Chapter 4

The sun was beginning to set as the fatigued party made its way to the small oasis. Everyone was hot, tired and very sore from riding across the desert. Clive, with his map and compass, had pushed everyone past their endurance level to reach the small haven before nightfall. They had galloped most of it, walking the horses every once in a while to rest them, but for the most part, it had been a miserable journey.

The Seinada oasis was a small, lush oasis, with a few palm trees and green grass surrounding the clear pool of water. Man and time had built the pool so that the spring bubbled up at one end and flowed eastward, eventually dissipating in the hot sand. The splash of green amid endless brightness of the sand was a welcome sight. The weary travelers could practically smell the water as it bubbled happily along. Clive called a halt at the edge of the grass and everyone dismounted, dropping the reigns of the horses to the ground. They walked across the grass and knelt down to drink the clear water, finding it more refreshing than the stale water sitting in their canteens. After drinking their fill, they led their horses around to the far side that had obviously been cleared for animals to drink from. Clive proceeded to order everyone to set up camp a short distance from the water, in case any other travelers needed to stop for the night. He was happy as he bossed the servants and Elizabeth around, and in short order, their campsite was set up.

Elizabeth wiped the back of her neck with her handkerchief as she paused in her task. She looked longingly at the pool of water. What she wouldn't give for a bath right about now, she thought. As if reading her mind, Clive began barking out more commands.

"Good work everyone. Now, listen up. We shall all enjoy a quick wash in this lovely little pool after dinner, except for Elizabeth of course, but remember, stay on the eastern side of the flow. We don't want any dirty water mixed in with the drinking water. All right, let's see what's for dinner, shall we?"

Clive started to walk away, but Elizabeth stopped him, frowning. "Why can't I take a bath?"

Clive smiled condescendingly. "Because, my dear, you're the only female among us. I'm not about to have my future wife bare herself for everyone to see. I don't care if they are only servants." He saw the angry look in her eyes and softened a bit. "Tell you what. Later on, after we've had our little wash up, I'll bring you a pitcher of water and you can take a little sponge bath in the tent while I have my evening cigar. Does that sound good to you, my little traveler?" He gave her a chuck under her chin with his knuckles and walked off to find the cook.

Fuming, Elizabeth walked off in the opposite direction, trying to get as far away from Clive as she could. This entire trip had been a series of arguments and she was getting tired of it. She tromped her way up a sandy dune and plopped herself down at the top, intending to watch the rest of the sun fade into the evening. She was tired of the trip, tired of Clive and she realized that going back to England to marry him would be the biggest mistake of her life. But she was at a loss as to how she would get out of marrying him. She had wired her parents a few weeks before, telling them how unhappy she was with Clive, but they thought she was going through pre-marital jitters and that she would calm down once she and Clive were married and settled. Her parents were thrilled with the alliance between their families and 'being happy' didn't fit into their plans at all. She was a strong individual, but she couldn't fight two families. She brought her knees up to her chest and put her arms around them, laying her head on top.

She stayed that way for quite a while until she felt a cool breeze cross her skin. She looked up and noticed the sun had slipped down past the horizon and the stars were beginning to come out. One star in particular shined brighter than the others and Elizabeth smiled as she remembered her childhood game.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."

The rhyme held no comfort for her, as she couldn't figure out what to wish for. Her mind was a jumble, constantly going around in circles and not coming up with anything concrete. But she didn't want to waste this wish, even if it was only a memory from her childhood. She gazed at the star for a long moment before she spoke. "Please, help me," she said simply, as the breeze carried her words away.

Ardeth and his warriors weren't far behind in their pursuit of the double-sold horses. He knew the Seinada oasis lay in a small valley and decided to take his men around it and come upon it from the north side of the dunes. He didn't know if these Englishmen were armed or how many there were and didn't want to take chances. He had to get back to his village. He planned on waiting until they were asleep to steal back the horses. It wasn't the most honorable plan he had, but caravans stopped there every few days and he knew they would be able to get a ride back to Cairo.

The dark night held a half moon, which shone its comforting light, as they slowed their horses to a walk, arriving on the north side of the oasis. He could see the light from their distant fire and he motioned his men to move slowly and quietly. As they reached the top, they stopped to survey the distant camp. Ardeth could see movement and hear the laughter coming from the English party. He frowned as he realized the Englishmen weren't tucked inside their tents yet, even though he was sure they should be exhausted. This was harsh country for foreigners. Ardeth sighed and motioned for his men to dismount and settle in for a couple of hours while they waited for the foreigners to sleep. One of his warriors offered to take the first watch but Ardeth declined, wanting to keep watch himself. He sat on the peak of the dune that overlooked the pool of water, his black robes blending in with the darkness of the night, making him invisible as he watched the camp.

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Inside her tent, Elizabeth removed her grimy clothes and put her robe on. She was still angry about the events earlier in the evening. They had dinner, with Clive complaining constantly about it being overdone or underdone, and then the men had gone off to the pool to wash while Elizabeth was left to tend the fire. She didn't say a word to anyone when they came back, brushing off all of Clive's attempts at reconciliation, and marched into her tent, closing it up for the rest of the evening. She had waited silently and patiently until they had all retired to their own tents and the camp had settled down to a peaceful quiet before moving around. She gathered up a towel, a washcloth and a small bar of soap and then peeked out her tent flap. The camp was still, except for one or two of the servants who were snoring. She snuck out of her tent and headed towards the pool of water.

She got to the edge and dipped her toe in, watching the ripples move across the water. She looked around, just to make sure Clive hadn't thought to set up any guards and then set her things down. She pulled two pins out of the pocket of her robe and used them to pile her hair up on her head. She put her hands on the belt of her robe and quickly gave one last look around, making sure she was completely alone. Then she undid her robe, slipped it off her shoulders, letting it fall in a heap on the ground, and stepped into the pool of water. She walked out into the middle of it, feeling it caress her legs as she moved, and noticed that, at the deepest part of the pool, it only came to her waist. She buckled her knees and slid the rest of her body into the water until it was up to her neck, reveling in the feel of it as it washed the day's dirt from her body. A small giggle escaped her as she thought of how angry Clive would be if he knew she was bathing in the nude. She felt almost wicked. But she could care less about him or his bloody feelings. She closed her eyes and sighed into the night as she felt that, for the moment, she was unencumbered by the problems of the outside world. For the moment, she was free.

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Ardeth was about to signal his men it was time when he saw movement coming from within the camp. He sat forward on his knees, tense and ready for action with a hand on his scimitar. He saw a figure walking towards the pool in a white robe and could vaguely make out long hair and slender legs peeking through the garment as they walked towards him. His eyebrows rose up. It was a woman. He watched her as she looked around and he caught his breath as he saw her face clearly in the moonlight. It was the same woman from the bar. But what was she doing alone at the edge of the water? He had a sudden suspicion and glanced around quickly to make sure his warriors were not watching. He turned back and watched her put her hair up and drop her things on the ground beside the water. As she started to undo her robe, he held his breath, knowing he should turn away, but he was unable to tear his eyes off her. The white robe fell away to reveal her pale body, the light of the moon hiding nothing as she slowly stepped into the water. As he studied her, he realized that her clothing had hidden much from him. She had a long neck and narrow shoulders, with long, graceful arms; she was well endowed, and her flat stomach narrowed to a small waist, curving back out again to her hips, giving her a perfect hourglass shape. Her long, shapely legs stepped daintily into the water as she moved deeper into the pool. He was fascinated by her, watching her every movement as she washed herself, noting the smile on her face as she waded about the pool.

A movement out of the corner of his eye made him turn his head and he saw one of his warriors walking up to him. Ardeth quickly got up and met him half way, not wanting the warrior to see the woman bathing in the pool.

"Is it time?" asked the warrior.

Ardeth nodded. "It is time. Take the men and quietly gather up the horses from the English and bring them back here."

The other warrior frowned. "Are you not coming also?"

"No. There is something else I must attend to."

The warrior inclined his head and took the rest of the little band on a stealthy quest to secure the horses. Ardeth climbed back up on top of the dune to finish watching the English woman, to make sure she would not wander off towards his men. At least, that was the excuse he gave himself.

The minutes ticked by as he watched her and finally she came out of the pool. The water glistening on her naked body made Ardeth's heart pound with a slow-building passion. She dried herself off, but before putting her robe back on, she yawned, lifting her arms above her head and stretching with the contractions of her muscles. A low growl escaped Ardeth's lips as his eyes raced over her body, remembering that his desire had been denied earlier in the day because of the horse trader. Watching the English woman merely added fuel to the already smoldering fire. He found himself slowly creeping towards the woman, using the palm trees to shield him from her eyes. He wasn't sure of his intentions, he just knew he had to get closer to her. He was within fifteen yards of her, when another figure emerged from the direction of the camp. He stood behind the trunk of a tree, listening.

As Elizabeth finished putting her robe on, Clive came striding up to her, fury written all over his face. She didn't hear him and was surprised when she felt a hand jerk her arm around.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he rasped.

Elizabeth saw the anger in his eyes and her own anger came back to greet him. "I was taking a bath! What does it look like I'm doing?"

"In the dark of the night?" he asked incredulously.

Elizabeth was exasperated by him. "Well, when would you like me to take it? In the middle of the afternoon sun, with everyone watching, as you so kindly pointed out?"

Clive grabbed both of her arms. "I told you not to take one at all, if you will remember the entire conversation."

"Conversation?" she snorted. "As I remember it, you commanded me not to take a bath, which I resented very much, especially when the rest of you were able to enjoy one! Well, I am not a servant to be ordered around, and the sooner you get that into your head, the better!"

"Not a servant, but you will soon be my wife, and I'll expect you to obey me."

Elizabeth's eyes went dead as she looked at him. "I will never marry you, Clive. You can consider our engagement off."

She tried to walk away but Clive held her still. His voice was menacing when he spoke. "You will marry me. Our fortunes will be combined and I will take over the family business. Nothing will be denied me."

Elizabeth stubbornly refused to be intimidated by him. "You never loved me at all, did you? You just wanted my money, my family's money." She glared at him, as he kept silent at her accusations. Her eyes narrowed. "All the stories my girlfriends told me about you visiting certain houses of ill repute are true, aren't they?"

Clive smiled sardonically at her. "I told you, nothing will be denied me. Not even you."

Elizabeth's eyes opened big at his meaning. Her voice was barely a whisper as she answered him. "You wouldn't dare!"

His eyes traveled down her robe-covered body as he spoke. "Maybe I've been to lenient with you. Perhaps we should consummate the marriage before it takes place." He brought her to him and kissed her hard on the lips. Elizabeth was in shock as she tried to fight him off, panicking as she felt his hands start to undo her robe.

Ardeth, angry at the way the English woman was being treated, had a hand on his scimitar as he stepped out from behind the palm tree. He was about to intervene when the sudden neighing of horses broke the silence of the desert night. All three of them, as one, snapped their heads towards the sound, as the campsite came alive with commotion. Shots rang out as the servants fired on the Medjai warriors who were stealing the horses. One of the servants came running towards Clive and Elizabeth.

"Sir! Bandits are stealing our horses!"

"Shoot them!" roared Clive. He let go of Elizabeth and started towards his tent to get his gun.

Ardeth knew that his men had left their rifles on their own mounts and couldn't hope to stop bullets with scimitars, so he did the only thing he could think of. He walked quickly over to the English woman, intent on taking her hostage. Elizabeth watched the panic of the campsite and didn't see the Medjai chief come up behind her. He grabbed her around the waist, pulled out his dagger and pressed it against her soft neck.

She gasped as she was grabbed, and the blade against her neck forced her back into her captor's arms. A deep voice spoke in her ear. "Call him back."

Elizabeth swallowed against her fear and called out. "Clive!"

Clive turned around at the strangled cry and saw Elizabeth being held by one of the bandits, a wicked-looking dagger pressed against her throat. He looked into the eyes of the stranger and saw a fierceness there that told him he meant business. "Let the girl go", he said evenly.

Ardeth stared at him. "Tell your men to stop shooting."

Clive saw the seriousness of his expression and gave in. He turned around to his servants and called out to them. "Hold your fire!"

As the servants stopped firing, Ardeth called to his warriors in Arabic to stop fighting. The fighting ceased and all of the men turned to watch their two leaders. Clive was the first to speak.

"Now, let the girl go."

Ardeth thought about the situation. The moment he let go of the girl, his warriors would be fired upon. That would not accomplish his purpose of getting back his horses. But he could trade the girl for the horses, letting her go at the last moment.

"I will let the girl go when my warriors have once again secured our horses."

Clive looked at him in surprise. "Your horses? Sorry, old boy, but I bought these horses in Cairo from an old horse trader. Paid a pretty penny for them too."

Ardeth's voice was even as he spoke. "They were not his to sell. We had bought them before you came along. If you want the girl back, you will return our horses to us."

Clive weighed the situation. If he gave up the horses, they could be stuck at this oasis for days. But if this bandit killed Elizabeth, he would not have as big a fortune as he was counting on. He made up his mind and turned to his head servant.

"Carter, let the bandits have the horses."

The servant looked aghast. "But sir..."

"Do it!" yelled Clive. The servants all backed away from the warriors as they lead the horses away from the camp. Soon, Ardeth was the only warrior left. "Now," said Clive, "let the girl go!"

Ardeth looked at Clive coolly. "I am waiting for my warrior to bring my horse."

At that moment, the Medjai warriors came over the hill on their own horses, with the other horses reigns tied to their saddles. All of them had their rifles up and aimed at the Englishmen. One warrior brought Ardeth's stallion over to him. Ardeth considered both the English man and the girl he held in his arms. The Englishman's temper would be great, once they were gone. There was no telling what he would do to the girl. He came to a decision. He removed the dagger from the girl's neck and pushed her towards his horse. "Mount," he commanded.

Elizabeth turned around to look at him and recognized him from the bar. "You!" she cried. Ardeth stared at her in amusement.

Clive looked at them in confusion. "Elizabeth! Do you know this man?"

"N-not exactly," she stammered, "I...I saw him...in the bar, in Cairo."

The anger in Clive's eyes burned into hers. "I told you not to go in that place alone! Now look what you've done!" He took a couple of menacing steps towards her, oblivious to the rifles pointed in his direction.

Ardeth brought up his dagger, this time pointing it at the Englishman, stopping him in his tracks. "She goes with me, to make sure you do not attempt to try something foolish, like following us. We will return her to Cairo after we deliver these horses where they need to go." He turned to the English woman. "Mount," he said, a little more forcefully.

Elizabeth put a trembling foot in the stirrup and heaved herself up, with Ardeth giving her a push from behind. She sat in front of the saddle, with both legs on one side, due to the robe she was wearing. Ardeth put his dagger away and swung himself into the saddle behind her. He brought his arms around her, one of them circling her waist, the other grabbing the reigns. He turned the horse around and started to trot off.

Clive yelled at Ardeth. "What the bloody hell are we supposed to do? We'll die out here in the sun!"

Ardeth stopped the horse and looked back at Clive. "There are caravans that stop by here every couple of days. I am sure you can purchase your way back to Cairo through them."

"You'd better believe we will, and then we'll have the authorities after you! Thieving and kidnapping are against the law," stormed Clive.

Ardeth looked at the Englishman contemptuously. "There are no laws in the desert." He clucked to the horse and signaled his men to follow. They rode up and over a sand dune, and they were gone.

Clive kicked the sand at his feet in frustration at losing his horses and his future wealth. He snarled as he promised himself he would get Elizabeth back from the arrogant bandit, one way or another.

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