Page 32 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

Certainly he did not want a confidant or a second wife. One would be enough to deal with, let alone two!

Sahir had asked that the subject of his marriage not be discussed until he neared forty. The King was growing impatient, though. The elders too... He doubted it would be put off until then.

No, he would not be going online. His bride would be selected for him, with the welfare of both their countries in mind. It was the one area in his life where he had no say in the matter.

Sahir answered her at last. ‘We all have our own mountain to climb.’

‘We do,’ she agreed. ‘Thanks for being there for me today. You’ve made things a whole lot better.’

‘So have you.’

‘I mean it,’ Violet said.

She sat up, taking in a breath.

Yes, Sahir thought, she’d faced a few demons today.

‘Don’t worry about Mrs...’

He paused. Usually he was brilliant at summoning names—half his life was spent doing just that, and talking with people he barely knew—and yet since Violet had stepped out of that taxi minor details were proving a little difficult to recall.

‘Andrews?’ she finished for him.

‘Yes.’

‘And thank you for saving me from my brilliantly successful, very happily married schoolfriends.’

‘If it’s any consolation, the two of them were having a big argument outside when I was on my phone,’ Sahir told her. ‘And as for people like Tanya...’

‘I thought you two were getting on?’

‘No, I was trying to divert her from being so awful to you. My mother used to say that a snake waits in the shadows to strike.’

‘Used to?’

He nodded, but said no more on the subject than that. ‘I saw Tanya make a beeline for you the moment you were alone,’ he told her.

‘Is that why you came over?’ she asked.

‘Of course. I knew she was going to attack.’

‘But you were so nice to her.’

‘No. I waspoliteto Tanya. With you, I’m nice...’ He offered his hand. ‘One more dance?’

‘Can’t we stay out here a little longer?’

‘I meant, let’s dance here...’

It was a lovely slow dance, but he could feel her question coming—her need for more information.

‘Your mother used to...?’ she checked.

‘She died when I was thirteen,’ Sahir said. ‘It was...’ He took a breath. ‘I was told it was sudden.’

‘Told?’

‘I’m not so sure. I wish I had acted sooner,’ he admitted. ‘Noticed things.’

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