Duty, Desire and the Desert King. Jane Porter

found one for me!”

      Georgina stepped back, and Ralf leaned down and dropped a kiss on Rou’s cheek. “I will always be in your debt, Dr. Tornell.”

      And then Ralf and Georgina were turning their attention to Zayed, heartily welcoming him, and thanking him for coming.

      “It is my pleasure,” Zayed answered smoothly, “and I offer you my family’s warmest congratulations on your marriage.”

      “Thank you,” Ralf replied. “But tell us, have you news of Sharif? We’ve only just heard. It was on the television earlier.”

      “Was it?” Zayed answered. “I didn’t think they were going to go public for another few days.”

      Ralf and Georgina exchanged swift glances. “Is it true that there’s no sign of the plane? That it just totally disappeared from the radar?” Ralf persisted.

      Zayed nodded.

      “And Jesslyn?” Georgina asked. “Is she…Was she…?”

      “She wasn’t with him, no. Nor the children, thank God.” Zayed’s expression shifted, hardened. “Although they were all supposed to be together.”

      “I can’t believe it,” Ralf said, more to himself than the others. “Sharif is so…so…Sharif.”

      Zayed inclined his head, and Ralf quickly recovered and reached out to clasp Zayed’s shoulder. “We are praying for him, and all of you. We must not lose hope. And if there is anything we can do, any way we can aid the search, or help the queen, you only need to say the word.”

      The wedding couple moved on.

      Rou was silent for a moment after Georgina and Ralf walked away, but then she turned to Zayed, her expression fierce. “What’s happened to Sharif?”

      “I’ve told you—”

      “You haven’t.”

      “He’s missing. His plane disappeared ten days ago. But I told you—”

      “No, you didn’t tell me.” Her voice cracked. “You definitely didn’t tell me. You said throne, Sarq, kingdom. You didn’t say Sharif. You didn’t say he was missing. You didn’t. And you should have.”

      “Why?”

      “Why?” Her eyes shimmered with tears. “He’s my hero. I adore him, and I’d do anything, absolutely anything, for him.”