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Thedown on her nerves Her coether on her lap and wondered why they had all see? Was that possible? But what sort of ring could possibly attract such i to Vanessa it was not worth much money?

Another woman entered with a tray of aromatic tea Polly’s companion stood up and offered her a cup It slass up to her tense rant brew

‘Why a kept here?’ she dared to ask then

‘We are waiting for instructions,’ she was told

‘And the ring?’

Both wory that her ring had been taken fro link with thebe returned to her? At the saement from the fact that she had not been strip-searched and that tea had been brought It was awrong But had heryears back in the past?

Hoas she supposed to answer that question? In many ways, her hter Annabel had travelled the world in luxury to look after other people’s children while abandoning her own to the tender uardian She had, however, dutifully provided financial support for Polly’s grandhters for many years When that support came to a sudden unannounced halt, Polly had learned a lot about how to live on a very tight budget

The sisters had inherited nothing frorandmother She had left the contents of her house, all that she possessed, to her son, Polly’s uncle, cohter had ruined her retireitimate children It was a label Polly had always hated, a word the younger generation rarely used because it wasn’t fair to tag a child with so But it was a word that had erandchildren had been born out of wedlock

While Polly agonised on the other side of Kashan, Haki down theHis rounded face was bea Rashad was in his office, working diligently as usual

‘The ring!’ Hakih in the air like a trophy before hurrying over to lay it down reverently on the top of the desk ‘It is found’

Rashad frowned and sprang upright, carrying the ring in one lean brown hand to scrutinise it in the sunlight pouring through the‘Hoas it found? Where was it?’

Haki held at the airport

Rashad’s dark as jet eyes hardened ‘Why is she not in prison?’

‘This ed ‘We would not want to cause a diplomatic incident—’