered. “The man has but looked at ye. ’Tis no crime to admire a beautiful maid.”
    “
He felt my breasts!
” Regan told her.
    “To test the mettle of yer flesh,” she answered calmly.
    “I am nae someone’s possession,” Regan exclaimed angrily.
    “Aye, my chick, ye are,” Erda said quietly. “When Gunnar Bloodaxe sold ye to Donal Righ, ye became my master’s possession.”
    “But that damned Viking had no authority to sell me to anyone!” Regan protested. “I was sent by my family to the convent of St. Maire.”
    “Which,” Erda countered, “put ye under the rule of the abbess, Mother Eubh, who sold ye to Gunnar Bloodaxe, who brought ye to Donal Righ. He will put ye in Karim al Malina’s charge, and when ye are considered properly trained, Karim al Malina will present ye to the caliph in Cordoba, in the name of Donal Righ. Ye will be the caliph’s possession, child. Ye had best set yer mind to accepting yer fate. Ye’ll be happier if ye do. ’Tis a good future, Zaynab. Would that I had had yer beauty when I was yer age. I would have become a queen!”
    “My name is Regan MacDuff,” she said stubbornly.
    “Ye have been renamed, my chick, and ye must answer to Zaynab from now on,” Erda told