Josef rolled his eyes. “The servants did not impress me with their swift wits.”
“I have explained my presence, Caliph.” Dimitri folded his arms over his chest. “Now I will hear your story.”
“There is no…story.” The dark eyes narrowed. “I returned to my home after enduring a tedious dinner party, which I believe I have you to thank for my invitation.”
Dimitri could not halt the cold smile from curling his lips. He had considered himself quite clever in arranging Rajih to be absent from the palace so he could spend the evening in Emma’s arms.
“I sent no invitation,” he protested.
“We will settle that debt at a more convenient moment.”
He waved aside the threat. “You said you returned home.”
“Yes, and when I discovered Emma was missing I gathered my servants so I could question them.”
“What did you learn?”
“I learned that I had more than one uninvited guest during my absence,” Rajih said, his tone promising retribution. “Yet another grievance I intend to settle with you later. For now it only matters that one of my female servants confessed to accepting a bribe to lead Emma to a carriage waiting near the stables.”
“Perhaps you should take greater care in hiring your staff.”
Something like remorse flared over the dark face. “Samira was jealous of my obvious affection for Emma. She now deeply regrets her behavior.”
“Not so deeply as she will regret her behavior if Emma is harmed.”
The caliph moved the sword just enough to remind Dimitri it was in his hand. A subtle warning.
“I am capable of punishing my own servants.”
“Tell me precisely what she said.”
“She knew very little.” Rajih shook his head. “A Russian man approached her in the bazaar earlier in the day and urged her to join him at a local café. Samira knew it was wrong, but she was angry and agreed to his request.”
“Valik,” Josef muttered.
“Whoever he was, he offered Samira several drachmas if she would lead Emma to the carriage at precisely ten o’clock,” Rajih continued. “He told her that Emma was his sister who had fled from home and he was anxious to return her to Russia and her family.”
Dimitri glanced toward the house, every passing moment grating against his nerves.
“That still does not explain your presence here,” he snapped.
“The carriage left only moments before my arrival. Once I had a description of the vehicle, it took little effort to catch up with it in such heavy traffic.”
“This makes no sense.” Josef interrupted the conversation without warning.
Dimitri glanced at his servant in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Why would Valik kidnap her?”
“Obviously, he discovered Emma had followed him to Cairo and was afraid she would reveal his sordid business to the pasha.”
“If he had managed to find out that Emma was in Cairo, then he most certainly knew you were here,” Josef reasoned. “After all, you have made no effort to hide your presence while the woman has been hidden in a harem. Considering you pose the far greater danger to him, Valik would be a fool to hazard stealing Emma from the caliph’s palace when he could quite easily shoot you in the back.”
“Not to mention the pure satisfaction,” Rajih murmured.
Dimitri shot him a dark scowl before returning his attention to Josef.
“Just say what is on your mind, Josef.”