Date with a Surgeon Prince(44)

Hari left them, no doubt to drive the limo back to the city, and Fawzi drove—carefully for one so young, Marni thought—across the desert, up and over sand dune after sand dune, reinforcing—as if she’d needed it—the desolation of the endless shifting sands.

Tasnim was asleep again and Marni dozed, aware there was no point in watching where they were going because it all looked exactly the same. Finally, he pulled up beside what looked like a small thatched cottage, half-buried in the sand.

‘We are here. There is food and water, a little camping stove, beds and bedding. You will stay there. We will be watching you, though you may not see us. Just remember if you venture out into the desert, you will surely die.’

Marni didn’t argue. Tired, confused and still angry with Ghazi over his ‘Why didn’t you tell me’ question, still hurt by it, she was beginning to think a comfortable prison cell might not be such a bad idea.

With Fawzi’s help she got the still sleepy Tasnim out of the vehicle and into the little shelter, lit by two small gas lanterns that threw dark shadows into the corners of the room.

She could see a couple of mattresses against one wall, a pile of bedding in a corner, a table, where one lantern and a small gas stove, some plates and cups and a kettle stood, and a set of shelves packed with what was probably tinned food—the second lantern on the top of them.

‘Lie down on that mattress,’ she told Tasnim. ‘I’ll make you some mint tea. Assuming there is mint available for tea?’

She’d turned to Fawzi, hovering in the doorway, to ask the last question and a more hesitant or unhappy kidnapper she could not imagine.

‘Of course,’ he said abruptly, before walking out into the darkness. She heard the engine of his vehicle starting up then the noise gradually died away.

Tasnim was lying on the mattress, shivering in the night-cold desert air. Marni found a warm duvet and tucked it around the pregnant woman, thinking, as she did so, of her far-off obstetrics training.

How much did she remember?

‘I’ll get some tea,’ she said. ‘There might be biscuits. I’ll have a look. We’re quite safe here,’ she added, reassuring both herself and Tasnim. ‘And as soon as Ghazi realises we’re missing, he’ll find us.’

Given what had happened, she actually wasn’t sure about that statement and had said it to reassure Tasnim.

It must have worked for Tasnim nodded and snuggled into the bedding. Satisfied that she was all right for the moment, Marni stood up to explore their temporary home. Water first, to boil for tea. Four large plastic containers of it suggested their kidnappers thought they might be here for a while. Fortunately, as she doubted she could lift a full container, she found a tap at the bottom of each of them so was able to slide a cup under it and get enough water to put into the kettle.

They’d thought of everything, she realised as she picked up a box of matches to light the little gas cooker. Beside the matches was a small gas firelighter but she was too tired to work out how to use it right now.

She set the kettle on to boil and began to check the shelves—sure enough, there were biscuits. Probably because the young men liked them, she decided, but she wasn’t going to quibble over the reason for their choice.

Dried mint in a plastic container—she had no idea how much to use, having only made the tea with fresh mint when she’d been living in her little flat. She guessed amounts, realised there was no teapot so she waited until the water boiled then threw the mint into the kettle, adding sugar because that would help with shock.

But by the time she was done, Tasnim was asleep again, too deeply asleep for Marni to want to wake her.

Pouring herself a cup of tea, she carried it to the doorway of the hut, holding it in both hands as she sipped the sweet liquid, looking up at the billion bright stars and wondering if some combination or permutation of their movements had dictated the events of this most momentous day.

Well, at least you’ve achieved what you came to this place for, a cynical voice whispered in her head. Now perhaps you can get on with your life—go on dates, have some fun!

The realisation that she didn’t want to go on dates—except perhaps with Ghazi—or have some fun—except, of course, with him—made her feel so miserable she gave up on the beauty of the night sky and crept back into the hut.





CHAPTER TEN





TASNIM WOKE UP irritable and unhappy, waking Marni, who’d settled on a second mattress nearby and had finally gone to sleep way past midnight.

‘We have to get out of here,’ Tasnim was saying, while Marni was still shaking off the heaviness of sleep. ‘We’ve got to get away!’