Noise. Beggars whining.Merchants calling out their wares.
She heard Abdar cursing behindher, but she was already darting through the throng and between the stalls. Shepassed a leather vendor, a pink-turbaned cleaner of ears wielding his smallsilver spoon in the orifice of a customer seated on a low stool, a goldmerchant, a kiosk hung with wicker cages containing raucously squawkingparrots. She glanced behind her again and her heart sank. As people recognizedAbdar, they were making way for him.
Then, to her relief, she saw asmall female elephant burdened with copper pots and pans and her master on theaisle that bordered the western edge of the bazaar. It was common knowledgeAbdar hated elephants and avoided them at all cost. If given a choice ofdirection, he would surely choose another aisle. She ran ahead into the thickcrowd of people gathered around a vegetable booth to lose herself from Abdar'sview, turned left at the next booth, ran past the elephant, and then dovebehind a fishmonger's stall. She crouched low, moving far back into theshadows.
The overpowering stench offish, elephant dung, garbage, and a heavy Oriental perfume drifting from thestall next to the fishmonger's nearly gagged her. She tried to hold her breath,her eyes straining as she peered through the small opening between the stalls.She could see only the lower portion of bodies and tried frantically toremember what Abdar and Pachtal had been wearing. Dear God, all she couldrecall was Abdar's smiling, childlike face and the vicious beauty of Pachtal'swell-shaped lips as he twisted her arm. The memory started her heart poundingso hard, she was sure it could be heard even above the clamor of the bazaar.
"Would you care toenlighten me why we are both in this extremely uncomfortable position?"
She whirled to peer into theshadows to the left of her.
Li Sung sat a few yards awaywith one leg folded beneath him and his bad leg stretched before him.
"What are you doinghere?" she whispered.
"I saw you dart behindthis disgustingly aromatic stall and thought it best to join you."
"I told you to wait atthe city gate."
"And I chose to wait atthe mouth of the street from which I knew you generally entered the bazaar. Idecided I was too conspicuous at the gate. You know they do not like theChinese here in Kasanpore, and I believe my pigtail was in great danger ofbeing lifted from my—"
"Hush." She turnedback to scan the street. "Abdar."
Li Sung went still."Himself?"
She nodded, her gaze searchingthe flow of people passing the small opening. "With the same man who cameto the site three days ago. They followed me from the bungalow, but I thinkwe're safe. If he'd seen me run back here, he would have come by now." Shescowled as she settled back on her heels. "But I lost the knapsack withthe food."
Li Sung's gaze wandered overher wild, tousled hair and the glimpse of pale breasts revealed by herunbuttoned shirt. His mouth tightened grimly. "And is that all youlost?"
She knew that expression verywell. If she wasn't careful, Li Sung's protective instincts would be aroused,and that must be avoided at all costs. "No." She grinned. "Ialso lost my temper. I butted my head against Abdar's lip and split it like awalnut and then ran like the wind." She quickly buttoned her shirt beforereaching into the deep pocket of her denim trousers and pulling out a smallchisel. "Give this to Kartauk. I bought it in the bazaar yesterday, andI'll bet he'll like it better than food anyway. I'll try to get anotherknapsack to you tomorrow."
Li Sung shook his head."From now on, stay close to either the site or the bungalow. It's toodangerous now that Abdar suspects you. We still have a little bread and cheeseleft, and I'll come and get the supplies from now on."
"Very well, I'll leave aknapsack behind the pile of rails at the supply yard every other evening."She reached into her pocket and slipped a key from a small brass ring."I'll keep the gate of the supply yard locked from now on to make it saferfor you. Be careful."
"And you also." LiSung took the key before rising with difficulty and limping toward her."Turn around."
"Why?"
"I'm going to rebraidyour hair. This disarray displeases me."
"Here?"
"You do not want to callany more attention to yourself than you already have. If you had a fine blackmane like my own, there would be no problem, but your hair is too gaudy not tobe noticed."
"It's not gaudy,"she protested.
"Ugly, then. Hair wasmeant to be black, not red. God clearly made the Chinese and then grew wearyand careless with his palette. I cannot see why he lacked the discrimination asto experiment with yellow and red and… " He trailed off, his fingersquickly plaiting the bright strands into their usual thick single braid.
Over the years Li Sung hadperformed this task a thousand times, and the familiar ritual calmed her. Shecould feel her heartbeat steadying and the panic gradually leaving her.
"Have you beenwell?" Li Sung asked. "No more fever?"
"Not for over twoweeks."
"But you're still takingthequinghaoI gave you?"
"I'm not a foolish child,Li Sung. I know I have to keep well. I lost almost a month of work when I wasill."
