Page 46 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
“Why do you think she gave it to Gleave in the end?And didn’t keep it in Sifra?”
Rosana shrugged.“I can only guess.”
Zaire kissed her head.“Your guesses are better than most people’s certainties.”
She turned and kissed him, nearly forgetting what she was going to say.“Ah yes, my guess.”She looked back up at the diamond in the ceiling.“I think she gave it to him as a symbol of her heart, her love.Her country was in disarray and had betrayed her, and her diaries showed how much she adored the man.”
“Goodness knows why,” said Zaire dryly.“He robbed us.”
Rosana shrugged again.“One of life’s mysteries.”
“What is?”
“The power of love.The things people will do for love, and why people love someone who is forbidden to them, someone they have no wish to love, and shouldn’t love.It’s all a mystery.”
“A bigger mystery, it turns out, than the whereabouts of the diamond.”
“It surprised me,” said Darrius, “that the college should suggest the diamond be returned to Sifra.”
“We live in different times.They acknowledge the wrongdoings of Gleave and are happy to have the symbol of those misdeeds—the diamond—returned to where it belongs.”
“Especially when the diamond is so valuable.I bet they were worried about how to keep it safe.”
They laughed.“Well, there will be no problem keeping it safe in Sifra.We are used to housing such treasures.Although the Bahr Al Noor diamond exceeds the others.”
Zaire rose.“One last toast.”
“Another toast?”said Amare with a laugh, as their glasses were re-filled.“Surely we’ve just about toasted everything.”
“Not everyone.This is to the women who’ve changed history and our lives.To Leonora, to Janey and to Rosana.”His eyes rested on Rosana.“Thank you for coming into our lives and shining your own special light onto it.We—each of my brothers and I—look forward to a lifetime together.”
The three men repeated the toast and the three women exchanged secret smiles.None of this had been easy, but they now had the loves of their lives by their sides and were ready for anything.
“Bring it on,” said Janey, and they all looked up at the central light well which for so many years had hidden its treasure.Now that the timing of the spring equinox had passed, the light had dimmed, but still its cool glow encompassed the three couples who’d been brought together in the quest for the Bahr Al Noor diamond.
Epilogue
One year later…
It was late now.The brief moment of twilight had settled upon the small gathering out on the private terrace of the palace.And for the first time that day, silence had also settled.No doubt mainly because all the babies were safely tucked up in their beds, fast asleep, and their tired parents were relaxing.Rosana hadn’t known that babies could make quite so much noise, take up quite so much headspace, or encompass so much love.
Leonora and Darrius’s little boy—whose first birthday celebrations caused the gathering—was a straight-out mix between his blonde mother and dark-haired father.With his mid-brown hair and steady, autocratic gaze from those hazel eyes, he already possessed his father’s commanding air.But he also had the sweetness in his smile, which promised a nature like Leonora.They’d settled in the Sifran palace where Darrius helped run the country, and Leonora could further her research.
Rosana didn’t get to see so much of Janey and Amare’s adorable daughter, as most of the time they lived in Paris.But, with the baby’s golden curls and loud, demanding cries, there was no doubting who was the boss in their family.
Rosana tapped her phone and the most recent photo of Adam, their son, popped up on the screen.She sighed and fell in love all over again.Darkly complexioned, like them both, with perfectly proportioned features and with Rosana’s generous lips, as soon as he opened his eyes, he’d had everyone spellbound, especially his father.One look from Adam and Zaire would pick him up and carry him around, spending hours showing him their world.Rosana loved watching the two of them together, imagining what life held in store for them.
“I know what that smile means,habibti,” said Zaire, reaching out for her hand and kissing it.He held it tight.
She turned to Zaire.“Do you indeed?You imagine you can read my face like a book?”It was true, he could.He sensed her thoughts with unerring accuracy.And she found it a little galling.She had nowhere to hide.
“I do, my love.You are looking at your son and imagining the man he will become.”
“Partly true.”
“Hm,” he said with a frown.“Maybe I’m losing my touch.”
“It wouldn’t be surprising given how little sleep you get these days.You shouldn’t keep getting up in the night to him,” said Rosana.“We have nannies for that job.”
