Page 7 (2/2)

‘My brother and I are now at a stage in our negotiations where we are looking to put together a tea in to i-standing friend of our late father, speaks very highly of you, and naturally it occurred to me that you would be an ideal candidate for our team’

Drax gave a s you a job in this manner is not exactly orthodox business procedure, but events have moved ahead witha large nu to take time We have therefore decided to set up a small, specially selected team with all speed The fact that you are here in Zuran and in need of a job makes you an ideal candidate for a place on that team

‘Time is very much of the essence here My brother has to leave for London for further negotiations, and I need to return to our country to allow him to do so, since one of us must always be resident in Dhurahn If I can take you back with ard to the preliotiations, that will allow round breaking project

‘You will be well paid My brother and I have already agreed upon a salary scale for our young graduates—it is almost double the best rate paid in London, and I assure you that you will be paid As rulers of Dhurahn our word is our bond, and we do not operate the same kind of business ethics as Monika al Sawar’

‘You don’t really expect me to believe that you’re a ruler of Dhurahn, do you?’ Sadie challenged him Just what kind of idiot did he take her for?

‘You’re accusingto you? Why should I bother to do that?’

‘Rulers of Arab states don’t drive themselves around without escorts, or—’

‘You know this for a fact, do you? So, how many rulers of Arab States exactly are you fa you are being?’ he asked Sadie softly ‘Under traditional Dhurahni law people can be locked away for the rest of their life for such an insult to aFaue cut out so that they could never speak another lie Th

at was if they were allowed to live’

Sadie shuddered, sickened by the graphic i on her He was certainly every inch the haughty all-powerful potentate whose as absolute law, she ad now that she had not spoken out so rashly

‘I do not lie, Ms Murray I do not need to I could drive back to Zuran City and take you to the Ruler to verify my identity for you Indeed, I could ask the same of your own Embassy But I don’t have time I need to return to Dhurahn before my brother leaves’

Sadie saw the look in his eyes as his mouth curled doards in hard dismissal, and knew that he meant what he said

It was still hard for to take what he was saying at face value—especially after she had been so naïvely taken in by Monika

‘I find it hard to accept that you’re willing to offerabout me, or—’

‘Here in the Gulf we believe very strongly in fate It is true that when I left the Royal Palace earlier today with Professor al Sawar the thought of e I had planned However, a clever nore the opportunities that fate offers to hi That was certainly what he believed, even if the opportunity he believed ‘fate’ had given him on this particular occasion was not the one he was now pro to Sadie Murray