Chapter XCIV
We didn't get away as early as we had hoped. Despite the fact that the house was virtually empty, it still took Trudy a long time to pack her things and we loaded two donkeys with her bags and belongings. After that there was the tearful farewell between Trudy and Fatima, so the sun was high in the sky by the time we rode out through the Jaffa Gate and headed for Gibran.
We reached Guy's house late in the afternoon and Hamed came running to meet us. He embraced Charles joyfully and congratulated him on his escape and his forthcoming marriage, then told us that he also was getting married. He called for Amina and introduced her and her mother to Charles and we all went into the hall.
The steward came soon after to report that all was well and nothing had been seen of the Sultan's men. "They're all busy around Joppa," he told us. "The word is that their next target will be Ascalon but they're making great preparations with men and equipment coming up from Egypt by land and sea."
"They'll need them," Charles said grimly. "Ascalon may be on the sea shore, but those walls are impregnable - and the city can be supplied by sea, so just laying siege to the place isn't going to suffice."
When it came time to eat Hamed went off with Amina and her mother, so only Charles, Hilmi, Trudy and I sat at the table in the hall. After we had eaten Charles and Hilmi went off with the steward to look at something or other and Trudy and I were alone. Trudy sighed deeply.
"First Hamed, now Charles," she said. "It's the end of our family." She sighed again. "In the old days when someone was getting married my father would make a feast for them and set them up with their own household. Now he isn't here."
She burst into tears and I moved round to her side of the table and put my arm about her shoulders to comfort her. After a while, when she had ceased to cry, I said to her, "Trudy, you can at least give them a present."
"Oh yes," she said sarcastically, "I could give them one of my earrings."
"No, you can give them a suitable present," I said.
"How?" she demanded. "I don't have any money."
"You have all your father's money," I pointed out. "In his absence, you have authority."
She shook her head. "I have no authority, I'm only a woman. I would have to appeal to the king to be allowed to inherit - and God only knows when we will ever have a king again, or if we will have a king."
"But what if you had your father's seal?" I asked.
"Well," she said slowly, considering, "I suppose that would make a difference."
"Trudy," I said, drawing her close to me, "I have your father's seal; he gave it to me."
"When?" She pulled away and looked into my face.
"When he dismissed us four and gave us our tasks, he called me back and gave me his seal. He also told me to look after you," I added.
Trudy stared at me. "You have my father's seal? You never told me!"
"I'm sorry if I did wrong, Trudy. I have not told anyone and only the steward here knows that I have it because I used it to obtain the money for Karl's ransom. Shall I give it to you?"
Trudy settled back against me and was silent for a long time, so long that I wondered if she was going to speak at all or if she was angry with me again. Finally she said, "Did my father tell you to give it to me?"
"No." I shook my head in the Frankish manner.
"Then I think you should keep it." She was silent for another period of time. "And he gave me to you as well?"
"No!" I protested. "He told me to look after you. That is all."
"That is not all," Trudy said, pulling away to look at me again. "Before he left, my father had a serious talk to me. He said that he knew that you and I were in love and while he dared not give me to you openly - you being a Muslim and battle so imminent - if the kingdom was destroyed and all things were altered, then he had no objection to us getting married. I think," she added thoughtfully, "that he had a presentiment that things were not going to go well."
"He said this to you?" I was astonished.
"Yes." Trudy nodded her head.
"And you," I asked, my heart beating faster. "Are you willing to become my wife?"
"Oh Fuad, haven't I shown you for the last couple of years? Haven't I urged you to speak to my father ever since I was fifteen?"
"But are you willing to come and live in the black tents?" I asked.
Trudy shrugged. "If that is what my lord wants," she said, looking at me sideways out of her eyes. She suddenly laughed. "But I don't think that you would be content with such a life either, Fuad. Anyway, if you're going to marry me in obedience to my father, didn't he tell you what you should do with me?"
"He told me to take you back to your grandmother," I admitted.
"Well then," Trudy said, putting her arm around my waist and squeezing. "Maybe you had better do that."
