Then, as if she realised that time was passing, she almost pushed Yamina into the painted trunk.

The soft sable of a fur-lined caftan lined the bottom of it and, as Yamina crouched down, Mihri started to heap the garments on top of her until she was covered with the soft silks, satins and gauzes.

Then the Ikbal slammed the trunk to and clapped her hands.

When once again the slaves came running, she was standing at the door of the toilette and was speaking to Yamina as if she was inside.

“You must have jewellery,” she remarked.

Then to the slaves she said,

“Take the trunk back to Sahin. He has my instructions to bring new clothes from the Bazaar. Not even these are worthy of my sister! And, if it is not done immediately, I shall complain to the Sultan and you will all be punished for your negligence!”

Hastily the slaves fastened the locks of the trunk and Yamina, crouching down inside, heard slow footsteps approaching and knew that they had summoned the deaf mutes.

It was they who did all the carrying in the harem and, as they lifted up the trunk, Yamina wondered if they would query the fact that it was so heavy.

Then she remembered that they could not speak even as they could not hear. Nevertheless they had a kind of sign language of their own by which they could communicate with each other.

But apparently they were not suspicious and Yamina found herself being carried across the room and through the door, while Mihri’s voice ranted and raved at the slaves in a manner that was bound to distract their attention.

It was dark inside the trunk, but Yamina soon realised that on each side there were small holes which had been punctured to let in the air, but which also let in the light.

Without moving she could put her eye to one of them and see that they were proceeding down the narrow corridors and the backstairs that led to the side of the Palace.

As they reached the ground floor, she was aware by the robes she could see through her peephole that someone else had joined them.

It took her a moment or two to realise who it was, until with a leap of her heart she knew it was Sahin!

She thought the deaf mutes would go outside, but instead he was leading them right across the Palace through narrow corridors, until, after walking for a long time, there was bright light and Yamina knew they were now outside in the garden.

The sun was percolating through her air holes, golden and warm, and now suddenly something glimmered almost blindingly and she knew that it was the Bosporus.