two small flags on the hood. The bright gold royal emblem fluttered in the light breeze. As she approached, she noticed the uniformed chauffeur holding open the rear door, but before she could slide onto the back seat, Khalil stopped her with a light touch on her arm.
“Dora, this is Roger, our favorite driver. He’s been with my family for as long as I can remember.”
The chauffeur, an attractive light-skinned man in his fifties, touched the brim of his cap. “Thank you, Prince Khalil , but I must take offense at the phrase ‘for as long as I can remember.’ The young lady is going to think I’m as old as dirt.” The Englishman smiled as he spoke.
“Maybe not as old as dirt,” Khalil admitted. “How about as old as time?”
Roger grinned. “All right, Your Highness. Be that way if you must.” He winked at Dora.
She found herself smiling back at the older man. At least the first person she’d met in El Bahar hadn’t terrified her.
Khalil gripped Roger’s shoulder briefly. “I’m glad you’re the one who came to the airport today,” he said. “Now Dora won’t be so worried about staying in El Bahar .”
She glanced at him in some surprise. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
“I’m your husband. Why wouldn’t I know?”
She didn’t know how to respond to the question. Yes, he was her husband, but he didn’t know her very well. At least she didn’t think he did. Or had she misjudged him? Perhaps he’d been telling the truth when he said he’d noticed her from the first moment they’d met. The idea left a warm glow in her stomach.
“Your wife?” Roger said, his voice laced with disbelief. “Sir, I had no idea.” He pulled off his cap and gave Dora a low bow.
She was so startled by the act of deference that she could do little more than stare at Roger’s close-cut sandy-red hair before glancing helplessly at her husband. But Khalil didn’t look the least bit upset by the other man’s actions. Of course, he was a prince by birth and quite used to this sort of treatment.
“Your Highness,” Roger began. “I meant no disrespect. If I’d known—”
Dora might not know much about being a princess, but she knew plenty about getting along with people. “I hope you would have been as friendly to me,” she said gently, as she cut him off in midsentence. “The prince is correct. This is my first time in El Bahar , and I’m a little nervous. You’ve given me a gracious welcome.”
“Thank you.” Roger nodded his head, then motioned to the open door. “If Your Highness pleases.”
Dora slid onto the rear seat. Khalil followed, but not before Roger said, “Well done, sir. She’s quite the lady.”
Khalil didn’t respond. Dora knew that she wasn’t supposed to have heard the comment, but it allowed her to relax a little. Perhaps she had a chance of getting it right after all. If only the royal family was as friendly as Roger, she would be just fine.
When the luggage had been loaded into the trunk, Roger got behind the wheel and started the limo. In a matter of minutes they’d left the airport behind and were headed for the city. Dora let her gaze move from window to window as she took in the sights of her new homeland.
They headed south to the coastal highway, then east, toward the city. The roads were wide and well-maintained, and the cars she saw were a mixture of old and new. The blue sky drew her attention again and again, and she found herself wanting to lower the window so that she could inhale the scents of the air.
“Would you mind?” she asked, lightly touching the control lever.
“Please.” Khalil leaned back in the seat. “This is to be your home. I want you to feel comfortable.”
She thought about telling him that she’d feel much more comfortable if he would touch her arm or take her hand, but she didn’t have the courage. They might technically be married, but she didn’t feel she had the right to any of a wife’s privileges.
She pressed
“Dora, this is Roger, our favorite driver. He’s been with my family for as long as I can remember.”
The chauffeur, an attractive light-skinned man in his fifties, touched the brim of his cap. “Thank you, Prince Khalil , but I must take offense at the phrase ‘for as long as I can remember.’ The young lady is going to think I’m as old as dirt.” The Englishman smiled as he spoke.
“Maybe not as old as dirt,” Khalil admitted. “How about as old as time?”
Roger grinned. “All right, Your Highness. Be that way if you must.” He winked at Dora.
She found herself smiling back at the older man. At least the first person she’d met in El Bahar hadn’t terrified her.
Khalil gripped Roger’s shoulder briefly. “I’m glad you’re the one who came to the airport today,” he said. “Now Dora won’t be so worried about staying in El Bahar .”
She glanced at him in some surprise. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
“I’m your husband. Why wouldn’t I know?”
She didn’t know how to respond to the question. Yes, he was her husband, but he didn’t know her very well. At least she didn’t think he did. Or had she misjudged him? Perhaps he’d been telling the truth when he said he’d noticed her from the first moment they’d met. The idea left a warm glow in her stomach.
“Your wife?” Roger said, his voice laced with disbelief. “Sir, I had no idea.” He pulled off his cap and gave Dora a low bow.
She was so startled by the act of deference that she could do little more than stare at Roger’s close-cut sandy-red hair before glancing helplessly at her husband. But Khalil didn’t look the least bit upset by the other man’s actions. Of course, he was a prince by birth and quite used to this sort of treatment.
“Your Highness,” Roger began. “I meant no disrespect. If I’d known—”
Dora might not know much about being a princess, but she knew plenty about getting along with people. “I hope you would have been as friendly to me,” she said gently, as she cut him off in midsentence. “The prince is correct. This is my first time in El Bahar , and I’m a little nervous. You’ve given me a gracious welcome.”
“Thank you.” Roger nodded his head, then motioned to the open door. “If Your Highness pleases.”
Dora slid onto the rear seat. Khalil followed, but not before Roger said, “Well done, sir. She’s quite the lady.”
Khalil didn’t respond. Dora knew that she wasn’t supposed to have heard the comment, but it allowed her to relax a little. Perhaps she had a chance of getting it right after all. If only the royal family was as friendly as Roger, she would be just fine.
When the luggage had been loaded into the trunk, Roger got behind the wheel and started the limo. In a matter of minutes they’d left the airport behind and were headed for the city. Dora let her gaze move from window to window as she took in the sights of her new homeland.
They headed south to the coastal highway, then east, toward the city. The roads were wide and well-maintained, and the cars she saw were a mixture of old and new. The blue sky drew her attention again and again, and she found herself wanting to lower the window so that she could inhale the scents of the air.
“Would you mind?” she asked, lightly touching the control lever.
“Please.” Khalil leaned back in the seat. “This is to be your home. I want you to feel comfortable.”
She thought about telling him that she’d feel much more comfortable if he would touch her arm or take her hand, but she didn’t have the courage. They might technically be married, but she didn’t feel she had the right to any of a wife’s privileges.
She pressed
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