The Sheik and the Slave (37 page)

“
Sir,
you were about to tell us of the weather in your land,
”
she said, smiling at him.

Mohammed locked eyes with Katharine.

“
Yes,
Madame, I was.
”
Katharine looked at the three wide-eyed women sitting on the sofa opposite him,
who were absolutely enthralled.

“
Nothing
in London can compare with my land and its unique weather,
”
he began.

Katharine eyed him warily and thought he looked dreadfully
handsome. She had seen him in long white robes but he was completely at ease in
fashionable Western clothing as well.

His frockcoat and waistcoat were oyster-colored, with
intricate silver and yellow embroidery along the cuffs and covering the
waistcoat. His breeches were oyster-colored and his silk stockings white with
black shoes. As usual for him, his hair was clubbed but not powdered.

“
The
weather is hot, sometimes blisteringly so and sand covers my land,
”
he spoke.

“
Sand?
”
asked one wide-eyed
young woman with hazel eyes and black hair.

“
Yes,
Lady Violet. Like the sands you might see on the beach but more. Much more.
”

Lady Violet giggled and looked at her two friends.

But Mohammed could only see Katharine. She looked stunning
in her red dress, and the gold embroidery only brought out her hair and lush
skin. He watched her bite her lower lip on one side and it almost drove him
over the edge.

The red-haired lady leaned in again and almost brushed her breasts
against his arm.
“
And
the women? Are the women beautiful?
”
she asked.

“
Lady
Louise, no one holds a candle to the Englishwoman,
”
he said. Then, his lips brushed the back of
her hand. All four women laughed heartily and Katharine felt sick. He had a wife
and child at home and he was seducing more women? Good God, the man was
insatiable.

“
Are
you married, sir?
”
Katharine asked, causing all five people to look at her.

Mohammed turned away from Louise and looked at Katharine.

“
No.
I am not married, but I have loved one woman very deeply,
”
he said. His brown eyes
met hers.

Louise tsk-tsked with her tongue.

“
But
sir, that is most unfortunate. You did not marry this lady? She got away?
”

“
Yes.
She did,
”
he said as
he locked eyes with Katharine.

“
And
the men, sir? What are they like?
”
Violet asked him.

“
They
are men. Some good, some bad. All hope for a good wife and sons,
”
he said.

“
Then
they are no different from Englishmen,
”
sighed Violet, causing everyone else to laugh.

“
Excuse
me,
”
Katharine said,
and she used the moment to escape him.

She saw Sarah still engaged at card playing and went into
the other room to take some refreshments. The candles burned low in this
smaller room and there were no people about. The floors were waxed to a shine
and the table held food, with several chairs lining the walls. She took a plate
and placed a piece of chicken, some cheese and several raspberries on it. She
bit into the cheese and set her plate down on the edge of the table.

“
Katharine,
”
Mohammed said. He spoke
her name intimately and softly.

When she turned to face him, he spoke suddenly.

“
Why
do you grow more beautiful each time I see you?
”
He took a step toward her.
“
Why
do you smell of jasmine?
”

He saw her small plate of food and took a small raspberry in
his fingers, rubbing his fingers along the bumpy texture.

“
Allow
me,
”
he said.

He placed the small raspberry in her mouth, and as she
swallowed the tiny fruit, his thumb traced along her plump lower lip. She
closed her eyes not daring to meet those dark, sensuous ones.

He knew he shouldn
’
t
have done that but he was irritated by everything that was happening. He wanted
her as she had been in Arabia, warm and passionate.

Katharine swallowed the tiny fruit delicately and pulled her
eyes away from his gaze as she did.

“
Katharine,
”
he spoke softly. He
pulled her flush against him, his hands spanning her lower back and feeling the
whalebone corset. Her hands came up against to rest against his chest.

“
Katharine,
my love,
”
he spoke
in Arabic, and it caused goose pimples to break along her arms.

She wanted him to take her right there. She was a trollop, a
fool. How could she so easily forget what he had become? He was a husband, and
not hers.

“
Let
me take you away from here,
”
he whispered into her ear.
“
I
want to be with you. I want to feel you naked in my arms.
”

She heard his honeyed words and shivered. She wanted him
too, so badly. His mouth touched hers in a passionate kiss that was possessive
and bold. He knew what he wanted and knew she wanted him too. She could never
deny him for long and didn
’
t
want to. She could feel her body come alive as she felt his arms around her.

No. This isn
’
t
right,
she thought, and broke the kiss.

“
Please
don
’
t, Mohammed,
”
she said as she wiped
her lips with her three fingers.
“
Never
do that again.
”

“
You
seemed more than willing a moment ago,
”
he mocked her. She was playing the tease now, taunting him and then pulling
away. Then let her play her game. He knew how to win.

“
Willing
was never a problem. You always found a way to make me willing,
”
she said.

“
Make
you? Of course, princess. I forgot. I found a way to make you willing and then
when it didn
’
t work,
I raped you?
”

“
You
never raped me,
”
she
said as she blushed in the dark.

“
No.
But instead of allowing us to become what was natural, a man and a woman
together, you hid behind your words and said you would cry rape if it happened
again. Did you not?
”

She lowered her eyes.

“
I
did. But it was because in your land and realm, I was your property. I did not
want it like that. I didn
’
t
want to come to you as your harem girl.
”

“
How
did you want it?
”
he
asked. His words were so intimate as he stood so dark and handsome before her.

None of this matters,
Katharine thought wearily.

“
I
wanted to come willingly. I wanted to come because I wanted you.
”

Mohammed touched her cheek with the back of his hand.

“
Katharine,
what has changed, what has happened here?
”
he asked.

She shook her head, ignoring his question.

“
Why
did you lie to those women?
”
she asked.

“
The
women earlier? What lie did I tell?
”
he asked. His eyes were searching hers.

Katharine closed her eyes. That painful letter. It hurt
still to think of it and its contents. Safiya. Pregnant. Son. Married. The pain
was still there just beneath the surface, like a wound that had just recently
healed.

“
Please,
I need to leave,
”
she said, but he blocked her route.

“
Katharine,
I
’
m not going
anywhere,
”
he said.

“
Mohammed,
”
she said as she stared
at him incredulously,
“
I
don
’
t understand why
you are here. What can you possibly want from me?
”

“
The
same as before you were kidnapped. I want us to marry,
”
he said. He was confused by her reaction.
She wanted the marriage just as much as he did. At least she had before.

Katharine felt sick. It was as she thought. He wanted her to
be a second wife. She was expected to share her husband with another woman. It
was unthinkable. Disgusting!

“
Never.
I won
’
t do it.
”

Mohammed felt like he had been kicked. After all this time
and planning and fearing she was dead, hurt, or worse, here she was denying
what was between them to marry another man.

Suddenly he pulled her into him, but there was nothing soft
about him or his touch. He held her arms and she could do nothing but be pulled
into his hard frame.

“
I
would maybe be able to let you go, and walk away from the woman I love, if not
for one small detail.
”

Katharine felt his hands around her arms and dreaded his
next words.

“
What
detail?
”
she
whispered as she looked into his dark eyes.

His lips grazed her neck and she shuddered as he spoke
quietly into her ear.

“
Where
is our child, Katharine?
”
he asked.

Chapter
27

Sarah had stumbled upon Katharine in Mohammed
’
s arms and was shocked.
She had asked that they leave the party and was taken aback at her
sister-in-law
’
s
behavior.

Sarah shook her head.

“
I
don
’
t understand
you, Katharine. Do you want to be known as a flirt?
”
she asked.

Katharine looked away from her sister-in-law. Her heart was
in turmoil and she was struggling to clear her thoughts. What was going on
here? Why was Mohammed chasing her and touching her? He must surely know that
she would never become a second wife. Shouldn
’
t
he be with his wife and child? It made no sense.

“
Katharine,
I know you have been through much, but you must remember your station. I know
you have spent time with Thomas. How will this look to him?
”

Dear Thomas,
Katharine thought. This was unfair to
him. But she had never lied. She had been forthright and told him about her
impending marriage to Mohammed. But then, the letter had arrived.

She closed her eyes. This was all wrong. And now Mohammed
had finally asked the question she knew he would, about her precious son. He
had abandoned them and now he wanted to know about him.

She swore silently and felt frustrated tears behind her
eyes. Damn him!

***

Mohammed left the card party shortly after Katharine did.
There had been a buzz in the room about Katharine being discovered in his arms.
Several of the women had been jealous.

He was tired of London and its rules on every matter. He
wanted to discover what had happened to change Katharine
’
s mind so decisively about the marriage. He
returned to his room at The George and wrote to Lord Edward. He asked to be
received the next afternoon; he would send the letter first thing in the
morning. He had to uncover once and for all where he stood with Katharine. He
knew Lord Edward to be an honorable man as well as a loving father to
Katharine. But this was to be concluded tomorrow.

***

Abdullah prayed, touching his head to the mat. His illness
had dissipated and he was well mended. The English food heavy with meats and
bread had helped him gain strength.

He had remained at the inn where the captain had left him
and recovered well.

He thought it fitting that an English Infidel had helped him
improve so that he could now kill the witch. He knew that she was staying in
London with her family because he had followed her.

He would make his move soon, and prayed about it.

His large hands itched to encircle her throat and choke the
life from her body. He also kept his slender knife close by that had been used
to end the half-breed
’
s
life. It might be a more fitting end for the woman. He had come far and
forsaken everyone at home and in the palace so that he might end the life of
the one woman who would be the downfall of them all.

***

Lord Edward read the short letter with nothing short of
astonishment. He sent a reply in agreement to Mohammed and waited impatiently
to see what this man would have to say. He was truly baffled and contemplated
their past conversations.

He had sat in this very room when the younger man had asked
to settle a matter of the upmost importance. Mohammed had been firm yet cordial
as he had asked for Edward
’
s
forgiveness and agreed that he should have approached him long ago. He had
wanted to marry his daughter.

Edward had always known that it would take a unique man to
appreciate and accept Katharine
’
s
strength and intelligence. Her beauty had been admired by many, but she was a
special woman. He had been shocked when Mohammed approached him at first, but
he had accepted it all until the note came from Arabia. He had been stunned at
its contents and Katharine
’
s
betrayal had been fiercely felt.