Her desert knight(21)

She bristled. Was he trying to say her father wasn't a man of honor? He  wasn't the warmest person in the world, but he'd worked hard to provide  an excellent life for his family. Right now she felt guilty at not  always appreciating the sacrifices that must have involved. "I confess I  don't know much about the matter except that my father feels very  strongly about it."                       
       
           



       

She glanced at Quasar, wondering what he was thinking. It was quite  rude of his brother to bring the matter up. Was he hoping she could  convince her father to drop the suit?

"Hardly anyone in Oman could read or write before 1970." Quasar  shrugged. "We were still living in much the same way we had in the  Middle Ages. Sultan Qaboos started a slow revolution that has created an  educated populace and modern infrastructure, but kept the heart of our  traditions. I'm pretty sure he would think a handshake contract is  binding."

"Why don't you ask him next time you're riding one of his spectacular  cavalry horses?" Elan sipped his coffee. "Quasar became buddies with him  a few years ago when he sold him a little gray mare he'd trained for  tent-pegging. They go riding together around his estate."

"I doubt he'd be interested in a piece of empty coastline. He likes to  talk about emerging technologies. I swear I thought he was going to buy  that networking software company I sold three years ago."

Dani was speechless. Quasar rode with Sultan Qaboos? She'd seen the  sultan in parades and he always seemed like a figure from an ancient  myth, not someone you could have a ride and a chat with. More proof that  Quasar lived in an elevated realm far above hers.

"Of course the original contract is binding," murmured Salim. "Money  changed hands. That in itself is a contract. And although it appears a  small sum now it was quite reasonable at the time. It's provoking that  this lawsuit is clouding the title when I'm now ready to develop the  property."

Dani frowned. Her father's lawsuit was actually preventing the Al  Mansurs from going ahead with their plans? A cold shiver ran through  her. Was it possible that Quasar had actually brought her here with the  ulterior motive of putting pressure on her to get her father to abandon  his suit?

Maybe all along he knew who she was and he'd approached her with the  explicit aim of winning over her father. That would explain why he came  to the house to press his claim on her, even when she'd asked him not  to. Her croissant stuck in her throat and she tried hard not to search  their faces. Were they all in on some conspiracy against her family?

"Why can't you pay Mr. Hassan enough money to buy his good graces?"  Quasar suggested brightly, as if the idea had just occurred to him.

"Don't think I haven't thought of it." Salim sighed. "But I find in  business that when you offer an olive branch like that it can be turned  against you as proof that your original claim on the property wasn't  valid. It's usually better to hold one's course until the storm is  over."

Celia caught Dani's eye and shrugged. She looked embarrassed. At least  someone was. She couldn't believe they were discussing this right in  front of her as if she weren't there. Unless it was part of some plot.  Why hadn't Quasar intervened to stop the conversation?

"Are you hoping I can convince him to drop the suit?" She finally spoke  up. It was either that or run from the room, and since she'd resolved  to take control of her life, speaking up was better.

"Of course not." Quasar looked shocked. "I'm sorry it's even come up.  Salim, you're making my guest uncomfortable. I brought her here to meet  you all and get to know you and you're stirring up some family feud that  has nothing to do with her. I'm so sorry." He looked so genuinely  contrite that she almost forgot her ideas that this visit was part of a  scheme to end the land dispute.

Almost.

"That's okay. As I said, it has nothing to do with me. I wish my father  would drop his lawsuit but I really don't have any influence over him  in the matter."

The children had grown restless during the boring adult discussion and  were now chasing each other around the table. "I think it's time to hit  the beach," said Sara. "I'll grab the towels and sunblock if someone  else could bring the sand toys."

"I'm on it," said Elan.

"I'll herd the children," said Salim, with an indulgent smile at them.  And just like that they were all headed for the beach. Dani wasn't sure  whether she liked being bundled so easily into the family group. Her  nerves jumped when Quasar touched her a couple of times as they walked  along the elegant allée of date palms that led to the beach. Part of her  was excited and flattered to be here, and the rest was terrified that  she was in way over her head.

They spent about two hours building a magnificent kneeling camel out of  sand, kept damp by an elaborate network of canals hand-dug by Elan and  his son, Ben. When the camel was done, it was solid enough for the  children to climb carefully onto its back and "ride."                       
       
           



       

No further mention was made of her father and his land claim. In fact  the conversation centered around education and the dilemmas that the Al  Mansur parents were facing regarding the benefits of homeschooling their  children so they could travel freely, versus letting them enjoy the  social environment of a real school. Both families had decided to travel  and homeschool while the children were younger, then worry about where  to settle so the kids could enjoy more stable social lives once they  were in their teens.

It was refreshing to hear people who thought nothing of living part of  their lives in the States and part in Oman. When she'd moved to New  Jersey for college her Omani friends had been appalled and swore that  she'd never come back. You'd have thought she'd decided to colonize deep  space. When she met her husband and settled there, with her father's  stern disapproval, she did indeed wonder if she'd ever see Oman and her  brothers again. It had taken a lot of courage and humility to come back,  and at the time, her departure from the States had seemed final and  permanent.

Now she wondered if in fact she could make a life that involved both  places. Her expertise seemed to lend itself to that, if she could just  find the right niche. She felt invigorated and excited about her future  by the time Quasar pointed out that it was time for her to go home.

She was forced to admit, on the drive back, that Quasar's family was  both warm and welcoming and that she'd actually enjoyed herself. She'd  almost forgotten her fears that they'd brought her there to convince her  to win her father over.

Until Quasar brought up the subject. "How much do you think your father would take to drop his claim on the land?"

"Are you serious?" Her worst fears flared up again.

"Why not? It would solve a lot of problems. He might even start to like  me if I can resolve this issue that's been nagging at him for decades."

She snuck a sideways glance at him. Was he interested in her because  she could help him solve the land problem, or was he interested in the  land problem because it could help him win her?

It was too confusing for her to tackle. "I don't think he'd take money at this point. I think he wants the land back."

"What would he do with it?"

"Sell it on the open market, I suppose. But there's no way to know what  it's truly worth until he does that. He says the location is so prime  there would be multiple offers for it."

"Salalah has a lot of empty coastline."

Suspicion flickered inside her. "Not in the middle of town."

"You'd be surprised. It may not be worth as much as he thinks."

Her throat tightened. "I have no idea what it's worth and I don't want  to get involved." She wanted to get home and away from Quasar before he  charmed her into anything else.

"What about one million dollars? American money."

Now she was really getting upset. "I don't know. It's not my land.  You'd have to ask him." If this were the real reason for his visit last  night it would explain why he didn't care if she wanted him to meet her  father or not.

"He says he won't negotiate with an Al Mansur."

"Then you have your answer." She checked her watch. It was nearly  three-thirty and to be safe she needed to be home by four. Her youngest  brother often got home from school around that time. Luckily they were  already in her neighborhood.

Quasar sighed. "I wish I could convince my brother to just give him the  land. Now that you've met Salim you can see that Salalah would have to  freeze over before that happened."