Scoundrel's Honor (Russian Connection 3)
Page 88
“Yes.”
“And you have yet to be rid of the infidel invaders?” she asked gently.
The dark eyes hardened in grim resolution. Caliph Rajih was a man who would sacrifice whatever necessary, including his pride, to resurrect his country from the ashes.
“For now we have need of their expertise,” he forced himself to admit. “In ages past there was none who could compare with our scholars and engineers and scientists. We ruled without equal and none could stand in our path.”
The carriage jerked back into motion, turning toward the outskirts of the bustling city.
“Do you intend to conquer the world?” she teased.
“Not this evening, but in time our glory will be restored.”
Emma wrinkled her nose. Egypt had not been the only country to be invaded by Napoleon’s forces, nor to have sacrificed the blood of too many good soldiers to be rid of his armies.
“Perhaps it is because I am a mere female from a forgotten Russian village, but I prefer peace to glory.”
The merciless expression eased as he tugged a honey curl that had escaped from beneath her bonnet.
“As a mere female?” he drawled. “The crew of my ship was convinced you possessed the heart of a lioness with your golden beauty and fierce courage. You are as rare as the finest emerald.”
His finger drifted down the curve of her neck, then scooped along the low cut of her bodice. She shivered, instinctively pulling away from the temptation of his touch. No matter what the caliph’s attractions, she had given her heart to another.
Even if he was an ungrateful jackass.
“Rajih.”
He smiled with a rueful resignation. “He is far away and yet still in your thoughts, is he not?”
A flush touched her cheeks as she attempted to feign indifference.
“He?”
“Your Russian thief.”
“I have no desire to discuss Dimitri Tipova.” She clenched her teeth against the jagged ache of loss. “He is a part of my past I wish to forget.”
“And yet you carry his memory in your heart.” Before she could guess his intention, Rajih grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Have no fear, beloved. I shall banish his ghost in time.”
Having discovered it was impossible to argue with arrogant men, Emma sought to distract her companion instead.
“Goodness, why are those children darting into the road?”
The shimmer in his dark eyes revealed that he was aware of her ploy, but with a last kiss on her knuckles, he shifted to slide open the carriage window. At once a clutch of ragged boys ran forward, shoving tiny bundles into Rajih’s outstretched hand. He tossed a handful of coins into the street before closing the window and turning back to Emma.
She watched in interest as he delicately unwrapped a fig leaf and revealed a small pile of dark fruit.
“Taste,” he urged, lifting one of the delicacies toward her mouth.
“What is it?”
“Dates dipped in honey.”
She took a tentative bite, sliding shut her eyes in appreciation as the sweetness exploded on her tongue.
“Mmm,” she breathed, unconsciously licking her lips. “Ambrosia.”
She heard Rajih’s breath catch, his eyes darkening before he lowered his head.