Violet didn’t know where he was—just that he had gone.
She poured some water from the jug by the bed and drank a glass down, and as her temper left her she shivered.
Away from the fire it was cold, and the flimsy muslin nightdress that had been left out for her offered no warmth.
The wind was shrieking outside, and suddenly she was shaky. It was as if she’d held on to her nerve since the moment she’d realised she was being taken, and only now was her terror surfacing.
Now thathewas here.
Bedra had left a few of the books by the bedside, and Violet had just climbed into the bed with one when Sahir spoke to her from the other side of the flimsy wall.
‘I’ve brought you a drink and something to eat,’ he said.
‘I don’t want it.’
‘I’ll bring it in.’
‘Please don’t.’
He ignored her, and she lay staring up at him as he walked in with a tray.
‘So, no privacy?’
‘I won’t enter here again unless asked,’ he said, moving the jug and glass, replacing them with a small plate and a tall red glass with ornate silver handles. ‘You can hate me if you want, but you need to eat. I made some—’
‘Youmade?’ she sneered.
He looked down at her where she lay. ‘That face you just pulled doesn’t suit you.’ He curled the side of his top lip. ‘You look like a camel!’
She gave a shocked gasp. ‘How rude.’
‘Just an observation. And as for your supper...? I did make it—well, I made the drink.’
She turned and looked at the silver plate.
‘I cannot take credit for thegaz,’ he told her. ‘It is very sweet...like nougat.’
She turned her head and stared straight ahead.
‘I am going to go to the stables now.’
Please don’t go, she wanted to say. But she didn’t want to admit to Sahir how nervous she was at the thought of being here alone.
‘I shouldn’t be long. But there’s a satellite phone there, and if I am to sort out the dress...’
‘And a helicopter?’
‘The wind is too high now to fly safely tonight,’ he responded. ‘The pilot was hesitant to bring me out—that is why the helicopter returned so quickly.’ He looked at her for a moment. ‘We can discuss all that in the morning. For now, you need to eat and sleep. We will talk tomorrow.’
‘I don’t want to talk to you.’
She felt her mouth curl, and then thought of camels and closed it again, but she knew she was still pouting.
‘That’s better.’
He gave her a tired smile, and she didn’t understand why. Goodness, he looked dreadful. Still beautiful, but compared to the man she’d seen this morning he looked utterly drained. Shattered...
He glanced at the books that had been placed by her bed. ‘You’ve got something to read. That’s good.’