Khalid el Bey was not sure he wanted to know. Somehow this
beautiful creature had insinuated herself into his heart. It had been
a long, long time since he had felt more than just sexual satisfaction
with a woman, but with Skye he suddenly felt something he had
long believed himself immune to. That feeling was a longing for a
real home, and it took a wife and children to make such a home.

He smiled at his fantasies. Surely he was getting old, for the first
sign of age in a man like him was the longing for rest. He gazed
again at the woman by his side. Was it possible? Did he really love
her? What if he married her, and she later regained her memory?
But that was unlikely. She would not regain her memory, or so his
physician said, unless faced with the very thing that had shocked
her in the first place.

Still, he would not move swiftly. He would allow Skye to continue
her lessons. It could do no harm. And later he would make a decision
about their future. He closed his eyes, sighed, and fell asleep.

Chapter 9

Yasmin was shocked. “You took an unskilled woman to your
bed? What on earth possessed you, my lord Khalid?”

He turned on her. “You presume on our long association,
Yasmin. Skye belongs to me, and I will do with her as I
choose. I do not need your approval.”

“I only meant-“

“You are an insolent slave,” he said cuttingly. “I have rarely
found it necessary to use the whip, but you tempt me now, Yasmin.
You tempt me greatly.”

She had gone very white. Flinging herself to the floor, she im-
plored his forgiveness. “Get up,” came the cold reply. “You will
continue Skye’s lessons, Yasmin, and if I should ever hear of your
mistreating her in any way, I will sell you. Go now!”

The Circassian scrambled to her feet and fled the room. Her heart
was thundering. In all their years together he had never spoken to
her that way. Yasmin was deeply frightened. Was he in love? Allah
forbid! The worm of jealousy gnawed at her heart, and Yasmin
began to hate the woman called Skye with an impotent fury.

She dared not act openly against her yet, but once Khalid sent
Skye into the House of Felicity, she would be at Yasmin’s mercy.
Yasmin thought with pleasure of a Syrian merchant who visited them
twice yearly, and whose delight was in watching two women perform
before he took them both. Knowing Skye’s revulsion at another
woman’s touch, Yasmin intended to punish her by forcing her to
participate in such a show. For now, however, Yasmin would bide
her time.

She smiled at Skye as she entered her room and bid her good
day. “Today,” she said, “we will review yesterday’s lessons, and
go on to the study of anatomy, both male and female.”

Skye nodded. Annoyed by her poise, Yasmin sought to shock
her. ‘Tomorrow I will bring a girl from the House of Felicity with
me, and she and Ali will begin to demonstrate to you the various
positions of love.” She stared hard at the younger woman.

“That should be very interesting,” replied Skye with infuriating
calm. “I would learn quickly and well so I may please my lord
Khalid.”

Yasmin had to bite her lip to keep from shrieking. Skye’s lack
of emotion was totally unnerving. Would she be one of those cold
creatures who felt nothing at the height of passion? If that was the
case then she would have to be taught to simulate emotion, for
nothing frustrated or angered a man more than an unresponsive
female. Yasmin realized that it might be harder to train Skye than
she had previously thought. But train her she would, and when she
was through Skye would be the most magnificent creature ever to
grace the House of Felicity. Then Khalid would realize Yasmin’s
great value to him, and finally make her his first wife. She had
waited so long for an opportunity like this, doing his bidding unquestioningly all these years, seeing to his interests.

Catching herself, she ceased daydreaming, called for her eunuch,
Ali, and threw off her silken robe. “A thorough knowledge of both
the male and female body is essential, Skye,” said the naked Yasmin.
”With small-breasted women such as yourself, the breasts are usually
very sensitive, and most women are highly sensitive on the little
button that lies hidden beneath the Venus mound. Demonstrate,
Ali!”

Yasmin lay among the pillows, the young eunuch propped on his
side next to her. Fascinated, Skye watched as he caressed the soft
globes of Yasmin’s breasts, using both his hands and his mouth. He
worked slowly and as Yasmin’s breasts became harder and firmer,
a small moan escaped her. Ali shot Skye a small triumphant smile,
which his partner missed. One hand moved lower to Yasmin’s Venus
mound. A finger probed delicately, rubbing gently, and another soft
cry escaped the writhing woman.

Ali bent his head to touch with his tongue where his finger had
lately been. The woman beneath him cried aloud her passion, and
suddenly Skye closed her eyes and shuddered. In her mind’s eye she
saw a blond man and a blond woman intertwined together on a bed.
It was evil! Her mind strained to remember, but she could not quite
do so, and then a shriek of pleasure from Yasmin brought her back
to the scene before her.

The older woman lay panting, her lush body covered with a fine
sheen of perspiration. The eunuch lay on his back, his eyes closed.
Gradually Yasmin regained her composure. Finally she spoke. “You
have now seen one way in which a woman’s body can give pleasure
and be pleasured, though of course it is more important that you
give pleasure. I will demonstrate mat shortly, but first I want Ali
to caress you as he has just caressed me. It is necessary that I see
how you react in such a situation. Exchange places with me.”

For the second time Skye felt uncomfortable. When Khalid el
Bey had made love to her the other night it had been right, but she didn’t want the sly Ali with his obviously knowing hands and mouth
touching her, and with sudden defiance she said so. Startled at first,
Yasrhin was speechless, but she quickly regained her voice.

“I did not ask you whether you wished to do this thing. I have
commanded you to obey me. How dare you even contemplate dis-
obeying me? Our lord Khalid has put you in my charge, and if you
disobey me I shall have you beaten.”

“You do not dare to mark me,” shot back Skye. “You are a slave
as I am, and my lord Khalid would punish you greatly should you
destroy my value!”

Yasmin smiled nastily. “It will not destroy your beauty should
I have Ali beat the soles of your feet. The bastinado is an extremely
painful but effective punishment for fractious slaves.”

Skye paled, but said evenly, “I will not allow that creature of
yours to touch me, and if you hurt me I shall tell my lord Khalid
of your cruelty.”

“What cruelty do you speak of, my lovely Skye?” Khalid el Bey
stood in the door a moment before entering it. With inborn instinct
Skye flung herself into his arms. “I won’t do it, my lord! Please
don’t make me! Please!” His eyes softened, his arms tightened pro-
tectively about her, and he dropped a kiss on the top of her dark
head.

Yasmin made an exasperated noise. “You tell me to train her in
the arts of love, and when she will not obey me you condone it!”

“I will not allow Ali to touch me in that way!”

“I cannot gauge your sensuality if I cannot see it!”

Khalid el Bey hid a smile and said to Skye, “Will you allow me
to caress you so Yasmin may learn what she needs to know?”

“Yes.” It was said softly. Without another word he slid her caftan
from her body and drew her down amid the cushions. His hands
were incredibly gentle as they cupped and caressed her sweetly
rounded little breasts, and she sighed with delight as he teasingly
skimmed the soft, smooth skin with his skilled fingers. A warm hand
fondled her belly and slid downward to touch that most sensitive of
spots. She cried out her pleasure, and his mouth quickly covered
hers in a burning kiss. As the pleasure faded slowly away, she
opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, a strangely tender
expression lighting his amber eyes. Then he turned his head, and
she was struck by the hawklike beauty of his profile.

“Do you know now what you must, Yasmin?”

The older woman was very still, her green eyes huge and almost
black in her pale face.

“She responds well to a man’s touch, does she not, Yasmin?”

‘To your touch, my lord Khalid,” came the reply.

“From this moment on, Yasmin, you will not force Skye to any-
thing she chooses not to do. You will teach her all you know, and
she will practice her skills on me alone. Only I will correct or chastise
her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord.” The woman shot Skye a look of pure hatred.

“Then that will be all for today.” Yasmin and Ali were dismissed.
Khalid stood up and, holding out his hand to Skye, said, “Dress
yourself, my sweet. In the garden there is a rose called ‘Love’s
Delight’ that has just come into bloom today. I would show it to
you.”

They were alone. Skye drew on her caftan slowly. She slipped
on her sandals. His deep voice cut the silence surrounding them.
”What was it about your lessons today that disturbed you, my Skye?”

“When I saw Ali making love to Yasmin,” she said, “I became
uncomfortable, my lord. It was as if I had seen… something like
that before, and it was evil. Yet I could not really remember. It
frightened me. The eunuch, despite his state, was so sure of his
power over Yasmin. He smiled at me in such an arrogant way, and
I knew then that I could not bear it if he touched me. Have I
displeased you, my lord Khalid?”

He put an arm about her. “No, Skye, you have not displeased
me. Whatever you may have been in your former life, you were
certainly not a wanton, and that pleases me. I think, perhaps, that
I shall have to change my plans for you. Come now, and see the
roses.”

“You will not send me away?” Her voice was frightened.

“No,” he held her by the shoulders and looked down into her
upturned face. “I shall not send you away, my little lost love.” And
again she was puzzled by the tender look in his eyes.

Alone in the night, Khalid el Bey paced the rooftop terrace of his
house. The sky above was black silk, relieved only by the crystal
blue stars. The air was still, yet it was perfumed by the sweet scent
of night-blooming nicotiana. It had become obvious to him that he
couldn’t make Skye a courtesan. Though her memory was buried,
a strong moral sense remained. He would send a note to Yasmin
tomorrow morning, stopping Skye’s lessons. Whatever he felt she
needed to learn he would teach her himself.

He had to admit to himself now that he was in love with Skye.
Her revulsion toward Ali today was only a part of it. The truth was
that Khalid el Bey did not want her in the House of Felicity pleasuring
a different lover every night. He wanted her in his own house, loving
him, and bearing his children. Yes, he loved her enough to honor
her by making her his wife. He felt like a boy again, and for the
first time since his love for Noor, he felt hope. Perhaps, he thought wryly, there was a god in the heavens, after all. At peace with
himself, he descended the steps to his own quarters.

To his surprise, Skye was asleep on the cushions by his couch.
For a brief moment he watched her, then he bent and dropped a kiss
on her cheek. She stirred, opened her magnificent sapphire eyes,
and sat up.

“I am afraid,” she said in a rush, “I have angered you. And if
you send me away-“ she stopped, trying to gather her thoughts.
”You are all I have, my lord Khalid. I remember nothing before
you, and if you send me away I shall die!”

Tenderly he gathered her into his arms. “I have spent many hours
alone with the night, my sweet Skye, and I have realized something.
I have decided that there is only one fate for you.” She trembled
against him, and he stroked her reassuringly. “Your fate is to be my
wife, beloved. I will love you, care for you, and protect you, my
Skye. I have never before wanted a wife, and it has been many years
since I really loved a woman. It has been my custom to make love,
but not give my heart. Do you understand the difference?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “You enjoyed their bodies, but not nec-
essarily the women themselves.”

He smiled in the semidarkness of the room. “You are wise, my
Skye. Now, love, tell me if you are still afraid.”

“No.”

“And are you pleased with my plans for your future? Will you
be happy to be my wife?” “Yes.”

“Sweet Skye, I… I love you, and I want you to be happy. If the
thought of marriage to me displeases you, you must tell me so, for
I would not have you be unhappy.”

“You do me great honor,” she said softly, “but I am not certain
I love you, my lord. Surely you deserve a wife who loves you.”