10-3 Under suspicion

I'm not left wondering about my fate for long. Shortly after the welcoming ceremony is concluded, the Valide asks to see me in private. The upper level of the harem has been prepared for the Valide's use, so I only have a short walk within the harem to her audience chamber. As usual two of her own maids are in attendance. I've met both of them before when I was in the harem in Constantinople. They have been her maids for years and can be relied on to keep whatever we discuss secret. Nevertheless, the Valide tells them to wait outside of the room.

"Is Şah Sultan treating you well?" asks the Valide. "Are you kept occupied?"

"Yes, Valide," I reply. "I help with some translation work from time to time, and I teach Turkish to some of the new girls."

"I've heard that you've become accomplished in several languages," replies the Valide. "I could do with your services in Constantinople. And you have become an excellent dancer as well, I'm told."

"I hadn't realised that you took such interest in my activities, Valide" I reply.

"I always take an interest in a girl who carries my son's child," says the Valide.

I nearly fall backwards in shock. Does she really know, or is she just suspicious and fishing for a confession from me.

"My husband, Hasan Çelebi, is my child's father," I reply.

"Hmmm," grunts the Valide. "Of course you deny the truth. Isn't that the agreement you reached with my son. You are an exceptionally clever woman, Gülnihal. I won't push you for a confession, but understand that I know the truth. You were pregnant with Sultan Suleiman's child when you were granted your freedom."

"The midwife examined me before I left Constantinople," I reply. "She said that I was not pregnant."

"Yes, I know," replies the Valide. "But she lied. I would have extracted a confession from her had Ibrahim not secretly whisked her away in the night. That act alone confirms her guilt in the deception."

"What do you expect me to say, Valide?" I ask. "If I deny your accusation, you will call me a liar. You place my child in danger by making such an accusation, regardless of whether it is true or not."

"Perhaps you are right," concedes the Valide. "I could order you to be taken to the harem in Constantinople, but the law will side with your husband when he comes to reclaim you. I would be obliged to release you and your child. Even the merest suspicion that your child is of my son's blood would place your child in danger once you are outside of the harem's protection."

"So what do you intend to do, Valide?" I ask.

"I cannot ignore your situation entirely," says the Valide. "My son was foolish in releasing a concubine who may have been carrying his child, but I'm sure his actions were well meant. I therefore propose the following, which you would be wise to accept. Firstly, you are right about the danger to your child, so I will not push you to admit that the child you carry was fathered by my son. Secondly, in recognition of your services to the dynasty, you are awarded the title of Begum. Thirdly, in the unfortunate event that you find yourself to be a widow, then you and your child will always find shelter in the Imperial Palace in Constantinople. Fourthly, should your child be a girl, then I shall make no further demands of you. The dynasty has enough sultanas and hanimsultans as it is. However, if your child is a boy, then you and I will ensure that he is educated and trained to the standard of a future sultan. The dynasty will make no recognition of your son unless Sultan Suleiman and all his other sons should die. In that tragic event, your son must step forward to claim the right to be the next Ottoman sultan.

I need a few moments to digest what the Valide has said. In reality, I knew that if my child was a boy, then Ibrahim, or some other palace official loyal to Sultan Suleiman, might want to use my son in the way the Valide described. There is little likelihood of my son becoming the next Ottoman sultan now that Hürrem has delivered a new şehzade. What is different about the Valide's offer is that I'm to be given the title of Begum. It is an equivalent rank to hatun, but whereas hatun is a slave concubine's title with no value outside of the harem, begum is a widely recognised title which is only awarded to a free woman of high regard or importance. The Valide is giving me a great honour by awarding me the title.

I accept the Valide's proposal, and thank her for the honour she has bestowed on me. I'm careful not to indicate whether her suspicions about my child's father are right or wrong. I'm reasonably certain that she has been fishing for the truth, and I embark on my own fishing exercise.

"Valide. I have received no word about my husband since I entered the Edirne harem. Is there any word about where Hasan has been sent, and how long he might be away?"

"I cannot discuss military matters with you, but it's likely your husband is on the island of Rhodes. I've no idea when he may return."

I quickly try to remember what I've been taught about Rhodes. I know that it's an island close to the mainland. It became a Christian military outpost after the last of the crusades. Now it is garrisoned by thousands of Christian knights who have turned the island into a fortress. From their base on the island, the knights have frequently raided Ottoman territory and attacked shipping. When Constantinople was captured seventy years ago, there was a failed attempt to capture Rhodes at the same time. It seems that Sultan Suleiman is of a mind to try again.

"We must see that your stipend is suitably increased to reflect your status of a begum," says the Valide. "Your current stipend is thirty aspers a day, isn't it?"

"Err ... no, Valide," I reply. "I don't receive any stipend at all. I live off my owns means and the small fee Şah Sultan pays me for teaching Turkish."

The Valide looks as shocked as I am at this discovery. She clearly thought I was receiving a stipend. She recalls her maids, who have been waiting outside the room.

"Hayal, check my copy of the Edirne harem register and tell me what stipend Gülnihal is recorded as receiving."

Hayal leaves on her errand. The Valide turns towards me.

"Did Ibrahim's letter not specify that you were a guest of the dynasty?" asks the Valide.

"I believe so," I reply. "I gave the letter to Şah Sultan when Countess von Erdödy and I arrived here, so I can't be certain."

The Valide questions me some more about what happened when Anna and I arrived. I do my best to recall those events accurately, but it was several months ago. Hayal returns a few moments later and confirms that the harem records show that I'm currently receiving thirty aspers a day.

"Say nothing about this to anybody, Gülnihal Begum," says the Valide. "I shall get to the bottom of this, and soon."

The Valide's investigation escalates into an audit of the Edirne harem's financial management. The Valide tells me in confidence that nearly all the girls are receiving stipends much less than the sum recorded in the harem register. The total sum paid to all the girls in the Edirne harem is about half the amount provided by the treasury in Constantinople for the Edirne harem stipends.

I don't see Şah Sultan again before she leaves with the Valide on her journey back to Constantinople. The Valide has been careful with her investigation and only I know what she has discovered. While I feel privileged to be taken into her confidence, I'm not certain why she has done so. Leyla Sultan is in charge of the harem during her mother's absence, and the kalfas and agas continue on with their duties as normal.

The Valide made a formal announcement of my elevation to the rank of Begum before she left Edirne. She said that it was in recognition of my services to the Imperial Harem. The Valide didn't say exactly what those services were, and most of the women assume that it relates to my time in Constantinople. I don't say or do anything to dissuade that assumption since I haven't done anything here that would justify my being granted such a rank.

I start to receive the stipend the Valide ordered, although no back payment has been made. In truth, I doubt that I or the others will receive the money Şah Sultan falsely claimed from the treasury. The stipends paid to the other girls haven't been increased, which only reinforces my expectation that the harem register will be adjusted down to the amount paid, rather than the other way round.

Now that my financial situation has improved, I feel able to spend some money on a small harem celebration. Most of the cost goes towards providing food. In Constantinople the sultanas could afford to treat the whole harem, but my means are more limited. I discuss some options with Afife Kalfa and a few of the more experienced women. It's a difficult choice between a small amount of food for everybody, or a more substantial spread for a smaller invited group. In the end I decide to invite all the women still living in the main harem. It's a moderate sized group which stretches my budget, but it's the most logical decision.

I make the necessary arrangements with Leyla Sultan, Afife Kalfa and the agas. I discuss food options with the chief cook in the kitchen. It's quite a chore. Aysun helps me by ensuring everybody in the main harem is invited. Before long there is a buzz of excitement in anticipation of a long overdue party.

I make a point of inviting Gülriz to the celebration, as well as a couple of other women I've come to know in the family wing. They promise to come, but won't be able to stay for very long. Their duties in the family wing can't be put on hold for more than a short while.

The celebration is a huge success and even Leyla Sultan makes a brief appearance. She doesn't stay long but, much to my surprise, makes a short speech praising my generosity and effort in providing this celebration. There's no formal programme, and everyone makes their own entertainment. There's music and dancing, which gives Aysun a chance to show off her skills. As host, I sit at the central table and spend most of the time talking with the steady stream of girls wanting to talk with me.

I've never bothered much about my popularity within the harem. Even in Constantinople, I tended to keep to a small circle of friends. But now I'm almost overwhelmed by the number of girls who look up to me as their mentor and role model. It places a huge responsibility on my shoulders, but I do my best not to disappoint them.

The excited atmosphere generated by the celebration lasts for several days. My elevation to the rank of begum doesn't alter my daily routine. Nor does my advancing pregnancy cause many changes. The midwife suggests that I have one of the girls as my prenatal helper, much in the same way I was Hürrem's helper when her pregnancy was confirmed. Aysun volunteers for the role as soon as she hears that I'm looking for someone to take on the duty. Her enthusiasm easily overcomes her lack of experience and I agree to her being given the role. Perhaps my decision is influenced by my desire for her to teach me more English, but I suppose I've always looked in her like a younger sister and in need of my protection. Aysun's future in the Imperial Harem doesn't look promising. Ahmed seems to have lost interest in her in favour of Nuray and Tülay. Her exceptional dancing skills are of limited use because Serhan Pasha and the sultanzades are not calling for entertainment. Indeed, there are rumours that Serhan Pasha and Ramazan are away from the palace, and aren't expected back anytime soon. But like all harem rumours we have no means of verifying the truth.