“I am only hoping that those who saved me so cleverly – will not get into trouble,” Yamina said.

“You said your accomplice is the Sultan’s favourite?”

“She is a Circassian and very beautiful,” Yamina explained. “She was my maid in Balaclava and was kidnapped by the Sultan’s agents.”

She saw that Lord Castleford was interested and went on,

“The White Eunuch who spoke to you and gave you the key of the trunk was also in my father’s service. He also was abducted nine years ago. He has altered a great deal since.”

“Eunuchs do,” Lord Castleford said, “and the cruelty of it appals me!”

Yamina gave a little shiver.

“Even now I can hardly believe that I have escaped! Better, far better to be a prisoner of war of the English than to have to stay in the harem. Every moment I was there made me more and more frightened.”

“I expect you will go down in history as one of the few women who ever escaped from a Sultan’s harem,” Lord Castleford remarked.

“I was there in somewhat exceptional circumstances,” Yamina replied. “An inmate, but not really one of the Sultan’s women.”

“Which means, I hope, that there will not be too fervent a search for you. Otherwise sooner or later someone will guess why I was given the painted trunk as a gift.”

“I have thought of that,” Yamina said, “and I cannot bear to contemplate Mihri or Sahin being punished on my behalf!”

There was such a note of horror in her voice that it made Lord Castleford say quickly,

“Forget about it! It will not do to torture yourself. What is done is done and now if we are to survive we must concern ourselves with making sure that no one has any suspicion that you are aboard The Himalaya.”

“I am well aware of that.”

“I still find it hard to believe that quite involuntarily I should find myself in such a predicament,” Lord Castleford said. “I cannot help wondering what His Excellency, the Ambassador, would do in similar circumstances.”

“I am sure he would think of something,” Yamina said. “My father has often spoken of Lord Stratford and commended the reforms he has tried to make in the Ottoman Empire. It is a name that everyone respects in the East.”

“He is a very wonderful man!” Lord Castleford agreed. “At the same time he has never been involved in a scandal of any sort despite the fact that he is so handsome.”

“And you?” Yamina enquired. “Have you found yourself in awkward situations arising from your appearance?”

There was no doubt of the touch of sarcasm in her voice and Lord Castleford replied bitterly,

“Never! I have thought far too much of my career to risk behaving in a manner that could bring any discredit to it or to my good name.”

Yamina smiled.