Page 50 of Unknown Royal Baby

‘Sharing breakfast each morning would be a good start, yes?’

She kept her tone non-committal. ‘Yes, an excellent start.’

‘And perhaps there are some things you’d especially like to see and do. After we marry we’ll tour the kingdom and I can show you my country. But for now it will need to be things in or near the capital. What interests you?’

Isam’s question stumped her for a moment. She’d spent so long fretting over practicalities, preparing for single motherhood, worrying what would happen if her salary dried up, learning to care for a baby. How long since she’d thought of things she’dliketo do?

Not since Cilla persuaded you to make that list.

‘Avril?’

‘There are some things,’ she said slowly, remembering Cilla’s enthusiasm and her own over the catalogue she’d compiled. She’d done it for Cilla’s sake but had found a genuine spark of excitement at the possibility of expanding her horizons one day. Before Isam and an unexpected pregnancy changed everything.

He leaned closer, his clean, citrus smell invading her nostrils and making her tremble. ‘Go on.’

‘I want to learn to drive. In London there seemed no point but I always wanted...’

‘What did you want, Avril?’

His low voice thrummed across her flesh, teasing her so she blurted out, ‘Travel. Adventure. To see and explore. I wanted to see the Northern Lights. Learn to navigate by the stars. Go hot-air ballooning. Waterski and scuba-dive.’

She clamped her mouth shut. Adventure and a life of royal duty were hardly compatible. The only thing on her list that she was likely to achieve was to learn another language, not as she’d imagined—to help her on her travels—but simply so she could communicate in her new country.

To her surprise Isam grinned and despite everything she felt a ripple of pleasure deep inside. He looked jubilant, the habitual gravity of his expression morphing into an enthusiasm that made him look younger and stunningly handsome. Her pulse quickened and she leaned closer, drawn by his magnetism.

‘You’ve come to the right place. Not for the Northern Lights, but we can travel to see them some time. For the rest, Zahdar is perfect. Along the coast there are some excellent diving spots and there’s a lagoon perfect for waterskiing. Hot-air ballooning is popular inland and as for navigating by the stars, that’s a highly prized local skill. Astronomers come from around the world to see our night skies in the desert. We have an excellent observatory. I can show all that to you, Avril. And I can teach you to drive.’

‘Youcan?’

He nodded. ‘Who better? We’ll take a four-wheel drive out of the city.’

‘A four-wheel drive? I was thinking of something small.’

‘Why not learn to drive something that will take you off road? It’s more practical here and all the better when you want an adventure.’

His enthusiasm was contagious, but she couldn’t allow herself to be carried away. ‘Are sheikhas allowed to have adventures?’

She’d assumed her new future would be hemmed in by strict rules about conservative royal behaviour.

‘Why not? My father said...’

Avril watched Isam’s expression change, his smile falter. She waited but he didn’t continue and she had the feeling that instead of seeing her his gaze was inward-looking. What did he see?

She waited. Was it a memory? Something he’d only now recalled? Surely that was a good thing. Then she saw his forehead scrunch up and taut lines bracket his mouth as if he were in pain. His hand went to the scars near his temple where his pulse throbbed.

‘Isam.’ She leaned in, her hand on his arm, feeling his tense muscles. ‘Are you all right?’

She was used to him being strong and in control. The sight of him frozen in what looked like pain made her heart squeeze.

Finally, to her relief, he seemed to focus again. He stared as if surprised to see her.

She poured water into a crystal goblet and took it around the table to him, crouching beside him and curling the fingers of his other hand around the stem. Surely she only imagined they felt cold.

‘Drink this.’ She supported his hand, lifting it to his mouth. ‘You’ll feel better.’

She had no idea if it were true, but she couldn’t bear seeing him like that. He sipped then lowered the goblet.

‘My apologies.’ His voice was a husk of sound and his throat worked as if he tried to coax stiff muscles into action. ‘I...’

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