The Sheikh. Anne Herries

magic of the dance, of course. He wasn’t interested in her and she wasn’t sure she even liked him…well, not really. She certainly wasn’t in love with him. Being in love was fun and feeling happy all the time, or that’s how she’d always thought it would be—all that this man made her feel was agitated, on edge! Bother him!

      ‘Do you want a pudding?’ Professor Hicks asked, causing her to look at him and forget the irritating Mr Armand. ‘Only I thought you might want to make the most of this afternoon. Get out and have a look round—do a little shopping in the bazaar, perhaps? I shall want to leave early tomorrow.’

      ‘Yes, I think I shall,’ she said, putting down her napkin. ‘If you are sure you don’t need me this afternoon?’

      ‘I am going to be arranging transport,’ he replied. ‘No, my dear, you get off and enjoy yourself.’

      ‘Would you like to come, Amelia?’ Chloe asked.

      ‘No, thank you, Chloe,’ the older woman replied. ‘I shall have a little rest in the hotel gardens. Enjoy yourself—but wear something on your arms, and keep your head covered—and don’t go too far from the main streets. We don’t want you disappearing on your first day—do we, my dear? I dare say your father would never forgive us.’

      ‘Whatever do you mean?’ Chloe was astonished. ‘Why should I disappear?’

      ‘She means that you are a very pretty girl,’ the professor explained with a smile. ‘And I assure you, it wouldn’t be unknown out here for a pretty girl walking alone to be snatched by unscrupulous men. But as long as you stick to the busy main streets you should be all right.’

      ‘White slavery?’ Chloe asked. ‘I thought that was something out of Hollywood films.’

      ‘Not at all,’ Amelia said. ‘I can assure you it does happen. Some years ago when we were in Egypt, a man tried to buy me for six camels from the professor. Now would you believe that?’ She looked a little coy and laughed oddly.

      ‘Yes, and I had a devil of a job shaking him off,’ Charles said with a rueful look. ‘I had almost forgotten that, Amelia. You were an exceptionally handsome woman in those days, my dear. One tends to forget with the passing of the years…’

      Chloe noticed the swiftly hidden look of pain in Angela’s eyes and realised that she was in love with him—had probably been in love with him all her life. But of course he had never noticed. He had been wrapped up in his work and it had probably never occurred to him that his secretary had that kind of feeling towards him.

      That brief but revealing look made Chloe feel sympathy towards the older woman, and she determined not to mind if Amelia was grumpy sometimes.

      ‘I promise I won’t do anything silly,’ she said. ‘Besides, this is a Spanish protectorate. We aren’t in Morocco yet. I’m sure I shall be perfectly safe…’