Death and Desire (Love in Cairo #1)

Chapter Four

“R emind me of his name ?” Dina skimmed her hand across the glass counter at the jeweler.

Violet glanced around the small shop. While many of the patrons were English, none of them paid attention to the two women as they indulged in an afternoon adventure by visiting every prominent jeweler in Cairo for information about her bracelet. Alas, they’d found no answers, but they had ample time to become better acquainted.

“Khalid,” Violet said, picturing him once more. Tall, dark, and handsome had suited him well enough when she’d described him to Dina earlier, but he was more complex than that. Something she couldn’t quite capture with words. One had to see him to grasp it.

And yet, that was the crux of the problem. No one had seen him. Not her father nor brother. Not David. Not Dina. It was as if he were a figment of her imagination.

Only...she had danced with him. Spoken with him. There was nothing imagined about the way he touched her waist. The way his voice slid over her like a soothing balm of spiced tea on a winter day. She warmed through at the memory.

“The name does little to aid me.” Dina tapped her finger against her lips. “And while the description you gave is somewhat vague, I’m intrigued by this mysterious man you encountered.”

“I wish you had met him.” Violet reached the front of the shop and turned.

“Perhaps we’ll be fortunate enough to cross his path again.” Dina’s grin dissolved into a pout. “I never meet handsome strangers at the gala, only men who wish to meet my father.”

“I have a similar problem.” Violet sighed. “Are there no men who wish to know me and not what my acquaintance will afford him?”

“A plight shared by all daughters of successful men.”

“I cannot complain. The handsome stranger saved me from a pretentious arse who first approached me last evening.”

“He saved you?” Dina’s eyes widened.

“Not really.” She chuckled. “I spotted him in the shadows, thought he was my brother, and used him as an excuse to escape.”

“How romantic.”

“I wouldn’t call it romantic .” Violet scrunched her nose. “He didn’t offer much in the way of conversation, let alone flirtation.”

“Quiet and handsome? You may have discovered a treasure with that one!”

Violet smiled at Dina’s laugh. “Perhaps. There was just something...strange about him. Like he didn’t belong there.” She shook her head. “I must be imagining things. No one saw him. I have no proof of the encounter. I must be going mad.”

“I believe you.” Dina reached out to take Violet’s hand. The gentle touch soothed her agitation. “I’m sure we’ll find proof of this mystery man.”

“I hope so.” Violet moved closer to the door, tugging Dina with her. “Otherwise, I will never hear the end of my brother’s infernal teasing.”

“You and your brother have a close bond. I envy it.”

“You envy being tormented on a daily basis by someone who hasn’t given me a day’s peace since I was a year old?” Violet smiled. “You can have him.”

Dina’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink before she hid them behind a fan as they stepped into the street.

The implication of her own words struck Violet. “Oh...I didn’t mean...oh, curse my tongue.”

“No. It’s fine.” Her companion waved her hand, gold bangles knocking together on her wrist. “I know what you meant. It’s just...”

“You find my brother attractive?”

“I do, but I find his friend quite handsome as well,” Dina said, her voice low.

“Well, you have my blessing, should you choose to pursue either of them.”

“I appreciate your support.”

Dina’s soft laugh reminded Violet of birdsong. Their friendship had blossomed over such a short period of time, and it was refreshing to have female companionship after being alone for so long.

After her mother’s death, she’d rarely ventured far from the family’s country estate. Their brief trips to London often left her melancholy, and she preferred the country in deep moments of reflection. She’d longed to share her experiences with someone who would understand.

Mother would have loved Dina. This trip would have been a wondrous exploration for both of them. Retracing her mother’s steps from when she’d visited Cairo all those years ago gave Violet motivation to persist. Egypt called to her, if only because of the memory of her mother’s stories.

“Your father is hosting a dinner party tonight, is he not?” Dina interrupted her thoughts as they walked toward the Continental.

“Yes, at the hotel. Will you attend?” Violet took Dina’s hand. “Please tell me you’ll be there. I cannot bear the thought of being the only woman at the table.”

“In that case, I shall rescue you.” Dina winked. “No need for a handsome stranger to come to your aid two nights in a row. Just be sure to seat me near your brother and David.”

“Of course.” Violet joined her laughter, but deep in the recesses of her mind lingered the stranger. Khalid .

After they’d visited half a dozen jewelers and a handful of boutiques, Violet returned to the Continental and Dina took her leave, promising to return for dinner. Inside her room, Violet’s earlier purchases awaited. They’d been delivered directly to the hotel and laid out on the settee at the foot of her bed.

She withdrew a lovely blue gown with black beading from one of the bags and placed it neatly on the white counterpane. Violet tugged at the collar of her simple white linen dress. The heat of the day lingered heavily in the room. She opened the doors to the balcony and sighed as a gentle breeze drifted in. The sweet scent of blooming jasmine floated into the room, teasing her senses.

The opulent gardens outside called to her, inviting her with their deep, varying shades of green spattered with bright bursts of colorful blooms. She longed to take a book to a vacant chair in the shade. Indulge in some reading and lose herself for a few moments of quiet.

But her father expected her to join them for dinner in an hour.

A familiar pull tugged deep inside her, tempting her to abandon her commitments and enter the garden. She placed a hand over her heart, pressing the stone on her wrist to her overheated skin, and closed her eyes. If only you were here, Mother, then you could talk sense into Father about his unrealistic expectations.

When she opened her eyes, Violet found the moment interrupted by a furry interloper. Tucked beneath one of the palm trees, a black dog sat on its haunches, watching her. Its golden eyes glinted even in the shadow of the branches overhead.

She leaned against the balustrade, admiring the animal’s sleek coat. What kind of dog was this? It looked unlike any breed she was familiar with. Perhaps it had escaped the custody of one of the guests.

Violet searched the garden, but there was no one milling about the greenery. When she sought out the dog once more, it was gone. She frowned. Poor thing. Hoping the owner had found it, she retreated to her room to dress for the evening meal.

Her father’s dinner went exactly as she’d anticipated it would. Boring. Dina’s presence lightened the heavy burden on her shoulders and gave her moments of much needed levity, as did conversation of their plans for the following day—a trip to the museum to view the antiquities.

“Why do you want to look at mummies in the museum?” Isaac scoffed as he picked at the pheasant on his plate. “There’s so much more to do in Cairo.”

“Like what?” Violet asked, looking at her brother seated on the other side of Dina. “Go to clubs and drink expensive whiskey?”

David’s ungentlemanly snort behind her bolstered her mood. None of them liked being dragged into her father’s business, but they managed to make the situation bearable.

“There’s a fantastic club on a boat. You would love it.” Dina turned to Violet with gleeful expectation. “We should go.”

“Tonight?” Violet nearly spilled her wine with the abruptness of the suggestion. “I don’t know...I...”

“Not tonight. I can make reservations for later this week.” Dina’s excitement was infectious.

“Yes, let’s do it.”

“What are you planning over there?” Father’s voice echoed from the head of the table.

Violet turned to him with a smile. “Dina was telling us about a lovely tour on the Nile. I asked her to make reservations.”

Father’s brow furrowed. “Is your brother joining you?”

She turned expectantly to Isaac, who blanched but nodded. “Yes...and David too.”

David half choked beside her. She pinched his arm.

“Sounds delightful,” he croaked.

“Very well,” Father said. “Ah, I forgot to mention. I hired someone to accompany you and ensure your safety as you explore Cairo.”

“You hired someone?” Violet’s pulse pounded with irritation. “I am more than capable of taking care of myself. And I have David and Isaac to protect me.”

“He will also be your guide,” Father persisted.

“Dina is a perfectly adequate guide,” Violet argued, her irritation growing.

“This is not a debate, Violet. He will be here at nine tomorrow to escort you wherever you wish to go.” Templeton’s pointed stare silenced the protest on her tongue.

Whatever remained of her good humor vanished as he turned back to his guests, as if their conversation had never transpired. She inhaled deeply, trying to quell her rising frustration. Isaac offered a halfhearted smile.

Dina rested a hand on Violet’s shoulder. “It’s not so bad,” she murmured with a kind smile.

A stiff smile stole across Violet’s lips as walls slowly pressed inward. Her chest ached with the pressure of confinement. Blinking back tears, she inhaled to steady herself, but she needed fresh air. A way to clear her mind and center herself before she made a scene.

With a muttered excuse, Violet pushed away from the table. Determined to collect herself, she retreated to the hotel lobby in search of a quiet place to think. If she went to her room, not only would her father find her but her brother would as well.

Keeping her gaze fixed on the floor, she took steady, measured breaths as she wove through the guests and slipped out to the garden she’d admired from her room. Moonlight shone down from overhead.

Sparsely lit, the garden lay shrouded in shadows with strings of sparkling lights strewn across walkways leading deeper into the foliage. Violet sidestepped a wandering couples as she meandered along the path. When she spied a small bench at the base of a palm tree, she went to it, hoping to steal a few moments of fresh air and silence.

A flicker of movement in the bushes beside the bench drew her up short. She paused, leaned her hand on the trunk of the tree, and peered into the bushes.

Familiar golden eyes met hers. She jumped back as the dog emerged from the darkness.

“Oh, you’re still here, are you?” Violet dropped her hands to her sides before glancing around. “Where is your master?”

With a snort, the dog shuffled around the tree and trotted down the path.

“Wait.” Violet followed, hoping to reunite the dog with its owner. “Come back here.”

The dog vanished from sight.

Violet stomped her foot. With a heavy sigh, she scoured the foliage. “Damn it.”

“Is something wrong?”

Panic and hope infused her at the familiar voice. She turned to find Khalid standing on the path behind her.

“You again.” Violet huffed. “Everything is wrong .”

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Are you a guest?”

“In a manner of speaking.” He inclined his head, then regarded her for a moment. “You are upset.”

“How observant.” She squared her shoulders.

His gaze slid over her bare arms, down the length of the sapphire gown she’d purchased earlier in the day. Violet suppressed a shiver at the intensity of his attention, the way it slowly stripped away the barriers between them. Those dark eyes missed nothing, drinking in the light and life around him.

“Are you following me?”

“Perhaps.”

Violet held her ground as he stepped closer. The scent of heady frankincense, potent jasmine, and rich earth mingled with his heat to create an intoxicating aroma. It had lingered long after their dance the night before, long after he’d vanished into the night.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice wavering.

“Nothing that isn’t freely given.” He reached out, tracing a finger along the inside of her arm. “What brings you to Cairo, little flower?”

“I—” Her mind blurred, distracted by his caress. His presence. Every nerve tingled beneath her skin, ignited and coaxed to life by his innocent touch. Her breaths came faster, her chest heaving with exertion. She sighed and tried to ground herself in the memory of her mother instead of his distracting contact.

“My mother promised to show me...Egypt.” A tear slipped free, unbidden. “She died.”

Khalid inhaled deeply, his eyes closing for a brief moment before opening again. “My condolences.”

“She visited here when I was young.” Violet smiled at the memory as it came fully fledged into her mind. “She promised one day she’d bring me and show me the wonders of Egypt.”

“Did she give you this?” Khalid lifted her hand, allowing the jewel on her wrist to catch the light.

Violet nodded.

“How lovely.” He inspected it carefully, his grip firm but gentle. “Extremely rare.”

“Rare?” Her pulse quickened. “You recognize it?”

“I do.”

Excitement filled her. “Where did it come from?”

His dark eyes met hers, devoid of emotion. “It was stolen.”

Fear gripped her while anger simmered beneath her skin. “What...are you implying?”

“Did you steal it, little flower?”

“No.” She jerked her hand from his. “Neither did my mother.”

“It matters not who stole it, only that it has been returned.”

Violet’s breath caught. “Returned?”

“To Egypt.”

“Violet, are you out here?” Isaac’s voice echoed in the distance, desperation laced through his words. “Vi!”

She turned toward the sound. “Over here.”

When she spun to face Khalid, he was gone. She pressed a hand to her chest. What was it with this man and his sudden exits? What did he mean returned to Egypt ? Nothing he said made any sense. Why would her mother give her a stolen gemstone?

If only he would stop vanishing, perhaps she could get some information. Instead, he’d left her with more questions than answers...and a helpless longing to see him again. Even if his lack of manners left her irritated and a bit flushed, she could not deny it. Khalid intrigued her.

She needed more than a quick dance and a few stolen moments in the garden to assuage her curiosity.