Desert Barbarian

Marie looked down at her hands, linked in her lap.

/> 'The trouble is, Jess, I'm crazy about him,' she sighed.

Jess watched her shrewdly. 'I see. Like that, is it? And he?'

Marie felt her cheeks glowing. 'He… feels the same way, he says.'

'Rahaib certainly said he was quite demented when you were missing,' Jess murmured. 'He was furious with Rahaib for letting it happen. He threatened to tear him limb from limb if you weren't found.'

Marie laughed. 'His bark is worse than his bite. How is Rahaib, by the way?'

'Fine. He had a bit of a bump on his head, but apart from a headache, he got over that quickly enough.' Jess grinned. 'I think it was his pride that suffered the worst blow. He was taken in by a simple trick like that. Poor Rahaib! He'll never forget it.'

'How could he have anticipated such a thing? He shouldn't blame himself. Anyway, all's well that ends well.'

'Not for Jedhpur, it doesn't,' Jess said grimly. 'The National Park scheme will have to be shelved until they find another rich man to back it.'

'I expect Stonor will see that they do,' said Marie. 'He told me he wanted no more to do with it, but he knows other firms who would be interested. The King will get his tourist centre in the end.'

'You look tired,' Jess sighed. 'I shouldn't let you stay up talking. Off to bed now, my dear.'

'I would love a bath first,' Marie said. 'You can't imagine how much I longed for one in that stuffy little room. The smell of curry seemed to linger for hours.'

Jess made a face. 'How ghastly! By all means have a bath. Then sleep as long as you like. Lispa is so good with Jeremy that you won't be missed.'

Marie hesitated. 'Jess, I…'

Jess smiled at her. 'I think I know what you're going to say. Mr Grey wants to whisk you away from us?'

'I'm afraid so,' Marie admitted. 'He says he'll send someone else to take my place.'

'I don't think I need anyone,' Jess said calmly. 'Lispa will go on taking care of Jeremy for me. He plays with her boys and has a marvellous time. I can teach him to read and so on when the time comes. For the present I think I'll just let him grow up alongside Lispa's sons.'

'He'll turn into a little Hindu,' Marie laughed.

'He'll certainly learn more tolerance than he would have done back home,' Jess agreed. 'So don't worry. You can go back home with your man and marry him. You deserve to be happy.'

Marie kissed her, then went off to have a long, relaxing bath before tumbling into bed to sleep the clock around.

When she woke up she found Jeremy sitting on her bed staring at her unwinkingly.

'Hallo,' he said. 'I thought you were dead.'

'Well, I'm not,' she retorted.

'Did bandits kidnap you?'

'Sort of bandits,' she agreed.

'Were you scared?'

'Now and then.'

He considered her. 'I wouldn't be scared. I would hide and they would never find me.'

'Good idea,' she said solemnly.

He jumped off the bed. 'Mum said to tell you Mr Grey was coming in an hour, so do you want something to eat?'