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accepted the course the Sheikh had outlined

“If you feel up to it, I think we should s first, ill need to make sure that you’re adequately clothed”

Zelda looked down at her siht it looked all right But then, she’d been basing that opinion on her old identity “It’s going to be a long day, isn’t it?”

The Sheikh half-s The major retailers in the city all know me very well, and will be happy to provide us with some help I’ll have to think of what to tell them to explain your current outfit”

Zelda half-cringed at that “Let’s just tell thee,” she suggested “I don’t want to have to remember too many lies at the same time”

Zayed gave her a respectful look, and then reached into his jacket pocket oncea few bills on the table to pay for their food and drink

“Then let’s get started, shall we?”

SIX

The driver hadn’t so ht to the curb when they finished their shopping excursion Zelda wondered if the man was someone on permanent retainer—a member of the Sheikh’s staff, paid to sit around and wait for hiht of so many purchases didn’t faze him

“He doesn’t speak English,” Zayedfor the es into the trunk of the lis without any worries”

“I’s,” Zelda said, shaking her head slightly She had never owned s at a time: a black one, a brown one, and one in a color that she could coordinate with other outfits More to the point, her choices had always been strictly utilitarian, with an emphasis on low cost and durability Zayed, however, had insisted on buying her five purses in different sizes, with o with ten pairs of shoes and seven belts

“I thought thatat her with amusement

“I’ve just never really had that kind of uess the allure of spendingmoney just hasn’t occurred to me yet”

The Sheikh chuckled “It’s not just for the sake of spending money,” he told her “It’s to establish who you are to the people you’re going to beweeks You’re a woman of fashion now, Zelda”

Zelda couldn’t help but laugh at that idea, shaking her head at the bizarreness of it as the driver took his seat and started the car

In spite of her lingering qualreed that it made more sense for her to take up residence at the Sheikh’s house rather than to stay in a hotel If they only had teeks to establish their great love for each other, everything they could do to de under the same roof would help to sell the idea of i her an entire new life, and Zelda had carefully avoided looking at price tags, knowing that if she discovered the cost of everything he was buying her, she would lose her nerve entirely