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Lizzie phoned while Chrissie was savouring pepper the barely visible burateful she was that hersickness had not lasted into her second tri much more smoothly than her first and she put that down to the lack of stress in her current life She chatted at length to her sister, as due to arrive with her family and their father for a visit at the end of the week Her fae between the sisters

When their nanny reclai meal, Chrissie wandered down to the stables to visit Hero Two years earlier, her elderly pony had arrived to take up residence in the ritziest stall in the royal block Their reunionhad been a wonderful surprise for Chrissie and she had been overwhelmed that Jaul, incredibly busy as he was, had taken the time and trouble to ensure that Hero could live out what remained of his days near his mistress in Marwan

Having become heavily involved in the developramme, Chrissie had found her first year in Marwan had raced past her Jaul’s people were friendly and supportive and although she so shoulders with diplonitaries and businessmen, for much of the time she was simply Jaul’s wife Family life and time to spend with the children were immensely important to both of them

Having visited Hero, Chrissie headed back to their private wing to shower and change Every year they celebrated that night the barriers between theht in the harem That here they had rediscovered their love and happiness and it was a wonderful way of re faith with the proed

Dusk was falling when Jaul began lighting candles and aset out below the pillars Thethat no staff member could be shocked or offended by those depictions of earthly lust and love Jaul liked to think that love must have featured in some of the relationships that had taken place in the harerandfather Tarif had chosen shallow physical relationships over the far deeper andbonds he could have formed with the ho had loved him

Jaul frowned as he thought of his grandether had been so short Lady Sophie had died peacefully in her sleep the year before Prior to that, Jaul had made frequent visits to the old lady’s home in London, keen to make up as best he could for the decades his late father had spent ignoring his mother’s very existence

The iron ring on the huge outer door was smartly rapped and rapped a second tirinned, well acquainted with his wife’s impatience

‘I haven’t quite finished the candles,’ he warned her

‘I’olden eyes and could have sworn that her knees wobbled

‘No, you’re pregnant You’re not allowed to do anything but put your feet up’ Jaul ushered her over to an armchair furnished with a footstool

‘Anything?’ Chrissie teased as she kicked off her shoes and sat down

‘Conserve your energy for what’s really i theht with amusement, Jaul knelt down beside her to reach for her hand and slide a platinuer ‘Thank you for another wonderful year’

Chrissie studied her latest gift in consternation ‘We agreed that you weren’t going to buy me any more jewellery’

‘I didn’t agree I siument’

‘Sometimes you can be so devious’ Chrissie lifted a hand to brush an errant lock of blue-black hair off his brow

‘And you love it,’ Jaul told her with assurance, planting a kiss on the delicate skin of her inner wrist while tracing tender fingertips over the slight swell of her pregnant tu you feel on the surface but I hide itexcept when I’m with you I love you, habibti’