AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As he lingered over the description of each dish, enjoying watching her listen with absolute attention, her eyes darted between the dishes. He noticed her tongue lick her lips a few times, causing him to stop talking and inhale sharply.
“Please help yourself,” he said, sitting back to sip his drink.
She didn’t need asking twice.
“So,” he said, after giving her time to enjoy a few mouthfuls, “is there anything you’d like to know about Sirun which I can help you with?”
She helped herself to another scoop of vegetables, as if to give herself time to think.
“There’s so much I’d like to know. How people live, what life is like here.”
He was interested that she didn’t talk about her family. Maybe she had some idea about what had happened to her parents. He hoped it was only a vague notion. For now, at least. “I suspect life in Sirun is more similar than you would imagine.”
As she ate, he described life in Sirun, all the while watching her appreciation of the traditional food she ate, and admiring her beauty. Fine-boned with delicate fingers, she had the same graceful features of her countrywomen. Which, at some point, she would discover. But not yet. Not until the real world descended on them both, and there was at least one whole night before that happened.
“But I’ve been talking too much,” he said, hoping his conversation would have sufficiently disguised the questions he now wanted to ask her. “Please, tell me about yourself.” A wariness entered her eyes immediately. He smiled reassuringly. “It must have been difficult for you, being brought up by your grandfather—a man from a very different culture to that of England.”
She lowered her eyes and played with her fingernails as if uncertain. When she looked up again he could see the pain in her eyes and, instead, it filled him with doubt. How could he use this woman’s vulnerability?
“Yes, it was. Not least because he told me so little about my heritage, and the little he told me was only months before he died.” She heaved a sigh. “I know nothing about the people from whom I come. Apart from my grandfather, the only people from Sirun I’ve met are the tour guide, the kids who stole my backpack, and you.”
“I’m truly sorry that you have had such a rough introduction. Especially to be the victim of a crime. Unfortunately, my country is not as wealthy as many of its neighbors and lack of money and possessions makes people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. Like the children in the nearby village.”
Sarah placed her utensils on the plate, as if she’d suddenly lost her appetite. “You said you thought you knew how to get them back.”
He nodded. “Yes, I have a good idea which village they’d have come from. As soon as the storm has blown over, we can find them.”
“Oh,” she said, the relief obvious, “that would be wonderful. Goodness knows how long it would take to get another passport and I have no money, no ID, nothing.” She swept her arms wide to emphasize the lack. Then rested her elbows on the table and her chin on the joined hands. She looked directly at him and inthat moment his stomach clenched with a desire which he hadn’t felt in years. He wanted her. All he had to do was to get her to drop her guard and allow him to have her. It would certainly be novel. He hadn’t had to work at seducing anyone, ever.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure we will find them. And if we don’t, I have contacts in the city who will help you expedite things.”
She nodded. “You’ve been so kind.” She looked thoughtful for a few moments, as if wondering whether to ask what was on her mind.
“What is it?” he asked. “You look as if you want to ask me something.”
She gave an embarrassed half laugh and wrung her hands lightly before placing them on the table in front of her. “I guess I’m just curious…”
“About?”
“You.” She wrinkled her brow. “What is someone like you doing here, in the middle of the desert, caretaking a castle?”
He raised an eyebrow, wondering how he could stall her. “Someone like me? How do you mean?”
“Someone obviously educated, fluent in English, which isn’t your first language.” She huffed a slight laugh. “You sound as if you’ve just left Eton. I’d have thought you’d be working for your country in the city, rather than, you know, out here.”
He shifted, uncomfortable at how accurate her observation was. He decided honesty, or something approximating it, was his best policy. “You’re absolutely right. I live and work in the city. I’m just here for”—he gave an airy wave as his brain scrambled for an explanation which wouldn’t give away his true role in his country—“the hunting.”
“And the owners allow that?”
“Yes.” He was about to elaborate, but thought better of it. The less he said, the shallower the hole he’d dig himself.
She considered for a moment, then her face lightened and she nodded. “I guess they run it as a kind of Air BnB.”
He spluttered and tried to cover it up by offering her another glass of the wine she’d agreed to taste.
She placed her hand over the glass. “No more for me, thanks. It’s stronger than it looks.”
And he did suddenly see that her eyes were warmer than before, that the guard had dropped. If he weren’t a gentleman, he’d take advantage of the fact. But he was. Wasn’t he?
