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She imagined it must be tiny, one or two rooms at most, so she was in no way prepared for the sheer magnitude of it when he opened the heavy doors. It was a miniature palace that had been dug out under the cliff, with columns and archways carved from the stone, and arched alcoves cut into the walls that contained richly decorated vases and urns. Silk rugs lay scattered on the floor and dark timber furniture contrasted against walls that subtly placed lamps turned golden.
‘It’s incredible,’ she said, turning full circle to take it all in. ‘And a sultan stayed here?’
‘On occasion. It was a long journey from the city then called Constantinople, but yes, this was his retreat.’
‘Who would have thought of it?’
‘There were caves in the cliffs that shepherds used over the centuries. They’d been abandoned when the Sultan’s hunting party camped here under the moon and found them.’
‘It’s fabulous.’
He smiled. ‘There is more.’ Her enthusiasm was infectious, the spat they’d had at the ridge top clearly forgotten in her excitement.
He showed her through the many rooms, leaving the Sultan’s suite one of the last, anticipating her delight, not disappointed when her eyes lit up. She brightened up anywhere that she smiled.
The room was palatial, the posts of the bed actual columns carved from the stone, archways leading to an expansive bathroom complete with a heated slab of stone for the hamam and a sunken bath. Marble tiles lined the walls and floor and there were feature tiles with tulips, a splash of red and green to break up the gold of marble and walls.
‘Do you think you will be happy here for a few days while I take care of business?’
She turned those lapis lazuli eyes at him and shook her head. ‘How could I not? I can’t believe how lucky I am to actually stay here. It’s magnificent.’
And because those eyes shone like gems, he could not help himself. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
A frown tugged at her brows. ‘What for?’
‘For our little disagreement before. I am not used to having a woman around.’ Not for longer than the time it took to bed her, that was. ‘I am used to being on my own.’
‘I’m sorry you got lumbered with me.’
He was about to say he was sorry too. Except he wasn’t. Not any more. Now he looked for her wonder and her smiles, and every one of them lit up his solitary life just a little bit more.
It was good to have her around. Just for a while.
Not that he would tell her any of that.
‘We all have to do our duty,’ he said stiffly as he led her back into the bedroom. ‘There are other rooms to show you, but you must excuse me, I am expected elsewhere.’
‘What is this mysterious business of yours that brings you all the way out here?’
‘It’s no mystery. I have a factory here.’
‘That makes what?’
‘Pyrotechnics.’
‘You make fireworks?’
‘Yes. And run a business that organises displays all over the world, amongst other things.’
‘But isn’t that dangerous?’
He glanced at her. ‘It can be.’
She was distracted from asking more questions when she saw their bags sitting inside the door of the Sultan’s bedroom.
‘Why is our luggage here?’
‘Where else did you think we were going to sleep?’
‘But it’s the Sultan’s room.’
‘You would prefer not to sleep in the Sultan’s bed?’
‘I didn’t think it would be allowed.’
‘When the Pavilion of the Moon is turned into a museum, it will not be. But for now, it belongs to Mehmet and he has offered us his hospitality. It would be churlish to refuse.’
She thought about that, and what an amazing gift she’d been given when Mehmet had offered the use of the Pavilion of the Moon during their stay.
‘I’d hate to be seen as churlish.’
He smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘Then it is decided.’
Amber chose to be dropped in town to explore on foot, while Kadar attended his meetings. There weren’t many tourists and she drew plenty of curiosity with her blond hair and blue eyes as she wandered from shop to shop.
She wasn’t worried about being by herself. Kadar had assured her she would be safe. Everyone knew, he said, that she was with him. How he could be so certain, she didn’t know.
But besides, she wasn’t really alone. A small boy had taken to following her, shadowing her a few steps back, and looking around ingenuously whenever she happened to catch sight of him behind her.
