Breaking the Sheikh's Rules

Iseult felt an equal mix of horror at the thought of such an event and a wild surge of excitement. She gave a little wry smile, hiding her trepidation. ‘Do I have a choice?’

Nadim smiled too, and it was the smile of a wolf. ‘Of course not. I was merely allowing you the illusion of choice. If you say no then I’ll instruct Lina to do whatever is necessary to render you helpless, and merely carry you there over my shoulder.’

A warm pool of desire settled in Iseult’s belly. A little breathlessly she said, ‘Well, in that case, I’d love to join you…’

But then she bit her lip as all joking fled and old insecurities rose. It was one thing dressing up for Nadim in his own private rooms, but another thing entirely in public. ‘But, Nadim…I’m not…I’ve never been to anything fancier than a family wedding. I won’t know what to do or say…’

‘Nonsense,’ Nadim declared arrogantly. ‘You’ll be with me. That’s all you need to worry about.’

But the following evening it felt as if Iseult had a lot to worry about. Lina had travelled ahead to B’harani with some of Nadim’s retinue early that afternoon, and now she and Nadim were getting into a helicopter which was going to fly them to the same airfield in Al-Omar that she’d flown into just a few weeks before.

Feeling more and more apprehensive and tense, Iseult was silent for the journey, taking in the mountainous landscape below them, looking when Nadim pointed out various things. At the airfield a small private plane was waiting, and the disparity between how she’d flown in and her position now didn’t escape her, highlighting the impossible chasm between Nadim’s world and hers, and also the tenuous nature of their relationship. Just when would he lose interest? After this weekend? In a week? A month?

After they’d boarded, and were sitting in plush seats, Nadim opened a laptop and became engrossed in what ever he was doing, so Iseult just looked out of the window, glad he wasn’t scrambling her brain. The flight was a relatively short thirty minutes, and she sucked in a deep breath when she saw the intricate glittering web of B’harani laid out below as they came in to land. She could make out soaring skyscrapers which glinted in the setting sun, and she could see the Arabian ocean in the distance, like a flat sheet of dark blue.

She turned to Nadim, who had put the laptop away and was watching her. ‘I didn’t realise B’harani was so big…it’s a proper city.’

She winced inwardly, hating that she sounded so gauche. But Nadim just nodded. ‘Yes, it’s got a population of nearly a million. It’s a thriving metropolis. Tourism is a huge industry here for the Sultan, along with the oil fields out in the desert… He too has stables and runs a stud.’

Iseult smiled. ‘Ah…competition?’

Nadim looked comically affronted. ‘No competition at all. He knows who the superior horseman is.’

Iseult thought privately that from what she’d seen very few horse-breeders and trainers would be superior to Nadim.

Just then the plane touched down with a minute bump and they landed.

On disembarking, Iseult saw three limos waiting, all with tinted windows. The air was hot, acrid, and she could taste the salt from the sea. Dusk was turning the sky a bruised colour, and the skyscrapers in the distance made her feel as if she’d travelled to another planet. Merkazad was a world away. But Iseult had a feeling that this place wouldn’t lay claim to her the same way that Merkazad had from the moment she’d seen it.

After speeding along a sleek highway that cut right through the towering skyscrapers they turned a corner and drove up what looked like a private road. Right in the centre of the city, a huge, imposing fortress loomed from behind giant walls. It was stunning, soaring and breathtaking.

Nadim said, ‘This is the Hussein Palace. Sultan Sadiq’s ancestral home.’

Iseult looked at him aghast. ‘We’re staying here?’

Nadim nodded, obviously amused by Iseult’s awe. She made a face at him and looked out of the window again, to see that they were driving into a huge courtyard where what seemed like hundreds of staff in pristine white uniforms waited to greet them.

Nadim was dressed formally in his robes, and Lina had left out a smart trouser suit for Iseult that morning. She was grateful now, as a flurry of activity burst around them and they were summarily ushered into the entrance of the palace.

A huge archway dominated the entrance, and then staff were leading Nadim and Iseult further into the stunning complex, through another open-air courtyard and into a blissfully cool atrium with more soaring ceilings.

Iseult gasped with delight when she saw

a multicoloured bird fly in and out again. One of the staff, a smiling girl who wore a long white abeyya but no veil, stopped outside a door and indicated for Iseult to enter.

Nadim sent her a look, and she saw that he was being shown through another door just down the hall. Iseult went in and her eyes widened. The opulence she’d grown used to at Nadim’s castle should have inured her to luxury, but it hadn’t.

The room was massive, dressed in cool, peaceful whites. There was an enormous four-poster bed, and a bathroom with a marble sunken bath which looked big enough for a rugby team. Floor-to-ceiling French doors led out to a private garden, complete with lush grass and blooming trees. She heard a door open and saw Nadim step out just a few feet away.

‘It’s a double suite…our rooms are adjoining.’

‘Oh…’ Iseult said faintly, the stunning surroundings paling into insignificance as she took in Nadim, his skin so exotically dark against the cream of his robes.

He arched a brow. ‘I think a bath before dinner would be nice.’

Iseult said immediately, ‘I showered just before we left…’ Then she saw the look in his eye and remembered the huge bath and blushed. ‘Oh…’

Nadim held out a hand. ‘Yes, oh. Come here, Iseult…’