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“My mother?” she asked.
“Ultimately, yes.”
“Ultimately?”
“Uncle Malik believed I needed assistance in my plan to woo you.”
“Let me guess, he had the queen compile a dossier.” There was nothing in Angele’s tone to indicate how she felt about that, one way or the other.
“Yes.”
She nodded, making no comment on the fact they had known each other their whole lives and a dossier of that type should not be necessary.
“You gave away the flowers I sent you?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Might I inquire why?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she had done with the jewelry, or the designer bags and shoes he’d had her mother pick out for her.
“Why did you send them?”
“You deserved a proper wooing after my years of neglect.”
“Duty then.”
He opened his mouth to deny it, but could he without dishonesty? Not completely. “Perhaps, to an extent. However, they were also a reminder that you were in my thoughts even separated by the miles.”
“Poetic.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I am a man of my culture.”
“You’re a pragmatist with a terrifying ability to gauge human nature and use your observations to best effect.”
“You do not believe me sincere?”
“I believe you were thinking of me, but we both know the reason for that, and it didn’t have a thing to do with some romantic longing to see me.”
“Define romance. Our last night together was not so forgettable.”
Her hand settled against her stomach and she frowned. “No, it really wasn’t.”
“That bothers you.”
She sighed, looking out the tinted windows at the traffic surrounding them. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I assure you, it does.”
“No, it really doesn’t.”
“I know you think—”
“Look, let’s just stop this politically motivated seduction, all right?” Despite her confident words—if possible, she looked even more fragile and out of sorts than before. “It’s a waste of both our time and your efforts.”
“You are so certain I cannot sway your mind?”
“You don’t need to. If you agree to certain conditions, I will marry you.”
CHAPTER SIX
