As before it was extremely powerful, if not the most powerful she had ever had.As before it was extremely powerful, if not the most powerful she had ever had. Once in the camp the English speaking Arab interviewed all the women separately. He asked Ivy, ``What is your name, your rank if any and your husbands name?" Knowing he could always beat the truth out of her, she replied, ``My name is Lady Ivy Stanley, wife of Lord Bradford Stanley, Colonel in a regiment stationed at Khartoum." She was wily enough not to tell him the military unit her husband belonged to, since this could have given away the cities strength. With a wry smile he asked, ``What do you think you are worth to your husband." ``What?" Ivy demanded. ``You heard me. What would he be willing to pay for your safe return?" This was the cruelest thing to do to an English woman. They are such a proud race and not likely to under-value themselves greatly in order to save there husband some money. She begrudgingly told him what she considered to be a reasonable amount. He also inquired what she knew of the other women she travelled with. By doing this he could potentially catch any of them if they lied about there husbands rank or what he could pay for his loved one's ransom. The Pirate of the Sand was a sly character. The questions he had his henchman ask where most revealing. Ivy was glad she had initially told the truth. As Ivy was lead from the tent she was interviewed in, she saw Melissa and the other two maids, who had been in the column, being lead to the far end of camp. They had no husband to pay their ransom. Although Ivy had offered to let Bradford pay Melissa's too, she had been told that such arrangements were not allowed. What this really meant, was that the band of ruffians needed a few women to keep as slaves. At least they had the common sense not to chose an English lady. No proper woman of the realm would ever stop struggling against being imprisoned as a harem girl. |