Page 19 of Royally Promoted

Her natural warmth and empathy brought a smile to her face.

‘Mother, this is my secretary, Lucy.’

Introductions were made. Lucy thought that ‘Nadia’ was a wonderful name. She wondered whether she should curtsey and decided that there was nothing to lose.

‘Mrs Al-Rashid...or should I address you as something else? Your son never said. In fairness, I didn’t get round to asking. Your Majesty...’

‘Nadia will be fine, my dear, and please, there is no need for you to curtsey.’

‘I just want to say how deeply, deeply sorry I was to hear of your husband’s heart problems.’

‘That is very kind of you to say so. He is, fortunately, in the best possible hands.’

‘Yes, your son told me. How wonderful. It must be so reassuring to know that you have the very best that the medical world can offer.’ She looked at her hostess earnestly whilst still in awe of just how stunningly beautiful she was. ‘Sometimes it can all be a little hit and miss, at least in the UK.’

‘Hit and miss?’

‘Doctors rushed off their feet... Nurses in a tizzy running here, there and everywhere—amazing at what they do, but it’s non-stop. I believe—I read.’

‘Lucy, perhaps you’d like something to drink?’

Malik’s voice from behind brought her sharply back to her feet and she reddened.

‘You have a wonderful place here, Mrs... Your Majesty... Nadia.’

‘Lucy...’

Malik emerged from behind to stand directly in front of her, a looming, six-four, ridiculously good-looking version of his striking mother.

‘Why don’t you sit? Tea will be served.’

Nadia’s lips were twitching, moving to a smile.

‘I apologise...er... Nadia...ma’am,’ Lucy murmured, shuffling into one of the upright chairs and feeling vaguely mortified at her lack of finesse. ‘I tend to talk a little too much when I’ve nervous.’

‘But why are you nervous, my dear?’

‘Well...’

‘We are very relaxed and hospitable hosts, Ali and I, and of course it is a pleasure to meet the girl of whom my son has spoken so highly.’

‘Has he?’ Lucy glanced across to Malik from under her lashes and was surprised to find him looking a little off-kilter at the direction of the conversation.

‘Well, he really should,’ she said tartly. If sharing space with four sisters and her outspoken parents had done one thing, it was to have taught her that she had a voice and, just so long as she wasn’t being mean, cruel or offensive, then it was there to be heard. ‘Because without me—’ she snapped her fingers, magician-style ‘—he just wouldn’t know what to do when it comes to an awful lot of his deals. It’s like that with all of us working behind the scenes.’ Lucy dimpled. ‘Our bosses don’t know it, but we PAs actually are the ones who make the whole place run efficiently.’

Nadia smiled. ‘I believe you, my dear.’ The dark eyes twinkled. ‘And I hope you make sure to tell him that often. Tea?’

Tea was brought and served and Lucy unwound, enjoying this regal woman with the dark eyes that lit up with amusement at some of the things Lucy said to her. Sitting to one side with a dainty cup balancing precariously on his thigh, Malik watched their interaction without giving away a thing on his face.

This man who was so devastatingly handsome in his formal robes, the robes of the man before whom people bowed, sprawled on a chair that was way too small for his towering frame, made her shiver with emotions she couldn’t identify. He was the same and yet so incredibly different.

She thought of the easy familiarity they’d shared and in a heartbeat she realised how easy it would be for her to be completely over-awed by this new version of the guy she worked for. Seeing people bowing to her boss, it was hard for her not to slowly fall in line and put him on a pedestal where subservience became the norm.

It would be even easier for him to accept that, she was sure. From everything she had seen, it was what he had grown up with—a life of unimaginable privilege where he was obeyed without fear of dissent. Had he ever had anything happen in his life to shatter that comfortable illusion?

The conversation moved back to Malik’s father.

Lucy let her mind drift for a while as she nibbled some of the delicacies that had been brought in for them. They were delicious. She surfaced to a lull in the conversation and immediately filled it with sincere remarks about the nibbles.

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