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‘I’ll have a maid show you to your room. A bath has been run for you.’ He was already striding away. ‘Food and juices are waiting for you along with your luggage.’ He turned at the door to shoot her a grin. ‘You might want to change your clothes and relax while I’m gone. Take a swim. Ask for a guided tour of the palace. Do anything you want to do.’ He felt exhilarated and sure, though acutely conscious of the clock ticking as he spread his arms wide to bow and back away. ‘Take care, mother of my children. Relax in the knowledge that from this moment on your life is transformed. Oh, and I’ll be back before you know it,’ he added with a wicked grin.
This time when Razi’s lips tugged in the familiar heartstopping smile, Lucy couldn’t return his smile. Her life had been transformed, both by pregnancy and today by the knowledge that two small lives depended on her. She was a woman of purpose now, not a mistress of idleness who needed her days filling with aimless meandering. Was Razi’s offer of creating a restaurant here at the palace a sop to keep her happy? She didn’t know what to believe any more.
As she watched him stride away it was easy to see that Razi’s life was full of purpose, but if he imagined she was going to live to his prescription—wait until he could find time for her, as his mother had waited—or, worse still, that he would be hard-pressed to find space in his packed diary for their children, he had underestimated the woman he had helped to grow in confidence. She loved him and to Lucy love meant working together to build a future. If she could never be his wife, she could at least put her skills at the service of his country. Razi had mentioned an eco-palace in construction, hadn’t he? And a palace would have kitchens…
As she picked up the internal phone to call for transport Lucy realised she was not going to go back to England and consult lawyers, she was going to stay here in Isla de Sinnebar. She would live in some remote part where she could cause Razi no embarrassment, but she would keep her children with her and she would work for the good of Razi’s people. And if that meant being a pioneer, setting a new trend, fine, that was what she’d do. She’d work discreetly so as not to offend anyone, but she’d do it, Lucy concluded, jutting out her chin.
Chapter Seventeen
HE NEVER failed to feel a sense of history when he entered the golden chamber—the vaulted roofs, the jewelled panelled walls, the silent air of majesty. As all the men currently seated around the council table rose to greet him he was conscious of their wise faces turned to him and the trust in so many pairs of eyes. He stood for a moment, feeling the weight of destiny in his hands. He indicated that everyone should sit down, while he remained standing at the head of the table. He was prepared to sacrifice everything for Lucy. He had known this from the moment he had realised that a life of lies and self-deception wasn’t for him.
He greeted his brother sheikhs and then repeated the wonderful news about his twins. Then to absolute silence he explained his proposal before calling on his council to vote on his decision to cede the Phoenix throne in favour of working alongside the woman he loved as a common man for the good of Isla de Sinnebar and his people. He finished by saying, ‘I want you all to know that the decision I have made has been mine and mine alone. This was a thing I had to judge entirely for myself.’
Now he could only wait for their verdict.
He didn’t have to wait long. The oldest and most trusted advisor spoke for the rest. They supported him wholeheartedly. They believed in his vision of the future. If that vision included a foreign bride, they supported him in that too. He would keep the throne and their trust. Then they raised their fists and hailed him until they were hoarse as their undisputed leader.
‘Stop the cavalcade!’
He sprang out of the lead limousine before it had drawn to a halt. Full of concern for Lucy’s safety, he thanked destiny for urging him to see his new eco-palace in construction before he went on to his next meeting. He was eager to see Lucy too and his plan had been to conclude his business as swiftly as he could before driving straight back to her with his news. It had never occurred to him that he would arrive at the site of his new palace to find a pregnant woman in jeans, sneakers and a high-visibility jacket with a hard hat on her head and clipboard in her hand, conferring with Asif, his site manager.
His first action was to order his security staff to stay with the cavalcade. His second was to stride over to Lucy.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’
‘Working,’ she said, giving him a look he hadn’t seen before.
For once he rued the fact that official limousines had blacked-out windows, but he didn’t need to see inside the vehicles to know that everyone in the official party would be riveted by this unexpected distraction. ‘Do you have to do this? Can’t you see how dangerous it is?’
‘Dangerous?’ She frowned. ‘I’m in no danger. Are you sure it isn’t the idea of a woman working that’s getting to you, Razi?’
Asif faded into the background with a respectful bow.
‘You’re pregnant.’
‘Yes—not ill.’
‘You’re putting yourself in danger on a building site.’
‘Asif was with me and now you’re here. I’m appropriately dressed and I won’t take any risks.’
‘You don’t have to work.’
The scorching look she gave him said Lucy would never subscribe to the world’s view of how a wealthy man’s lover should behave, but would plough her own furrow. Did he like that? Could his vaunted ego take it?
He had the opportunity to start a new page in the history of Isla de Sinnebar, one where opportunity was open to all, and there were no gender divides where jobs were concerned. He could use his vast wealth to change lives and Lucy wanted to be part of that—he wanted her to be part of it. As she stared up at him and firmed her dainty jaw he wondered if he’d left it too late to convince her he wasn’t the tyrant she thought him—too late to explain that she didn’t have to go to extremes to escape his mother’s fate?
‘I thought you were different, but you’re such a dinosaur, Razi.’
‘Am I?’ he said dryly as she turned away.
‘Women shouldn’t do men’s work?’ She tipped her chin as she stopped to confront him. ‘You can probably set it down in law now you’ve got the country at your command.’
‘I can definitely send you back to the palace.’
‘Where I can write my report? Good,’ she said, refusing to be dismayed. ‘I’ll have it ready for you on your return.’ She was standing in the harem by the console table she had turned into a desk when Razi entered. She didn’t need to turn around to know he was there or that he was still dressed in robes. She could hear the swish of the fabric as he walked towards her and inhale its scented folds. She remained standing, with her back turned to him, staring out across the shaded courtyard dreaming of all the things she would like to change in Isla de Sinnebar, given the opportunity. Razi, for one.
‘Lucy…’
