The Sheikh’s Royal Bride

by Cara Albany

  But, most of all, it had been the sheer ecstasy Lori had experienced with Zafar which had turned her world upside down. Changed everything.

  The first night had, of course, been incredible. After their encounter in the shower, they had enjoyed a wonderful first solitary dinner, followed by another long night of passion in her bed.

  The next day, she and Zafar had travelled to Leila's palace where Lori had picked her work up from where she had left off. The pattern of the two days which followed had been established on her first day at Leila's.

  In the morning Lori worked on the mural, watched over by an admiring and fascinated Zafar. Lunchtime was spent with Leila. During those lunches, Lori detected a continuing change toward her on the part of Zafar's aunt. Gone was the scolding, sardonic tone of Lori's first encounter with Leila. It had been replaced by what looked like genuine interest.

  Lori figure it might have had something to do with the way she had shared her knowledge with Leila of ancient palace decoration. The woman seemed impressed by the depth of Lori's knowledge and expressed that surprise by probing Lori over and over. Leila wanted to know about the purpose of mural art, especially the kind that was created to decorate palace's in this region.

  Lori began to suspect there was much more than just casual interest in the subject on the part of Zafar's aunt. It was almost as if she was trying to confirm something to herself. Lori couldn't figure out what that could be, but she promised herself she would find out before she went back Kadir's palace.

  The job of revealing what was behind the plaster panel was almost complete. It had taken almost three complete days, during which Lori and Zafar had done everything possible to disguise the fact that she and Zafar were in what she now assumed to be a wing of the palace into which Leila forbid anyone to go. Anyone except Zafar, Lori told herself.

  It seemed that Leila accepted the explanation about why Lori was here. On the final day of her work there, Lori had been asked by Zafar to show his aunt what she'd learned about the elaborately decorated cloisters. Lori had gone along with it only after agreeing with Zafar that she would reveal what she'd uncovered during her visits.

  Each afternoon, Lori spent working in the room. And each evening she and Zafar went back to his palace.

  After the first night, Zafar took Lori to his own bed. His suite of rooms was even more palatial than Lori's. Any reluctance she'd felt about sharing the prince's bed had been swept away by the incredible pleasure she'd shared there with him.

  Their passion for each other only became even more intense with each passing night they spent together. The connection deeper.

  Until, eventually, the morning came when she knew her work at Leila's palace was complete. And that it might be time to leave Zafar's palace and return to Kadir and Alaya. For her part, Alaya had called Lori a few times. They had both spoken at length about the work Lori had done and what she had found.

  Lori learned a few interesting details from Alaya and she planned to share those details with Leila. As Lori shared breakfast with Zafar on that final morning, she was filled with a strange sense of unease about the coming day. She and Zafar hadn't really spoken about what would happen now that Lori's work was done.

  And, as they sat in the limo on the way to Leila's palace, Lori noticed how silent Zafar had become. He seemed to have a lot on his mind.

  Lori thought of what she and Zafar had shared these past few nights. If someone had told her she would fall for a prince and spend night after night in his palace bed, she would have told them they were crazy. But, as incredible as it sounded, that was exactly what had happened.

  Fate had delivered her to a desert prince. And now all she wanted to know was what destiny had in store for them both.

  SIXTEEN

  When they arrived at Leila's palace, they were told by a staff member that Zafar's aunt was still at home. They searched for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Zafar thought that strange. He told Lori that his aunt usually spent the mornings in her favorite sitting room, reading or listening to music.

  Lori and Zafar made their way to the western wing of the palace. As they approached the door to the usually locked room, Zafar halted suddenly. He held out a hand preventing Lori from going any further.

  "What is it?" she asked.

  Zafar's gaze was fixed steadily on the door to the room. Lori looked in the same direction and gasped.

  The door was open.

  Zafar glanced at Lori. "This isn't good," he said.

  Lori frowned. "Why not?"

  "There's only one person who could be in there," he explained.

  "Your aunt?"

  Zafar nodded. She saw him swallow nervously. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

  "Let's go in," Lori said.

  Zafar took a few steps, pacing. "Before we go in, there's something I have to tell you, Lori."

  She narrowed her eyes. "What about?"

  Zafar glanced toward the open door. "It's about what you've uncovered in there. And why it was covered up in the first place." He paused a long while, his gaze steady and thoughtful. He took a step toward Lori. "And who covered the mural up."

  Before Lori had a chance to reply, she heard a voice from the direction of the doorway. She turned and saw Leila at the door. "Zafar. Is that you?"

  Zafar moved quickly to the door. "It's me, aunt," he said.

  Lori followed behind Zafar. She saw Leila standing with her hand resting on the edge of the door. She was peering at Zafar. There was a curiously blank expression on Leila's face at the moment.

  "Why did you come here?" Zafar asked.

  Leila smiled wryly. "It is my home," she reminded him. She looked past Zafar and extended a hand. "Come here, Lori," Leila said. Her voice was calm and strangely different from before. Lori wondered what could have brought on such a change.

  Lori took Leila's hand. The woman's skin was cool to the touch. She followed Leila inside the room. Lori felt suddenly nervous. She glanced at Zafar and saw the worried expression on his face. She wondered what he had been about to tell her out in the corridor.

  Lori felt Leila's hand hold her tight. Leila seemed determined to guide Lori toward the far end of the room. The lights were on, casting their gentle glow. But the room was still relatively dark. As if sensing the need for light, Zafar went across to the window and drew back the curtain.

  Instantly, the room was brightly illuminated. Lori smiled as she gazed at the wall at the far end of the room. Her work, such as it was, had been completed yesterday. Of course she knew there was still much to be done, but she was satisfied for now.

  And judging by the surprising expression of calm delight on Leila's face right now, it seemed that she also appreciated what could be seen on the wall.

  Lori regarded the mural for the first time with truly fresh eyes. She'd been so close to the thing these past few days, she'd hardly had a chance to stand back and admire it. But she did that right now, and she almost gasped when she realized just how beautiful was the mural.

  Leila halted a few feet away from the wall. Lori took a place right alongside Leila and saw Zafar stand next to Lori.

  Lori ran her gaze across the length of the mural. It was about two metres high and three metres wide. Like a renaissance canvas, it had scale and was brightly colored.

  As she had noted before, the mural depicted a bearded man and an even featured young woman. Both looked of similar age and both were dressed in traditional, loose white outfits well-suited for the desert. The man held the woman's hands in his. In spite of the relative crudeness of the thick lines of the painting, it was clear that the man and woman were regarding each other with deep affection.

  Lori thought about that for a moment. Her estimate was that this image dated back at least five hundred years, although she'd need further tests to confirm that fact.

  This couple had been gazing at each other with obvious love and devotion for centuries. Something about that made emotion swell inside Lori. Her throat tighten
ed and she fought to contain her feelings.

  Sometimes she forgot that behind each of these ancient artefacts, there was genuine human emotion. An urge to depict love had seized the person who had painted this, she told herself. And, whoever had painted it, they had succeeded spectacularly.

  In the background, behind the couple, and to the right, there were four men each on horseback. The riders were pursuing a wild boar through a crudely painted forest. In that forest could be seen two small female figures who looked as if they were being chased by the boars. It seemed to Lori that this part of the painting showed feminine vulnerability being protected by masculine virtue. She'd seen similar kinds of images during her studies of Renaissance art.

  The colors of the mural glowed in the light cast from the nearby windows. The greens of the forest; the browns of the horses; the shimmering white of the gowns. For a few, long moments, no-one said anything. They merely gazed at the mural.

  Then, Leila broke the silence. "It's beautiful, isn't it," she said, her voice cracking with obvious emotion.

  "Yes," Lori agreed quietly.

  Leila turned and faced Lori. "You did this?" she asked.

  For a moment, Lori wasn't sure how to admit to her and Zafar's subterfuge. She nodded. "With a little bit of help," she said turning to Zafar. She saw him smile nervously at her.

  Leila looked past Lori and at Zafar. "How did you know it was here, Zafar?" Leila asked.

  He hesitated, and Lori wondered why he could be nervous about this in any way whatsoever. Surely it was good that the mural had been rescued from obscurity.

  "I found it by accident. Years ago, when I was playing here as a boy."

  Leila shook her head and smiled. "How many times did I tell you never to come into this room?"

  Zafar frowned. "I was always a rebel," he explained.

  "Some things will never change," Leila agreed. She turned back to the wall. Lori saw her eyes narrow slightly, as if she was thinking deeply about something.

  "Did you do all this work yourself, Lori?" Leila asked. "I mean take off the panel which we placed over it."

  Lori felt a sudden shock jolt her. "Sorry?"

  Leila turned to Lori. "Didn't Zafar tell you?"

  Lori turned to Zafar and narrowed her eyes at him. "No. He didn't tell me," she said, still not knowing to what Leila was referring.

  Lori turned back to Leila. "Did you say you were the one who placed the panel over the painting?"

  Leila nodded slowly and very deliberately. "I gave the instruction," she confirmed.

  Lori felt her shock intensify. That didn't make any sense. Why would someone deliberately cover up such a beautiful artefact? What could have driven Leila to do such a thing.

  "Of course I had help from the staff. And we got a specialist in to oversee things," Leila explained.

  Lori wanted to ask for an explanation, but one look at Zafar's furrowed brows, and a gentle shake of his head, told her she should wait until Leila had finished speaking.

  "It didn't take long. A day or two, as far as I recall," Leila said. Her voice had become very soft now. As if memory had taken hold of her and she was already someplace else, a very long time ago.

  "But I really couldn't leave it the way it was," Leila said, a note of sadness in her voice. "It had served its purpose. It was time to put it away."

  Hardly any of this made sense to Lori. Zafar, on the other hand, looked as if he knew exactly to what his aunt was referring.

  Finally, Lori couldn't wait any longer. "How long ago was it covered up?"

  "Twenty years ago," Leila said. "Just after he passed away."

  Lori frowned, waiting for Leila to explain. It seemed presumptuous to demand further explanation.

  "Would you prefer that I explain, aunt?" Zafar asked.

  Leila shook her head. "No. Lori has a right to know. Now that she has used all her skill to undo the work that was carried out." Leila paused. "Now that it's back to its former glory. It's best she hears it from me."

  Leila took Lori's hand. "My late husband and I adored this painting. It was discovered in this old wing of the palace when we were both barely old enough to appreciate its beauty."

  Leila smiled as memory took an even stronger hold upon her. "We were childhood sweethearts. He used to come to this palace when my parents were still living. He and I became great friends, and eventually we married. We had our own family." She glanced at Lori. "But, I already told you about my children, didn't I?"

  Leila released Lori's hand and went to the wall. She ran the tips of her fingers across the surface of the mural. The part which contained the two figures. Lori couldn't see Leila's face, but she guessed this was an emotional moment for the woman.

  When she spoke, Leila's voice was low and steady. "And in this room, my husband and I passed many happy days. This painting was something we gazed at day after day. It meant a great deal to us. In fact, in many ways it represents everything that was beautiful and sacred about our marriage. " She touched the figures in the painting. "Especially this couple, whose name we will never know."

  Lori glanced at Zafar. His brows were hooded, dark with serious concern. Why hadn't he told her this? Had he known the whole story? If he had known, hadn't keeping that to himself been a betrayal of Lori and of his aunt. If she'd known what Zafar had asked Lori to do, surely Leila would have interfered. Would never have allowed it to be uncovered.

  Lori stared at Zafar. Was he going to explain? Or was he determined to let this whole situation play itself out like this?

  Leila turned to Lori. "I think you've done a wonderful job here, Lori," she said.

  Lori couldn't help noticing the change in the way Leila spoke to her. Leila sounded like she actually appreciated what Lori had done.

  "It wasn't just me," she said. "Zafar was the one who showed it to me."

  Lori looked at Zafar. He was still silent and thoughtful, as if he was watching how things were playing out. As if was waiting for the right moment to do something he'd planned a long time ago.

  "And it was also the fact that the person who covered the mural up obviously knew that, at some point, you might want to remove the plaster covering," Lori said.

  Leila looked puzzled. Lori bent down and picked up a pile of the plaster in her hand and showed it to Leila. "He put a protective layer between the plaster and the painting. Some kind of special paper layer that made sure the painting wouldn't be damaged. At least not much," Lori explained.

  Leila smiled. "That makes sense," she said. "I remember when I asked him to do it, he repeatedly questioned whether I really wanted it done." She grinned. "Of course, I insisted. But it seems he had ideas of his own."

  Lori gestured to the wall. "It kept it virtually undamaged."

  Leila nodded. "I suppose I should be happy about that." She looked for a few moments at the wall. Lori could see Leila's expression change as memory took hold of her again. "And I am happy about it," she added.

  Leila turned to Lori and Zafar. "Thank you both," she said. "For reminding me of something very precious." Leila looked at Lori and smiled. "And that I should remember that it's important to not believe in first impressions."

  Lori wondered what Leila meant by that.

  Leila peered at Zafar. "This was a bold thing for you to do, Zafar." Leila glanced at Lori. "You put this very talented young woman in an awkward position. I hope you realize that," she said. Now her tone was more stern. And there was a hint of disapproval in it.

  Zafar looked suddenly penitent. "I really had no idea how much it meant to you, aunt," he said.

  Lori didn't believe that for a moment. She thought it unlikely that Zafar wouldn't have known about the significance of this room. Even though it had been closed off before he had begun to spend time in this palace, she was sure he must have heard stories about it.

  Leila looked skeptically at Zafar, but seemed determined not to pursue the matter any further.

  Leila came to Lori and took her hands in her own. "Thank yo
u, dear," Leila said. Lori felt emotion tighten her throat as she saw the genuine feeling in Leila's expression.

  Then Leila turned to the windows. One curtain had been drawn back but a further three remained in place. "I think it's time to let the light back into this room again," Leila announced.

  Leila looked at Zafar. He understood immediately what was expected of him.

  Lori watched as Zafar went to each of the high windows and tugged, one by one, at the heavy, dust covered curtains. Light spilled into the room. It made the beauty of the painting even more obvious. The colors were radiant. If this was how it had looked originally, Lori could understand why the mural had meant so much to Leila and her husband.

  Leila glanced around the room. "I think I'll have some staff come in here today and do some cleaning up," she said clasping her hands and examining the dusty interior. Lori thought that Leila looked like she suddenly meant business. This room would look as good as new within a very short time, Lori told herself.

  Lori watched as Zafar went across the room, removing the dust covers from tables, sofas and cabinets. Already the room was beginning to look renewed. Reborn. She was sure Leila would take great pleasure spending time here in the coming weeks and months. Just like she'd done in the past.

  As she watched Zafar, Lori knew that she would need to speak to him about all of this. She needed to know just how much he had planned all of this.

  But, for now, Lori turned her attention back to Leila. She saw the genuine happiness on the woman's face. This was a whole new aspect to Lori's work. One she'd never encountered before. Lori felt as if she'd brought a special pleasure back into the life of Zafar's aunt.

  Something deliberately lost had been recovered. And, judging by Leila's expression, this would be a happiness which would last.

  The problem was, Lori wasn't sure she could say the same about her and Zafar. He'd hidden his motives from her. How much had he hidden from her?