Elinor was shocked by a desire to pull him back to her and wish her bridal duties to perdition if it prevented them from being together. As he sprang off the bed she raised an abstracted hand to rub her cheek where his stubble had scratched her. What shook her most was the intensity of her desire for him. He was teaching her things about her own needs that she would never have guessed and that she suspected she might never have known with another man, for Jasim’s raw passion had lit a similar passion inside her.
‘We’ll be together later,’ Jasim husked. ‘But I’m afraid I need a few minutes of grace before I can be seen in public.’
Colour washed her face as she appreciated that he was lingering by the window while he waited for the visible bulge of his arousal to subside. But that she could affect him that way was a source of pride and satisfaction for her as well. He switched out the light before he left and she sank back into her warm comfortable bed and stretched luxuriantly at the prospect of a day that was now shorn of fear and insecurity.
Elinor was wakened again by a slender girl in her teens. Gamila introduced herself and told Elinor in English that breakfast awaited her.
‘Lovely, thanks.’ Elinor slid out of bed and slid her arms into the wrap she had left out beside the bed. Her attention rested on the untouched pillow beside hers and an ache, an uncommonly painful ache, stirred inside her. It bothered her that she missed Jasim so much. How could someone she had recently believed she hated have come to matter so much to her?
‘Prince Jasim ordered a wide selection of food for you,’ the girl added.
‘I’d like to see my son first,’ Elinor said apologetically.
‘It’s still very early. The little prince is still asleep,’ Gamila explained. ‘I went in to see him. He is a beautiful baby.’
A warm smile curved Elinor’s mouth. ‘I think so too.’
Downstairs she entered a dining room where the table groaned beneath the weight of a vast array of food. Elinor discovered that she was extremely hungry and enjoyed orange juice, cereal and two toasted muffins spread with honey. Even while she was eating the house seemed full of activity, with feet passing up and down the stairs and the chatter of many female voices. There was no sign of Zaid or any other man.
Having eaten, Elinor was escorted back upstairs to ha
ve her hair washed. It was conditioned and rinsed several times and then piled into a towel while a bath was run for her. She watched as an aromatic bath potion was swirled through the water and rose petals were scattered on the surface. Settling into the warm fragrant water and relaxing her stiff muscles was the purest of pleasures. It was an effort to get out again and swathe herself in a fleecy towel.
Once her hair was dry, Gamila suggested that she dress in casual clothes to head over to the main palace. There on the second floor she found a full-size beauty parlour awaiting her. She knew what the fashion was and consented reluctantly to a waxing session. It wasn’t quite as painful as she had feared but she didn’t think it was a procedure she would ever want to volunteer for. She agreed to a massage and lay on a narrow padded table where she was pummelled and rubbed with fragrant oil. Slowly the stress drained out of her body. At some stage she fell asleep and wakened without the slightest idea of where she was or how much time had passed to find that she was being given a manicure and pedicure. Relaxed after that nap, she began to take an interest in the proceedings. Her nails glossily perfect, she sat watching while intricate henna patterns were painted onto her hands and feet. She wondered if Jasim would enjoy that traditional touch and smiled. She was relieved that there was no sign of Laila in the gathering of female attendants because she was not sure that she could have kept the peace.
Sami was brought to her while her hair was being straightened and smoothed. He gave her a huge sloppy kiss and settled into her lap like a homing pigeon, intrigued by the amount of activity around her. Her companions looked on Jasim’s son with unreserved adoration and when he got down from her knee to crawl off in exploration he was petted and fussed over. Sami lapped up the attention to the manner born and Elinor found herself wondering how her son had ever managed with only his mother to admire him.
Her make-up was done last and then she was guided into another room to be shown the Western wedding dress, which she was apparently to wear. Astonished, for she had expected to be presented with a traditional Quarami bridal outfit, Elinor stared at the white wedding dress, which glittered as though stars had been sewn into the fine fabric. Thousands of crystals caught and reflected the light. It was a wonderfully romantic dress, and when she had put it on she could only marvel at her image in the mirror: her every wedding-day dream was fully satisfied by the magnificent gown. Her henna decorated hands and feet didn’t quite match in style, but she didn’t think that mattered as she eased her feet into delicate crystal-studded sandals with high heels. A short veil was attached to a silver coronet of flowers on her head.
A magnificent jewel case was brought to her.
‘It is a gift from your bridegroom,’ Gamila explained and tangible excitement filled the room when Elinor lifted the lid on a fabulous diamond necklace and drop earrings that quite took her breath away. Oohs and aahs of admiration sounded all around her. The necklace was the perfect complement to the boat-shaped neckline of her gown.
With her companions laughing and chattering she travelled down in a lift to the ground floor. When she stepped out a bouquet of white roses was handed to her by a giggling little girl. Moments later she saw Jasim, dressed in a snazzy grey morning suit that was a perfect tailored fit to his tall, well-built frame. She collided with brilliant dark eyes and her tummy flipped and her heartbeat thundered in her ears. The instant she saw him a helpless surge of relief and pleasure engulfed her.
You look amazing. He didn’t say it; his mouth framed the words in silent appreciation and she lip-read them with an inner glow of happiness that she could not suppress. She had so many questions that she wanted to ask him. Where had the fairytale dress come from at such short notice? Why had he given her the diamonds? Why all the fuss when she had dimly expected a short ceremony? But there was no opportunity for her to speak to Jasim in private. They were ushered into a room crowded with guests and married all over again. Throughout the ceremony, an interpreter stood by her elbow carefully translating every solemn word that was spoken. They exchanged rings. Her ring, at least, was not new and when it was returned to her finger it somehow felt more right on her finger than it had before. The formalities over, she posed with her hand resting lightly on Jasim’s arm for several ceremonial photographs.
‘Where did my dress come from?’ she whispered.
‘Italy. I called in favours and described what I wanted for you. It was flown in this morning.’
‘I love it. And the diamonds?’
‘A traditional gift from the groom.’
A pair of antique sedan chairs was brought in and they were each assisted into them. There was a lot of laughter. Hoisted high, the bride and groom were carried to a flower-bedecked room for the wedding party. Jasim helped Elinor out and her attendants hurried forward to rearrange the folds of her dress. Then, the bride and groom stood at the head of the room to greet their guests. Elinor was astonished when she espied her father working his way through the crush towards her.
A tall bearded man with grey hair and spectacles, Ernest Tempest clasped his daughter’s hand and frowned. ‘Jasim insisted that I come. Your stepmother couldn’t make it. She can’t stand the heat in places like this. Well, you’ve done very well for yourself,’ he pronounced. ‘Who would ever have thought it? I never thought you’d amount to anything.’
It was over two years since Elinor had last seen her father and he had not altered one little bit. She was amazed that, even with Jasim’s encouragement, he had chosen to fly out to Quaram to attend her wedding. Evidently she had her marriage to a royal to thank for that feat.
‘I’m really pleased you were able to come,’ she said pleasantly. ‘Are you staying for long?’
‘A few days. There are a couple of very interesting archaeological sites in the north of the country and your husband’s organised a tour guide for me,’ the older man explained. ‘Quite a forceful, managing sort of a chap, isn’t he?’
Elinor tried not to laugh at that description of Jasim as her father took himself and his opinions very seriously. ‘Yes, he is.’
That rather impersonal dialogue complete, Elinor’s father moved off again. In a daze she turned to Jasim. ‘I certainly wasn’t expecting to see my father here.’