It was going to be a long and difficult night.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IT WAS CERTAINLY a long and difficult night for Flo.
Knowing that Hazin was here in the Palace had her on high alert and caught in the vague hope that he might make contact.
Yet why would he?
Hazin had left Zayrinia last time without so much as a goodbye, and on his return had barely graced her with a glance.
Flo had fallen asleep, trying to work him out, and had awoken none the wiser.
Breakfast was delivered by a smiling maid. Flo sat up and a bed tray consisting of fragrant tea, tiny pastries and a lovely fruit platter was placed over her lap.
Flo could only pick at it.
This morning it was Maggie’s antenatal check. Her due date was days away, though first babies were often late.
Maggie, who had first thought it would be awkward having a friend as a midwife, was now a lot more relaxed about it. Flo had spoken with the Palace doctor and also the elder who had to be present for the birth. They were both charming. The doctor did indeed have to, if at all possible, deliver the future King. If there were complications and a Caesarean was required, he would be present in the hospital theatre. ‘However...’ he had smiled at Flo ‘...if things are going well, you don’t have to rush to call me.’
He really had been kind and understanding and he wanted the same for Maggie as Flo did—a wonderful, uncomplicated birth.
Flo had given in on the few clothes she had brought and was now more at ease about borrowing Maggie’s robes. They were so comfortable and light and today she selected one in a deep jade green and tied her hair up high.
There was a flutter of nerves in her stomach as she made her way through the Palace, in case she saw Hazin. Flo had decided that if she did then it was time for her pride to kick in and to coldly ignore him.
Of course, now she had decided that, Hazin was nowhere to be seen. She smiled at the guard and knocked on the door to the suite where Maggie lived and was let in by one of the maids, who explained in broken English that Maggie was bathing.
‘That’s fine.’
Flo took a seat in the lounge and looked around the exquisite furnishings but all she could see was the complete lack of Christmas.
She wasn’t homesick as such for she had spoken with her family regularly while she’d been away and she was loving being here...
Flo was just homesick for Christmas.
As glum as she had been back in London, with Christmas just a few days away, excitement would surely by now have been kicking in as she rushed to the shops to get last-minute things for her mum.
‘Hi, there.’ Maggie came in wearing a bathing robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. ‘I have to get my hair and make-up done later so there didn’t seem much point in getting dressed.’
‘None at all!’ Flo beamed.
‘I have to say,’ Maggie admitted as they headed through to the bedroom, ‘it is so less awkward seeing you for my antenatal checks than I thought it would be.’
‘Good,’ Flo said, ‘but I have to say, the Palace doctor is very nice. He delivered Ilyas and Hazin.’
‘Really?’
‘And I can see now why you need an elder present,’ Flo said cheekily as she checked the specimen Maggie had provided and was relieved to see it was all clear. ‘It’s hard to believe their parents ever had sex!’
Maggie laughed as Flo spoke on.
‘Are they not the coldest people you have ever met?’ Flo said as she took out her blood-pressure machine. ‘I saw her the other day and she stared right through me.’
At least Hazin had scowled when he’d seen her, Flo thought. The Queen had ignored her so completely that Flo had felt like a ghost, utterly invisible to those noble eyes.
‘She’s actually better than she was,’ Maggie said as she sat on the bed while Flo checked her blood pressure. ‘She speaks to me occasionally now and King Ahmed seems to be accepting the transition a little better. He’s not in the best of health,’ Maggie added.
‘They might even be relieved to hand over the reins a bit.’
‘Not that they would ever admit it,’ Maggie said as Flo took off the cuff.
‘Your blood pressure is perfect. You do look tired, though.’
‘I didn’t sleep much last night.’
‘You have a perfect excuse not to go today. No one would blame you a bit for staying home and putting your feet up rather than being out on official business.’
‘I know.’ Maggie nodded. ‘But I doubt I’ll want to leave the baby for a while after he’s born. Ilyas is trying to repair a lot of damage and apparently bringing me on this visit will show that he’s sincere in his efforts to get along better.’
She lay on the bed and Flo checked her impressive bump. ‘You really are all baby.’ The size was spot on, plus there was lots of movement. ‘He’s wide awake!’ Flo laughed as the baby gave her hand a little kick.
He was head down and engaged, Flo told her, and then examined Maggie further.
‘All seems quiet,’ Flo said, and explained that there was no sign of the cervix thinning. ‘For some women it happens over days and weeks, with some it happens in hours.’
Maggie gave an impatient sigh.
‘You can still stay home. Just because there’s no sign that you’re in pre-labour it doesn’t mean it won’t happen and you’re certainly entitled to rest up and enjoy these last days or weeks at home.’
‘I know. It’s not that I don’t want to go to Idihr today and to the hospital opening tomorrow, it’s just...’ Her voice trailed off but Flo could guess what was wrong.
‘You just want to meet your baby.’
Maggie nodded. ‘I think this trip today might take my mind off it.’
‘Well, I think it’s good that you’re keeping busy, and also, if you can get as much work out of the way now, you won’t be putting so much pressure on yourself after the baby comes.’
‘I also feel terrible asking you to come here and then practically leaving you alone for the next two days.’
‘I’m hardly slumming it,’ Flo said.
It was true. There was a driver at her disposal if she wanted to go in to the city, and if she wanted some time in the hammam all she had to do was let Kumu know.
They chatted for a while but soon it was time for Maggie to get dressed and be made up for the trip to Idihr. Again Maggie, checked that Flo would be okay on her own. ‘What will you do with yourself?’
‘I might go for a wander,’ Flo said. ‘Or I might do something about the lack of Christmas in this place!’
Maggie laughed. ‘Well, good luck finding decorations.’
Flo didn’t need luck.
She had come with tinsel!
Back in her suite she set to work.
There was no hope of a tree so she wrapped it around a stunning vase that was in the corner of the lounge area and then set about wrapping the presents she had bought.
There was a knock at the door. She guessed it might be Kumu and gave a cheery, ‘Come in!’
It was Hazin.
Hazin looked exquisite. He was wearing a pale gold robe with buttons that ran the length of the front and he wore a keffiyeh.
Flo had only ever seen Hazin in a suit. She was so surprised to see him—and so taken aback by this exotic side to his beauty—that she didn’t even say hi, just sat there, with her lost voice, holding the little outfit she had bought for the baby.
‘How are you?’ he asked.
‘I thought you were Kumu.’
‘She needs to shave, then.’
She laughed, but midway it faltered as she remembered how he had blanked her yesterday and how she had been determined to ignore him. Yet now, on closer inspection, she coul
d see the tension in his features and guessed that he hadn’t dropped by idly.
Hazin could see her sudden wariness. ‘May I still come in?’ he asked.
‘Of course you may,’ Flo said, and sighed at her complete inability to sulk around Hazin or play hard to get.
But games were not needed here, for he had come to apologise.
‘I just wanted to say that I’m sorry I was rude to you yesterday,’ Hazin said, and closed the door behind him.
Flo was rather unused to such a direct apology—in fact, she couldn’t remember receiving such a sincere one before. ‘It’s okay. I guess it must have been a bit of a shock, seeing me here.’
‘No, Ilyas had already told me that you were here when you were leaving to go into the desert.’
That surprised her.
Hazin came and sat down on the floor where she was wrapping up her presents.
‘You’re wearing a robe,’ he said, and smiled. ‘It suits you.’
‘It’s Maggie’s,’ Flo admitted. ‘I might go to the souks and get some of my own as it feels a bit odd wearing her clothes. It didn’t used to. We used to borrow each other’s clothes all the time.’
‘So why is it awkward now?’
‘I keep waiting for her to change.’ Flo sighed. ‘It’s nothing to do with her and all to do with me. I’m just worried that we’re going to grow apart.’
‘Have you spoken to her about it?’ Hazin asked.
‘I’m not very good at that sort of thing. I don’t like making waves.’
‘Flo tends to go with the flow.’
‘I do.’ She sighed. ‘Wherever it leads.’
And in the case of Hazin it had led straight to bed.
She met his eyes and they just looked at each other for a long time.
‘I’m sorry I was rude,’ he said again.
‘Apology accepted,’ Flo said, and did not look away.
His scent was intoxicating and she liked him unshaved, as he was now. She could not help but wonder how rough his kiss would be, and she tried to haul herself back from such thoughts.
But she didn’t try very hard.
There was an elemental want that danced between them and there was desire that ran like a cord, one that should have tightened and drawn them together, except he remained upright and out of reach.
She did not move closer, yet she begged for a kiss with her eyes and it seemed to her that he was feeling the same inexorable pull, yet it was he who broke eye contact. He looked down at the little rattle and all the presents she had shoved in her case.
‘What’s this?’ he asked, and picked up the ladybird.
Flo battled with disappointment for she had been certain a kiss was just a breath away, but she tried to keep it from her voice as she answered his question. ‘A rattle.’
He gave it a little shake. ‘Won’t he be too young to be into music?’
‘It’s not a maraca.’ Flo laughed but then it faded. She couldn’t really believe that he didn’t know what toys were for. ‘Well, I guess it could be for music, but really it’s just a plaything.’
He was looking past her shoulder and Flo turned and followed his gaze to the vase she had decorated. ‘It’s tinsel.’
‘That I had worked out.’
‘I’m having Christmas withdrawal. I miss all the build-up...’ Flo admitted. ‘I’ll ring my family on the day and we’re going to have another Christmas when I get back home, but it’s not the same. Mind you, last year was awful,’ Flo said. ‘I couldn’t stand to admit to my family that I’d found out he was married. I was ashamed enough without all of them knowing.’
‘So you pretended you were fine.’
Flo nodded. ‘I didn’t do a very good job of it, though. I forgot to put my stocking out...’
‘Stocking?’
‘You know!’ Flo couldn’t believe he hadn’t heard of it. ‘You practically grew up in England.’
‘Ah, but I came back here on the Christmas breaks.’
‘Well, on Christmas Eve you hang up a stocking at the end of the bed, and then when you wake up it’s filled with presents and nuts and fruit.’
‘Who fills it?’
‘Father Christmas.’
Hazin frowned and she guessed that if he hadn’t heard of Christmas stockings and thought a baby’s rattle was a musical instrument then some further explaining might be required.
‘Some people call him Santa.’
But she had misread his confusion for it was entirely aimed at her.
‘Flo, I have heard of Santa. Please tell me you don’t believe in him.’
‘Of course not,’ Flo said, ‘but there is a certain magic to Christmas.’
‘So who fills it up?’ he persisted.
‘Stop it,’ she said.
‘Oh, so it’s a magical stocking that you put at the end of your bed?’ he teased.
‘Of course not. It’s my mum who fills it.’
He blinked.
‘While I’m sleeping, though I don’t tell her that I know it’s her...’
‘You live with your parents?’
‘No, but I go home for Christmas.’
‘And you’re telling me that at the age of...’ He waited and she reluctantly gave her age.
‘Twenty-nine.’
‘At the age of twenty-nine your mother creeps into your bedroom and pretends to be Santa while you pretend that you don’t know it’s her...’
‘Pretty much.’ Flo nodded.
‘How bizarre.’
‘It’s actually very lovely,’ Flo said, and then she sighed. ‘I was so excited to come here, and I still am, but I really am missing Christmas.’
‘It hasn’t happened yet,’ Hazin pointed out.
‘And it won’t—Maggie’s never really been into it. I think because it stirs up memories of her mum. I just love it, though.’
She told him about the other traditions her family kept up, which right now she missed, like presents under the tree and the decorations. ‘On Christmas Eve Mum lights these redcurrant candles and she makes this gorgeous mulled wine with a little sachet of spices. It’s my favourite scent in the whole world,’ Flo said, but then she flicked her eyes away at the sound of her own lie, for she had a new favourite scent.
Hazin.
Raw and masculine with crisp fresh notes. If she could bottle him she would and dab it on each day.
Yet it did not come just from a bottle, for she had tasted his skin and even now she could recall that taste. She moved her gaze back to his and the note of lust in the air was back and she swore he could sense it too.
He looked down at her mouth and then back to her eyes. A kiss was as inevitable as the night they’d first met—though perhaps she was imagining it, for Hazin spoke on as if the air did not thrum with lust and as if they were not alone in her bedroom.
‘What else will you miss?’ Hazin asked.
Flo had to peel sex from her mind like a reluctant stamp and attempt to remember what they were discussing.
‘I’ll miss Christmas dinner.’
‘I remember at boarding school they would serve it to us on the last day of term. I tried it once...’ He pulled a face. ‘I cannot see how you could miss that.’
‘My mum makes an amazing one. I was just telling Maggie that she’s going to freeze it for me.’ Flo gave a small shrug. She was tired of talking about a Christmas that wasn’t and so she asked about him. ‘What’s it like for you, being home?’
‘I had dinner with Petra’s parents last night.’
‘How was it?’
‘It went better than expected,’
Hazin had been so filled with dread yet their warm welcome had touched him.
His brother and the elders h
ad thought that some sort of public acknowledgement of his rather reckless behaviour was required.
Hazin thought not.
He had privately apologised to her family for any pain his indiscretions had caused them, and he felt this was a far more appropriate gesture.
‘They were as lovely as she was. I care for them very much.’
He looked so intently at Flo that she felt as if she was missing something, but then the moment was gone.
‘What else have you done?’ she asked.
‘My parents have lectured me at length. Prior to that it was Mahmoud, the King’s vizier, and no doubt later I’ll be talked down to by my brother.’
‘Talked down to?’
‘No one thinks I am capable of writing a speech. They all want to check it first and are annoyed that I won’t let them.’
‘Have you written it yet?’ Flo asked, and she was surprised that he laughed.
‘No.’
His laughter had been at her perception but then it faded because writing this speech had been hanging over his head for weeks.
‘Why don’t you just speak from your heart on the day?’ Flo suggested.
‘The day is tomorrow,’ Hazin said.
Flo could see he was almost grey, just at the thought of it. ‘So, just say what feels right at the time.’
‘We don’t speak off the cuff here in Zayrinia.’
‘I thought things were changing.’
Oh, they were, they were, Hazin thought, for he ached to take her to bed. He ached for the feeling her mouth gave on his and the company and comfort she brought him. Yet he knew he must wait and so he rolled his eyes and spoke of his brother instead.
‘I’m glad that Ilyas is away today. He’s so staid...’
‘Ilyas is gorgeous,’ Flo refuted. ‘He’s not staid at all.’ Then she smiled. ‘Maybe a tiny bit.’
It was like sharing a little secret.
‘All my family do when I am here is complain to me about me. Then they wonder why I don’t like coming back.’ He looked at her. ‘This time, though, there was a rather compelling reason.’
‘The speech?’ Flo said.
‘No, the midwife.’
Christmas Bride for the Sheikh Page 9
