Page 1 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
Prologue
Gleave College, University of Oxford
Sheikha Rosana bint Abduallah Al Khal—or Dr.Al Khal, as her Oxford students called her—gripped the sides of the ornately carved dining chair and met Dr.Leonora Cooper’s intense gaze full on.The college dinner had begun like any other but,unlikeany other, Leonora had asked Rosana and a third colleague—Janey Montgomerie—to stay behind.There could only be one reason—the famed Bahr Al Noor diamond which had been missing for centuries and the subject of all three women’s research.But what Rosana didn’t know, was what Leonora planned to do about it.
“Wehaveto find the Bahr Al Noor diamond,” Leonora said, leaning forward, resting her arms on the highly polished dining table.Neither Janey nor Rosana questioned the statement.The diamond was the point at which the research of all three women converged.Each had their area of academic interest, some of which shed light on the whereabouts of the fabled diamond.
“That,” continued Leonora, “is the task we’ve been given and which I’ve accepted on our behalf.In a few months it will be the two hundred-year anniversary of this college and the Chancellor has given us a significant grant to research the whereabouts of the diamond.It’s an opportunity we can’t pass up.It’ll make our careers.”
Despite the stir of excitement Rosana felt at the thought of tracking down the mysterious diamond, there was also fear—fear that it might entail a return to the country where it had last been seen—Sifra.Sifra neighbored her own country from which she’d fled eight years earlier with the intention of never returning.She did what she always did when conflicted—maintained a dignified silence.No one would ever have guessed her thoughts from her impassive face.The protective mask had become second nature over the years.She left it to Janey to respond.
“But surely there’s no way we can find it in time for the anniversary celebrations?”Janey shrugged.“I mean, the ancient texts describe its unrivaled beauty, greater even than the Koh-i-Noor.It’s priceless.How do we stand a chance of finding it when, for centuries, others have failed?”
“Because,” said Rosana, “each of us has unique knowledge that could help us find the diamond.”
“Exactly,” confirmed Leonora.“We are arguably the best equipped people in the world to locate it.”
“More so than the scholars of the countries to which the diamond is connected?”asked Janey, who obviously still felt doubtful.
Rosana and Leonora exchanged a swift glance and nodded in agreement.
“They don’t have access to the college archives like we do,” said Leonora.“They don’t have access to the joint research you and Ashley have produced on harems.”
“True,” conceded Janey.“Now Ashley has married Sheikh Zyir, she’s passed on her research to me to continue.”
“And nor do they have access to your research, Rosana.”
Rosana bowed her head in dignified agreement.
“But where do we even start?”asked Janey.
“We start here.”Leonora pointed up to the ornate ceiling, whose centerpiece was an elaborate cut-glass dome.“With the newly revealed inscription.Thank goodness the college acted on our hunch to remove the false ceiling.The Persian text inscribed around the glass has to be the key.Two hundred years ago, Lord Gleave returned from his explorations in the Middle East and founded this college.And that was the last known sighting of the diamond.”
Janey put her hands behind her head, slipped down in the chair and looked up at the ceiling and read the inscription out loud.“In that elevated place of sensual indulgence you shall find what you seek in the eye of heaven.”She sighed.“Could mean anywhere.”
“No.It means somewhere very precise,” said Leonora firmly.“Previous searches have focused on the belief that the diamond was stolen, either taken by Lord Gleave and ending up here, in England, which we know to be false.Or else bandits took it to India.I don’t believe it’s there either.”
“Where do you think it is?”Janey asked.
“Sifra.”
Janey’s eyebrows rose.“Sifra?Um… That could make sense, given the literature I’ve read.”
Rosana’s heart had sunk at the mention of her own country’s enemy.But this was her academic research about the diamond they were talking about, and that would always take precedence over anything personal.She would do whatever was necessary to advance her career.“I agree.It would fit with the evidence we have.”
“And it makes sense to me, too,” said Leonora.“I spent many months in Sifra and I believe it’s still there.”
“So, what do you propose, Leonora?”asked Janey.“I mean, Sifra is hardly a country you can enter with ease.How do we go about locating the diamond if the country is a closed book to outsiders?”
Rosana and Janey fixed their gazes onto Leonora, as the most senior academic.
“We open the book,” Leonora said simply, swirling her brandy around the glass before taking a sip, and placing it back on the table.“I propose we take it in turns to travel to Sifra, enter the country by whatever means we can, and test our hypotheses.Say two weeks max each to do whatever we have to do in order to locate the diamond.Are you in?”
Janey nodded.“I’m in.Sounds cool.A bit of an adventure.And I’d love to see the harems I’ve read so much about.”
“Good.Rosana?”
Rosana was more cautious than Janey.And she had good reason to be.She bit her lip for a moment, then lifted her chin and shot them a brief, guarded smile.“I will go, too.After all, my studies on royal traditions are directly relevant.I’m sure we’ll find the diamond as part of a crown, or throne, but unadorned, so as not to attract notice.”She nodded again, this time more strongly.“I doubt it will be fun, but it will be interesting.Count me in.”
