Chapter 28

‘Now, my child, you know why you were so shamefully used, last night, at our own table.’

‘I am glad you wanted to tell me,’ said Fara. ‘It does relieve my mind to know that you are still my friend. It would be unfair for me to remain here and add to your burden. I shall take Ione—and go. She will be happy to return to her own country. And as I have no country, I think I should prefer to live in Greece. May I have your permission to do that?’

‘What about Voldi?’

‘Voldi knows I can’t marry him.’

‘But you do love him, I think.’

‘Dearly! Far too dearly to risk ruining his life!’

‘You two will be unhappy as long as you live.’

‘But I cannot live happily in Arabia, and Voldi will not be happy anywhere else. Our choice is limited to two kinds of unhappiness.’

‘Well—you’re making the wrong choice! How many thousands of times I have wished that your mother and I had had the courage to run away. I don’t know where we could have gone; but any hardship would have been preferable to what we endured.’ It suddenly occurred to Zendi that he had unwittingly drawn a picture without Fara in it, and he mumbled an apology that didn’t help very much.

‘Don’t mind me!’ said Fara, with a half-bitter chuckle. ‘I’ve never thought it was any fun to be alive.’

King Zendi now sighted something on the trail that won his interest. He stood up and surveyed with apparent satisfaction an approaching train of camels. Fara rose and stood beside him. He took her arm.

‘Your tents and furniture,’ he said. ‘Everything will be put in place today, just as you left it. Your servants will be here soon.’

‘Oh, but you mustn’t! I cannot stay here!’ pleaded Fara.

Then Zendi explained. He had supposed, he said, that she might not want to remain. When the news arrived of her father’s assassination, he had assumed that she would return for her beloved Ione and plan to reside in some other country; possibly Greece, for she had often expressed admiration for that historic land. In view of this probable decision, he had been converting her property into money.

‘Your sheep and cattle were sent to Damascus,’ he said, ‘and the caravan will return shortly with the proceeds. Your estate should be ample to provide for you wherever you may decide to live.’

All through the forenoon the King watched as the experienced men pitched Fara’s tents on their former site and installed the familiar equipment. The old servants came and set about their accustomed tasks. Ione, directing them, was dizzy with joy. Lunch was served in the garden and Voldi arrived in time for it. The King declined an invitation to stay. Deran had been taken ill in the night, he said, with what appeared to be an unusually bad cold, accompanied by a fever. The Queen was greatly worried about him.

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