page25 (1/2)

‘That is not what I said!’ Ellie sliced in, sounding infuriatingly like the newly qualified doctor she noas, having recently passed her finals ‘I said that was the average but obviously a wonant the very first ti about conception is etched in stone Why are you asking ain?’

‘Just curious, that’s all’

‘Don’t be putting pressure on yourself in that depart and healthy and you’ll likely conceive sooner rather than later’

The evening dress Polly was planning to as in autuerine Her ht the amber set to her and she donned it with a frown because the necklace was every bit as weighty as she had feared and the exotic earrings were al bundled up her hair into an elaborate updo that gave her the height she lacked, she scrutinised her appearance, ready to adain Hayat’s advice had proved indispensable The amber jewellery and the nity to what ht otherwise have been a rather plain outfit

She did not see Rashad until she climbed into the limousine in which he awaited her and quite predictably, because he was never ever anything other than punctual to thetoo fine As she turned towards him with a mischievous s her white throat and his lean, strong face snapped taut, sudden pallor accentuating his superb bone structure

‘You look stunning,’ hehis handsoid

‘Is there so?’ Polly pressed uncertainly

‘No,’ he asserted but not very convincingly

The dinner was Polly’s first public appearance at Rashad’s side since the wedding and she was keen to get everything right Hayat had prepared her ith a key sheet of useful infor names and faces and functions to ease her into the social evening

Rashad, holding hi in his own memories He could not see that a it It had been her favourite, the colour of the se the drive to the embassy, he was steeped in the memories he had locked into a little box at the back of his head He saw Ferah, laughing and sy and happiness at the outset of their e Ferah before life had scarred her and fatally wounded her and he had let her down Fierce discoripped him

‘Why did you choose that jewellery?’ he asked with as much nonchalance as he could contrive

‘The aems match the dress perfectly,’ Polly replied in some surprise

‘I prefer you in brighter colours,’ Rashad i a nonsense of the compliment he had initially paid her

Polly squared her sli ‘I can’t wear blue all the ties’

Her soft ly defiant line because she was annoyed with hi her first official function as the new Queen of Dharia? Didn’t he appreciate that she needed support and encourageht, he didn’t like the dress, but he should have kept his opinion to hirily