“Kateb will finance the expansion,” Victoria told her. “As a sign of his support. He will offer a low-cost loan. He believes in you and the other women, Rasha. He appreciates your talent and wants you to be successful.”
“The prince will finance us? He offers his support?”
Victoria grinned. “That should make this a whole lot easier to sell to the husbands, don’t you think?”
“Very much so. How did you convince him? What did you say?”
“I showed him the numbers. He saw the possibilities himself. He’s interested in economic diversity. You will be bringing a lot of money into the village, and he respects that.”
Rasha beamed. “The prince appreciates us.”
She picked up the papers and hurried into the other room where the women gathered around her. She spoke quickly, flipping through the pages. Victoria wanted to point out that Kateb was just a man, like every other. Being a prince was an accident of birth. But they wouldn’t see it that way. He was somehow different from them, separated by station and power.
At least he was a good leader, she thought as squeals of excitement drifted to her. The elders had chosen well.
Would his duty wife appreciate that about him? Would she understand that he was mostly alone, having to decide for the many rather than for himself? Would she offer support and comfort? Would she appreciate how he could be kind, but that he didn’t want everyone to know he had a bit of a soft spot?
Not her business, Victoria told herself. By the time he’d picked his duty wife, she would be long gone. Which should have made her happy, but didn’t.
“We are delighted,” Rasha said when she returned. “How do we thank you for your help?”
“I’m having fun with all this. Don’t worry about it.”
Rasha nodded. “We will design a Princess Victoria collection.”
Her own line of jewelry? Could there be shoes, too? “I’m not a princess,” she said instead. “Just—you know—the girl in the harem.”
“But Prince Kateb must see the treasure he has in you.”
“You’d think,” she joked, not sure why she felt a tightness in her chest. “Anyway, let’s get back to business. I’m going to leave these copies of the business plan with you. Let’s talk in a few days and work out the details.”
“Yes. That will be wonderful.”
They rose and Rasha walked her to the door. When Victoria pulled it open, she saw the same small boy in the yard.
“Go away, Sa’id,” Rasha said sharply. “We do not want you here.”
The boy’s eyes filled with tears as he slunk away.
Victoria was a little shocked by her tone. “Who is he?”
“No one. A child in the village. My sister has a friend who weaves beautiful cloth. Could we sell her work the same way?”
“Maybe.” Victoria watched the boy turn a corner and disappear. “Where are his parents? He can’t be very old.”
“His mother is dead. His father…recently left the village.”
Victoria stared at her. “He doesn’t have any family?”
Rasha shrugged.
“Who feeds him?” Victoria demanded. “Where does he sleep?”
“That isn’t your concern. He will be fine.”
Rasha once again brought up the textiles. Victoria promised to think about it, mostly so she could get away and find the boy.
How was it possible that Rasha could be so callous about a child? From all Victoria knew, she was a warm, caring woman. But she’d dismissed Sa’id as if he were a stray cat.
Victoria hurried along the street and turned where the boy had. She saw him sitting in a doorway, wiping his face. He kicked at the stone street with his bare toes.
“Sa’id?” she called softly.
He looked up and smiled at her. “Hello.”
“Hello yourself. I’m Victoria.”
“You have pretty hair.”
“I remember you like it.”
He was painfully thin and covered in dust and dirt. His clothes were practically rags. She didn’t know much about children, so wasn’t sure of his age. Seven? Nine?
She crouched in front of him. “Sa’id, where do you live?”
His smile faded. “I need to go,” he told her.
“Please don’t. Do you have a home?”
Tears filled his eyes again. “No.”
“And you don’t have any family?”
He shook his head, then wiped his eyes angrily. “No,” he said again, and squared his shoulders.
What the hell was going on? She had seen nothing but kindness from the people in the village. They were peaceful, thoughtful and prosperous. Why would a child be left alone on the streets?
“You must be hungry,” she said. “It’s very close to lunchtime. I know I’m hungry. Would you like to come with me and get something to eat?”
His eyes widened. “You live in the Winter Palace.”
“Yes, I know.”
“I can’t go in there.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “I just can’t.”
“But if I live there and you’re with me, wouldn’t that be okay?”
He frowned. “Maybe.”
She stood and held out her hand. “I say it is and I have very pretty hair.”
He smiled. “Okay.” He put his hand in hers.
She went around to the rear of the palace, just in case there was some weird protocol thing she couldn’t understand. She didn’t want to make trouble until she understood everything going on. But she was determined to get the child a meal.
She had barely taken three steps into the kitchen when all the cooks started talking in a language she didn’t understand. She caught a few words about dirty hands and sacred space, so she led Sa’id to a small bathroom down the hall. Once they’d both washed their hands, they went into a dining room mostly used by staff. Victoria sat him at a table and went to get food.
When she returned with a tray, one of the maids approached her, then bowed slightly.
“Miss Victoria, you have brought Sa’id to the palace?” The young woman looked frightened.
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
The maid was maybe eighteen, bright and pretty, with an easy smile. It was missing now as she bit her lower lip.
“No, of course not. You are the prince’s mistress. I, um, know him. His mother and mine were cousins by marriage. I was just surprised to see him here.”
“I was surprised to see him on the street. Do you know why he’s living there?”
The woman nodded and ducked her head.
Victoria held in a sigh. There was no point in making her uncomfortable. She would talk to Yusra instead.
“Can you sit with him while I find out what’s going on?”
The maid smiled. “Gladly. I am finished for the day. I can take him to my rooms.”
“Thank you. I shouldn’t be long.”
Victoria watched until the maid had spoken with Sa’id. The boy nodded eagerly, then dug into his lunch as if he hadn’t eaten for days. Maybe he hadn’t.
It didn’t take her long to find Yusra. The old woman stood counting linens in a massive closet filled with shelves stacked with towels and sheets.
“The boy Sa’id,” Victoria said by way of greeting. “Do you know him? He’s living on the street. Apparently he doesn’t have any family.”
Yusra put down her clipboard. “I know of him. His mother died some time ago. His father stole camels and rather than accept his punishment—he escaped into the desert. The boy bears his father’s dishonor.” She returned to a stack of towels.
“Wait a minute,” Victoria said. “That’s it? What does ‘bears his father’s dishonor’ mean?”
“That the boy will be punished in his father’s absence.”
“Punished how?”
“He is no longer one of us.”
Victoria stared at her. “As in abandoned? He gets to fend for himself? He’s what, nine?”
; “Yes. It is our way.”
“Your way sucks. He can starve and no one cares?”
“He must be punished.”
“But he didn’t do anything wrong!”
Yusra sighed. “There are things you can’t understand. This is what we do.”
“It’s wrong and I won’t let it happen.”
“You can’t stop it.”
“Watch me.”
The meeting with the head of agriculture normally kept Kateb’s interest. Not only did the village produce enough for themselves, but there was plenty to export to the city and even to neighboring countries. This afternoon, however, he found his attention drawn to the sight of Victoria pacing outside the conference room. He could see her every time she passed in front of the open door. She never once glanced inside, but she was obviously waiting for him. If her stiff back and set expression were anything to go by, she wasn’t happy.
After five more minutes of her passing back and forth, he stopped the conversation and rescheduled the discussion for later in the week. As the men filed out, she looked at him. He gestured for her to join him in his office.
“What was the meeting about?” she asked as she entered.
“Crop yields for the season.”
“How nice. So some people get to eat. Tell me, is there a chart? Do you have to make sure your name is on the list before you get a meal?”
She was obviously furious. He could feel her anger from several feet away. Her eyes snapped with temper and she looked like she wanted to throw something.
His interest in what bothered her surprised him. He would have thought he would easily dismiss her and her concerns without knowing the cause, but that wasn’t true. He wanted to hear what had happened and, even more unexpected, he wanted to fix the problem.
He stood from the conference table and crossed to her. After taking both her hands in his, he stared into her blue eyes. “Tell me what is bothering you,” he said.
She jerked free of his touch and paced the length of the room. “You won’t believe it. Or maybe you will. I don’t believe it. I like it here. Did you know that? I think it’s beautiful and the people are warm and friendly. I love the palace and the architecture and nearly everything. But it’s like seeing a dead body in the sun. At first everything is fine, but when you get close you see the crawling maggots. It’s disgusting.”
“You paint a vivid picture,” he told her. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s a little boy. Sa’id. Apparently his mother is dead and his father stole camels. Rather than accept his punishment, the man ran off, leaving Sa’id on his own. Now the boy is being punished for what his father did. He’s maybe nine and living on the streets. No one is taking care of him, he’s not getting any food or medical attention. I’m sure he’s not going to school. Where is he supposed to sleep at night? Is he just going to starve?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t understand how this is possible. I really liked Rasha, but she dismissed him as if he were nothing. Yusra told me it wasn’t my concern. But I can’t let a child suffer and die, especially not one right in front of me. I hate this and I hate them for letting it happen.”
A single tear spilled onto her cheek. She brushed it away impatiently. “I swear to God, Kateb, if you tell me to leave this alone, I will kill you in your sleep.”
He crossed to her and pulled her against him. “No, you won’t.”
“I’ll want to.”
“A difference I will cling to in my fear.”
She looked up at him, but didn’t smile. “There is a starving child in your village. You have to fix this.”
“You don’t understand our ways. They appear harsh—”
She stepped back and glared at him. “They are harsh. Yes, Sa’id’s father is a jerk. That’s not his fault. He can’t change his father. He can’t make the situation better.”
Just like she couldn’t with her father, he thought, seeing this affected her more than she realized.
“The rules are harsh,” he said again, “but they serve a purpose. Other adults see the boy’s suffering and know their own behavior has consequences.”
“So he gets to be an object lesson? I can’t believe he is destined to die on the streets. Then what? Who removes his body, or is it left there for the dogs?” More tears fell. “I don’t accept this. I won’t. This has to be better. Is he the only one? Are there more? Do the people of the village make it a habit to starve children to death? What happened to just loving them? Why is anything about this acceptable?”
Once again he reached for her. This time she came willingly. She leaned against him and cried as if her heart were breaking.
“You can’t allow this,” she whispered into his shoulder.
He rubbed her back and murmured her name.
So much pain for a child she barely knew, he thought. Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve. She had a softness, a tenderness he had not seen before. She needed protection from the harshness in the world. At the same time, he recognized her compassion gave her an inner strength and a direction he admired. She saw things clearly where others would make excuses.
Finally the tears slowed. He cupped her face, then wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. “Where is he now?” he asked.
“With one of the maids. She’s a distant relative. At least I think so. Her mother was somebody’s cousin by marriage. I’m not sure.”
“Have the boy brought to me.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ll do something?”
“I will speak to him.”
Victoria rushed to the phone and called housekeeping. Less than ten minutes later, the boy was escorted into his office by a young woman.
“Prince Kateb,” the woman said, practically ready to fall to her knees. “This is Sa’id.”
The boy bowed low. He looked terrified, but stood in the center of the room, obviously prepared to accept his fate.
“Do you know who I am?” Kateb asked.
Sa’id nodded. “You are the prince. I think maybe you will be the new leader, but I’m not sure. I hear people talking, but only some. They don’t like me to stay near them.”
Victoria took a step toward him. Kateb stilled her with a look.
“I understand you have been living on the streets.”
Sa’id nodded. “My mother died and my father…” The boy raised his chin. “My father is a bad man and a coward. He stole camels and when he was caught he ran away. I stand for my family now.” He swallowed. “Sometimes it’s hard to be hungry but I try to be brave.”
Kateb could feel Victoria willing him to do something —to chose compassion over tradition. He knew she would beg for the boy, just as she had begged for her father. Did she ever beg for herself or were all the sacrifices saved for other people? And how could he reconcile the greedy woman who wanted to marry a prince with the person before him? The one in tears over the fate of a small boy she didn’t even know.
He looked at the maid. “A place will be made for him, here in the palace.” He returned his attention to Sa’id. “Are you afraid of hard work?”
“No, sir. I used to help my father all the time. I’m strong and I don’t eat very much.” He sounded both hopeful and resigned. As if hope had become an impossible dream these days.
“You will eat as much as you want,” Kateb told him sternly. “I need good strong men to serve me and for you to be capable, you must grow. So you will eat all your meals and sleep well and work hard. When you are finished, you will play, as a boy should. Do you understand?”
Sa’id nodded, smiling for the first time since he entered the room.
The maid cleared her throat. “Sir, may I be responsible for Sa’id? I have known him all his life. He’s a good boy and we could keep each other company.”
“Thank you,” Kateb told her. “I will speak with Yusra so that your duties allow you plenty of time with Sa’id.” He nodded.
The girl took Sa’id by the hand and led him out of the room. Sa’id pause
d at the door to wave at Victoria. The second they were gone, she turned on him.
“You made him a servant? He’s nine and he’s going to be scrubbing floors and doing laundry? What about school? What about his education? Or is that not serving the prince well enough?”
“You can be very trying,” he told her.
“Ask me if I care.”
“I already know the answer.” He leaned against his desk. “Does it occur to you to thank me for getting him off the streets? He now has the protection of the prince. That means he will be safe.”
“To be a servant.”
“For now,” he said patiently. “Until I am proclaimed leader, I have minimal power here. As soon as I take the office, I will pardon Sa’id so he can return to the life of a normal boy in the village.”
“Oh.” The fight went out of her. She looked around the room, then glanced back at him. “You didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t give me a chance. You’re very quick to judge me.”
“Not you specifically,” she admitted. “I’m still angry at Yusra and Rasha.”
“Our ways are different.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t want to hear that again. There’s no excuse for what happened to him.”
“They didn’t like the situation, either, but they know there are reasons.”
“Maybe a thousand years ago, but not today.”
“Yusra is your friend. Do you wish to be angry with her forever? What about Rasha? Will you no longer support her business because of this? If they do not act as you wish, are they unworthy?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re saying I’m judging them too harshly.”
“I’m saying people have different ways. Children frequently illustrate both the best and worst of every culture. Sa’id demonstrates that.”
“Are there more like him?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“When you’re proclaimed or whatever it is, will you change the law so children aren’t abandoned like that ever again?”
“You ask for much.”
“You have much to give.”
Cantara would not have asked that of him, he thought. She would have accepted Sa’id’s fate as the destiny he must endure. But Victoria would never see it so. She wouldn’t care if she expected too much of him. She would fight and nag and work until what she saw as wrong was made right.
The Sheikh and the Bought Bride Page 12
