Jane bit her lower lip to keepback a scream of agony as Pachtal lifted her left arm and twisted it. PrinceAbdar's smooth, childlike face framed beneath the white turban swam through thetears stinging her eyes.
"You were mostuncommunicative when we had our little discussion a few days ago. I thought itbest we have a more private interview. Now, where is Kartauk?"
"I don't know anyKar—" She broke off as her arm was thrust still higher.
"You can see Pachtal isgrowing impatient," Abdar said softly. "He prefers the joys of thepalace and was not at all amused to spend these last three evenings trying tofollow you. Particularly when his efforts proved of no avail."
She tried desperately to thinkof a way to reach the dagger sheathed in her boot. "Which should haveproved to him I can't give you what you wish."
"It proved only that youknow our bazaar quite well for a foreigner and can be very elusive. Where ishe?"
"I don't know. I toldyou—" She gasped as Pachtal thrust her arm higher, at the same, timegiving it a sharp twist that sent another bolt of agony through her. The flameof the lantern in Abdar's hand seemed to waver and dim. Why, she was going tofaint, she realized with a dim sense of outrage. No! She had never fainted inher life, and this bastard would not be the one to make her start.
"Again," Abdarordered the man behind her.
For a long moment, Jane'swhole world was pain.
"Why are you sostubborn?" Abdar asked. "You will tell me anyway. You are only awoman and too weak and stupid to resist for long."
Even through the haze ofanguish she felt a vague sense of resentment at his words. Though she had beenstupid not to realize she had been followed from the bungalow, she wasnotweak.
"Why suffer like this?What is Kartauk to you?" Pachtal whispered in her ear as his griptightened on her forearms. "You've gotten what you want from him. Now givehim back to His Highness."
"I don't know anyKartauk."
"Is he your lover?"Pachtal whispered. "His Highness believes he must give you great pleasurefor you to risk so much. But you will have to give him up. His Highness hasneed of him."
Abdar's well-shaped handreached out and cupped her breast through her cotton shirt. "You are notuncomely and will find another man to please you. I would not even be averse toletting you come to my couch."
She wondered what he would doif she spat in his blank, childlike face.
The prince leisurely studiedher features. "Yes, she is not all bad. The cheekbones are too high, butthe mouth is quite lovely. Let's have a look at her body, Pachtal." Heunbuttoned the loose shirt and spread the edges back to reveal her breasts."Ah, those grotesque mannish garments hide treasures. You are so thin, Iwould never have guessed these would be so beautifully full." He cuppedher naked breasts, weighing them as if they were melons. "She reminds me alittle of Mirad, Pachtal."
"Let—me—go," shesaid through her teeth.
"Very nice." Pachtalignored her command as he drew closer and peered over her shoulder at Abdar'shands cradling her breasts. "It's difficult to tell in this light, but thenipples are rosier, I think. Mirad's were like huge purple grapes."
She started to struggle.
"No!" Pachtal's griptightened with bruising force on her arms. "You will not refuse HisHighness when he honors you with his touch."
"I have never had aforeign woman in my bed. I believe you could amuse me for quite a longtime." Abdar smiled as he brought her single thick braid over her shoulderand quickly unfastened it. "Of course, these hideous trousers and shirtwill not be permitted. I will have you perfumed and given proper womanly garments."He ran his fingers through her loosened hair that now flowed halfway down herback in a wild stream. "Dark red. It looked closer to brown when in thebraid. Interesting." His hands returned to her breasts as his voicelowered to honey softness. "I would like to see you bound naked andhelpless in my bedchamber at the palace. And why not? No one would ever know ifI decided to take you back to my palace and teach you the submission dueme."
A chill went through her asshe remembered the tales Kartauk had told her of Abdar. "I'm not one ofyour subjects. I would be missed. Your father will not permit this."
Abdar raised his brows."He will not object to my amusing myself. Women have little value for myfather."
She had no argument to givehim on that score. In his own way, the maharajah was as arrogant andself-serving as his son. She said quickly, "But his railroad does havevalue for him. And my father needs my help to complete the railroad."
"I have observed that youseem to aid him. Perhaps I will reconsider." He lifted his gaze to meether own. "If you give me your lover, Kartauk."
The combination of pain andrevulsion at his touch was making her stomach churn. "I don't know anyKartauk."
He nodded at Pachtal, and shehad to grit her teeth to keep from crying out as another agonizing pain shotthrough her.
"You're beginning toanger me. I have waited too long already, and I want Kartauk tonight. Now, tellme the truth."
She tried to block out thepain and panic and think. Obviously it would be useless to continue to deny anyknowledge of Kartauk. Abdar would continue to torture her until he got what hewanted. "Very well. What do you want to know?"
