Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (127 page)

             
"
Diplomacy
in
the
first
instance.
"
Mister
Stewart
glanced
at
his
fellow
agent
and
asked
a
question
in
Arabic.
Receiving
the
reply,
he
nodded
and
turned
to
Captain
Blackwood
again.
"
The
Sultan
will
expect
a
visit
from
you
and
will,
by
now,
be
aware
of
my
colleague
'
s
request
for
an
audience.
I
suggest
that
we
present
ourselves
at
the
palace
and
await
his
pleasure.
"
He
smiled,
"
After
that
–
the
trading
begins
and
you
need
play
no
part
in
it
other
than
to
lend
authority
by
virtue
of
the
presence
here
of
your
ship.
"

             
Robert
Blackwood
bowed
in
acknowledgement
of
the
suggestion.
"
Very
well.
To
lend
credence
to
the
purpose
of
our
visit,
I
suggest
a
request
that
we
have
the
crew
seized
during
the
act
of
piracy
be
restored
to
us
unharmed?
I
am
of
the
opinion
that
we
should
not
simply
leave
them
to
rot
–
it
might
encourage
further
such
attempts.
"

             
"
Very
well.
"
Mister
Stewart
frowned.
"
But
I
suggest
you
leave
that
to
me.
The
Sultan
speaks
English
but
prefers
to
be
addressed
in
Arabic
when
it
comes
to
matters
of
business,
though
he
is
his
own
man
in
all
things
and
may
do
exactly
the
opposite.
"
He
drew
out
his
watch
and
said,
"
If
you
can
arrange
it
Captain,
I
suggest
we
go
now,
perhaps
some
of
your
Marines
to
guard
our
boats
–
they
also
serve
as
a
reminder
that
we
have
soldiers
aboard.
"

             
The
local
agent
said,
"
Sir
Captain,
I
will
go
in
my
boat
ahead
of
you
to
ensure
that
the
gates
of
the
palace
are
open
to
you
when
you
arrive.
"
He
bowed
and,
after
a
brief
exchange
with
Mister
Stewart
in
Arabic,
left.

-

             
Captain
Blackwood
stepped
ashore
on
the
narrow
quay.
Behind
him
Harry
adjusted
his
dirk
and
carefully
followed
Mister
Stewart
from
the
boat.
The
sun
baked
the
earth
beneath
their
feet
and
the
air
itself
seemed
heavy
with
the
heat.
There
was
no
shelter
anywhere
nearby
for
the
boat
crew
and
the
Captain
turned
to
the
Coxswain
and
said,
"
Matthew,
I
suggest
you
rig
an
awning
over
the
boat
and
let
the
people
remain
at
ease.
To
the
Marine
Corporal
and
his
two
companions
he
said,
"
Corporal,
let
your
men
stand
watch
and
watch.
Use
your
discretion
–
a
man
will
not
last
long
in
this
heat
in
full
uniform.
"

             
"
Aye,
aye,
sor,
"
both
chorused
and
the
Captain
led
the
way
toward
the
waiting
carriage
sent
by
the
local
agent.

             
The
short
ride
to
the
palace
was
through
crowded
streets.
The
buildings
seemed
to
lock
in
the
heat,
yet,
or
so
Mister
Stewart
informed
them,
were
remarkably
cool
inside.
"
The
rooms
are
arranged
around
an
inner
court.
The
towers
you
see
funnel
the
breeze
through
a
cooling
chamber
and
then
through
passages
to
each
room.
"

             
As
soon
as
this
was
explained
Harry
could
see
that
the
'
towers
'
in
fact
housed
no
sentry
as
he
had
thought
they
might
from
the
ship
and
he
also
noted
the
arrangement
of
shutters
at
the
openings
surrounding
the
upper
storey.
He
noted
too
that
the
many
women
they
passed
all
wore
the
complete
covering
of
the
burka
and
hid
their
faces
–
some
completely,
while
others
simply
used
a
fold
of
their
head
scarf
to
shield
their
faces
from
view.
On
enquiry
he
was
told
that
this
was
a
requirement
of
their
religion,
a
matter
he
found
astonishing.
He
could
not
imagine
his
mother
or
any
of
the
other
ladies
of
his
acquaintance
accepting
such
a
restriction
upon
their
public
garb,
nor,
for
that
matter,
the
restrictions
upon
their
entertainment
of
friends
and
visitors.

             
They
dismounted
at
the
gates
of
the
palace
and
found
Mister
Tanha
waiting
for
them
wreathed
in
smiles.
"
His
Majesty,
the
Sultan,
is
expecting
you,
Captain,
Mister
Stewart.
Please
follow
me.
"