‘That’s why you sent the trousers.’ Belatedly it dawned on her. ‘You want me to ride with you.’
As if on cue a groom led forward two horses. A magnificent grey for Karim and a chestnut mare with liquid dark eyes for her. Safiyah saw the creature and was torn between love at first sight and disappointment that all Karim’s excitement was for the success of his plan.
It had been madness to imagine he was pleased to seeher, personally. She was his convenient wife. Not good enough to marry for her own sake—he’d made that painfully clear years before—but useful to win the people’s acceptance.
Safiyah slipped her hand from Karim’s, ignoring the twitch of his dark eyebrows at the movement. ‘You could have warned me.’
‘Warned you?’
‘That I’d be riding.’ Clearly she wasn’t important enough to be informed of his plans. She felt as if she was the last to know. This procession had clearly taken a lot of preparation.
Karim stepped closer, blocking out the stable hand waiting at a discreet distance. ‘I thought you’d enjoy the surprise.’
Safiyah’s eyes widened. He’d thought about what she’denjoy? She shook her head. This equestrian parade was a PR exercise. Not to please her.
Yet the fact he’d bothered to consider how she’d feel about it was unexpected. Disturbing. She wasn’t used to that. What did it mean?
‘You don’t believe me?’ His eyebrows lifted and his chin too, in an expression of hauteur.
‘I’m just surprised.’ And bewildered.
His expression softened a little. ‘Pleasantly so?’
Silent, she nodded.
‘Good.’
For a moment Safiyah thought he’d say more. Instead Karim swept her once again with his gaze and it was all she could do not to blush like a virgin. For there was something about his expression that made her think not of the show he was putting on for the populace, but of how he’d stared at her last night. As if he’d wanted to devour her on the spot.
The hubbub died away till all she could hear was the quick pulse of her blood in her ears.
‘Mama!’
She swung around as a small figure emerged in the doorway from the palace. Tarek, wearing his finest clothes, hurtled into her arms. Safiyah caught and lifted him, hiding her surprise.
‘Did you come to see all the excitement, sweetie?’
He nodded and clung to her.
‘He’s come to take part in today’s festivities,’ Karim said. ‘I want the people to see that he hasn’t been shunted aside.’
That made sense to Safiyah. And it was in Tarek’s own interests. It was a clever move that would help both Karim and her son. But, again, she hadn’t been consulted.
Although had she really expected that Karim might discuss his plans with her when Abbas never had? Once more she could only obey and play the role demanded of her. It was stupid to feel disappointed that nothing had changed.
‘What is it, Safiyah? You look troubled.’
Karim’s low voice reminded her how dangerous he was, how much he saw. For she was wearing what she thought of as her ‘royal’ face. A mask she’d perfected over the years to hide her feelings. It disturbed her to think Karim could see past it.
She shifted Tarek higher. Her son was looking wide-eyed at the horses.
‘He’s never even seen a horse close up before. He can’t ride. It’s too much to expect him to be in this procession. It’s far too dangerous.’
She refused to let Karim put her boy in danger for the sake of appearances, even if his wordwaslaw. She’d spent years being seen and not heard, but when it came to Tarek’s wellbeing she refused to submit meekly any more.
For a long moment her new husband considered her. When he spoke his words were for her alone. ‘You don’t think much of me, do you, Safiyah?’
His eyes flashed annoyance. Yet for some reason she wondered if that anger hid something else.