Dangerous Weakness Read Online Free PDF Page A

dress. If they ignored his dark skin, they might take him for a local squire. No one would identify him at first glance as the representative of his Sultan.
    “Hmm,” he repeated, “what amuses you?”
    “You, favored uncle. Sitting in this very English Inn sipping ale,” Lily replied. She had pestered him to teach her Turkish during long winter nights in Saint Petersburg when cards and conversation in her father’s apartment gave the Turks solace from the cold and dark. She spoke it well, but tonight they spoke English.
    “I like your English ale,” the old man said. He hefted the tankard to demonstrate.
    “I feel better just laughing with you,” Lily said.
    “You looked happy enough when I observed you with your court,” Sahin told her. “I thought it best not to scatter your admirers with attention from an elderly eastern potentate.”
    Lily acknowledged the truth of that with a sad nod. “I’ve taken your advice and entered the marriage stakes.”
    He shook his head. “Marriage stakes! Wretched term. My country has more civilized customs. We protect our young women so older, wiser heads can ensure the honor of their suitors. You English parade your young women like horses for auction.”
    “It feels that way some days,” she agreed. “So much posture and appearances and only my Aunt Marianne to look after me.”
    “The very neglectful aunt. It will not help your marriage prospect if people know you rode cross country alone for this very inappropriate meeting,” he chided.
    Lily’s face heated; she stared at her tankard.
    “Do you plan to tell me what troubles you, Lily? What drove you to this foolish undertaking?”
    She looked up into sympathetic eyes, but words didn’t come. Belatedly she remembered that Sahin’s loyalty to his country came before his concern for an insignificant foreign woman. A man in his position did not let kindness outweigh duty.
    “You know I fled Volkov,” she began.
    The old man nodded. “You remind me again why we Turks protect our women. The man should be shot.”
    “He did me no permanent harm!”
    Sahin’s implacable look did not soften. “So you tried to convince me. Did you speak with your father as I advised?”
    “No,” she admitted. “I couldn’t. If I tell you something, can you promise to keep it confidential?”
    “Something personal? Of course,” he replied.
    “There is more, things to do with politics.” She cleared the lump in her throat.
    “Ah. In that case, it will depend on what you say. I have duties to my office, you know that.”
    She clamped her jaw shut and stared into her ale. Volkov’s plans were vile; Lily knew rather too well that revolution always exploded on the backs of the poor. She looked at Sahin Pasha, who had been a true friend, and felt shame for keeping the information from him.
    “Perhaps I may help,” Sahin prodded. “Your father, good man but neglectful I fear, is far from here.”
    ‘If my man in Thessaloniki is compromised, your father will pay with his life.’ Lily’s stomach clenched . See what comes of letting fear rule you instead of reason? Use your head Lily.
    “Papa loves me,” she said defensively. And I love him .
    Sahin would see to it that Volkov’s agent in Thessaloniki, imbedded in the court of the Ottoman governor of the province, met a swift death if word got back to them. What will happen to Papa then?
    Sahin waited patiently, allowing silence to grow between them.
    “You rode recklessly to meet me, and now you will not speak. You need a protector, I think,” he said at last.
    Lily took breath to deny it, but words froze in her throat. She couldn’t deny the truth of his assertion. “I thought perhaps ally,” she mumbled.
    “Perhaps you should speak to your Marquess Glenaire,” Sahin said, pinning her with a knowing look. “One suspects he will have interest in what you have to say.”
    “I can’t!”
    “I have seen how that one looks at you,” Sahin said. He watched her