Page 95 of Silver Angel

“And now that it has been made known that the instigators are dead and the money gone…”

“No one is going to risk his life without reward. I am as safe outside the palace as I am within,” Jamil finished.

“And I can go home.”

Jamil laughed at Derek’s sigh. “And here Omar assured me you had been having a wonderful time.”

“Only at certain times of the day,” Derek grunted. “I have learned firsthand how quickly boredom can set in for the balance.”

“And how is the skinny little blonde who relieved that boredom?”

“Not talking to me, actually, ever since she had that confrontation with Mara. She seems to think the whole thing was my—your—fault, for not sensing that Mara was seriously troubled by her abnormality.”

Jamil frowned. “I suppose I might have sensed it under normal circumstances, but the fact remains that the woman did everything possible to ensure that shewaspunished, by deliberately insulting me or disobeying me, and when that didn’t work, by attacking me. However, she was never whipped for long, nor even very hard, but when it was over, she was savage in her lovemaking. You saw this for yourself. And I suppose I came to expect it, and so summoned her whenever I had need for such violence, which was more and more often after the weeks of self-imposed confinement turned to months.”

“Your own frustration was abetting your assassination. A vicious little circle—ironic, to say the least.”

“It was ingenious. Suspicion would never have fallen on Mara. We had overlooked the harem entirely until Shahar overheard that conversation. Even then Mara didn’t come under suspicion.”

“I’m glad you’re putting credit where it’s due,” Derek replied. “You owe her a lot.”

“I am not denying that, Kasim. But I thought you would want to name the reward, considering she has been ‘our’ exclusive favorite all these weeks.” At Derek’s grimace, Jamil chuckled. “All the time I was gone, I thought you would be giving me the excuse I needed to weed out my harem.”

“Don’t give me that, brother. You were worried sick about it.”

“A little, perhaps. But I did hear that you found one of my favorites to your liking. Strange that it was only the Englishwoman who should attract you, and Jamila being the source of so much inquiry from the English consul.”

Derek grinned. Jamil had seen right through that one, so there was no point in delaying his request.

“You won’t mind letting her return to England with me, then, since you will be wanting to get rid of her anyway?”

“Your people would be pleased, I suppose?”

“They wouldn’t take it amiss.”

“Very well,” Jamil replied. “And your Shahar? Will you make the same request for her?”

“Actually, I don’t know what the hell I want for her.” At Jamil’s raised brow, he admitted, “I thought taking her to my bed would assure her a husband of her own when you returned. Englishwomen are particular about that, you know, having a man all to themselves.”

Jamil was surprised. “You mean you never intended asking for her freedom?”

“I think I deliberately didn’t consider it because I needed an excuse—”

Derek didn’t finish and Jamil smiled knowingly. “That she was a virgin was a problem, was it?”

Derek sighed. “A bloody big problem.”

“I was afraid her first meeting with me would have made things more difficult for you.”

“Oh, it did, but nothing I couldn’t get around. It just took longer. And…oh, who the hell am I kidding? Of course I want to take her out of here with me. It’s what she would want, and she deserves that for solving your little problem.” He didn’t add that the more he thought of it, the more he didn’t want to see her married to some other man.

“Then should I tell her, or do you want that privilege? Perhaps she will talk to you again after you give her the good news.”

Derek scowled, watching Jamil trying to hold back his amusement. “Actually, the longer I can get away without telling her the truth, the better. She can think she is sailing with you. She doesn’t have to know where.”

“But why?”

“For a few extra weeks of peace. The lady is going to raise holy hell when she learns I’m as English as she is, believe me. And it’s not going to be pleasant being confined with her on a ship once she realizes that I could have obtained her freedom without taking her to bed.”