CHAPTER TWELVE

      ‘AND this is Eleni,’ Kaliq glimmered her a narrow-eyed look. ‘Eleni, I’d like you to meet the Sheikh Zakari Al’Farisi.’

      Trying to quell her nerves, Eleni bobbed a deep curtsey at the tall man who had just swept into the room at Kaliq’s side, then slowly lifted her eyes to his face. For only servants were obliged to remain staring at the ground she reminded herself.

      At first, it was easy to tell that the two men were brothers—they had the same glittering black eyes, the same beak-like noses and those high, autocratic cheekbones. But Zakari’s mouth was slightly fuller—and it was completely unsmiling.

      His intelligent gaze raked over her and for a moment Eleni was acutely aware of what she was doing—pretending to be something she wasn’t, and thereby entering into a deception against the oldest of the Al’Farisi brothers. Was that an offence against the royal family? she wondered. And was Kaliq just using her to play her off against his brother for some reason unknown to her?

      She knew that the hard-faced sheikh was betrothed to the beautiful but headstrong Princess Kalila. So he was used to mixing with women of pure royal blood, she reminded herself—and surely that meant he would see right through her? And realise that beneath all the expensive finery she wore—she was nothing but a humble stable girl?

      For a moment her nerve almost failed her and she thought seriously about fleeing from the room—until she reminded herself that she was Kaliq’s lover. And surely that gave her some sort of right to be there? Why, if Calistan society was not so stupidly rigid—then she could have played hostess just by being herself. So why not try to enjoy this one opportunity you have to play Kaliq’s princess for the evening?

      ‘I am truly honoured to make the acquaintance of the King of Calista,’ she said softly.

      Zakari frowned. ‘But I thought we were dining on our own.’

      Kaliq slammed his brother an imperturbable look. ‘And I thought a little feminine company might enliven the evening—and, besides, Eleni is very discreet.’

      ‘Is she?’ Zakari looked at her again, more speculatively this time. ‘She is certainly very beautiful.’

      This time Eleni did lower her eyelids modestly—it hid her surprise at Zakari’s comment and at least it blocked out the black glare being directed at her by her lover.

      But as they sat down at the table she was aware of how different this very special finery made her feel. Why, she almost felt like a real princess tonight—for she had dressed for the part, determined to play her role with aplomb. She had worn the most delicate robes in her wardrobe—finest silk in softest rose-pink, overlaid with intricate and exquisite gold embroidery. And Kaliq had insisted on sending out for jewellery to match.

      It had astonished Eleni that a few terse instructions barked down a telephone could translate into an armoured car appearing just over an hour later—with a heavily guarded man bearing velvet-lined trays of glittering gems.

      ‘Take your pick,’ Kaliq commanded.

      Eleni’s instinct was to choose the most modest of the offerings on show—although even those must have cost a king’s ransom—but Kaliq had other ideas.

      ‘No. Wear these.’ And he plucked out a necklace of bright rubies and diamonds and slipped it around her neck. ‘All ice and fire—just like you, my sweet beauty.’

      His words made her melt with longing and Eleni’s fingers were trembling as she clipped on the matching earrings and studded her piled-up hair with jewelled hairpins. Zahra insisted on lending her a kohl pencil and showed her how to draw a subtle dark line around her eyes. How scarily huge it made them look! When she was finally ready, Eleni looked into the mirror and barely recognised the dazzling creature who stared back at her.

      ‘Do I… do I look okay?’ she asked Kaliq.

      ‘Oh, yes… you look okay,’ he echoed, and Kaliq’s mouth twisted into a grim kind of smile. He had wondered what she might look like in make-up and finery and now he knew, and perversely he wanted to tell her to scrub the whole lot off again. ‘So okay,’ he said unevenly, ‘that I would like to remove all those fine jewels and fine clothes and take my Eleni back to bed—for while you look very good when you’re all dressed up, you look best in nothing at all.’

      His words, as usual, disarmed and alarmed her. Words meant nothing. And Kaliq saying something like my Eleni was simply a term of possession, nothing more.

      During the meal, Eleni ate sparingly of the lavish feast provided—her stomach was too fluttery with nerves for her to have any real appetite—but to her surprise she found she was able to hold her own while talking to King Zakari. They spoke of horses, and the great literature of Calistan. And she found herself discussing new falcon-rearing methods and the impact they would have on one of Calista’s favourite sports.

      ‘So just who are you, Eleni?’ Zakari asked eventually—pushing away his half-eaten dish of pomegranate sorbet.

      Kaliq glowered—for hadn’t his brother already spent much of the meal monopolising Eleni? And hadn’t she been allowing him to do so with an enthusiasm which was completely inappropriate? ‘I wasn’t aware that you had come to talk about my guest,’ Kaliq snapped.

      ‘And I wasn’t aware that you were so unusually sensitive about your guest’s welfare,’ returned Zakari.

      ‘So are you here to pass the time of day, or is there a reason behind your visit?’ demanded Kaliq hotly.

      The brothers’ eyes met in a moment of silent, sibling battle before Zakari shrugged. ‘It is true. I have come to England in search of jewels which are alleged to have been stolen from our royal palaces many years ago. But in truth, I am weary of jewels and their significance to our islands.’ His voice dropped and he shot Eleni another quick glance before continuing. ‘When I was at the king’s funeral—I discovered that one half of the Stefani diamond is missing.’

      Kaliq gave a low laugh. ‘So what? There are enough diamonds in both kingdoms not to miss one, surely—no matter how magnificent.’

      ‘I don’t think you understand the significance, Kaliq,’ said Zakari slowly. ‘The Coronation of the new King of Aristo cannot take place until the missing half of the Stefani diamond has been found.’

      Kaliq’s eyes narrowed. ‘And the implication to that is… what?’ he questioned softly.

      ‘I shall not rest until I find it,’ declared Zakari fervently. ‘It shall fall to my hand to discover it—not Sebastian! And then my greatest wish shall be achieved—for with the discovery of that precious jewel I shall reunite the two halves of the Stefani diamond and I shall reunite the islands in the name of our beloved stepmother, Queen Anya.’

      Eleni blinked. This was highly confidential information from the lips of the king himself! And it was at that moment she knew she could no longer intrude on their conversation—not now that it seemed to have taken a dramatic and highly personal twist, judging by their sombre expressions.

      She had no place here at this table any more. She and Kaliq had succeeded in their little game and Zakari had been comfortable enough to spend the evening dining with her—oblivious to her real and lowly position in life. Suddenly, she felt more than a little disturbed. What on earth had been the point of taking part in such an unnecessary deception? She rose from the table, ignoring Kaliq’s sudden look of query.

      ‘Please excuse me,’ she said quietly. ‘You both have important matters of State to discuss and it is not for me to intrude on them.