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In Jaul’s magnetic presence those reactions came as naturally as breathing to her. Her carefully constructed barrier of scorn was already being burned off by the pool of heat spreading like liquid honey at the heart of her. It was desire, the very same lust she had mentally slated Jaul for, and it was a terrifyingly strong hunger, she acknowledged grudgingly, and unfortunately not a stimulus that died down at her bidding. If she didn’t watch out and stay on her guard, he would hook her in again like a stupid fish.
But why on earth did she feel so cringe-makingly needy? She had lived perfectly well without sex until Jaul came back into her life and now it was as though he had lit a fire inside her that she couldn’t put out. That burning hunger unsettled her and flung her back in time to the days when just being near Jaul had swept her up to an adrenaline-charged high where desire and emotion combined in an intoxicating rush. And no way was she planning to let herself sink back to that level, she swore inwardly.
By the time the jet was circling and getting ready to land, Chrissie’s tension was on a high. She was apprehensive about the new life ahead of her in Marwan. Naturally she was. A different culture, a language she didn’t speak and suddenly she was royal, an actual queen? Of course she was nervous about the mistakes she would undoubtedly make.
Furthermore in her head where it mattered she still saw herself as a Yorkshire farmer’s daughter, born in poverty and raised by a troubled mother. She had made it to university and trained as a teacher but it had never once crossed her mind that one day she would be the wife of a king. Even when she had married Jaul she had failed to look ahead to that future because it had seemed so far away and unreal. She had not been aware at the time that, although seemingly in the best of health and looking much younger than his years, King Lut had already been in his seventies. The older man had suffered a massive heart attack and had died without the smallest warning.
‘I should tell you that within Marwan the news of our marriage has been received very positively,’ Jaul informed her soothingly as the jet engines whined into a turn. ‘The palace has been flooded with congratulations, bouquets and gifts for our children.’
Chrissie was pleasantly surprised. ‘But surely your people think it’s very odd that it took until now for you to admit that you are married?’
‘My father’s prejudices against Western women and his rages were legendary and people have proved to be remarkably understanding of my reticence,’ Jaul confided wryly.
Jane, their new nanny, joined them with the stewardess, the twins clad in white broderie anglaise playsuits for their first public airing. Silence fell as everyone buckled up. Chrissie breathed in slow and deep and resolved to make the best of her new future. A future from which she excluded all thought of Jaul. She didn’t have to stay married to him for ever, she reminded herself doggedly. Once they were able to separate, she wouldn’t even need to live below the same roof with him, she reflected, studying his bold bronzed profile and wondering why that particular thought was signally failing to lift her spirits.
When it was time to disembark, Jaul lifted Tarif out of Jane’s arms. ‘I want to show him off.’
‘But you wouldn’t let anyone photograph the twins in London,’ Chrissie remarked in surprise.
‘That was London. This is Marwan. Our people have the right to see this little boy in the flesh first,’ he decreed without hesitation. ‘He is my heir and one day he will be King.’
They disembarked and the line of people waiting to greet them outside began to move closer. Jaul’s bodyguards fanned round them lest a crush develop. Somewhere a military brass band was playing and Chrissie was disconcerted to see television cameras set up below the bright blue sky. The heat was intense and it was much hotter than Chrissie had innocently expected it to be. The advance party of VIPs engaged Jaul in conversation and a smiling older woman approached Chrissie, bobbed a curtsy and told her in excellent English that Soraya was adorable. Cameras were clicking and flashing all around them and Chrissie found it stressful to keep on talking and smiling as though nothing were happening. Painfully slowly the royal party and the interested crowd surrounding them made their way into the airport building, which was mercifully air-conditioned.
