Page 142 of New Storm Rising
“A travesty! What happened to my freedom of choice?”
“The same thing that happened to the last remnants of my innocence last night.”
“You are no fun, Sir.”
“A fact I take great pride in.”
In companionable bickering, we descended down the stairs. About halfway down, we encountered a pale, mournful ghost.
“Hello there, Karim,” I greeted. “Did you have a good night’s sleep? How was your first night spent in a bawdy house?”
The bearded bodyguard shot me a murderous look. “I will eviscerate you with a rusty kitchen knife!”
“But he’s the one who chose this place,” I protested, promptly doing what a wife should do and unloading all the guilt onto my husband.
“Yes. But he is my employer.”
I opened my mouth to protest such blatant unfairness—then a point occurred to me. I grinned.
“And I’m your employer’s wife.”
Karim blinked.
“Dhikara hai!”[31]
“I assume that’s Punjabi for ‘Yes, Ma’am, just as you say, Ma’am’?”
Karim’s face morphed into a wooden mask of male misery. “Yes,Sahiba. That’s exactly what it means. May I take my leave now?”
And go find a nice corner to die in?the unspoken words hung in the air.
“Actually, we were just wondering where we could find something to eat. Could you maybe go and find out?”
“Yes,Sahiba.” Karim resigned himself. “Right away,Sahiba. But…where would we find food in a place like this?”
“Go ask the staff,” Mr Ambrose ordered.
“He means the half-naked women,” I supplied helpfully.
Karim’s beard twitched maniacally. “Yes,Sahiba, I shall go directly,Sahiba.”
Whirling around, he stomped down the stairs, nearly bringing down the house in the process.
Eyes sparkling, I leaned over to Mr Ambrose. “Wanna bet whose clutches he’s going to fall into?”
“I never bet, Mrs Ambrose.”
Just then, a manly squeal came from further down the stairs.
“Especially if I already know the answer.”
It took some time for Karim to return. When he did, his turban sat askew at a jaunty angle, and there was a very suspicious mark on his neck.
“Breakfast,” he managed to squeeze out, “will be served in the ‘Sweet Pleasure Suite’. Or at least so I have been informed by Miss Delilah Deluxe.”
“Sweet!” I clapped Karim on the back. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome.”
