The car drew to a halt just outside the hotel and a relieved Leila prepared to disembark. She hoped this would be her last encounter with Marco Vincenzi. Barely taking heed of the tight-lipped conversation between Marco and Bismah, she greeted the hotel’s doorman as he held open the limo door. Exiting the limo wasn’t exactly regal but she hoped it was at least lady-like.
She waited for Bismah under the red awning as he and Marco also exited the limo. Bismah was thanking Marco for his kindness—Bismah-fashion of course. She smiled her thanks too and very quickly regretted looking into Marco’s eyes. Once again, she was swept away by the tide of confusing emotions. Willing her eyes away, she prepared her escape into the hotel. But it was not just Bismah who strode beside her, Marco matched every step too. When they reached the foyer, she halted and so did he.
“Thank you Mr. Vincenzi. I am sure I can find my way to my suite…on my own.” Her tone was meant to be dismissive.
Casually pulling out his phone from his breast pocket, he said, “Princess, I would be honoured to accompany you to dinner this evening.”
“No thank you, Mr Vincenzi.” She did not hide the hostility in her curt response.
Leila continued into the hotel lobby and mumbled under her breath, “Not even if you asked a hundred times.”
“What was that Princess?’ Marco’s attention perked. He sensed that whatever she said wasn’t flattering. He found himself enjoying this little game they seemed to be playing.
“The Princess said, not even if you asked a hundred times,” Bismah repeated haughtily. Leila’s face melted with mortification. Hurrying toward the open elevator, she indicated her floor to the attendant just as Bismah slipped in before the doors mercifully closed on Marco’s amused chuckle. An irritated stare was lost on Bismah. Honestly, at times Leila was sure that Bismah hated her.
Later that afternoon, Leila paced the luxurious confines of her room. She had yet to make the call to her grandmother. Her first task as Princess had been a complete failure. She had let her grandmother and an entire country down. She picked up the phone for the umpteenth time and placed it in its cradle once again. What would this do to her grandmother? Surely it will add to her frailty.
The last few months had been both fairy tale-like and terrifying. Leila was thrust into a world that was so different, yet she was determined to do her best as the heir to the kingdom of Oudh. With it in such a state of financial ruin, she doubted whether her best would be enough. She wondered how the older woman had managed to keep her sanity amid all the loss and hopelessness.
Well, they did have renewed hope when it seemed that she would succeed in reacquiring the Heart of Oudh, but now those hopes will have to be dashed and Leila could not help but feel responsible.
She hastily swept her fingers through her hair. Their one chance was lost. Marco Vincenzi would never give up the ruby. No, from what she had learned about him the weeks leading up to the auction and their brief interludes before and after the auction, it seemed impossible he would part with it.
Perhaps Bismah’s plan B might be their only option after all.
The incessant knocking on the door of the hotel suite gave her an excuse to abandon her nerve-wracking train of thought. She was met by a flustered Bismah outside her room door.
Rolling his eyes and wringing his hands, he blurted, “These have been arriving all afternoon!” He swung about, his arms outstretched. The entire front room of the suite was teemed in an assortment of bouquets.
“Your Mr Vincenzi, can’t seem to take no for an answer.”
Leila looked around in wonder, unable to hold back the joy that suddenly buoyed her spirits. Just as she picked an orchid from an arrangement nearest to her, there was another knock at the door. Bismah threw his hands up to the heavens again and left the room. Ignoring his indistinguishable gabbles, Leila went to answer the door.
Another huge bouquet of star-lilies hid the bearer from view.
“Oh! These are gorgeous!” Leila exclaimed as she seized the vase and swept into the suite marvelling at the unusual arrangement of her favourite flowers.
“I’m glad you like it.” That familiar drawl stopped her in midstride, the smile fading from her face. The last thing she expected was to see Marco again. She turned slowly toward him.
“I believe that I have asked you to dinner a hundred and one times, Princess,” he pointed to the card poised atop the bouquet, “will you say yes now?” An eyebrow lifted as he awaited her response.
It took Leila a while to find her voice. “You’re very persistent, Mr. Vincenzi.”
“Marco, please.” He smiled, offered to take the vase, which she was reluctant to part with. It at least provided a barrier between them, which she certainly needed. He was too close and she had barely recovered from his presence earlier. But her resolve weakened. She let go of the vase. He merely passed the vase to a clearly annoyed Bismah who had returned to the front room and stood open-mouthed.
“Why do you insist on us having dinner together?” She asked when Bismah was persuaded to leave the room. Leila had already guessed that it was because Marco was used to having his way and that he did not like being rejected, but his response stunned her.
“I have a proposition for you—regarding the ruby. You are still keen on obtaining it, I assume?” Leila’s heart quickened but she forced herself to remain composed.
“Do you wish to sell the ruby? I mean you went to quite some trouble to get it, why the sudden change?”
He looked around for a moment before he answered. “I think it’s best if we discuss this at dinner. I will see you at seven, downstairs in the cocktail lounge. Till then, Princess.”
And just as inexplicably as he had arrived, he was gone, leaving Leila standing in the middle of a field of beautiful exotic flowers, too dumbstruck to move.
“How dare he drop a suggestion and then just leave without an explanation,” Leila said it to herself. “What makes him think that I will just be willing to meet him tonight, oh! That man is so arrogant!”
“I advise you to meet with Mr Vincenzi.” Bismah popped out of the shadows. She had forgotten that her nosy aide was still around. Why couldn’t her grandmother have chosen a more courteous assistant to accompany her?
“Bismah you shouldn’t sneak up on a person like that!” Leila shrieked.
“I apologise, Princess Leila. I do think that we should see what Mr Vincenzi has to offer.” He curled his lip as he said Marco’s name. “But we simply cannot refute any opportunity in acquiring the ruby, after all so many depend on its return to Oudh.”
“I realise that but I doubt Vincenzi will part with the ruby. In fact, I can’t imagine what his intentions are. But you are right I will meet with him—without your interference, tonight.” Leila said, annoyed. She hoped he understood that she was going to be making the decisions. Leila ignored Bismah’s horrified face.
“Princess, I object. Your grandmother entrusted you in my care.”
“A fact I am well aware of. But there are certain things that I am quite capable of doing on my own. And this meeting, or whatever it is, will be between Mr Vincenzi and me. That is my final word on the matter.”
Leila shut the door to her room, putting an end to any further discussion on the matter. Perhaps it was time to finally come into her own.
Comments (0)
See all