anger evident in his eyes.
“My household is not your concern. You are merely a guest. Here because Max requested it.”
“Children are my concern, however, and if you can’t take proper care of these children, I shall report you,” she replied hotly. The foolishness of the comment struck her. Surim was the leader of the entire country. To whom would she report him?
Surim narrowed his eyes, anger threatening to choke him. Then the absurdity of what she’d just said penetrated. His anger immediately cooled. For a moment he thought he’d challenge her on that. He looked at Melissa, then at the children. They shrank away from him. He was not a monster. He would never strike a child. Yet they walked as if on eggshells around him.
No wonder—he had no clue how to care for children. He’d hired Annis to watch them. But they were proving too much for her. Not that he had any intention of sharing that information with his guest. Maybe boarding schools were the answer.
He looked back at Melissa. She might be petite, but she looked as if she’d fight him to the death. And she didn’t even know the children.
“These are my cousin’s children. Nadia, Hamid, and Alaya. They have come to live with me recently and we haven’t found our way yet. I would prefer you not report me.” Surim let the humor of the situation defuse the tension. He had never heard anyone in Qu’ Arim threaten to report him before. The novelty was priceless.
“Perhaps they should return home,” Melissa said.
“Unfortunately, their parents were killed in a car crash and they have no home to return to. As their guardian, I now provide for them.”
Surim watched as Melissa shifted Hamid in her arms. He had to be growing heavy. At least she had been able to stop his crying, for which Surim was grateful. The nightmares came regularly and Annis seemed incapable of doing anything to stop them. Not that he himself had been any help. Yet Max’s little friend seemed to have the knack of quieting the child. He’d take any help he could get at this point.
He looked at her once more, surprised to see she was in a gown and robe. Her hair looked soft and touchable, her eyes sparkled with righteousness indignation. And the color that rose in her cheeks intrigued him.
Max had asked if his assistant could come, more for a holiday than for needed work. Was there something between the two of them? Surim had not seen anything. Which didn’t mean she was totally unattached. Was there a man waiting for her in London?
“Perhaps you’d help get the children settled for the night,” he said, dragging his speculation back to the matter at hand. With a glance at Annis, he shook his head. The nurse had proved most ineffective when dealing with these children. How hard could it be to put three children to bed at a reasonable time each night? Weren’t nurses supposed to be able to deal with nightmares and other problems Hamid seemed to have?
“Perhaps I should.” Melissa looked at the two girls. “Hi, I’m Melissa. Want to help me get Hamid to bed? Then I’ll tuck you both in and read you all a story.”
“Our room is across the hall,” the older girl said. “Hamid couldn’t hear the story from his room.”
“Then tonight why don’t we have all three of you sleep together, and then everyone can hear at once?”
“I wuv stories,” the littlest one said.
“They speak English,” Melissa said, looking at Surim.
“Their parents lived in England. They were all three born there,” he replied.
“Ah, I’m from England, too,” she told the children. “Let me tell you about the weather when I left, cold and rainy. They even thought there might be snow in the north before the end of the week. It’s much nicer here.”
Surim watched as the Englishwoman seemed to effortlessly gather the children to her and head them to the girls’ room. In a moment all he heard was her soft murmur.
“I’m sorry they disturbed you, Your Excellency. The boy had a nightmare and the girls awoke to come to his aid,” Annis said in Arabic.
Surim sighed. This was the fifth or sixth time since they’d arrived it had happened. When would it stop?
“It is to be expected, I suppose. We will discuss the situation in the morning,” he said.
The older woman scurried away. Surim wished she’d shown a little of the backbone Melissa Fox had when she’d taken him to task. Annis had come highly recommended, but Surim didn’t think much of her abilities with these children. Unlike Melissa Fox, who had miraculously charmed them all.
Himself included?
Report him, indeed.
He crossed the hall and paused near the opened door. The three children were snuggled together in the large bed. Melissa sat in a chair near the head, reading a story. Already little Nadia had her eyes closed. Hamid was fighting sleep.
Surim watched as Melissa seemed to calm them all, and bring much-needed rest.
He waited until she checked the children, gently closed the book, and turned off the light. She made it seem easy. Yet he had no idea of what to talk about to a child.
When she stepped into the hallway, she was surprised to see him.
“Thank you for getting them to sleep,” he said formally. He was embarrassed a guest in his home had had to involve herself with his responsibilities. But the quiet was much appreciated. He hoped they slept through the night this time.
“I apologize for speaking to you as I did earlier. It was not my place,” she said, equally formally, looking just beyond his left ear.
It was a perfect apology, but he didn’t believe she really meant it. From the stiff way she held herself, he had an idea she’d like to tear into him and berate him for not being a better guardian for the children.
“I hope they will not interrupt your visit a second time,” he said politely.
She flashed him an annoyed look and turned to walk down the hall. “Children don’t annoy me.”
Lucky her, that children didn’t annoy her. Or baffle her as they did him. He expected them to do as they were told, but had found in the three weeks they’d been in his home that expectation was not met more times than it was.
He glanced into the darkened room once more, feeling a sharp pang at the thought of his cousin Mara’s death. She and her husband had been too young. And he had never expected to be named guardian of three children under the age of nine. He knew nothing about children. He’d have his secretary begin researching boarding schools in the morning. There had to be some that would take children as young as two.
CHAPTER TWO
MELISSA dressed in a navy suit and sensible shoes the next morning. She and Max were meeting with the contractor at Surim’s offices. Then they would all view the site again, with the foreman explaining each stage. She would begin to earn her salary today. That was if Surim would still let her work. Melissa sighed. She really shouldn’t have threatened him last night. Would he mention the incident to Max?
