‘Yes, a picnic. It’s all arranged.’
He made it sound like a typical royal event, with retainers on hand to serve them. She didn’t particularly enjoy formality, but if it meant less time alone with Karim that was a good thing. Because it got harder by the day not to be seduced by his charm.
‘I’m sure Tarek will like that.’
‘Oh, I know he will.’
Was Karim laughing at her? That gleam in those dark eyes—
‘He was thrilled when I told him. Ah, here he is.’
Safiyah turned to see Tarek running from his room, not in his usual shorts and T-shirt, but in the trousers and boots he wore for visiting the stables.
‘Mama, Mama, we have a surprise for you.’
He stopped beside Karim and looked up at the tall man. Then, to Safiyah’s surprise, her son lifted his small hand and Karim’s long fingers enfolded it.
A pang pierced her lungs. Could she be jealous of the burgeoning closeness between the two? That would make her pathetic. It was good for Tarek that Karim made time for him and seemed to enjoy his company. Her son had bloomed since coming here, becoming more and more the carefree little boy she’d seen in snatches since Abbas’s repressive influence had gone.
‘A surprise? How lovely.’
Her boy nodded gravely, then frowned. ‘But you need other shoes. For safety.’
He looked up to Karim, who nodded. ‘That’s right. We don’t wear sandals around horses.’
‘Horses?’
That explained Tarek’s beaming smile. So they were having a picnic in the stables? Despite her attempts to distance herself a little from Karim, she couldn’t help smiling at the idea. Tarek was fascinated by horses and she’d promised to teach him to ride.
‘That sounds like fun. I’ll be right back.’
But when she went to the stables there was no picnic laid out. Instead she found Tarek, grinning from ear to ear, wearing a riding helmet and mounted astride a tubby little pony almost as wide as it was high.
‘Surprise!’ He threw out his arms, bouncing in the saddle so Karim, holding the pony’s leading rope, put out a hand to steady him.
‘Easy, Tarek. What have I said about sitting still and not frightening Amin?’
The pony didn’t look perturbed—merely shook its head and stood patiently.
Safiyah stopped in her tracks, torn between shock and delight. Tarek looked so enthusiastic, his smile like a beacon. She grinned back at him. He really was coming out of the shell of reserve that had so worried her.
But at the same time she forced down a sliver of something less positive—the feeling that she’d been excluded.She’dwanted to teach Tarek to ride, had looked forward to it.
Yet she couldn’t be selfish enough to begrudge him his excitement. This was a positive change from Abbas, who’d never made time to be with Tarek, much less encouraged him to learn anything other than court etiquette.
‘You’re riding? Karim has been teaching you?’
Maybe that explained Tarek’s recent willingness to have a nap in the afternoon. Before coming here he’d been adamant he no longer needed a rest. Had he and Karim secretly spent nap time in the stables?
Tarek nodded. ‘Brushing Amin and feeding him and learning how to sit.’ He chewed his lip. ‘But not reallyriding…’ He looked up wistfully at Karim.
Karim’s eyes met hers. ‘We thought you’d like to teach him that.’
His voice was suede brushing across her skin and Safiyah shivered in response.
‘You’re the expert rider in the family. I’ve told Tarek how you used to compete.’
Silly how much his words affected her. She drank them in like desert earth sucking in life-giving water. Because it was so long since she’d received praise? Or because it was for something she’d once excelled at?