The Sheik's Kidnapped Bride (9 page)

The
Arabian sea
, she wondered in astonishment. Had she really come halfway around the world?

“There’s the palace,”
Khalil
said, pointing out the window. “On the coast. You can also see the old city walls.”

She saw a huge creamy-white structure poised on the edge of the water. Beyond it extensive grounds formed a patchwork of colors. The wall he’d spoken of made a rough square around much of the city, although it didn’t include the high-rises she’d noticed earlier.

Excitement began to replace the panic inside of her. From the safety of the jet, El
Bahar
looked exotic but still welcoming. Perhaps things weren’t going to be so frightening after all.

The jet made a smooth landing, then taxied to a small single-story building at the far end of the runway. As Dora stepped out of the jet, she noticed a much larger terminal across the tarmac.

“That’s for the commercial aircraft,”
Khalil
said, noticing the direction of her gaze. “Immigration and customs are there, as well. On the far side we have a substantial area for freight companies. They even have their own runways. As you can see, El
Bahar
is ready for the new century.”

“Very impressive,” she told him.

She walked down the narrow flight of stairs and drew in her first deep breath of El
Baharian
air. It was slightly cool, but pleasant. She caught the elusive fragrance of a flower of some kind, but couldn’t see anything planted nearby. The sky overhead was an amazing shade of blue, and seemed more vast than any sky she’d seen before. She told herself that she was being fanciful—that this was the same sky she always looked up at. Yet it felt and looked different.

Khalil
led the way to the waiting limo. It was white and had two small flags on the hood. The bright gold royal emblem fluttered in the light breeze. As she approached, she noticed the uniformed chauffeur holding open the rear door, but before she could slide onto the back seat,
Khalil
stopped her with a light touch on her arm.

“Dora, this is Roger, our favorite driver. He’s been with my family for as long as I can remember.”

The chauffeur, an attractive light-skinned man in his fifties, touched the brim of his cap. “Thank you, Prince
Khalil
, but I must take offense at the phrase ‘for as long as I can remember.’ The young lady is going to think I’m as old as dirt.” The Englishman smiled as he spoke.

“Maybe not as old as dirt,”
Khalil
admitted. “How about as old as time?”

Roger grinned. “All right, Your Highness. Be that way if you must.” He winked at Dora.

She found herself smiling back at the older man. At least the first person she’d met in El
Bahar
hadn’t terrified her.

Khalil
gripped Roger’s shoulder briefly. “I’m glad you’re the one who came to the airport today,” he said. “Now Dora won’t be so worried about staying in El
Bahar
.”

She glanced at him in some surprise. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

“I’m your husband. Why wouldn’t I know?”

She didn’t know how to respond to the question. Yes, he was her husband, but he didn’t know her very well. At least she didn’t think he did. Or had she misjudged him? Perhaps he’d been telling the truth when he said he’d noticed her from the first moment they’d met. The idea left a warm glow in her stomach.

“Your wife?” Roger said, his voice laced with disbelief. “Sir, I had no idea.” He pulled off his cap and gave Dora a low bow.

She was so startled by the act of deference that she could do little more than stare at Roger’s close-cut sandy-red hair before glancing helplessly at her husband. But
Khalil
didn’t look the least bit upset by the other man’s actions. Of course, he was a prince by birth and quite used to this sort of treatment.

“Your Highness,” Roger began. “I meant no disrespect. If I’d known—”

Dora might not know much about being a princess, but she knew plenty about getting along with people. “I hope you would have been as friendly to me,” she said gently, as she cut him off in midsentence. “The prince is correct. This is my first time in El
Bahar
, and I’m a little nervous. You’ve given me a gracious welcome.”

“Thank you.” Roger nodded his head, then motioned to the open door. “If Your Highness pleases.”

Dora slid onto the rear seat.
Khalil
followed, but not before Roger said, “Well done, sir. She’s quite the lady.”

Khalil
didn’t respond. Dora knew that she wasn’t supposed to have heard the comment, but it allowed her to relax a little. Perhaps she had a chance of getting it right after all. If only the royal family was as friendly as Roger, she would be just fine.

When the luggage had been loaded into the trunk, Roger got behind the wheel and started the limo. In a matter of minutes they’d left the airport behind and were headed for the city. Dora let her gaze move from window to window as she took in the sights of her new homeland.

They headed south to the coastal highway, then east, toward the city. The roads were wide and well-maintained, and the cars she saw were a mixture of old and new. The blue sky drew her attention again and again, and she found herself wanting to lower the window so that she could inhale the scents of the air.

“Would you mind?” she asked, lightly touching the control lever.

“Please.”
Khalil
leaned back in the seat. “This is to be your home. I want you to feel comfortable.”

She thought about telling him that she’d feel much more comfortable if he would touch her arm or take her hand, but she didn’t have the courage. They might technically be married, but she didn’t feel she had the right to any of a wife’s privileges.

She pressed the lever, and the window on her side lowered soundlessly. Instantly a cool breeze whispered against her face. She could feel the warmth of the sun, inhale the faint salt of the sea, along with that strange, slightly sweet aroma.

They were in the far left lane of the highway, moving along at a fast rate of speed. Dora saw rows of palms along the side of the road. “Date palms?” she asked.

“Yes. Not that long ago they were a staple food supply through the long summer. Now they have become more of an export crop, although they are still a part of the El
Baharian
diet. Look.” He pointed to her left.

She turned and saw a man in nomadic dress leading two camels laden with burlap bags.

“He’s heading for the souk—the marketplace,” he added. “One of the largest and oldest in the city is by the palace. I’ll take you there sometime.” Despite her nerves, Dora felt a flicker of excitement at the thought of all the exotic adventures awaiting her.

They continued toward the city. As they passed through the financial district, she strained her neck to try to see the tops of the glass high-rises. Several of the names on the signs out front were from companies she recognized.

“Jamal, my middle brother, handles the country’s finances, as well as the family money.”
Khalil
jerked his head toward the cluster of Western-style buildings. “While my father had the idea of making El
Bahar
the financial center of the Arab world, Jamal is the one who made it happen. He designed the packages that brought the big banking and financial companies here. Of course our billions are substantially less than the
Bahanians
’ wealth.”

“Who?” she asked.

“
Bahania
—it’s our neighbor to the northeast. Between us and
Yemen
. My father always says that his troubles are nothing when compared with the king of
Bahania
. Where I am one of three sons, the king of
Bahania
has four sons and a daughter.” He shook his head. “The two fathers are good friends, and for a while my brothers and I thought there would be an arranged match between the two countries, but my grandmother is
Bahanian
, and there was concern about mixing the blood lines.”

Dora stared at him, her interest in the city temporarily forgotten. “Your father has arranged marriages for his sons?”

“Of course. We’re a royal family.”

As if that explained it all. Except it explained nothing. “But you don’t have an arranged marriage.” Horror gripped her. “You have. You have other wives.” Her stomach tightened as a cold fever swept through her. Wasn’t El
Bahar
a Muslim country? Weren’t men allowed four wives? Dear God, she’d made a hideously, awful mistake and she had to—

Khalil
laughed. “I’m not sure what you’re thinking right now, but you look as frightened as a mouse about to be eaten by a hawk. I have no wife other than you, Dora. El
Bahar
allows its people to celebrate many religions, but a man may take only one wife. My father claims for some men that’s one wife too many.”

She licked her suddenly dry lips. “Are you sure?”

His expression turned indulgent. “Quite sure. I’ve lived here all my life, and I’m familiar with the customs. Now stop asking questions and look. We’re coming up to the palace.”

Only then did she notice that they’d turned off the main road and were on a side street. Although the street was smoothly paved, the alleys leading off between buildings were cobblestoned. She could see storefronts and small houses right next to an apartment building with brightly colored laundry lining the balconies. In a large side yard, a half-dozen children played soccer. One of the boys—a child of maybe eight or nine—saw the car and called out to his friends. Immediately all the children ran toward the limo. They waved and called out greetings.
Khalil
put down the window on his side and waved back.

“Prince
Khalil
! Prince
Khalil
! Welcome home.”

One of the little girls bent down, picked a flower and tossed it toward the slow-moving car.

Dora felt as if she’d found her way into central casting for some movie from the fifties. “They speak English,” she said.

“Most people here do,” he told her. “It’s required in all the schools, and we encourage it in business transactions. El
Bahar
is preparing itself to be a major player in this century.”

“I see.”

Dora continued to watch as the car turned down a long, tree-lined street. So far all that she’d seen had made her feel better about her situation. No doubt the worst was behind her.

“There,”
Khalil
said, pointing straight ahead. “The entrance to the palace.”

They drove through huge gates that were open. Nearly a dozen guards stood on duty. Once inside the walled complex, the driveway circled lazily through lush gardens. Through the thick foliage she caught sight of buildings, ponds, tennis courts and an army of gardeners.

“The palace grounds are open to the public twice a week,” he said. “There is a small zoo, as well as gardens and walking paths. Different entertainments are provided during holidays and festival times. Residents are never charged, for the palace is as much theirs as ours, while visitors to our country pay a small fee.”

The sweet smell grew stronger. Dora inhaled it, then felt her breath catch in her throat when they rounded the last bend in the road and pulled up in front of a huge, cream-colored building.

The structure extended for what seemed like miles in both directions. It was at least three stories tall with a beautiful tile roof that shimmered in the
midday
sun. Balconies clustered together, their black wrought-iron railings contrasting with the clean lines of the palace.

A huge archway led inside. As Roger opened the rear door and held out his hand to assist her, she saw that the circular area in front was paved in tiny cobalt-blue tiles. They formed a pattern that looked like the ocean, with fish and boats existing in harmony. It was exquisite and made her feel instantly at home.

“Welcome, Princess Dora,” Roger said, then gave her a wink. “Ready to meet everyone?”

“I hope so.” She glanced at
Khalil
who stood beside her. Roger had been surprised to learn that the youngest prince had married. What about
Khalil’s
family—specifically his father? “Do they know about me?”

“My father does. He was delighted when I told him.”

It was a small lie,
Khalil
thought, but one that Dora needed to hear. He didn’t have to know her well to sense her nervousness, although he couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t every day that one met one’s in-laws. The situation would be worse for a woman marrying into a royal family. Especially as she wasn’t anyone the family would have picked.

He thought about his conversation with his father the previous day. King
Givon
Khan had roared out his displeasure, refusing to listen to anything his son had to say.
Khalil
doubted the old man had settled down since then.

They walked across the courtyard with its dozen or so fountains and the guards posted every few feet. El
Bahar
was a peaceful country, and the men were mostly there for show. The automatic weapons and ammunition draped across their chest were most impressive. Dora pressed close to his side.