Page 33 of At the Sheikh's Command
“Formidable outside and yet…” She smiled at the sight which met them. “Beyond beautiful inside.”
“A place of leisure, and also refuge, for my ancestors.”
The reason for its existence was immediately visible. Water. Everywhere. Before them, a long rectangle of water reflected the shadowy pavilion which was the entrance to the palace. The roofs of the palace rose in terraces above it in a burst of perfect symmetry.
Darrius drove the car around the perimeter of the central gardens in a wide semi-circle before pulling up to the side of the pavilion.
“I imagined the palace would be in darkness. I thought it would be empty.”
He looked at her with surprise. “It is.”
She frowned. “But the gates… the lights.” She pointed to the well-lit interior, which showcased the gardens and the palace.
“That’s only the staff.”
Her lips twisted into a grin. “Don’t you call your staff people?”
He shrugged. “We need them to provide food and comfort. But not for company or pleasure. Those we will get from each other.”
A shiver of anticipation tracked through her body.
He moved slightly closer to her. “Shall we?” he asked, his tone low, vibrating through her body, like ruffling hair up the wrong way, leaving both a delicious tickle and the sense that something had been disturbed. For a moment she thought he was asking her if they should have sex in the car and, the way his voice and gaze made her feel, she wasn’t sure she’d say no. But then he moved away, gave a satisfied smile and opened the car door.
Leonora grimaced at how easily he affected her and quickly got out of the car, eager for the evening to be over and to be on her own. It seemed to be the only time she was safe.
They entered the building and walked into the main reception hall, which Leonora remembered from when she’d visited with her father. It was very grand, with soaring pillars and an ornate ceiling to which her eyes immediately rose. The marble gleamed under the light of the lamps which were hung at regular intervals along the wall.
“Why have lanterns when you have electricity?”
Darrius shrugged. “We needed the electricity for the security system but, like my grandfather, I prefer to preserve tradition as much as possible. The place has a haunting mystery about it which electric light kills. So, no. I prefer to keep it as original as possible.”
Darrius didn’t linger in the reception hall. Instead they continued walking through a sequence of rooms, each on a theme, before Darrius opened the doors to a part of the palace which had been closed to Leonora and her father on her previous visits. The gardens. She stopped and stared while Darrius continued on.
The gardens were much larger than the exterior had suggested, on a bigger scale than any of the historic narratives had described. This garden appeared to be all about movement. Central to thecharbaghdesign of four quadrants was a fountain from which water rippled down sloping rills, before collecting in further pools. From these it gushed down to the next layer, beneath the walls, disappearing to underground caves or further water features. Leonora didn’t know which, but was determined to find out. She couldn’t wait to explore tomorrow. But she had the night to get through first.
Darrius stopped, glancing around the gardens, before fixing his intense gaze on her. A shiver tracked down her spine. Behind him, the animated, sparkling water of the fountain framed him in his flowing robes, which gleamed under the lights of the lanterns. For one instant he looked timeless, rooted, central to his world. And she knew she’d never forget that image of him. Nor the way he looked at her. Because his curiosity about why she’d stopped walking had been replaced by an intensity she couldn’t name or recognize, but her body did. For one timeless moment, they were alone in this beautiful, ancient palace. Then a bat swooped overhead, and the magic was broken.
“Come, Leonora, I’ll show you our rooms and then we will dine.”
She walked up to him. “Sure.”
He reached out and brushed his fingers against her cheek. “It’s got to you, hasn’t it? The magic of Qasr Jabal.”
She nodded. It was the only thing she could do with his fingertips moving over her skin, creating sensations which had her spellbound.
“Or is it something else which has caused your eyes to mist over?”
Before she could speak, the doors opened, and light flooded into the gardens, destroying the moment. The housekeeper stepped forward to greet them.
She was thankful, because a few minutes more and she’d have been forced to tell him the truth. It wasn’t the magic of Qasr Jabal, but the magic ofhim.Hebewitched her and threatened everything she’d built her life around—challenged everything she held dear.
While Darrius and the housekeeper talked, Leonora took the opportunity to move away from his magnetic orbit and look around the garden. It was as breathtaking as the other parts of the palace. Then, with her back to him, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She had to get a grip. She couldn’t let him strip her of her defenses. She had to keep her distance.
The retreating footsteps of the housekeeper signaled her time was up.
“I’ve arranged for dinner to be served in the family dining room,” said Darrius. “I thought we’d enjoy the splendors of the palace tomorrow. But I’ll show you to your room first.”
They walked through cloisters which led to yet another garden. The theme of this garden was equally apparent. It was sensuous and calm. It was all about sleep, and her room opened out on to it.
