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but not as ridiculous as he had wearing Silk's crimson tassels.
She had watered herself as well as her horse and had braided her hair into a
single thick plait. To tie it off she'd robbed the gelding of one thong; blue
beads clacked quietly against each other when she moved her head. They matched
her eyes.
"All right," I said in answer to her expression, "so we didn't run into any
trouble. But we might have." I dropped off the stud and let him nose his way
in past the gelding, urging him aside with an absent nipping motion of his
mouth.
Del handed me a dripping gourd ladle. "I didn't say anything."
I drank, swallowing heavily, not caring when water splashed down my bare torso
to dampen my dhoti. I now wore a gritty layer of fine dust sticking to the
alia oil from head to toe.
So much for the half a bath in Julah.
"You didn't have to." I handed the gourd back. "I can read your expression:
Hurry up; let's go; stop wasting time. And don't try to tell me none of those
comments passed through your mind. I know better."
Del did not attempt it, though clearly she was irritated. "You said Umir's
place wasn't far from here."
"We'll make it well before sundown."
"Then hand me your empty botas," she said, "and I can fill them." Because, I
knew, it would speed things up.
Shaking my head, I unhooked and handed her two flaccid botas. The others I
unloaded and dipped down via tie-ropes into the water, soaking the rough
sacking that formed an outer casing for the leather. While wet it helped cool
the water, but it wouldn't stay that way for long
beneath the sun. And since I doubted Umir would be much interested in
replenishing our supplies, and Nayyib might have none as we departed, we
needed to conserve.
"You're filthy," Del commented, sounding somewhat conciliatory if you want to
call being told you're dirty a peace offering. "You could wash off here, cool
down a little."
"It'll strip off too much of the oil." I stood, botas dripping, and began to
tie them back onto the stud's saddle. "And I doubt you'd allow me the time to
go bargain for a burnous."
"If the oil is working . . ." Wisely, she let it trail off.
I took the refilled botas from her, tied them on. "Let's go, basha. We're
burning daylight."
I suspect she knew I was not pleased. But she didn't ask why or suggest I
shouldn't be; she simply mounted the gelding and allowed me to take the lead
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as we rode out of the oasis.
* * *
Umir's place wasn't far, and we did arrive well before sundown. There were no
gates, merely an arched opening in the white-painted walls, and I pulled up in
front. "Whatever happens," I said, "you've got my back."
"What are you planning to do?"
"Ride up to his front door and ask for Nayyib." I set the stud into a walk.
"Tiger, be serious."
"I am being serious. Sometimes the only way to get what you want is to ride up
to the front door and ask."
"Umir may set some sword-dancers on you!"
"Or not." I rode under the archway and into the paved courtyard with its tiled
fountain. "Do you want the kid or not?"
Del kept her mouth shut. She held the gelding a few steps behind the stud,
undoubtedly examining every visible nook and cranny in Umir's walled gardens.
I suspected she had unsheathed and now held the sword across her saddlebow.
That belief was confirmed when I
caught a metallic flash of light thrown against the white-painted walls.
I halted the stud beside the fountain, marking how much room there was for him
to pivot and take off if given the order. Del knew better than to crowd him,
so there was no chance of a collision. I reached down to the pouch behind my
right leg and undid the thong, flipping back the flap.
"Umir!" I shouted, as the stud rang a shod hoof off courtyard pavers. "Umir
the Ruthless!"
As expected, it was a servant who came out to see what the ruckus was all
about.
I greeted him politely. "Now, go fetch your master. Tell him we have business
to transact, he and I."
The servant opened his mouth to refuse I looked about as disreputable now as I
did when
Rafiq and friends had brought me in then thought better of it. He departed.
After making us wait just long enough to notice, Umir put in an appearance. He
wore a costly gold-striped robe, gem-weighted belt, soft kidskin house
slippers. His expression was austere. "I do not conduct business out here in
the heat and dust." His eyes assessed my condition, found it lacking. "I am a
man of refinement."
Cheerfully, I told him what he could do with his refinement. "You have someone
here,
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