Page 3 of At the Sheikh's Bidding
“And it is, sooo good,” Leonora said with her eyes fixed fondly on Darrius, who was talking to one of their guests.
Janey licked her lips. She had to ask. “And… you don’t miss work? You reallydoplan to live here?”
“Absolutely,” Leonora said, tearing her gaze away from Darrius once more. She appeared to glow. If love made you radioactive, Janey was glad she wasn’t in the market for it. “I’ve always loved Sifra. I know it sounds a bit woo-woo, but it feels like it’s my spiritual home,” Leonora continued.
And there was no denying how genuine those feelings were. Janey could see it in her friend’s eyes. Janey gripped Leonora’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so happy for you.” And it was true. She was. And she’d been even happier if she never suffered the same fate.
“Thank you.”
“But…” Janey couldn’t help asking. “Youreallywon’t miss everything you’ve been working toward at Oxford?” She shrugged, unable to hide her puzzlement. “I mean, it’s been so important to you.”
Leonora cast her a shrewd look. “Sometimes the things we focus on replace other, earlier, hopes and needs which were disappointed.”
Janey frowned, wondering if Leonora was one of the few people who could see beyond Janey’s armor, and understand the insecurity which lay at her center.
Leonora smiled, as if understanding what prompted Janey’s frown. “When I say ‘we’, I mean ‘me’, of course. I’m sure you are as well-rounded as you seem—a woman who enjoys diving head-first in the surf as much as dusty tomes. Whereas me? I was on the wrong path, taken there by stuff that happened.” She shrugged and her smile turned momentarily sad. “But that’s all changed now.” She looked across at where Darrius had suddenly stopped talking and turned to her, as if drawn by a sixth sense. “My future is with Darrius. And I couldn’t be happier.”
Janey returned her smile while trying to figure out how Leonora could be happy, having forsaken all that was important to her in England to live in Sifra with such a dominant man. She forced herself to be pleased for Leonora, who obviously believed she’d hit the jackpot.
“You certainly look happy. The happiest, in fact, I’ve ever seen you.”
“Ah, there’s a reason for that. And that’s because I am.” She shifted closer to Janey. “I’ve found something far more precious than the diamond, Janey. And I hope you find what you’re looking for, too.”
“The diamond? Of course, I’ll do my best.” She accepted a drink and sat back. “I’ll begin with the harem, of course. I can’t wait. I’ll be able to add to my research and take it to the next level. The first academic to enter the Sifran harem. I’ve already had requests to present papers at conferences.”
“Ah, about the harem.”
“I’m planning on having a good look around there first thing tomorrow morning.”
Leonora pulled a face. “I’m afraid…” She winced again.
Janey frowned. “What? What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid it won’t be as easy as we first thought.”
“Why not? You’re here, you’re married to the ex-king. Surely there won’t be anything to prevent our research from going ahead now? There’s nothing to hold us back.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. Even with Darrius’s support, it won’t be simple to gain access, let alone spend time there alone. There are a lot of traditions and taboos which make gaining access difficult. But there’s someone who’ll help you with that.”
“Really? Who’s that?”
“Come with me and I’ll introduce you.”
Janey followed Leonora up to a group of men. She overheard one man talking.
“I can think of a million things in Paris I’d rather be doing,” the man said.
Janey stopped suddenly. There was something in the timbre of his voice which navigated directly through her senses and set her heart racing. She took a deep breath and gave herself a stern telling off.
““Paris is wonderful,” she said, “but it doesn’t have the Bahr Al Noor diamond.”
“And nor does Sifra,” the man said, turning around.
Her gaze was level with the man’s chest. His hands were on his hips, pushing the suit jacket aside, revealing a beautifully cut white silk shirt. Her gaze rose to a tie which had been loosened to reveal curling hair on a dark skin. Her gaze lifted again to a chin which was already beginning to show the signs of dark stubble. And again to a mouth—a mouth which made her heart stop. She didn’t need to lift her gaze any further to realize she knew this man. But she looked up anyway. Because she had no choice but to look into those eyes as compelling as they had been two years ago. But far colder. Itwashim. It was Amare. She felt her mouth slacken and her brain freeze.
“Dr. Montgomerie, how nice to see you again.”
Amare extended his hand to hers, but she simply looked at it as if it were an apparition. If she touched him, he’d be real, and she didn’t want him to be real. She didn’t want her past to come back to haunt her—for good reason. He reached out and took her hand in his, held it briefly before shaking and releasing it.
