she wasâ¦ahead of her time.â
This time she was left in no doubt that his eyes were smiling, but his voice was still dry. âAn unusual woman.â
Did he consider that a good or a bad thing?
âThatâs it, really. Minty and I made a short programme on Shelton Castle about two years agoââ
âIâve seen it.â
âYou have?â she asked, her eyes nervously flicking up. âAnyway, it was funâand quite successful in ratings terms so Minty found it easy to get the funding for this one. And, well, th-that really is itâ¦â She tailed off lamely. âSheâs put it all together and I know sheâll be more than happy to talk it over with you. Iâm just there to provide a personal connection to the subject.â
And because Minty was quite determined her friend would find a life for herself away from Shelton. There was no need to mention that. It made her sound incredibly wet.
Besides, Minty might change her mind when she heard how this conversation had gone. If Rashid had even the slightest inclination to open his country to a film crew again heâd want to be sure the resulting programme would be well executed and she hadnât done much to instil him with confidence.
Rashid stood up in one fluid movement. It was that panther thing again. He was all restrained power and energy, his mind finding an outlet in movement, and yet she would never describe him as agitated. In fact, you couldnât really imagine anything much throwing this man off his balance.
All of a sudden she didnât care one way or the other. Sheâd done her best and that was all anyone could do. If this didnât come off something would. Life was like that. It couldnât go on for ever without a bend in the road.
Polly finished off the last of her water and stood up, cradling the glass in two hands. âW-what do you think? Can we come?â
His blue eyes flashed across at her. âThere would need to be conditions.â
âOf course. Not that Iâd have anything to do with any of that. But Minty was wonderful when she made the programme on Shelton. Everyone involved was really considerate of the castle and there was nothing intrusive or unpleasant about the experience.â
Much to her annoyance Polly could hear a tremor in her voice. She wanted to sound confident and yet, somehow, in front of this man it wasnât possible.
âSheâs your friend.â He brushed her comment aside as though it wasnât worth nothing. It was the spur she needed.
âThe programme on Shelton was one of five Minty made about different English stately homes. No one complained. Sheâs a talented and very successful documentary film maker.â Polly raised her chin. âSo, what do you think?â she asked, forcing herself to meet his eyes. There was nothing to see. Not by so much as a flicker did he give away what he was thinking.
âWhy now?â
Sheâd been braced for an outright rejection and his question surprised her. âNow? You want to know why now?â she echoed, and then gathered herself together. âBecause of the weather. If we want to film in the desertââ
Rashid cut her off. âI will think about it,â he said, turning away and striding across the room.
Polly stood, slightly stunned as the door shut behind him. She drew in a shaky breath. Heaven help her. That had been scary. Butâ¦he had left her with a little bit of hopeâand, even ten minutes ago, that was more than sheâd expected.
CHAPTER THREE
POLLY adjusted her long dark head-covering, trying to pull it farther over her blond hair. âHow do I stop this thing slipping off?â
Pete, standing closest to her, gave the front a gentle tug. âMaybe a hair clip? I donât know. Do your best. Itâs not required of Westerners to cover their heads unless theyâre entering a holy place.â
Yes, she knew. But Mintyâs thirty-two-page ring-bound instruction booklet had also said a simple covering was sensible in the heat and generally considered respectful.
âJust relax about everything. So, where is this interpreter guy? Ali something, isnât it?â he said with a look over his shoulder at the cameraman.
Ali Al-Sabt. She knew that, too. Sheâd gone through Mintyâs âbibleâand highlighted anything that might be important in fluorescent yellow. She practically knew it verbatim, but there was no point saying anything.
âHe should be holding up a card. Easy enough to spot,â Baz said, scanning the crowded concourse.
âYouâd have thought.â
Polly let the conversation wash over her. The five men Minty had assembled were all veteran travellers. Theyâd worked together before, knew each other well and clearly considered her dead weight in their team. It didnât matter. She was here. And it was absolutely incredible.
There were people everywhere. The guidebook had said that Amrahis regarded travel as an event and that whole families tended to see their loved ones off and meet those coming home. It was all a world away from her quiet and controlled departure from Heathrow, but she loved it. The noise, the bustle, the general excitement of the place.
âThere! Johnâs over there.â
A hand waved high above the crowd and Polly allowed Pete to steer her towards it, struggling to keep the wheels of her case straight.
A smiling man in a traditional white dishdasha nodded as they approached. âAs-salaam alaykum.â
Polly murmured, âWa alaykum as-salaam.â Which she seriously hoped meant âPeace to youâ or something like. Leastways that had been what her Phrases for the Business Traveller to Amrah had said, though her pronunciation was bound to be hit and miss despite the accompanying CD.
âThis is Ali Al-Sabtââ
Behind them there was a loud shout and then a general hum of excitement. Pollyâs eyes went to the glass-protected VIP walkway, high above. At first she noticed the speed at which a group of men on it were walking, their sense of purposeâand then recognition hit her.
She felt as though her stomach had plummeted a couple of hundred feet. Even in the traditional robes of his country Rashid Al Baha was unmistakable. Powerful.
For the tiniest fraction of a second she fancied his footsteps slowed and his eyes met hers. She felt as though everything around her had frozen in a blur of colour. There was only himâ¦and her. Everyone else was as still as if theyâd been paused by a TV remote. He looked directly at her. She was sure he did.
For a moment.
And then the world around her restarted, the noise of the concourse louder than before.
âThatâs Sheikh Rashid Al Baha.
