“Precisely.” Ali beamed at her.
Mariam’s eyes returned to the baskets. “If we are already calculating how to part with the gold, we really must know how much there is to start with. If we cannot count it all, I must at least weigh it.”
Ali sighed. “If you insist, my dear, although I cannot see the point.”
He turned away to remove the first of the baskets from the nearest donkey, and Mariam threw me a conspiratorial look of exasperation.
“Of course he does not,” she said in an under-voice. “Does he keep the records of our family finances? No, of course not!” She rolled her eyes before hurrying to assist Ali.
I watched them in growing consternation. The events of the afternoon had all happened in such quick succession that my mind was reeling. I felt sure I was missing some important angle to all of this.
Lost in my thoughts, I nearly missed the glances Mariam kept sending me. When I finally met her gaze, she quickly looked away, but a moment later she spoke in a determinedly cheerful voice.
“Of course you must benefit in some way from all of this, Zaria. I know you are great friends with my son, and I have heard from him of the trials you all suffer under Nyla. We all know the trouble she has keeping any servant for longer than a few months.”
The disgust in her voice as she mentioned her sister-in-law didn’t surprise me. Ali might wear a perpetually cheerful manner, but his wife had never been as successful at hiding her true opinion of Nyla and Kasim.
Not that she spoke openly against them—she knew her obligation as family, even if Nyla did not. But neither could anyone expect her to like relatives who treated her, her husband, and their son with such contempt and who ignored the family obligations that should have had Kasim welcome Ali’s family with open arms.
“I get on well enough,” I said warily, unsure where she was going with her comments.
“Oh certainly,” she said quickly. “I’m sure you have your own reasons for staying with her, and it does you great credit. But if you don’t wish to take any of the gold directly, you must at least come and work for us where I can promise you a much more welcoming home than you currently enjoy.”
Her words caught me by surprise. Once again I was hit by a pain at the thought of leaving my current life. But I pushed the complicated tangle of emotions away, sensing the day’s unexpected events had only further confused my feelings on the matter.
“That…is a kind offer,” I said slowly, unsure how to reply. Something inside me had shifted, I was sure of that much. Maybe I really could leave Nyla and work for Mariam instead. I needed space to think, though. I wasn’t ready to commit myself to anything.
“Of course we can’t take you on immediately,” Mariam rushed to add, providing the opening I needed. “We have to ease into spending this gold carefully. But as soon as Ali thinks of an excuse for a change in our fortunes, I’ll begin hiring, and of course you’ll be the first to receive an offer.”
“You need feel no rush on my account,” I said quickly and received a gracious smile in response.
I pretended not to notice the hint of concern that still lingered in her eyes, instead giving both her and Ali a bright farewell. Mariam returned it, bustling over to the gate with me. But when she reached it, her hand stilled on the latch.
“It occurs to me that I don’t have a set of scales sufficient for weighing all this gold,” she said. “Could you ask Nyla’s cook if we might borrow one?”
I hesitated for a moment but could think of no obvious danger in the action.
“I’ll ask her,” I said. “She’s used to sending food and other items to you, so it shouldn’t cause a problem.”
Mariam stiffened, although I had been thinking only of the strength of our cover story and hadn’t intended to reference Mariam’s poverty or Nyla’s begrudging charity.
“I’m much obliged,” she said stiffly. “And if you tell Nyla that Ali has requested your help again tomorrow, then you can bring the scales over yourself tomorrow morning.”
“Certainly, if you wish it. But if Nyla proves difficult, I’ll have to send one of the other girls over in my place. So I would recommend finding somewhere out of sight to stash those baskets.”
“Of course,” Mariam said. “We may have spent our life in poverty, but we aren’t fools.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean to imply you were. I’m all turned around after the afternoon’s revelations. And I can’t stop thinking of the possible consequences of taking this gold. You and Ali have always been kind to me, and Navid is one of my closest friends. I would hate to see any harm befall you.”
Mariam softened. “You’re a good girl, Zaria. I’m sorry my sister-in-law treats you so harshly. You don’t deserve her ill will.”
I smiled back. “Perhaps this gold will do some good after all, and I’ll soon be free of her.”
Mariam’s eyes flashed back to the baskets. “I’m sure it will do much good. I assure you, we will treat it with full caution.” She opened the gate, and I slipped out with a final farewell.
Despite her reassurances, I walked the streets between Ali and Kasim’s house in a state of high distraction. I couldn’t shake the feeling this gold was only going to lead to disaster.
CHAPTER5