Read Online Heart of the Desert by Carol Marinelli - Free Book Online
Authors: Carol Marinelli
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king.’
‘I know. I’m just so sorry that it’s on your second night. It won’t happen again. We don’t usually dine with the king—normally it’s Karim and me in our suite.’
‘So who’s going to be there?’
‘The king, and Hassan will be there with Jamal’s parents and family. Ibrahim, I hope.’
‘Hope?’ Georgie closed her eyes for a moment. She really did not want to face him looking like this.
‘That’s all you can do when he’s around.’ Felicity gave a wry smile. ‘How was he today?’
‘He seemed to enjoy the celebration—he was thrilled for his brother.’
‘Karim said you two spent a lot of time together.’
‘He speaks English,’ Georgie said tersely. She did not have to explain herself, they had done nothing wrong, but she quickly changed the subject. ‘What about the queen?’
‘You know she doesn’t live here.’
‘So when will she get to see her grandson?’
‘When Hassan and Jamal take him to see her—like I did when Azizah was born. Mind you, with him being a little bit premature, it might not be for a while.’
‘So she won’t get to see him?’
‘Georgie, please …’ Her sister was nervous and it irritated Georgie.
‘We’re not allowed to talk about it even in the privacy of my bedroom?’ Georgie shook her head in disbelief. ‘I don’t know how you live like this, Felicity.’
‘I have a wonderful life,’ Felicity said, ‘and of course we can talk about things. It’s just …’ Felicity screwed her eyes closed for a second. ‘Just not at dinner. Georgie, I’m asking you to be discreet. There are things that aren’t to be discussed.’ She tried for the umpteenth time toexplain to her younger sister the strange ways of Zaraq. ‘It’s a very delicate subject, The king misses her terribly, he mourns for her.’
‘She’s not dead,’ Georgie pointed out. ‘All he has to do is pick up the phone.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to say anything to embarrass you—I’ll be suitably demure.’
She was, and it had nothing to do with Felicity’s warning. The vast table, the company, the introductions, the surroundings had Georgie overwhelmed.
There was no sign of Ibrahim and she heard the king say his name a couple of times to Karim.
‘When do we eat?’ Georgie asked her sister, when they had been sitting for what seemed ages.
‘When the prodigal son appears.’ Felicity answered, and Georgie felt nervous on his behalf. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine.’ But even if she appeared calm, inwardly she was dreading that her sister might have to leave. Especially as Felicity had told her that though they usually did their best to converse in English when she was around, it wasn’t possible tonight as Jamal’s family spoke only Arabic. ‘They are discussing when a photo of the new heir will be released.’ Felicity did her best to keep up with the conversation, but even that lifeline was lost when a maid whispered in her ear and Felicity, with a rather terse nod from the king, excused herself.
It was interminable, smiling and laughing and nodding when the others did, though Georgie had no idea what was being said. She actually found herself wishingthey’d bring the food out, just to give her something to do. But then, like a summer shower on a stifling day, Ibrahim strolled in and all Georgie could wonder was how he got away with wearing Western clothes—he was in black dinner trousers and a slim-fitting white shirt and she wondered if he’d been out riding and had just pulled some clothes on, because his hair was tousled and he hadn’t bothered with shaving.
‘You are late.’ The king was less than impressed. The conversation was in English now, no doubt to avoid any embarrassment in front of the esteemed guests.
‘I had to make a phone call,’ Ibrahim said without apology.
‘It is dinner,’ the king said.
‘With family.’ Ibrahim’s smile was black as he made his point. ‘Surely we can relax
‘I know. I’m just so sorry that it’s on your second night. It won’t happen again. We don’t usually dine with the king—normally it’s Karim and me in our suite.’
‘So who’s going to be there?’
‘The king, and Hassan will be there with Jamal’s parents and family. Ibrahim, I hope.’
‘Hope?’ Georgie closed her eyes for a moment. She really did not want to face him looking like this.
‘That’s all you can do when he’s around.’ Felicity gave a wry smile. ‘How was he today?’
‘He seemed to enjoy the celebration—he was thrilled for his brother.’
‘Karim said you two spent a lot of time together.’
‘He speaks English,’ Georgie said tersely. She did not have to explain herself, they had done nothing wrong, but she quickly changed the subject. ‘What about the queen?’
‘You know she doesn’t live here.’
‘So when will she get to see her grandson?’
‘When Hassan and Jamal take him to see her—like I did when Azizah was born. Mind you, with him being a little bit premature, it might not be for a while.’
‘So she won’t get to see him?’
‘Georgie, please …’ Her sister was nervous and it irritated Georgie.
‘We’re not allowed to talk about it even in the privacy of my bedroom?’ Georgie shook her head in disbelief. ‘I don’t know how you live like this, Felicity.’
‘I have a wonderful life,’ Felicity said, ‘and of course we can talk about things. It’s just …’ Felicity screwed her eyes closed for a second. ‘Just not at dinner. Georgie, I’m asking you to be discreet. There are things that aren’t to be discussed.’ She tried for the umpteenth time toexplain to her younger sister the strange ways of Zaraq. ‘It’s a very delicate subject, The king misses her terribly, he mourns for her.’
‘She’s not dead,’ Georgie pointed out. ‘All he has to do is pick up the phone.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to say anything to embarrass you—I’ll be suitably demure.’
She was, and it had nothing to do with Felicity’s warning. The vast table, the company, the introductions, the surroundings had Georgie overwhelmed.
There was no sign of Ibrahim and she heard the king say his name a couple of times to Karim.
‘When do we eat?’ Georgie asked her sister, when they had been sitting for what seemed ages.
‘When the prodigal son appears.’ Felicity answered, and Georgie felt nervous on his behalf. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine.’ But even if she appeared calm, inwardly she was dreading that her sister might have to leave. Especially as Felicity had told her that though they usually did their best to converse in English when she was around, it wasn’t possible tonight as Jamal’s family spoke only Arabic. ‘They are discussing when a photo of the new heir will be released.’ Felicity did her best to keep up with the conversation, but even that lifeline was lost when a maid whispered in her ear and Felicity, with a rather terse nod from the king, excused herself.
It was interminable, smiling and laughing and nodding when the others did, though Georgie had no idea what was being said. She actually found herself wishingthey’d bring the food out, just to give her something to do. But then, like a summer shower on a stifling day, Ibrahim strolled in and all Georgie could wonder was how he got away with wearing Western clothes—he was in black dinner trousers and a slim-fitting white shirt and she wondered if he’d been out riding and had just pulled some clothes on, because his hair was tousled and he hadn’t bothered with shaving.
‘You are late.’ The king was less than impressed. The conversation was in English now, no doubt to avoid any embarrassment in front of the esteemed guests.
‘I had to make a phone call,’ Ibrahim said without apology.
‘It is dinner,’ the king said.
‘With family.’ Ibrahim’s smile was black as he made his point. ‘Surely we can relax
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