been in his life as nothing more than sexual partners. Willing sexual partners. When he’d said he’d never felt so challenged by a woman, did he mean because she wasn’t offering herself to him?
Sarah shook her head, trying to dismiss the rising anxieties.
Stupid to keep worrying about the future. The decision was made. Whatever the outcome of a year with Tareq, she had to take it in her stride and let it flow past her. It was one thing she used to be good at, letting things flow past her.
It had been different with Jessie and the twins. Her involvement with them had been so easy, natural…an uncomplicated love, given and returned. Sarah hoped it would always be the same with them. All going well, they would still be here next year when she returned with Tareq for the Melbourne Cup.
Her packing was well under way by the time Jessie returned with Tareq. She stood still, listening to the high excited voice leading her important visitor down the hall to her especially equipped domain. There was no pause outside Sarah’s door. Jessie had to be still in ignorance of her half-sister’s imminent departure.
Almost an hour later, Sarah took her luggage out to the veranda. The chauffeur collected it and stowed it in the limousine. Susan and the boys still hadn’t arrived. Sarah waited outside until she caught sight of the jeep approaching the gate into the property, then steeling herself for the inevitable leave-taking, she walked quickly into the house and straight to Jessie’s suite.
A swell of emotion broke past her guard as she knocked on the door. Tears stung her eyes and her chest was so tight, the deep breaths she forced herself to take were painful. Keep it bright, keep it simple, and make it quick, her mind dictated. It would be easier that way, easier for everybody. Having blinked back the tears, she pasted a smile on her face and opened the door.
Why her gaze went first to Tareq, she didn’t know. It was Jessie she had to face, yet somehow he dominated even this parting scene…sitting in the chair she usually sat in, commanding attention simply by being in this room. He looked at ease, yet she felt the driving force behind his kindly facade and her heart quailed at what she had invited upon herself in accepting his bargain.
The electric chair hummed into life. Sarah tore her gaze from Tareq and looked anxiously at Jessie, now turning away from the desk where she’d obviously been showing Tareq some of her sketches. She had a real gift for drawing, a talent Sarah had encouraged her to develop since it was not dependent on two active legs. One day it might lead her into a rewarding and fulfilling career.
“You can sit on my bed, Sarah,” she invited, her little face still glowing with excitement. “Are you all packed, ready to go with Tareq?”
The knowledge and the ready acceptance in the question jolted Sarah. “I…yes. The chauffeur put my luggage in the car,” she answered weakly, searching for and finding no sign of distress in the child. “I know it’s sudden, Jessie, but…”
“Oh, you couldn’t miss out, Sarah,” came the eager urging. “You’ll have a wonderful time with Tareq.”
“You don’t mind my going?” It amazed her, disturbed her that Jessie seemed to care so little about losing her.
“Gosh, Sarah! It’s not as if everybody’s sister gets asked to travel with a sheikh.” She looked absolutely entranced with the idea. “You’re so lucky!”
“Yes, aren’t I?” she agreed, trying to inject some enthusiasm into her voice.
She darted a glance at Tareq as she sat on the bed, wondering if he’d brainwashed Jessie into thinking he was sweeping Sarah off on a magic carpet. The look he returned telegraphed very clearly he left nothing to chance when he wanted his purpose achieved. Sarah knew she should feel grateful he’d removed any trauma from the situation. Instead, she felt cheated, as though he’d wiped out the value of her involvement with her family.
“I’ll be thinking of you all the time,” Jessie went on. “Promise you’ll send me postcards of wherever you go, Sarah?”
“Of course I will.” Her inner stress eased a little at this evidence of wanting a continuing connection.
“I’m going to get a big map of the world and put it on my wall. Every time I get a postcard from you, I’ll stick in a pin of where you are so I’ll only have to look at it to know and think of you there. Isn’t that a good idea?”
One of his? “I’ll be thinking of you, too, Jessie. I hope you’ll write to me.”
“I’ll write you very special letters, Sarah.”
This declaration was accompanied by a secretive smile which she shared with Tareq. His smile in response indicated a conspiratorial arrangement. Sarah hoped Tareq wouldn’t conveniently forget his part of it once they were away from here. She didn’t want Jessie disillusioned by broken promises. On the other hand, she couldn’t argue with the ideas he’d implanted. It seemed he had gone out of his way to ensure she remained a presence in her family, however far away she was.
“I’ll look forward to hearing all your news, Jessie,” Sarah said in warm encouragement. “You must write me news of the boys, too.”
She giggled, delighted with the plans concocted with Tareq. “It’s going to be such fun!”
The eruption of noise in the house heralded the twins’ approach. They burst into Jessie’s room, two hyperactive bundles of trouble with wild, curly hair and big brown eyes, determined on finding the sheikh and seeing him for themselves. Jessie performed the introductions and both boys looked their fill of the man, somewhat daunted by his powerful presence.
“Mum said you’re taking Sarah with you,” Tim spoke up, showing his misgivings about this arrangement.
“Sarah is ours,” Tom stated belligerently.
“Sarah will always be yours,” Tareq answered, smiling his assurance. “She’s your sister and she loves you. Coming with me won’t make any difference to how she feels about her family.”
“But I don’t want her to go away.”
“Don’t be a baby, Tom,” Jessie cried in exasperation. “Sarah’s a grown-up and she hasn’t had any time for grown-up things with us. You’ve got to be fair.”
Another one of Tareq’s ideas?
“Do you want to go, Sarah?” Tim asked.
“I do need to do something more with my life, Tim,” she answered, “though I’ve loved being here with you.”
“Who’s going to tell us bedtime stories?” Tom demanded.
“I will,” Susan said from the doorway. “And I think you should thank Sarah for giving you so much of her time instead of making her feel bad about leaving you.”
“We didn’t mean to make you feel bad, Sarah,” Tim rushed out. “We want you to be happy.”
“Well, she’ll be real happy with Tareq,” Jessie declared, giving her younger brothers a supremely smug look. “I went for a ride in the stretch limousine!”
The boys instantly set up a clamour to be taken for a ride, too. Tareq good-humouredly agreed, inviting Jessie to lead them out to the car. She had a lovely time, playing Queen Bee, escorted by the sheikh who had apparently taken on the guise of fairy godfather.
“Will you be happy with him, Sarah?” Susan asked, scanning her anxiously as they trailed after the limousine party.
“I expect it will be an experience,” she returned dryly.
Susan shook her head fretfully. “You’ve done so much for us. I don’t know what to say…except thank you.”
“Try to keep Dad off the bottle, Susan.”
“I think Tareq has taken care of that. Your father got caught up in doing things he really hated and now he’ll be free of it, thank God!”
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