It was a question that had haunted her since she had allowed Caliph Rajih to lead her from the Duke of Huntley’s town house to his waiting ship.
Not that Rajih had given her cause for alarm, she conceded. In truth, he had behaved as a perfect gentleman during the voyage, joining her only for dinner in her private cabin before placing a chaste kiss on her lips and disappearing topside.
Emma could not discern whether his restraint was because the rough seas had demanded his full attention among the crew or because his flirtations in London had merely been a means to lure her onto his ship.
Or perhaps he considered her a female worthy of more than a convenient affair that would make her a source of amusement among his crew.
Unlike some gentlemen of her acquaintance…
Her hands tightened on the brass railing, her teeth clenching at the unwelcome thought of Dimitri Tipova.
No, she would not waste her time thinking of the man who had sacrificed her sister for his own revenge.
“Imposing, is it not?” a soft male voice whispered in her ear.
She turned her head to discover Rajih at her side, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him standing in his traditional white robes. Accustomed to seeing him in European attire, she could not deny a faint shiver of appreciation at the sight of his sophisticated facade stripped away to reveal the ruthless man of the desert beneath.
Of course, what woman would not appreciate the striking beauty of his dark, austere features and black eyes that burned with a restless intelligence?
Disturbed by her unexpected reaction to his presence, she abruptly turned to regard the vast citadel that Rajih was p
ointing out with obvious pride.
Constructed of pale stone, the large fortress consumed most of the island where it had been built to defend the city of Alexandria. Her gaze obediently skimmed fortified walls and forbidding castles that no doubt had terrified potential invaders.
“Very impressive.”
“Yes, however it is a pity that the famed lighthouse that once stood in that precise location was destroyed. It was said to possess a vast mirror that could offer glimpses of distant cities and could cause attacking ships to be consumed by flames.”
A portion of her tension eased at his light tone. As was no doubt his intention, she acknowledged with a faint smile.
“A most astonishing mirror.”
“It was. But now it is lost like so many of our treasures.” He shrugged, the anguished regret she sensed deep inside him at the callous plunder of his country tempered by a grim determination to regain command of Egypt’s future. “But enough of the past.” He swept his hands toward the busy quay. “This is the future.”
Emma’s attention turned toward the docks, momentarily dazzled by the large crowd milling along the banks of the river. Men with turbans, veiled women, sailors, fishermen, hawkers and children in all hues filled the air with a near-deafening clatter.
It was confusing and strikingly foreign and for a moment, Emma breathed in the brilliant sights and sounds. How different this was from her cold, barren cottage in Yabinsk.
Never in her wildest fantasies could she ever have considered the thought of standing at the bow of a ship with a handsome caliph at her side as they arrived in Egypt.
With a shake of her head she sharply reminded herself of the reason for her to be so far from home.
“Exquisite, but far more crowded than I expected,” she admitted, her brow furrowed with concern. “How will we ever find Anya among so many?”
“It is doubtful the men will linger in Alexandria. They will earn a far better price for their merchandise in Cairo. For now there is nothing to be done but to appreciate the charms of the city.” Rajih stepped closer, a smile curving his lips as she gave a sudden exclamation of delight. “Tell me what you see.”
She pointed toward the strange animals kneeling at the edge of the water.
“I presume those must be the camels I have read of?”
He chuckled at her amazement. “They are as necessary to my people as the horses are to yours, but I must warn you they can be as temperamental and stubborn as a female.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Indeed.”
Capturing her hand, he lifted it to press his lips to her knuckles, then before she could protest his intimacy, he was pointing toward the horizon.
“There. Do you see the dome?”