Woman in a Sheikh's World(18)

'I do know the details. I was there. I heard what he said. I heard him  have a row with that horrible man who runs that oil production company  and thinks he's irresistible-'

Avery frowned, confused. 'Richard?'

'Yes, him. He told Mal that you were planning his party and he was going  to have you as a bonus. Mal was so angry he punched him. And when he  dragged him out of the dirt where he'd knocked him, he told him that he  was going to marry you and that you wouldn't be able to run any parties  for him, now or in the future, personal or otherwise.'

Avery discovered that her mouth was open.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at Mal, waiting for him to deny it,  but still he said nothing. Apart from a faint streak of colour across  his cheekbones, he made no response.                       
       
           



       

Confusion washed over her. She knew he hadn't loved her. He'd proposed  to Kalila within weeks of them parting. 'You misunderstood.'

'I was there,' Kalila said quietly. 'There was no misunderstanding. It's the only time anyone has seen Mal lose his cool.'

'Well, Richard can be a very annoying person. I've almost lost my cool  with him a million times.' Dismissing the incident as a display of male  jealousy, Avery forced herself back to the immediate situation. 'He was  obviously trying to wind Mal up and he succeeded, which is why he said  all that about marriage  …  That doesn't have any impact on what is going  on here. Of course he wants to marry you. We've just spent two days  chasing through the desert trying to find you.'

Kalila looked at her steadily. 'Together.'

'Not together as such-' Avery felt her cheeks darken as she thought  about their night in the tent '-just because that's the way it worked  out.'

'He went straight to you with the problem because he loves you and trusts you.'

'He came straight to me because he thought I might know where you were!  That doesn't mean he loves me. He doesn't! I'd be a terrible Sultan's  wife. Actually I'd be a terrible wife, full stop. I don't have any of  the qualities necessary, in particular the fundamental one of actually  wanting to get married.' She was stammering, falling over her words like  a child practising public speaking for the first time, exasperated by  Kalila's insistence that Mal loved her. 'We're just friends. And not  even that, most of the time.'

Mal remained silent.

Why on earth didn't he speak? And why couldn't Kalila stop talking?

'You're the only woman he's ever loved,' she said. 'He was just marrying  me for political reasons. Because it was agreed between our families.'

'Well, political reasons are as good a justification for marriage as  any. I've known many fine, successful marriages that started from a lot  less than that-'

'Avery-' Mal's voice was soft and he didn't turn his head in her direction '-you've said enough.'

'Enough? I've barely started. And you're not saying anything at all!  Honestly, the pair of you just need to-' Her voice tailed off as he  lifted his hand and she wondered how it was that he could silence her  with a single subtle gesture that was barely visible to others.

Kalila bit her lip. 'You don't need to worry about it. It doesn't bother  me that you don't love me, Your Highness. I don't love you either. It  says something that we've known each other for years and we've barely  spoken. To be honest-'

'Don't be honest,' Avery said quickly, interrupting before Kalila said  something that couldn't be unsaid. 'Honesty is an overrated quality in  certain circumstances and this is definitely one of them.'

'I need to say how I feel.' Kalila stuck her chin out and Avery sighed.

'Oh go on then, if you must, but you're not displaying any of the  cardinal signs of shyness, I can tell you that. From where I'm standing  you'd be fine at a public gathering.

The challenge would be allowing someone else to get a word in edgeways.'

Kalila ignored her. 'Mal is gorgeous, of course. But he's also intimidating.'

'That's just his Prince act and he has to do that, otherwise he'd be  mobbed by well-wishers, but underneath that frown he's a really gentle,  cuddly guy-' Avery caught the lift of his dark eyebrows and cleared her  throat 'Well, perhaps not gentle, exactly, but very decent. Principled.  Good. And-'

'All right, that's enough. We're going to discuss this now and then the  subject will never be raised again.' Finally Mal took charge and Avery  relaxed slightly.

About time too.

Mal's eyes were fixed on his bride. 'You don't want to be married to a man who will become the Sultan?'

Avery gave a growl of exasperation. What was he doing? That was hardly  going to persuade Kalila, was it? And, as if to prove her right, Kalila  shook her head vigorously.

'No. I'll be hopeless, especially at all those meet and greet things you  do. Parties.' She shuddered. 'The very worst of me would be on  display.'

Giving up on Mal, Avery intervened again. 'Did your father tell you  that? Because honestly, it's nonsense. You have a lovely personality.  Stop putting yourself down! You have plenty to talk about. And anyway,  all you have to do at these meet and greet gatherings is get people to  talk about themselves. That's what I do all the time at my parties. I  barely have to say a word. It's stopping people talking about themselves  that's usually the problem, not starting them.'                       
       
           



       

'I'm nothing like you.'

'I know! And that's what makes you perfect for Mal. And you are perfect  for him.' Avery beamed at her, hoping that her body language would  reinforce the positive message.

'The moment I saw the two of you together, I knew you were a match made in heaven.'

Kalila's startled glance made her realise she might have been a bit too  enthusiastic. Afraid that her response might have a counter-effect, she  moderated her tone. 'There is no "right" personality for being a  Sultan's bride. You'll be friendly and approachable and a real hit.'

'But I'll hate it. I will dread every moment.'

'It will get easier with time, I'm sure. I have some girls working for  me who were pretty shy when they started and now I can't shut them up.  Honestly, Kalila, you're going to be a huge success and very popular. I  wish you'd just talked to someone about this instead of running away.'

'I did. I talked to you! You were my inspiration.'

Avery gulped. Heat rushed into her cheeks as she remembered Mal saying something similar. 'Me?'

'Yes. You told me to face my fears and that's what I did. I can't thank you enough.'

Avery made a vow never to give another person advice again as long as  she lived. 'I was speaking metaphorically. I didn't actually mean for  you to run off into the desert just because you're afraid of it.'

'That wasn't the fear I was facing.' Kalila lifted her chin,  surprisingly stubborn. 'The fear I was facing-am still facing-is my  father. All my life he's used fear to control me. I've never been  allowed to do what I wanted to do. I'm not even allowed to express an  opinion.'

Sympathy was eclipsed by her own feelings of panic as Avery watched the  situation unravel. 'Your father doesn't even know you're gone yet.  Everyone has been covering for you. You haven't actually faced him.  You've avoided him.'

'I've faced the fear of him. For the first time in my life, I've done  something I know will incur his disapproval. I know there will be  consequences and I'm willing to take them. I knew that if I ran off he  would never forgive me. He will not have me back in his house, under his  roof. I will no longer be his daughter.' Kalila clasped her hands  together nervously. 'And that's what I want.'

'Well then, that's perfect, because soon you can be Mal's wife. This  doesn't mean you can't marry the Prince. I'm sure there's a way round  this that is going to be fine for everyone-' Her voice tailed off  because Kalila was staring at her in disbelief and Avery realised how  crazy she must sound. Apart from admitting that the last thing in the  world she wanted was to be the Sultan's wife, the woman was clearly  obsessed with her bodyguard. There was no way on this planet Mal would  marry her now. How could he? And truly, she wouldn't want that for him,  would she? She, who knew how badly so many marriages ended, would never  want one to start in such inauspicious circumstances.

Avery's shoulders slumped. She stole a glance at Mal but he seemed maddeningly calm about the whole thing.

'So this is what you want, Kalila?' His blunt question brought colour pouring into Kalila's cheeks.

'Yes. I'm in love with Karim. I just want to live with him quietly.' She  gave her shrinking beau a trembling smile. 'For ever. Happily ever  after. I feel so happy.'

'I feel so sick,' Avery muttered but Mal ignored her.

'Fine. If you're sure that's what you want, then I'll make that happen.  If your father won't approve the match then you can live in Zubran under  my protection. You can have your happy ever after, Kalila, with my  compliments.'