Midnight at the Oasis: His Majesty's Mistake. Jane Porter

passed through another arch which led outside to a rose-covered arbor. The roses were in full bloom, a soft luscious pink, and the heady scent reminded Emmeline of the formal rose garden at the palace in Brabant. She felt a sudden pang for all that she’d lose once her parents knew she wouldn’t—couldn’t—marry King Patek, and why. They’d be scandalized. They’d insist she’d get an abortion, something she wouldn’t do.

      There would be threats.

      There would be anger.

      Hostility.

      Repercussions.

      Makin paused before a beautiful door stained a rich mahogany and stepped aside for her to open it.

      Hannah’s room, she thought, opening the door to a spacious apartment contained in its own building. The high-ceilinged living room spoke of an understated elegance, the colors warmer here than in the rest of the palace. The living-room walls were pale gold and the furniture was gold with touches of red, ivory and blue. She glimpsed a bedroom off the living room with an attached bathroom. There was even a small kitchen where Hannah could prepare coffee and make simple meals.

      “The cook made your favorite bread,” he said, nodding at a fabric-wrapped loaf on the tiled kitchen counter. “The refrigerator also has your yogurts and milk, and everything else you like. If you won’t let Cook send you a tray for lunch, promise me you’ll eat something right away.”

      She nodded. “I promise.”

      “Good.” He hesitated, still standing just inside the doorway, clearly uncomfortable. “I need to tell you something. May we sit?”

      She glanced at his face but his expression was shuttered, his silver gaze hard.

      Emmeline walked to the low couch upholstered in a delicate silk the color of fresh butter, and moved some of the loose embroidered and jeweled pillows aside so she could sit down. He followed but didn’t sit. He stood before her, arms crossed over his chest, his gray linen shirt pulled taut at the shoulders.

      He was without a doubt a very handsome man. He radiated power and control, but right now he was scaring her with his fierce expression.

      “There’s been an accident,” he said abruptly. “Last night on the way to the airport, Alejandro lost control of the car and crashed. Penelope died on the scene. Alejandro’s in hospital.”

      It was the last thing Emmeline had expected him to say. She struggled to process what he’d just told her. Her mouth opened and closed without making a sound. She tried again. Failed.

      “He was in surgery all night,” Makin continued. “There was a lot of internal bleeding. His condition is extremely critical.”

      Reeling from shock, Emmeline clasped her hands tightly together, too stunned to speak.

      Penelope was dead. Alejandro might not survive surgery. And yet both had been so beautiful and alive just hours ago.

      Impossible.

      Eyes burning, she gazed blindly out the glass doors to the garden beyond. Behind the walled garden the red mountains rose high, reminding her of the red dress Penelope had worn last night. And just like that, the desert was gone and all Emmeline could see was Penelope’s vivid red dress against the billowing fabric of Alejandro’s white shirt.

      Her throat squeezed closed. Hot acid tears filmed her eyes. “Alejandro was … driving?” she asked huskily, finally finding her voice.

      “He was at the wheel, yes.”

      “And Penelope?”

      “Was thrown from the car on impact.”

      Emmeline closed her eyes, able to see it all and hating the movie reel of pictures in her head. Stupid, reckless Alejandro. Her heart ached for Penelope who was so young—just nineteen.

      A tear fell, hot and wet on Emmeline’s cheek. With a savage motion she brushed it away. She was furious. Furious with Alejandro. Furious that he took lives and wrecked them and threw them all away.

      “I’m sorry, Hannah,” Makin said, his deep voice rumbling through her. “I know you imagined yourself in love—”

      “Please.” Her voice broke and she lifted a hand to silence him. “Don’t.”

      He crouched down before her, his powerful thighs all muscle, and caught her chin, forcing her to look at him. His silver-gray eyes glowed like pewter, hot and dark with emotion. “I know this isn’t an easy time for you, but you’ll survive this. I promise.”

      Then he surprised her by gently, carefully, sweeping his thumb across the curve of her cheek, catching the tears that fell. It was such a tender gesture from him, so kind and protective, it almost broke her heart.

      She hadn’t been touched so gently and kindly by anyone in years.

      She’d never been touched by a man as if she mattered. “Thank you.”

      Makin stood. “You’ll be all right,” he repeated.

      She wished she had an ounce of his confidence. “Yes.” She wiped her eyes dry. “You’re right. I’ll shower and change and get to work.” She rose, too, took several steps away to put distance between them. “What time shall I meet you?”

      “I don’t think you should try to do anything this afternoon.”

      “I know there must be stacks of mail—”

      “And hundreds of emails, as well as dozens of phone messages all waiting for your attention, but they can wait a little longer,” he said firmly. “I want you to take the rest of the day for yourself. Eat, sleep, read, go for a swim. Do whatever you need to do so that you can get back to work. I need your help, Hannah, but you’re absolutely useless to me right now.”

      She felt her cheeks grow hot. “I’m sorry. I hate being a problem.”

      He gave her a peculiar look before his broad shoulders shifted. “Rest. Feel better. That would be the biggest help.” Then he walked away, leaving her in the living room as if this was where she belonged.

      But as the door closed behind him, she knew this wasn’t where she belonged. It was where Hannah belonged.

      These rooms, the food in the kitchen, the clothes in the closet … they were all Hannah’s. Hannah needed her life back.

      Emmeline glanced down at herself, feeling grimy and disheveled in her creased cocktail dress, and while she longed for a shower—and food—she had something more important to do first.

      She had to reach Hannah. She’d put in calls yesterday but they’d all gone straight to voice mail. Hannah had texted her back, asking when Emmeline planned to arrive. Hannah was expecting Emmeline to show up in Raguva any moment to change places with her before anyone knew the difference. Which obviously wasn’t going to happen.

      Taking her phone from her small evening purse, Emmeline dialed Hannah’s number, praying that she’d actually get through this time instead of reaching Hannah’s voice mail again.

      The phone rang and rang again before Hannah answered breathlessly. “Hello?”

      Emmeline dragged a dark red embroidered pillow against her chest. “Hannah, it’s me.”

      “I know. Are you okay?”

      Emmeline squeezed the pillow tighter, her insides starting to churn. “I … I don’t know.”

      “Are you coming here?”

      “I.” Emmeline hesitated. “I … don’t … know,” she repeated, stumbling a bit, feeling dishonest, because she knew the answer. She could never go to Raguva. Not now.

      Tense silence stretched over the line and then Hannah asked tightly, “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

      Emmeline stared at the tall red mountains visible beyond the palace walls. She felt just as jagged as the mountain