Grandfather set him up again, and then a second time, against his better judgement and persuaded by Tamzen, the very object of Jules's hate, until at last my grandfather disowned him. When Tamzen died five years ago Jules came back and there was another bitter quarrel over money; it was then that my grandfather made the change in his will. He had intended that Kadir should be mine, because I would continue to administer it as he wished, and that his lifetime savings should be divided equally among his children and grandchildren. But bitterness had crept in. Martine, of course, was dead, and he saw no reason why those who had refused to share his home and adopted country should benefit.'
'And the amulet?' Melissa prompted' softly.
'Grandfather had that made for Tamzen. She never lost her superstitious belief in such symbols, and when she was dying she insisted I have it. She brought me up,' he said quietly. 'She was the only mother I ever knew.'
Melissa stirred and took his hand, her caress of understanding instantly returned. A memory of something he had said the previous day came back to her and she said slowly :
'Last night, at the oasis, you spoke of history repeating itself and the story ap .' She stopped and looked down; she would not remind him of the way in which he had concluded the remark 'Is this why you were so anxious that Amorel should return to Kadir and make it her home?'
No, it has nothing to do with Amorel at all. It is to do with you.'
'Me? Oh, you mean ..' her eyes widened and she
felt impatience at her slow comprehension, 'you mean because you had to rescue me, and now we . .
'And now we are what?' A teasing note belied the gravity of his expression and he tilted up her chin. 'You blush adorably, my darling. You have not yet got used to the idea of becoming the bride of Kadir?'
can't help blushing when you look at me like that,' she returned, regaining a little composure and even a desire to test his mettle to teasing. 'Are you glad now you rescued me and my donkey?'
the animal may be useful, if it is not already so fat and lazy it will refuse to work at all.'
`Oh, Raoul,' she laughed happily, 'you have a sense of humour. That makes it perfect.'
He looked down at her radiant face and his own took on a seriousness. 'Am I perfect in your eyes, my little one?'
She gave a tiny inclination of her head, and then, because of her deeply generous heart and her flowering love, she cast off false pride and reached up to press her cheek against his. 'You are perfect now because I love you so very much.'
He held her close and she felt the sigh run through him as he whispered against her hair : hope you will always feel that way, because I have not yet told you the rest of the story. My cousin told you of the garden, and the English bride who would not stay with her husband and child, but she could not tell you how that marriage followed the pattern which Kismet formed for the men of the Germont line. My father also met his bride in distressing circumstances. She was a young dancer, with a restless urge to travel the world. When my father met her she had come to Cairo
with five other young English girls to dance in a night club cabaret. But they found that their contract committed them to other forms of entertaining beside dancing. Naturally they walked out, and then found that the agent who had fixed the engagement had been less than reputable and couldn't be contacted. The other girls had parents or relatives to help them out of their difficulties and get them home, but Jeanette was an orphan and found herself stranded and penniless, with the threat of the night club owner sueing her for breach of contract. It was then my father was able to help and get her clear. He also brought her home to Kadir, and married her, but unlike Tamzen she could not settle, and,' he shook his head, think you know the rest.'
'So I am the third,' she said slowly, after a silence.
'And the wheel has come full circle. This is why I tried to scorn your sweet sincerity and believe it to be mere sentiment,' he said quietly. 'You captured my heart the first day I saw you, your eyes sparkling with your anger because a defenceless creature was being ill used, yet beneath your courage you were defenceless yourself. But I remembered my mother and the heartbreak she brought my father, and so I fought my feelings for you, until you were snatched away and I realised how deep were those feelings.'
She stirred, feeling the rhythm of his heart quickening beneath her cheek, and knew that Kismet had indeed woven her life strand inextricably with that of this strange, arrogant man of the desert. He had made her his prisoner and she no longer wanted ever to escape. Wordlessly she met his seeking lips, her own pulse rising in response to the urgency of his ardour, until a
great sigh shuddered through him and he relinquished his fierce claim of her mouth.
'Now it is I who must submit,' he said huskily. 'Desire urges me to make you my own this very moment. To 'give, to take, to seal, with the desert our couch, the sun's caress our veil, and the wild winds to witness our vows. But my heart tells me that this is not the right way for our love. And so, my beloved little copper rose, I am going to take you home, to where the world will witness our vows and you will truly belong to me.'
He held out his hands and drew her to her feet, within the protective circle of his arms. She looked up at him, still with wonderment in her eyes as she beheld the face of love, and saw the sun burnish touch his dark head with fire.
'The storm's over,' she said exultantly.
For a long moment he looked down at her before he echoed : 'Yes, the storm is over.'
She saw the calm gold of the desert stretching to meet the blue, and from out of the blue haze the words of the sand diviner’s prophecy whispered back. Darkness and fear had not come from the desert, but truly the desert had held her destiny, and the golden amulet at her throat was truly her talisman. It had brought her to safety from danger, and it had brought her to love.
She put her hand within Raoul's as they walked side by side into the sea of gold and now she possessed new understanding of the man who had first stormed then captured her heart. At last the picture in the sand was whole and clear.
Peace was in her heart and content in her spirit as
she looked into the future and said softly :
'Look not back upon the sea of night as you step upon the sands of morning. Allah will be with you always.'
'And you will not step alone,' said Raoul.
The house of the Amulet Page 16
