“Have you finally forgiven yourself for what she did?”
“No, but perhaps, in time, my shame will dim. I love you, Arabella, but I was like a miserable animal in pain. I could not bear to have you witness my dishonor.”
“But I am a part of you. What you feel, I feel. You must promise me never again to lock me out.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ll try, Arabella. Now, your father and mother must wonder what we are doing. Are you certain you wish to wed me?”
“I will follow you back to Oran dressed in harem veils if you try to escape me.”
“And will you fall to your knees before me and kiss my boots?”
“Perhaps.”
“And you will allow me as many mistresses as I desire?”
“If I leave you the strength to pursue another woman, then it is myself I will blame.”
He laughed and hugged her to him.
“Kamal,” she said, “will you mind living in England? And in Italy, of course, unless Napoleon boots us out?”
He answered her in stilted, charmingly accented English. “If my lady will keep me warm during the long winters, I will contrive to be content. I will want to visit Oran, you know,” he continued, switching back to Italian.
“As will I. Kamal, I do not wish to uproot you from what you know. It would not be fair to you.”
He was silent for a moment. “It is odd,” he said finally, “but I felt uprooted when I returned to Oran as Bey. I suppose my knit breeches fit me better than my white trousers. There will be difficulties, Bella. Much will be new to me.”
“But we will share, Kamal. Everything. Has Hamil slipped back into his old ways?”
“He is a Muslim, Arabella, as is Lella. But I noticed that he showed little interest in his harem. He spends most of his time with his son. Incidentally, I met your mother. She is charming. You have much the look of her.”
“And here I thought she had had a boring courtship compared to mine.”
“Have you spoken to her about what you learned?”
“No. Father asked Adam and me not to.”
“Perhaps it is for the best. Your father, by the way, is pleased. Never will he have to pay more guineas for tribute. And since I will join him in shipping, we are likely to become quite rich.”
“All right.” She stared up at his beloved face. “We had best not stay here, else I will keep you in the woods until winter.”
“I do not know how you can be so slender with such appetites.”
“Only with you: a gentleman who is a Viking, a pirate, a highness, and a magnificent lover.”
“This gentleman,” Kamal said, stroking her jaw, “fully intends to plunder, pursue, and otherwise possess this lady until she has no thought of another.”
“Do you promise?”
“You have my pirate’s oath on it.”