He ground his jaw in frustration. It would have suited him better to keep the two of them apart.
'You can hardly be the one to usher her out of the hall and have her return some time later in a new dress, now, can you?' his mother pointed out.
'I'm not sure what you're suggesting,' he told her with matching guile. 'But I can assure you I am above gossip, Mother.'
'But Beth's reputation would be ruined.'
His lips tugged in wry defeat as his mother arched her brows.
'Let me go to her, Khalifa, and I promise to bring her back to you unharmed … '
He weighed the facts. Beth's misery had only increased as she'd attempted to scrub at the stains with a napkin someone had handed her. Her evening was on the point of ruin. 'Go to her, and be sure that you do bring her back to me unharmed. Be gentle with her,' he stressed, standing aside to allow his mother and her attendants to pass. 'And please remember that Beth has a trophy to collect, so don't keep her long. She must receive her award before the festivities can begin.'
'If you ask me,' his mother murmured dryly on her way past him, 'the fun has already started.'
He feared for Beth as he watched his mother descending like a galleon in full sail, with her flotilla of hard-nosed females in close formation behind. But somehow he thought Beth would cope, and either way his mother was doing him a favour taking Beth out of his sight. Beth Tracey Torrance had proved far too much of a distraction as it was.
CHAPTER FOUR
'THANK you, Your Majesty. This is really too good of you!' Beth exclaimed, blushing furiously as she sank into the first proper curtsey of her life. The Sheikha had brought her into a part of the palace Beth had never thought to see, the Dowager Sheikha's private apartment, and now they were surrounded by silks, satins and French perfume, in the most sumptuous lace-trimmed room. Unfortunately she spoiled the moment as she made her curtsey when the seams of the ruined dress finally gave way.
The Sheikha, to her credit, appeared not to notice the ugly ripping sound.
'Nonsense!' she exclaimed with a flick of her wrist. 'Any friend of my son's-'
'Oh, we're not friends,' Beth blurted frankly, her cheeks turning hotter still when she heard the chorus of disapproving clucks rising from the Sheikha's attendants because she had interrupted the royal personage. 'I mean, your son's my boss, and that's all.'
'Your boss?' The Dowager Sheikha said, savouring the word.
Okay, so maybe she had protested a tad too heartily, Beth thought, hurrying to explain. 'That's right. We hadn't even met until today. I was away last time he called at the store. I'd never seen him before we ran into each other at the beach.'
'On the beach? You met my son at the beach?'
So the Sheikha was aware Khal swam naked. Could her cheeks grow any hotter? Beth wondered. 'I didn't look at him. I mean … I didn't stare … '
'I should hope not,' the Sheikha agreed, delicately dabbing at her nose with a fine lace-handkerchief.
'And we barely spoke at all,' Beth hurried to reassure her, but Khal's mother had already turned away, hiding who knew what thoughts.
'Bring out the star dress,' the Dowager Sheikha commanded, turning from her.
Beth's glance flicked from attendant to attendant as they gasped, but when she saw the gown the Sheikha had chosen for her to wear she thought she understood why they were astounded. It was stunning, and must have cost a fortune. 'Oh, I couldn't,' she gasped, unable to tear her eyes away from a dream of a dress shimmering in the light. Composed of silver chiffon, it was embroidered over every inch with tiny diamanté stars.
'You think it a little old-fashioned?' Khal's mother demanded.
'Oh no, I love it,' Beth's said impulsively. Her gaze slid round the room. It appeared her honesty hadn't gone down so well with the Sheikha's attendants. 'I mean, I'm not worthy … '
'I'm not so sure,' Khal's mother argued, waving her attendants forward. 'Help this young woman to dress,' she commanded.
When Beth was finally turned out to everyone's approval, she spun round to show the Dowager Sheikha, who had seated herself in a chair to watch.
At first there was silence, and then the Dowager Sheikha observed, 'You look quite beautiful, my dear, and I hope you enjoy wearing the dress. It belonged to my daughter-'
As the older woman's voice choked off, Beth felt a change in the air. It was as if there was some history behind the Sheikha's comment that everyone but Beth knew about. 'Your Majesty,' Beth said softly, not wanting to intrude on the Dowager Sheikha's private thoughts. 'I'm overwhelmed by your generosity, and I promise to take good care of the dress.'
The Sheikha gave her the briefest of nods, and Beth suspected Khal's mother didn't trust herself to speak, because something else had joined them in the room. Grief, Beth thought, wondering at it. 'I've taken up enough of your time already,' she said to excuse herself. 'I'll bring the dress back to you in the morning.'
'That won't be necessary,' the Sheikha said, tipping her chin in a way that reminded Beth of herself when she tried fighting off uncomfortable memories. 'I'll have someone collect it from your apartment after breakfast. And now, if you're ready, my ladies will escort you back to the ballroom.'
With the faintest of smiles the Dowager Sheikha signalled that the doors should be opened and everyone should leave her now. She was desperate to be alone with whatever pain had come to join her from the past, Beth sensed.
'You remind me of myself at your age,' the Dowager Sheikha murmured as Beth prepared to leave the room. And as Beth made her final curtsey their gazes briefly met and held.
When Beth entered the ballroom this time everyone turned to stare, including His Majesty Khalifa Kadir al Hassan, Sheikh of Sheikhs, the ruler of Q'Adar. And she did feel a little buzz of excitement, Beth admitted to herself. Okay, a roar. But who would have thought it? Here she was, Beth Tracey Torrance, at the royal court in Q'Adar …
Get over it! Beth told herself firmly, and remember to pick your feet up this time.
Beth held her head up as a pathway cleared for her across the vast floor. She should enjoy this moment. It wasn't every day you got to wear a fairy-tale gown and parade in front of all these worthies. She walked steadily and then made her way carefully up the steps. She was determined not to fall and ruin the precious dress, which meant no one must be allowed to distract her, not even the man towering over everyone else on the royal dais.
'Ms Torrance … '
Khal's deep, husky voice ran shivers down Beth's spine. It took all she had to blank her mind at where they'd met before, or what she'd seen on that occasion. But that wasn't easy when the scent of his sultry cologne was washing over her, and naughty thoughts were making it hard not to break into nervous giggles.
Making a fool of yourself isn't an option, Beth Tracey Torrance, Beth's inner voice insisted. Think of your friends back home. It was true. They were all waiting to hear her news, and she couldn't let them down when any one of them would have loved to be here in her place.
'Your Majesty … ' Beth surprised even herself by managing a perfect curtsey, but the only problem with that was that it brought her into close proximity with an area of the Sheikh's body it was far safer not to think about. Thankfully, Khal chose that moment to reach for her hands and raise her to her feet, but when she looked up into his face his expression was grim. What had she done wrong this time?
His mask almost slipped when he saw the dress his mother had chosen for Beth to wear. Why that dress? Why his sister's dress? Was it because it was the only dress suitable for Beth to wear in his mother's wardrobe? He realised his face was growing increasingly fierce as he fought off emotions he had battled so long to subdue, and he could see the confusion in Beth's eyes. This wasn't her fault, but he couldn't explain to her, not here. Nor could he explain to Beth that when his mother sent her arrows flying her aim was invariably accurate. This was her way of telling him that he had grown cold and unfeeling since the tragedy, and that it was time for him to rejoin the world.