CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
Haseki bounced Beyazit on her knee, chuckling at a manuscript of stories by Hoca, and playing backgammon with Khadija at the same time.
“What are you reading, my darling?”
“Hoca,” Haseki responded.
“Ha, he brings me pleasure too. Are you reading the one about the camel and the silversmith?”
“No, this one has a magic lamp and drunken genii.”
Khadija smiled before rolling the dice and nudging her chips several paces across the backgammon board. “I am winning; in case you didn’t notice.”
Beyazit’s hair flop to and fro as he bounced on Haseki’s knee. She turned her attention back to the game, threw the dice and flicked one of Khadija’s chips from the board.
“Humph, you play like Ibrahim. Pretending you don’t care, but then knocking me from the board without any hin
