Brittany, said Julia with a sigh, the hope going out of her eyes.
Never mind Brittany. Im Lord Harrison William-
Arthur Beaumont-Rochester, Baron Welsmeire, she finished for him.
Its not a curse, he told her. But it is an obligation.
I understand, said Julia. Forget about it.
Ahmed compressed his lips, and Harrison could feel the mans disapproval.
The decision is not mine alone, he tried to explain. Divorce was strongly frowned upon by the royal family and the Church. Harrison could taint his marriage to Brittany, their future children, perhaps even his familys title.
I said to forget about it, Julia repeated. Well find another way.
He opened his mouth to argue again, but then he caught her expression. She wasnt angry or upset. She was genuinely letting him off the hook.
He gave a nod. Ruwais, he said.
Suicide, Ahmed muttered under his breath.
Harrison glared at him.
Packing up the Jeep for the run to Ruwais, Julia fought hard to keep her fear at bay. Ahmed must have been exaggerating the danger. Otherwise, Harrison wouldnt be willing to drive her across the desert.
She understood Harrisons position. He had to get married in St. Pauls Cathedral amidst the pomp and circumstance expected of a man of his station. He owed it to Brittany, and he owed it to his family. His behavior had been nothing short of heroic in this, and it was unfair of her to expect more.
The rich lived by a different code of conduct, and she had to accept that reality.
She squelched her disappointment and promised herself everything would be okay. Theyd take back roads across the desert. They had plenty of fuel, plenty of water, and food to sustain them on the journey.
They wouldnt have to stop in any towns, so the odds of anyone recognizing them were practically nil. The odds of Muwaffaq running into them on the road again were similarly small. There was no point in ruining Harrisons life when there was another perfectly good option.
He could drop her in Qatar, and shed make her own way to London. From there, it was a simple flight to any number of cities on the eastern seaboard. Shed be fine.
They got in either side and buckled up. Theyd conserve fuel by forgoing the air-conditioning once again. But this time, Julia had light cotton clothes. Shed also brought along a translucent head scarf in case they came across any travelers. Shed draw less attention to herself if her head was covered, and it would help camouflage the fact that she was a Westerner.
The Jeep was packed tight with the supplies theyd need. They also had two spare tires, extra belts and a small tool kit.
Harrison turned the key and started the Jeep.
Julia tightened her ponytail and stared determinedly down the dusty road. Ahmed had described the route to them. It was pretty much due south, though theyd have to eventually veer east. But theyd wait until they were well clear of Abu Dhabi to avoid the increase in traffic around the capital city.
Julia waited for the Jeep to move.
She waited.
She glanced over at Harrison.
His jaw was clenched, and he was staring at some unseen point on the horizon.
She squinted ahead.
He shut off the Jeep.
Whats wrong? she asked.
He twisted in the bucket seat, crooking his knee around the gearshift. If we do this
If? Werent they about to leave? Like, right this minute?
You cant tell a soul.
Okay, she said slowly. Was he worried about the consequences of transporting a fugitive?
I mean it. When I get married next year in London, our divorce is between me, you and God.
Divorce?
And we do it as soon as possible. He pulled the key from the ignition and reached for the door handle.
Wait! She grabbed his arm.
What?
Are you saying you changed your mind? Was he offering to marry her?
Yes.
What about Brittany? All that stuff about your family name and obligations?
Im not about to kill you to protect my family name.
But you cant be-
What good is protecting my family name, he continued as if she hadnt even spoken, if doing so costs me my family honor?
You dont have to do this, Harrison.
It was a grand gesture. It was an amazing gesture. But the odds of success were with them. They could drive through the desert and accomplish exactly the same thing, without screwing up his life.
Yes, I do, he said.
No, you-
Yes. His tone was implacable. Ahmed is right. I marry you, and youre home free.
But youre not.
Ill manage.
Harrison.
I said I would manage.
I wont let you do this.
His dark eyes became uncompromising. Youre in the Middle East, Julia. A willing bride is not a prerequisite to a successful wedding.
She felt her spine stiffen. You wouldnt.
He opened the door to the Jeep. Watch me.
Chapter Twelve
Curled up in a corner of her Emirates Palace hotel room in Abu Dhabi, Brittany watched the early-morning waves roll in on the white sand beach of the peninsula. There was a storm brewing out there somewhere, because the wind whipped the palm fronds, and white foam sparkled under the rising sun.
As they had the past two nights, Alex and Brittany had checked into one hotel with Harrisons credit card, then stayed in a second one using cash. There was no way to know if the police were still following them, but theyd try to give Harrison a few more days to get Julia out of the country before they returned to Cadair.
After that, well, it was back to normal life.
Brittany was experiencing increasingly conflicted emotions about that. She wanted Harrison to propose-what woman wouldnt? But there was something about Alex, something she had to deal with, something that called to her on an untamed, sensual level.
Theyd danced the night away at the Emirates Palace club last night. And, for what was probably the first time in her life, shed been completely uninhibited on the dance floor. In London, and on official trips with her family, there was always the danger of reporters snapping a picture and writing an unflattering story.
But, last night, in a crowded club, deep in Abu Dhabi, with an anonymous, American lawyer, shed known the dancing was only about the moment. And it had been brilliant.
A soft knock came at her door, and she rose in the white, embroidered robe. It had been less than ten minutes since shed called room service for coffee and pastries-just another example of the hotels impeccable service.
But when she opened the door, it was Alex, looking sexy and casual in a white, mandarin-collared shirt and lightweight black slacks.
I didnt want to call and wake you, he said.
Coffees on the way. She stood back to let him in.
You feeling okay this morning?
It had been 3:00 a.m. before theyd called it quits last night. A combination of adrenaline, tropical cocktails and, in her case, runaway hormones had kept them lively through the late night. Theyd finally ended with a jazzy waltz beneath the lighted palm trees by the hotels west pool, where, for a second, shed thought Alex was going to kiss her.
But he didnt.
Im fine, she told him now. And she was. Her short sleep had been deep and satisfying.
He smiled down at her as he entered the hallway, voice going low. Have a good time last night?
I did.
Different than your regular balls?
A little, she allowed, as the door swung shut behind him.
He waited for her to move, then followed her through the entryway to the cozy set of ice-blue chairs clustered around the wide, arched window.
She sat down, arranging the delicate robe around her legs, half tempted to let it fall open.
Was he attracted to her? Hed seen her in a bikini yesterday and in a slim, little black party dress last night. Fundamentally, hed behaved like a gentleman throughout. But, every once in a while, she thought she caught a flare of heat in his eyes.
Shed caught more than a few unaccustomed flares of heat in her own body. Alex was an incredibly attractive man, one of those men who looked better and better as you got to know them and they let you see their range of intelligence and emotion. He was also very different from the men shed met in her past.
Sometime last night, shed realized the difference was that he didnt care about impressing her. After a lifetime of fawning gentlemen, there was something exciting about the one who did whatever the heck he wanted, whether she approved or not. Which, in a strange way, gave her permission to do the same thing.
So she let the robe fall open, showing off most of her right leg. Then she curled her feet beneath her on the wide, soft chair, not even caring that the position nearly exposed her bare hip. There was something exhilarating about the pose, and something even more exhilarating about Alexs avid gaze.
So she let the robe fall open, showing off most of her right leg. Then she curled her feet beneath her on the wide, soft chair, not even caring that the position nearly exposed her bare hip. There was something exhilarating about the pose, and something even more exhilarating about Alexs avid gaze.
He stared at the smooth, softly tanned leg. You know, he began in a quiet voice, you are not what Harrison thinks you are.
Okay, shed bite. What does Harrison think I am?
Alexs attention moved to her eyes. Some decorative appendage without a mind of her own. He sat forward in his chair, taking in the complete length of her body. You, sweetheart, definitely have a mind of your own.
And thats a bad thing? She shifted, and the robe inched up.
He reached across the space between them. Then he traced his fingertip from her midthigh, over her knee and down her calf.
Her muscles contracted and her breath caught.
This work often? he asked mildly, lifting his finger from her ankle.
She wasnt exactly sure what he meant.
He looked into her eyes. For getting men into your bed.
Ive never had a man in my bed.
The second the words were out, she realized what shed admitted.
Alex squinted. Then he rocked back. Come again?
She didnt know what to say.
Brittany?
Too much information?
How old are you?
Her embarrassment quickly turned to annoyance. It was hardly a crime to be a virgin. Im twenty-five.
Yet, youve never He lifted his hands in a gesture of confusion. Youre stunning as sin. You practically killed me on the dance floor last night. And that bikini would get you on the cover of any magazine in the world. How on earth
What? She was supposed to take every offer that came her way?
There are two kinds of men in my life, she told him bluntly. The kind that are afraid of my father, and the kind that would run to the tabloids. Who was I supposed to sleep with? Tell me?