The Lord's Inconvenient Vow

‘It was a suggestion, not a command. For your own benefit and comfort.’

‘No, for your benefit and comfort. As usual.’

‘As usual?’ There was a dangerous lowering of his tone and the peculiar feeling quickened—anger tasted warm, thick. She’d forgotten that.

‘Yes. Ten years ago you convinced Poppy not to allow me to join the expedition to Bahariya.’ She felt rather foolish raising this old grievance now and rather surprised by how sharp it still was.

‘Precisely, ten years ago. I was perfectly justified in objecting to taking a child into the middle of the desert. Your brothers and I very nearly didn’t make it back.’

‘From what I heard Poppy tell Janet you and Lucas and Chase would not have been in danger either if you had not strayed from the town on your own. Since I would have remained, sensibly, with Poppy and Huxley and al-Walid, I would have been safe. Besides, I was sixteen. Hardly a child.’

He bent his glare on his teacup.

‘Would you care for some more tea?’ she asked and had the satisfaction of making him snap,

‘No. Thank you.’

‘You are welcome.’ She braced herself as they moved from annoyed to angry. Good.

‘Perhaps you weren’t a child, but you acted like one. Within a week of our return you had me thrown in gaol and then Poppy and Huxley were almost chased out of Qetara when you kidnapped Sheikh Khalidi’s cats.’

‘Oh! That is unfair! You were thrown into gaol because Khalidi’s daughter was fool enough to fancy herself in love with you and came to Bab el-Nur to beg you to stay in Egypt. I certainly didn’t ask you to try to break Abu-Abas’s nose when Khalidi sent him to return Fatima home.’

‘What the devil was I to do when you threw yourself between him and Fatima like a demented Don Quixote?’

He had a point so she moved swiftly to more defensible ground.

‘Besides, if I hadn’t tried, and failed, to kidnap Khalidi’s adored cats you probably would have remained in that horrid gaol far longer.’

‘He planned to release me anyway—he was merely making the point that not even foreigners could assault his men with impunity. Simply because your actions did not end in disaster does not mean they were justified. It was reckless and foolish and you could have been seriously hurt. You always had more luck than sense.’

She’d forgotten fury. She’d forgotten wanting to launch herself at someone as she had at Abu-Abas when he ordered the soldiers to take Edge away. But she was no longer a child and she would not gratify his insults by confirming them.

‘And you always had more sense than heart, Edge. I promise you, next time you are tossed in gaol I shan’t lift a finger. I shall reserve my loyalty for people who appreciate it.’

He turned away, but she saw the flush that showed darker under his sun-browned skin.

‘I don’t know why I am arguing with you,’ he grumbled. ‘I don’t argue with anyone but you and as usual it’s a waste of time. Come to Bahariya if you wish.’

‘How magnanimous.’

‘Don’t be snide. You’ve won, Lady Carruthers.’

It didn’t feel like a victory. She felt as weary as he looked.

‘It is not a contest, Edge. And please stop calling me Lady Carruthers like that. If you object so much to my presence, I will travel with Ayisha and the luggage on the dahabiya while you go with Poppy and Janet.’

He didn’t answer. All she could see was his profile, an outline that was etched in her mind with the familiarity of a childhood landscape—the kind you woke up to every day and hardly noticed until you went away. Without thinking she leaned across the table, hand extended.

‘They probably want you to themselves anyway, Edge. They’ve missed you terribly.’

His hands curled around his cup and his long eyelashes lowered further. She started to rise, but he reached out and caught her hand on the table.

‘Wait. You might as well come. They won’t be calm thinking of you on the dahabiya without them. I apologise. It is only that... I am worried about Rafe.’

She tried to concentrate on his words, not on her hand which felt like a large and dangerous animal had rolled over in its sleep and pinned it to the table.

‘You said he is a mercenary. Surely he is able to care for himself?’

‘He is, but I don’t understand why he came here in the first place. He always told me he would never come to Egypt.’

‘Oh. Why?’ She sat down again, careful not to dislodge his hand.

‘Why?’

‘Why not Egypt? One would think he would be curious, knowing how much you loved it.’

His eyes finally fixed fully on hers—with the sun filtering in through the shutters behind him they now looked a deep forest-green. She could almost see shadows moving between the trees.