The maharajah's painting. Hergaze flew to his face as a sudden memory of that day in the summerhouse cameback to her.
His lips tightened as herealized what she was thinking. "No, though I'd like to try that againsomeday. I think I'd get it right this time. You wouldn't find fault with theway I look at you now, would you?"
She remembered the tendernessin his expression as he had looked at her while they were standing in the lake."No." She slowly sank to her knees on the blanket.
He knelt behind her, hisfingers braiding her hair. "I've wanted to do this since that first dayyou took me to the temple to see Kartauk. I watched Li Sung care for you and Iwas jealous as hell. I should have known then… "
His fingers were not aspracticed as Li Sung's, and it took him a long time to complete the thickbraid. She didn't care, she thought dreamily. She felt cosseted and infinitelytreasured.
"There. It's done."He stood up and pulled her to her feet. "And now I have to get you back tocamp before you take a chill."
He lifted her onto Bedelia,but his hand closed over hers as she reached for the reins.
His voice was suddenly harshwith feeling as he blurted out, "When will you realize I'm not going toever cause you pain again? When the hell are you going to believe me?"
She wanted to believe him, totake the chance. The temptation was so strong, it was nearly irresistible, butshe was afraid. She looked at him helplessly. "I can't. I told you, there'stoo much—" Her voice was uneven as she struggled with tears. "Ican't!"
The next moment she wasgalloping wildly through the jungle back to the encampment.
Chapter20
There's something you have tosee," Kartauk said. He grabbed Margaret's wrist and pulled her down thehall toward the front entrance.
"Let me go." Shestruggled to release herself. "I have to get back to Ian. It's almost timefor his lunch."
"He's going to missit."
"Why should he haveto—" She fell silent as she saw the frightening grimness of Kartauk'sexpression.
He pulled her out on the frontveranda and pointed down the hill toward the seaport. "Look."
Fire.
The dock and warehousesbordering the sea below blazed in an inferno of destruction, sending blackcurls of smoke to darken the heavens.
"What is it?"Margaret whispered.
"I have an idea, but I'vesent Tamar to find out for sure." Kartauk strode quickly back to the door."You go to the servants' quarters and fetch the bearers and Ian's chair.I'll get Ian ready to travel."
"What's happening?"Margaret followed him. "You know how hard it is for Ian to travel."
"It will be harder on himto stay," Kartauk said. "If it's Abdar knocking at the gate."
"Abdar! But Ruel said weshould have another two months."
"It seems Abdar hasdecided not to honor tradition." He moved down the hall. "I've toldJock to saddle your horse and bring it around for you. Be sure to tell thebearers to put extra cushions on Ian's chair. It's going to be a rough journeyfor him down that incline to the canyon."
"Terrible. Couldn't wehide somewhere in the rain forest near the palace?"
Kartauk shook his head."They'd find us. We have to get to Ruel."
"But will the bearers bequick enough?"
"We have no choice. Wecan't get a coach down that narrow canyon trail. It's barely wide enough forthe tracks that Medford laid." He snapped over his shoulder."Move!"
She nodded and flew down thecorridor toward the servants' quarters.
Kartauk threw open the door toIan's chamber and found him in his chair by the window, staring down at blacksmoke rising from the seaport.
