And thenhe caught his breath. As she moved directly in front of him, a gust of wind caught her hat from behind and tipped it neatly forward off her head. She gave a little shriek of dismay and grabbed for it, but it was already tumbling across the trampled grass, directly into the path of the oncoming horses. Cade felt his body lurch involuntarily, before the thought had even formed in his mind. Shes so damned impulsive! My God, is she crazy enoughto go for it?
As if shed heard his thought or maybe sensed his forward lunge, she stopped herself abruptly and spun toward him, delightfully abashed, like a little girl teetering on the edge of the curb, preparing to earnestly swear, I wasnt really going to run out in the street, honest.
Perhaps loosened by that movement, her hair came out of its sedate coil, unwinding like a living creature, something sleek and sinuous awakening to vibrant life. As it tumbled down her back in a glorious black cascade, at that precise moment she locked eyes with Cade. Catching her lower lip between white teeth, she gave him a winsomely dimpled smile.
Recognition exploded in his brain even as desire thumped him in the groin. The double whammy caught him off guard. Breath gusted from his lungs as if hed taken an actual blow.
Dont even think about it.
Cade jerked toward the quiet voice, mouth open in automatic denial. One look at Elenas face told him protest was pointless, so instead he laughed and wryly shook his head. Let me guessone of the princesses, right?
She nodded. She was smiling, but her eyes were grave. Leilathe youngest. Im serious, Cade. If the sheik catches you laying so much as a finger on that girl, all bets are off. He watches her like a hawk.
Evidently not today, he murmured out the side of his mouth as the princess approached them, stepping gracefully up the slight incline into the shade of the ancient olive trees.
Holding out her hand to Elena and, for the moment, ignoring Cade completely, she cried out in obvious delight, Elenahello! And then, her expressive face scrunching with chagrin, You saw what happened? She had a charming accent, more pronounced than Hassansthe result, Cade surmised, of having had much less contact with westerners. The quality of her voice was low and musical but with a huskiness that caressed his auditory nerves like coarse-textured fur.
Oh, I did, Elena said with a moan of feminine commiseration. Im so sorry. It was such a beautiful hat.
The princess pursed her lips in a brief but charming pout, then smiled and gave a little shrug. Cest la vie.
She turned to Cade, finally, her eyes emerging from under thick sooty lashes like mischievous children peeking out from behind a curtain. Hello. I am Leila Kamal. The way she held her hand out made him wonder if she expected him to kiss it.
Which was probably why, out of pure contrariness, he did nothing of the sort, but instead took her hand in a good old Texas American-style handshake. A moment later he wondered if that had been a mistake as well. Her hand was smaller and at the same time firmer than hed expected. It left an impression on his senses of both strength and vulnerability, and he found himself holding on to it for a lot longer than was probably sane, while his mind filled with images and urges that had nothing whatsoever to do with sanity.
This is Cade, said Elena. Cade Gallaghermy friend and, uh, guardian.
Of course. Lashes lifted; eyes gazed at him, somehow both dark and bright, mysterious as moonlit pools. He had a sudden sensation of leaning slightly off balance, as if his internal gyrocompass had been knocked out of kilter. And also your brotherbut not really. The dimples flashed. For that I am glad, because if you were truly Elenas brother, and she is now my sister, then you would be my brother, as well. Her laugh was low, a delightful ripple, like water tumbling over pebbles. And I most certainly do not need any more brothers. Two is quite enough!
Cade found himself floundering in unfamiliar territory, at least when dealing with a beautiful woman. Not that he considered himself suavefar from itbut hed never found himself utterly at a loss for words before, either. At least, not since about seventh grade. He was muttering something unintelligible when a discreet cough from Elena reminded him that he was still holding the princesss hand. He released itlaughedand felt as awkward and abashed as the twelve-year-old Cade he painfully remembered.
Are you enjoying the game, Mr. Gallagher? Exciting, is it not? Especially since Tamir is winning. Her eyes held a gleeful sparkle.
He wondered suddenly if the reason he felt so young was simply because she was, and the thought helped restore him to sanity. That, and a calming sip of his cheroot. I am, very much, he drawled, gazing over her head to where the action was taking place now, at the far end of the field. Especially the horses. That gray stallion of Rashids
Oh, but they are all Rashids ponies. He raises them, you know, on one of the other islands. Sirajit is just south of Tamir. Perhaps you would like
Cade raises horses, too, Elena interrupted. Arabians. Really? But that is wonderful! In her eagerness and enthusiasm she seemed almost weightless, like a bird, he thoughta blackbird one sudden motion away from taking flight. How I wish that I could see your horses, Mr. Gallagher.
Maybe someday you will, Cade murmured, and felt a strange little shiver go through himsome sort of primitive warning. He coughed, glanced at Elena and gruffly added, When you come to Texas to visit your brother.
And he watched the light go out of the girls eyes as if someone had thrown a switch, shutting off all circuits. Her lashes came down and her smile faded. Her body grew still.
Yes, she said softly. Perhaps She turned away, one hand going to her forehead. OhI see the play has been stopped. Someone has fallen off. I think now it is safe to get my hat. Please, excuse me
Maybe it was because shed looked so sadCade had no other rational explanation for doing what he did. He shot out a hand and caught her by the arm. The feel of her flesh beneath the silk fabric of her blouse sent impulses tingling along the nerves in his fingers as he gruffly said, HereIll get it.
With that, he strode past her down the slope, stepped over the low barrier and scooped what was left of the hat out of the trampled grass. Grimly ignoring the smattering of applause from nearby spectators, he whacked the hat once against his thigh, then retraced his steps to where Elena and the princess were waiting for him under the trees.
There you go, he said as he handed the hat over to its owner. For what its worth. Looks in pretty bad shape.
It is only a hat, Leila said, smiling but without a trace of the sparkle that had lit her eyes before. Cade was conscious of a vague disappointment. It was like watching the sun set without colors. It is not important. But it was very kind of you to retrieve it for me. Thank you.
Well She looked quickly, almost guiltily, around. I must go now. Someone will be looking for me. Elena, I am so glad to have had a chance to see and talk to you. And Mr. Gallagher, it was very nice meeting you. Thank yougoodbye. Cade watched her disappear into the crowd like a doe in dense forest.
Cade, Elena said in a warning tone, I mean itshes absolutely off-limits. He pulled his gaze back to her, covering the effort it cost him with a snort and a wry smile. Hey, shes too young for me. Besides, he added after a moments contemplation of the end of his cigar, shes not really my type.
Elena gave a derisive hootnot very ladylike, but pure Texas. Oh, yeah, I know all about your type. Whatever happened to that Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, by the way?
She was a nice girl, Cade said with a small, reminiscent smile. Wewanted different things, is all. She was thinkin in terms of wedding bells and baby carriages, while I
I know what you were thinkin about, Elena said dryly. The same thing youre thinking right now, which is absolutely out of the question. You promise me, Cade
Laughing, he held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. Heyyouve got nothing to worry about. Like I said earlier, and like I told your friend Kitty last nightwhere is she, by the way? Havent seen her around this morning. He looked around furtively, half expecting to see a fuzzy brown head bobbing through the crowd, to hear that gawdawful, Yoo-hoo!
Elena grinned. I think maybe she overdid a bit on the rich food last night. She was planning on taking it easy this morning, getting all rested up for this evenings festivities.
Cade made a sound somewhere between a groan and a sigh.
Leila ran across the courtyard, the patterned tiles smooth and warm under her bare feet. She had taken her boots off in her chambers, but had found it impossible to stay there. She felt too stirred, too restless to stay indoorswhich admittedly was not an uncommon way for Leila to feel.
But this was different. Today the pounding of her heartbeat was only an echo of the thunder of horses hoofbeats. The breeze from the sea tugged gently at her hair, but she longed to feel it whipping in the wind as she raced wild and abandoned across fields without boundaries. Today, every flower and tree and shrub in the gardens, every fountain and vine-draped arch and pillar, seemed like the bars of a prison to her. A very beautiful prison, it was true, but a prison nonetheless.
And something else. Today as she ran, she thought of the way a garden feels when it rainsa contradiction of freshness and excitement and anticipation, but also a bit of gloom and sadness, a yearning for the suns familiar warmth. And all of her insides seemed to quiver like the leaves of flowers and shrubs and trees when the raindrops hit them.
The palace gardens were vast, and Leila knew every inch of them, including hidden nooks and bowers where she occasionally sought refuge from turbulent thoughts like these. Today, though, it wasnt refuge she wanted. After this morning, she very much needed to confront those disturbing thoughts, face them head-on, and then, if at all possible, decide what she was going to do about them. For this she had chosen a spot she was almost certain would be empty at that hourthe private terrace adjacent to the familys quarters where she sometimes took breakfast with her sisters, or her mother and her mothers faithful servant, Salma, who had once been Leilas nanny. The terrace faced northeast and overlooked the sea. Now, approaching midday, it would be shaded, with a nice breeze from the sea to cool her burning cheeks while the gentle trickle of the fountain and the heady scent of roses would, she desperately hoped, help to calm her fevered thoughts.
Never had Leila so desired to be alone with those thoughts! Oh, such humiliating, embarrassing thoughts. And so she was dismayed to find, as she plunged headlong through the arched portal that was the garden entrance to her retreat, that someone was there before her.
Worse, a stranger. A woman with drab brown hairrather frizzywas sitting in a chair beside the fountain, reading a paperback book.
Leilas headlong plunge had already taken her several steps onto the terrace before she realized it was already occupied. She lurched to a halt, arms flung wide, body tilted forward, and uttered a soft, disappointed, Oh!
The woman quickly set aside her book, a romantic novel, by the looks of the cover. She smiled, and Leila recognized her thenthe woman who had been talking with Cade Gallagher during the banquet the night before. She felt a jolt of excitement, then an alarming twinge of jealousy. But it was fleeting. The woman wasnt very pretty, and besides, Leila told herself with a mental sniff, shes old. At least forty.
Im sorry, the woman said, and Leila noticed that she had an accent just like Elenas. Gee, I hope Im not where I shouldnt be. I was looking for someplace cool and quiet, andwell, the roses just smelled so good.
No, no, it is quite all right. Leila had been raised to be polite to her elders. She advanced, hand outstretched. I am Leila Kamal. Pleasedo not get up.
In spite of Leilas assurance, the woman half rose and at the same time managed to execute an awkward sort of curtsey. Im Kitty. And oddly, it was she who sounded out of breath, though it was Leila who had been running. Elenas friend.
Yes, I saw you last night at the banquet. You were talking with Mr. Gallagher. Leila spoke slowly, absently. An idea was beginning to take shape in her head.
Thats right! Kitty looked pleased, perhaps flattered that Leila had noticed her. Then her pleasure changed to concern. My, but you look warm. Would you like something cold to drink? Theres a lot more here than Ill ever need. She indicated a water-beaded pitcher and several glasses sitting on a tray on the glass-topped table an arms length away. Its some kind of fruit juice, I thinkgot a little bit of a bite to it. Its not quite up to sweet tea, but its pretty good.
Thank you, Leila said with an absent sigh, then gave the plain woman a friendly smile. I have been watching the polo match. You do not care for polo?
She sat down in a chair beside the table and only then realized she was still holding what was left of her hat. She glanced at it, frowning.
Well, you know, its not really my sport. Im more a Dallas Cowboys fan, Kitty began apologetically, then gave a gasp of dismay as she, too, noticed Leilas hat. Oh, my goodness, what in the world happened? Thats a real shame.
Leila shrugged and placed it on the tabletop. The wind blew it onto the field and the horses trampled it, she explained matter-of-factly as she poured herself a glass of the blend of pomegranate and grape juices. She sipped, and found it nicely chilled and just slightly fermented. She lowered her lashes, veiling her eyes, and casually added, Elenas friendMr. Gallaghergot it back for me.
Kitty chuckled and rolled her eyes. Oh yeah, that sounds like something Cade would do.
Leila flashed her a look of what she hoped was only polite interest. You know this Mr. GallagherCadevery well?
Not real well, nomostly through Elena. But then Kitty gave a little smile and sort of waggled her shoulders as she settled back in her chair, reminding Leila so much of her favorite source of gossip, Nargis, that she almost laughed out loud. He is a good-lookin man, though, isnt he?
He is handsome, Leila said in a considering tone, then made a brushing-aside gesture with her hand as she picked up her glass. But surely such a handsome man must be married.