The Sultan's Bride (2 page)

Even John smiled when Peter
told him what he’d discovered; they could make four times back what they would
spend on the goods with very little outlay from the business.  Of course
he’d have to sight the goods but that was just a matter of formality.

So he sat and waited for
Hassan to arrive.  The others were long gone before he admitted defeat and
sadly made his way home.  The man had not been back to the office and
Peter felt the chance to make the quick and seemingly easy money had slipped
through his fingers.

He trudged home to Sarah, late
for dinner but she was used to this by now and had saved him some food.
 Catherine however was not so forgiving. 

‘Papa where have you been?’
she asked, scolding him, ‘You know I don’t like it when you’re not home for
dinner.’ 

Her bossy manner always put
him in good humour and tonight was no exception.  Picking her up he spun
her around making her laugh before planting a kiss on her nose.

 ‘Well my princess I
thought I was going to make a lot of money today but I think I missed the
chance.’

Sarah looked at him curiously
and he knew he’d have to explain later.  ‘Now Catherine, I do believe it
is time for you to be in bed, I’ll tuck you in.’ 

She nodded, having already
dressed in her nightgown.  Catherine hated that her father worked so hard
and would insist on keeping her mother company until he came home in the
evening or she fell asleep whichever came first.

Tonight his dinner would wait
while he carried his daughter up to her room and tucked her under her
bedclothes.  ‘Will you be rich Papa?’ she asked, trying to stifle the yawn
that was escaping her. 

‘Maybe one day I’ll have lots
of money my love,’ he said, ‘right now I have you and your Mama, you make my
life rich.’

She hugged him.  ‘I love
you so much
Papa,
and Mama too.’  Peter kissed
her on the forehead and went back downstairs.  Sarah was in the kitchen,
cleaning up the dishes and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on
her shoulder while she worked.

‘I nearly had a big deal
today love.  It gave me some ideas on how to expand the business. 
I’m still hopeful it will work out but if it doesn’t I think I can still
persuade at least John that we need to move into other areas.’

She sighed. ‘As long as it
doesn’t mean you’re away from us more often, I am happy for you but Peter,
Catherine and I both need you here sometimes.’

He turned her around so she
was facing him.  ‘I know and I am trying my best sweetheart, you know I
want us to be able to live comfortably, for you and Catherine to want for
nothing.  The hard work now will pay off in the long run.  I swear.’

Then she kissed him and the
dishes were forgotten as they made their way up the narrow staircase to the
bedroom where she showed him just how much she loved him.

The following morning he was
relieved to see Hassan waiting again outside his offices.  ‘My friend, I
am so sorry I did not make it back in time.  I underestimated my
travelling time yesterday and by the time I got to this part of the city I was
too late for you,’ he said, clearly embarrassed at his mistake.

Peter grinned; relieved the
man had come back at all.  ‘I accept your apology Hassan, now can we talk
business?  My partners and I are very keen to purchase your shipment once
inspected if it’s still available.’ 

The man smiled a big white
toothy smile that almost made Peter laugh out loud.  ‘I would be very
happy to sell it to you, I’m sure you will find all is as it seems.’ 

After a successful inventory
of the items Peter gladly paid and arranged for the products to be shipped to
the warehouse.  Hassan was pleased and promised to stay around in case he
had any questions.  ‘My ship home will not be leaving for at least another
week so if I can help you at all I will,’ he said with a grin, happy to be
returning home minus the wares he had set out with.

‘I appreciate it,’ Peter
said,  ‘This trade is new and though we’re experienced in other items any
help you could give me, I would be grateful for.’

The following week was spent
repackaging the spices for sale, and by the time Hassan was ready to sail home
Peter had made a handsome profit and was ready for more.  ‘Thank you my
friend,’ he said to Hassan on the eve of his departure, ‘You have helped me
open my partner’s eyes to new opportunities’

‘You are welcome,’ the little
man said, ‘I would advise that you travel yourself, tour the east and trade
there.  There are so many opportunities out there for a man like you Peter
Stanton.  If you ever find yourself travelling to the East, I have a home
near the port of Constantinople and will be glad to help you find provinces to
trade with.’

‘That’s kind of you’ Peter
said, thoughts swirling through his head. 

‘My friend,’ said Hassan
earnestly, ‘
For
me to travel home with my shipment
unsold would have brought great grief, you have helped me more than you could
ever know.  I was very lucky to find you.’

Peter smiled. ‘I am very
happy that you spoke to me first, any trader would have been mad to pass up the
goods,’ he said. He shook Hassan’s hand and continued, ‘I think you will see me
sooner rather than later, after the reception the small shipment received I
would very much like to invest some of the profits back into purchasing more
spices and textiles.’

‘Our textiles are also
amongst the best,’ said Hassan proudly.  Peter smiled. Convincing Sarah to
take the journey with him would be the hardest part.  He couldn’t bear the
thought of being without her or Catherine for the months it would take for the
trip.

Two months by sea just to get
there, then the travelling time and the return sea voyage he would be away for
at least six months and it just would not do to be parted from them. 

Talking Sarah into the trip
would be an interesting conversation indeed.

The sea journey had been
tiring and the family was glad to get their feet onto solid ground. 
Catherine and Sarah had both had terrible sea sickness and almost the entire
first half of the journey they had spent in the cabin, huddled in a corner and
trying to stay as still as they could.

By the second month things
were better and the pair started to venture on deck for fresh air, Sarah had
regretted coming at first but Peter’s excitement as they approached their
foreign destination was contagious and she found herself looking forward to
landing and the travel in front of them.

Finding Hassan had been easy
once they got into port and he quickly arranged a house for them to stay in
while they were in town.  He also offered to travel with the small
party.  ‘I usually have people in my employ to travel with the goods to
ensure they reach their destination or to do the trading but I would be only
too pleased to come with you.’

Peter took his offer gladly,
they had discussed back in England how the trip would proceed and Hassan had
assured him that he would be only too glad to provide a guide and translator to
help him find the people he needed to trade with.  To have the man himself
was a boost as Peter had come to get to know him while in England and trusted
him.

They set off after a few
days, travelling to the west for textiles before heading east to look at the
spice trade.  Everywhere they went people were welcoming and Catherine in
particular loved seeing all the new places and meeting new people.  There
weren’t many children her age from the people they met but she contented
herself with learning about the areas and seeing the landscape that was so
alien to her.

All around her were patches
of desert, the land was so dry but the people made their lives the only way
they knew how and water was the resource in demand here where they took it for
granted at home.  It was a different way of life but Catherine took to it
with great vigour to her mother’s horror.

Sarah wanted Catherine to
grow up to be a young lady and with Peter’s success they would have the
finances behind it to give her a life they could have only dreamed of. 
Now she had a bit more freedom Catherine was more tomboyish than usual, it was
common for her to finish the day covered in the light dust that was over
everything and Sarah was forever washing her and everything else.

When they weren’t staying in
the homes of the people they were trading with or inns along the way, they
camped in tents.  Sarah hated it but was determined to grin and bear
it.  No one would hear a complaint from her lips she swore.

‘There is just one more place
I would recommend we go,’ Hassan said towards the end of their travels. 
They had been to five regions, negotiating deals for different wares and he was
as aware of Sarah’s patience running out as he was that the ship would be
crammed full by the time they’d been to their last stop.

‘Where are we going?’ Peter
asked enthusiastically.  Mentally adding up what they would earn from this
trip was exciting him, with this last stop the ship would be full and he would
become a very wealthy man once the goods were sold.

‘
Ajara
,’
Hassan said, ‘It is a very rich land and the Sultan is an old
acquaintance.  I have to warn you my friend, life there is very different
to what you are used to and even different to what you have seen so far.’

‘I think at this stage we can
handle just about anything Hassan, if we are going to fill up this ship then we
would be best to go, unless you’re warning against it?’ 

Hassan shook his head. ‘No,
the Sultan is a good man and very generous if you make friends with him. 
I think you will do well.’

A few days later they were
nearly there and Peter yawned.  He felt like he had been travelling
forever and was very glad that this was the last stop on his business trip
before returning home to England.   His business had done well out of
the tour, the spice trade was looking to be very profitable and he had made
many friends and allies that would stand him in good stead.

He had enjoyed this trip, the
people were warm and co-operative everywhere they went and he was confident of
the future he would be able to give Sarah and Catherine.  Hassan had
hinted that morals were looser in
Ajara
. ‘It is a
palace of many pleasures,’ he had said but Peter thought it was worth the risk
to overlook whatever took place there.

Ajara
loomed, like an Oasis in the middle of the
desert.  The dust kicked up by the horses made him cough from time to time
and he looked forward to reaching the palace where the Sultan awaited him and
where he and his travelling party would be able to rest for a few days before
the trek back to port and the sea voyage home.

‘Peter,’ a voice came from
behind him. It was Sarah.  During the trip she had grumbled to herself
often about the constant dust and the heat but had also enjoyed seeing the
sights of the east.  There had been so many dignitaries to meet and that
was the part of the trip she excelled at. 

‘Yes?’ he answered. 
‘How is Catherine?’  Catherine was seated on her father’s horse, propped
against him and was fast asleep. 

‘Sleeping my love,’ he
answered, ‘This has been such a tiring journey for her.  We’ll be at the
palace soon and the Sultan will have rooms ready for us.  Tonight we might
even get to sleep in real beds.’

Sarah grimaced, thinking of
the nights spent in tents throughout their venture which had not been favoured
by her.  The thought of somewhere real to sleep did sound so good.

Peter gently nudged Catherine
and the girl slowly opened her eyes.  ‘You’ll want to see this
sweetheart.  We’ll be going to see a Sultan in his palace.’  She sat
up and the palace came closer with every step the horse took, it wasn’t much to
look out from the outside but with the thought of getting out of the dust it
was a glorious sight.

As they approached they were
greeted by a representative of the Sultan’s.  ‘Hassan, Peter Stanton,’ he
called out, ‘
Please
follow me, I will take you through
to your rooms to clean up and rest before your meeting with the Sultan.’ 

He was tall. Dark haired with
lovely tanned skin, and very handsome features dressed in loose robes. 
Sarah blushed as his eyes met hers and a bemused smirk crossed his face before
he turned to show them where they needed to go.  His English was perfect,
just slightly accented and she wondered briefly where he had learned it.

The family followed
obediently and through the gates the horses went, Peter lifted his daughter
down and then helped his wife dismount from her horse.  Entering the doors
to the palace the family gasped, Catherine’s eyes were as wide as they had ever
been at the opulence within.

Gold filigree was everywhere
and there were gems decorating the walls, glittering into the distance down the
long corridors.  This was clearly a very wealthy kingdom judging from the
palace and while Peter could see the value in coming all the way here to do
business, he was also enthralled by his daughter’s reaction. 

She reached out and ran her
finger along the wall.  ‘Feel it Papa, the wall is sparkly and bumpy,’ she
said with a laugh.