Maybe she could confess now, tell Ajmal that she was not really Lola Montega; she was Terri Scarlett. Please forgive me, send me back home and pick up Lola instead. Let her face the music!
But her window of opportunity for confessing died a slow and sudden death as Ajmal backed away from her and a woman who was covered in a black hijab, with only her eyes showing, came out of the SUV that was in front of her and ushered her in.
****
It was a short drive from the landing strip through a palm tree-lined street. Terri couldn't take her eyes from outside. It was a large island. She didn't know what to expect but when she heard 'island' she had thought the place would be tiny, with only a large house or something.
The lady beside her introduced herself in perfect English as Mona, her chief-of-staff.
Terri knew that when she told her brothers this story, they would not believe her. She went to an island named Jannah owned by a prince and she was pretending to be Lola and she had a chief of staff. Even to her it sounded over the top. Why would Lola need a staff?
Mona turned to her and smiled. "The master said you were unfamiliar with the island and our customs."
You can say that again, Terri thought. "Well, yes," she said out loud.
Mona nodded and then started speaking in a tour voice. "The master named the island Jannah, which means paradise in Arabic."
Terri nodded, Lola had mentioned as much.
"The island is 35 square miles," Mona continued, "nearly half the size of the Grand Cayman. It has been in the Al Jerza family for decades. On the east side of the island is the Al Jannah Hotel, one of the most exclusive five star hotels in the world.
"On this side of the island are the family residences. Over there is Kalamaria's house."
The car slowed to a crawl and Terri looked to where Mona pointed. In the midst of a pristine green lawn was a white house with what looked like pinkish brick on the outside of one wall.
The front door was opened and she could see all the way to the back of the house and to the blue Caribbean sea in the distance.
"Who is Kalamaria?" she asked belatedly.
Mona looked at her, an incredulous expression in her eyes, but she answered quite businesslike. "Kalamaria is the master's first wife."
"Oh," Terri murmured. She was in unfamiliar territory. She knew Hamad had other wives, but she had not asked Lola anything about them. "Is she here?"
"No Madam," Mona said. "Madam Kalamaria is staying close to home. Her daughter Zahra is ill."
"That's sad," Terri murmured. "Is she seriously ill?"
"Yes." Mona nodded; her eyes grew warmer at Terri's query. "She has pneumonia. It is very bad this time around."
They passed a house similar in architecture to the first house but this time instead of pristine lawn there was an abundance of flowers and fruit trees. Terri admired it for a while.
"Over there is Paravina's house."
"So Paravina is wife number two?" Terri guessed.
"Oh yes." Mona nodded vigorously. "She will probably be visiting this summer. She rarely stays at the house though; she prefers the family suite at the hotel. She says the hotel is lively and here is boring."
Terri nodded. "She sounds fun. Looking forward to meeting her."
Mona smiled. "She is very fun. Everybody likes Paravina."
And then realizing that she may have said that too enthusiastically she turned to look outside again.
"Ah, this is your house and where we will be stopping." Terri looked over at the two-story mansion and gasped. It was complete with colonial pillars, a white stone fountain in the front yard and waving palm trees.
"It's gorgeous!"
Mona smiled and looked pleased as if she had built the place herself.
The car stopped and Terri got out of the vehicle shakily. Her shoes made a crunching sound on the gravel under her wedge heels.
Mona stood beside her. "The staff is in the hallway waiting to meet you."
Terri walked toward the imposing house and was greeted with a cool wind and smiles from about seven persons who were introduced as her staff, all of them women.
There were two maids assigned to see to her personal needs, and they eagerly showed Terri to the sprawling master bedroom upstairs.
The tall maid, Tamara, was the chatty one. She was in a bright blue hijab and she wore heavy kohl around her eyes. She looked fairly young. Maybe they were the same age; Terri couldn't be sure.
Tamara eagerly opened the walk-in closet, which was probably the size of the flat that Terri had rented in London, and proceeded to show her all the lovely long dresses and head scarves of every hue.
"You should wear this for the lunch, Madam." Yalina, the short maid with the round face, who was wearing a black hijab and no apparent makeup, held out a filmy red scarf.
Terri groaned. More scarves. It was summer. They were on an island. The dresses, the scarves--it seemed so restrictive for a climate which seemed to be quite hot.
"Do I have to wear these outfits all the time? They seem hot."
Yalina gasped. "Is the temperature in the house not up to your expectations, Madam? We can change it."
"No. No. It's fine." Terri walked back into the bedroom and sat on one of the silk brocade chairs facing the view of the sea below.
Three days, Terri, she said to herself and sighed softly. Just three days and then you are out of here. No matter how gorgeous the place looks and how impressed you are with the decor. It is a prison for Lola. Remember that.
Tamara whispered to Yalina and she left the room.
"She is gone to draw you a scented bath," Tamara said, pulling the drapes even farther back so that Terri could see an extended view of the sea.
And for just a moment after looking out at the band of sea, she forgot what her mission was.
"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Tamara whistled beside her. "I never get tired of it and I have been coming here three years now."
"Yes, it is nice." Terri nodded. She pulled off the headscarf and ruffled her hair.
Tamara looked at it admiringly. "Mona said that you were to be treated with care because some of our customs are still foreign to you."
"That's quite so." Terri nodded. "Do I have to wear all of those hijab thingies?"
Tamara nodded. "Only when you are out in public. You can wear anything here in your room. You will get used to it."
"Uh," Terri grunted.
Tamara giggled. "You remind me of Paravina."
"That's wife number two?" Terri asked. "You know her well?"
"Yes." Tamara nodded. "She is my distant cousin."
"Say what?" Terri eyed Tamara. "So why aren't you on her staff?"
"I was." Tamara nodded. "All of us are...were. You were coming and Paravina isn't here yet, so we are filling in as your staff."
"Tell me about her." Terri lolled back in the chair and toed off her shoes.
Tamara laughed and sat across from her. "It is understandable that you are interested in the other wives. I would be too, if I was crazy enough to become the third wife of an old man."
She clapped her hand over her mouth, "I am sorry, Madam."
Terri chuckled. "No, don't be."
"But I talk too much," Tamara said in dismay. "My mouth has gotten me into trouble more than once."
"Same here," Terri chuckled. "You are in good company."
Tamara relaxed. "Do you know anything at all about the Al Jerza family?"
Terri shook her head. "No, not really."
Tamara looked at the time; it was ten o'clock. "You have lunch at one with the master."
"I know." Terri grimaced.
Tamara found her expression funny because she laughed heartily. "My sister Zeinab had an arranged marriage too, with a man well over sixty. She knew little about him before she was suddenly thrust into his family. I understand this situation with you."
"Thank you, Tamara." Terri watched as Tamara folded her arms and shuffled her feet.
"Where to start?" S
he snapped her fingers, "The royal house of Jerza are very close to the royal house in Qatar. Akdhir shares a border with Qatar. Akdhir is known for its diamonds and mountains and hot springs."
Terri nodded. "So Hamad is not from Qatar?"
"No." Tamara shook her head. "Akdhir and Qatar are neighbors, that's all."
"Okay." Terri nodded.
"When the master was eighteen he married Kalamaria, who was fifteen. She is an honest-to-goodness Arabian princess."
"Wow." Terri widened her eyes.
"And she had eight children for him, seven of them girls," Tamara continued. "One son and then seven girls. Having so many girls stressed her out at first, but at least she gave the master a son. Kalamaria is a very nice lady. Her house is always happy."
"So why did Hamad marry a second wife then?" Terri asked, fascinated with a glimpse inside a culture so alien to hers it was like night and day.
Tamara laughed. "Love. He went to France on business. Paravina was working as interpreter for the business meeting. She is fluent in several languages and very, very pretty. The master only saw her eyes. He said he took one look at her and knew he would marry her. She was wary of marrying him though, because she thinks he is stubborn and old fashioned. She left Akdhir to escape the very unreasonable expectations of women there."
Tamara frowned mid-sentence. "You aren't going to say that you heard this from me, are you?"
"No. Definitely not." Terri laughed. "I appreciate you telling me. I like this. Please go on."
"He chased her across the globe." Tamara chuckled. "He thought it undignified that a man of his stature should be chasing a woman, especially one who was so willful, but finally she gave in and married him.
"She changed him somewhat. He became more relaxed, less blustery. He loves her very much. She can pretty much get him to do anything."
"So why on earth did he marry Lola?" Terri asked, "I mean...me."
Tamara did not find the slip-up worthy of note. She continued. "We can only speculate but the rumor is that the master was mad at Paravina for something. Apparently, she threatened to go back to work and so he threatened to get another wife. One who was obedient and young and biddable."
"And he got me?" Terri squeaked. Lola was far from obedient and biddable; she could bet Hamad was regretting that decision now after chasing Lola around the globe.
"Yes," Tamara nodded, "it drove Paravina crazy. Mission accomplished, I guess. She promised that she would not bother to go to work again but the master did not change his mind about marrying you. He signed that contract to teach her a lesson. I think he is taunting her with you. No offense, Madam."
Tamara looked at her sheepishly.
"None taken." Terri sighed. So Hamad had only signed that contract to save face, to get back at his true love?
It would be romantic if the whole situation wasn't making Lola so unhappy. At least now she knew how to approach Hamad. He was a man who was probably looking for a way out of this third marriage, just as Lola was.
"I should find something to wear for the lunch," Terri said after Tamara, who was well versed on everything that happened in the house of Al Jerza, finally paused for breath.
She jumped up. "Let me help you, Madam. The cotton tunics are really quite cool in the summer."
"If you say so," Terri said, heading to the closet again. "It just seems like so many clothes for this weather."
"It is, I promise," Tamara chuckled. "May I suggest too that if you don't want to die of boredom here, tell the master that you would like to stay in the family suite at the Al Jannah Hotel. That is where Paravina always stays."
"That would be nice." Terri nodded. "Can we use the hotel facilities?"
"Oh yes, Madam, and remember to take me!" Tamara said eagerly. "I will make a perfect chaperone."
Terri chuckled. "No doubt about it." Three days in one of the world’s most luxurious hotel shouldn't be a hardship. At least she was getting something out of this foolish switch with Lola.
Chapter Five
Hamad's mansion was a pale cream edifice set in an exquisitely designed garden. It was situated about half a mile away from the house where she was staying. They drove over a low bridge to get to the front door. Terri could spot colorful fish swimming about in the huge pond.
She was ushered into the house by a solemn-looking man who was dressed in formal clothes. She was taken to the back of the mansion, which looked like it was designed similarly to a Japanese garden.
Bright, vivid-colored trees, water features in one corner, rock features in another—Terri didn't know where to focus; she had forgotten that she was supposed to be nervous to meet Prince Hamad. Her red hijab had started to itch and she even forgot that.
"It is peaceful around here, is it not?"
Terri jumped and spun around. Her eyes collided with dark, almost black eyes that were set in a harshly carved lines and crisscrossed grooves that bracketed his lips. His big nose dominated his face. He looked older than she had anticipated. He did not look healthy. His eyes were watery and the skin on his face looked pulled together, taut and slightly grey.
He was dressed in full white traditional dress so only his face was visible and he was watching her just as intently.
His watery eyes hardly left her face. It was as if his eyes were boring into hers. She resisted the urge to look away from his harsh, hawk-like stare
"Lola Montega. Finally you grace me with your presence."
Terri swallowed nervously. "Sir... Prince... your highness... master."
Hamad laughed. His rugged, harsh features softened somewhat. "Hamad will do, Lola. Come, let us break bread together."
He had a heavy, booming voice, with a lilting accent. He rolled the r's in his words. At least the smile made him more approachable; it relaxed his face into approachable lines.
He led her to a table that was set with exquisite china and held the chair out for her. He smelled a little like nutmeg and other spices.
After she was seated he sat across from her and smiled at her benignly. "I am afraid I am a man set in my ways. Lunch is the most important meal in our country. And since meeting you has become of utmost importance to me, I could not wait until you got settled before sharing a meal with you."
Terri licked her lips uncertainly. She should start pleading Lola's case now and get it over with.
"Er, Hamad, I am..."
"Sorry for giving me a merry chase across the world?" Hamad raised one heavy brow. "Your apology is noted."
"I was going to say..." Terri frowned, "that I did not want..."
"To cause me so much trouble." Hamad did not wait for her to finish a sentence. He was saying what he wanted to hear. It was clever, Terri thought grudgingly.
"This marriage..." she paused, waiting for him to interject. When he didn't, she kept on talking, "I did not want this marriage."
"Stop." Hamad raised his hand impatiently. "We talk about general topics now, no?"
"No, I mean yes." Terri tripped over her own sentence.
"We get to know each other at a leisurely pace." Hamad nodded. "That is settled."
"But..." Terri leaned forward, "you see..."
"Yes, settled." Hamad nodded imperiously, waving away her tentative attempts at explaining. "I should ask, are you comfortable in your new place?"
"Yes." Terri nodded. "It's a really lovely house."
"You will love your palace in Akdhir too. We are a small country. Have you ever visited?"
"No," Terri said truthfully, wondering if Lola had ever visited. She couldn't recall her saying that she had.
"I was wondering about staying over at the hotel though. I hear there is a family suite?" Terri said it in a rush, before she could be interrupted.
Hamad realized that it was something that he could tolerate—letting her finish her sentences. A record, Terri realized. She watched as he leaned back in his chair with a relaxed tilt to his head.
"Yes, you may stay at the suite, with a chaperone, of course. T
he Al Jannah is one of my shining possessions here in the Caribbean. If I knew you would have liked it there, I would have sent you an invitation; maybe we would not have had to do a merry chase around the world."
Terri swallowed. "I ran because..."
Hamad snapped his fingers, a sharp sound that effectively cut off the rest of her statement, and a waiter materialized out of nowhere, filling their glasses with water and then juice and bringing piping hot bread and garlic butter in little serving platters of gold.
"Come, eat, Lola," Hamad said gruffly. "Lunch is family time in my country. We get to know each other better, eh?"
Terri almost groaned aloud. Know each other better? She just wanted out of this situation.
"So, your family, are they well?" he asked, looking at her through watery eyes.
"Yes." Terri nodded. She would call her parents to find out if they reached Aunt Sally’s safely after lunch, and then she'd call Lola.
If Lola's stepfather had been anything like Hamad, she now understood that conversations could be frustrating. She felt like throwing a tantrum or leaping over the table and covering Hamad's mouth and forcing him to listen. But what would that do?
He looked like he could easily shake her off and then probably give her a spanking. Lola had said beating women was part and parcel of the culture.
She was not docile enough for that. It would turn into a fight and then, when she was subdued and battered and bruised, what then?
Terri crumbled the bread and scowled at it.
Hamad noted her expression but blithely kept up a running commentary about Akdhir and business. He didn't even expect responses.
"My brother's son is the ruling monarch," Hamad said easily. "A splendid fellow but very short-sighted. I have lived long enough to know that oil will not last forever; neither will diamond mining. So I spread my wings. I expand. I buy islands. I build hotels where the rich and the famous can vacation in luxury."
He watched her through slitted eyes when he spoke. "I did not expect your eyes to be two shades."
"They are hazel," Terri pointed out unnecessarily.
Scarlett Secret Page 4
