Sure enough, after only the briefest of pauses she spoke again. “I was eating bread and honey when I saw you slinking off this morning through the courtyard.”
So shewaswatching for me out the front windows. Of course she was.
“You’re not very observant,” she continued, “so you probably didn’t notice that I still had some bread in my hand.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but for once her comment was partially earned. I’d been so frustrated at myself for sleeping late, and so eager to escape the conversation with Nyla, that I hadn’t been paying attention to what she did while holding the scales.
“You put honey on the scales?” I asked.
“You didn’t think I trustedyouto find out what was going on with Mariam, did you?” she asked with a sniff.
When I didn’t reply, she looked down at the coin in her hand. “This must be some trick, though! It must! Ali and Mariam can’t possibly have so many gold coins they have to weigh them instead of counting them. The whole idea is ludicrous.”
She fixed me with a piercing glare, her eyes slowly narrowing. “What do you know of this? Tell me at once! How much was there, really?”
“I didn’t see Mariam weighing anything,” I said truthfully. “I was in the courtyard the whole time.”
I expected Nyla to question this, pressing me hard, but she just rocked back with a dissatisfied expression marring her otherwise elegant features.
“Of course Mariam wouldn’t want one of my servants getting a glimpse of her illicit dealings.”
“Illicit dealings?” I protested. “Surely there’s nothing like that going on. I heard…Mariam said something about visitors…”
“Ah yes, I heard that rumor.” Nyla’s sour expression grew. “You would think if Mariam had relatives staying, she would bring them to meet her Karema relatives. But, no. She’s obviously too busyweighingtheir gold.”
For a moment she just stood there, tapping her hand against her leg as she considered something, my presence apparently forgotten.
“Kasim is out—as he always is when he’s needed,” she said, as if to herself. “But he’ll be home at some point. He might love those foolish books of his, but he won’t get so distracted he misses a meal.” She straightened. “As soon as he comes home, I’ll send him over to Ali. Yes, that’s the best plan. Ali can’t turn away his own brother. Kasim can meet these relatives and find out exactly what’s going on.”
She looked down at the coin, turning it over in her palm.
Since she seemed to have forgotten my existence, I edged slowly backward toward the door. When she made no comment or any indication of noticing, I slipped out into the corridor.
My thoughts were whirling again, so I did the first thing that came to mind and headed for the kitchen. The large room was even busier than usual, with people bustling to and fro, but Yara still spotted me immediately.
“Zaria! You’re back. And you don’t need to tell me you haven’t eaten, I can already tell by looking at you.”
I shook my head, slipping onto a stool at the big table. “How do you do that?”
“I’ve been alive a lot longer than you, my girl, and seen more hungry people than you can count.”
A plate appeared in front of me, and I began to ravenously eat. When I’d assuaged my first hunger, I took a longer look around the kitchen.
“It seems unusually busy,” I said cautiously. “There isn’t a party planned for tonight, is there?”
Yara called to a young boy, halting him just before he grabbed a cooling pie.
“No, thank goodness. But we heard the news that Mariam has guests. We’re cooking extra to send to her, like we always do. Not that she…” As her voice descended into grumbles, I spoke quickly.
“She sent back your scales with a message of gratitude. But Nyla caught me on the way in and took them. I suspect you’ll find them abandoned in the front receiving room.”
Yara’s demeanor instantly changed. “Extra work or not, it’s a pleasure to help out someone as gracious and appreciative as Mariam. They’re certainly not qualities you’ll find around here.” She gave a sniff that was humorously reminiscent of Nyla herself and bustled away again.
I hid my grin as I returned to my food. Whatever tones Yara might adopt, and whatever complaints she issued, her actions spoke the truth. As soon as she heard Mariam had guests, she had begun preparing food to send over. She had an unwaveringly kind heart beneath her wild mood swings.
A sudden thought hit me. “I suppose that means you’ll be sending someone over with the food shortly?” I asked.
“Of course.” She gave me a look of fond exasperation. “The food won’t fly there on its own.”