‘I know. They always have, but that isn’t enough any more, is it?’ he murmured with an insight that made her look at him with new eyes. ‘From now on, I must earn their respect, too. That’s why I must get to work straight away. I should be hustling us straight to the palace.’ His grimace told its own story. It was one thing to be the centre of attention, but not so enjoyable when you were in charge of all those individual lives.
Alyssa knew all about pressure. She had been under enough of it herself in the past. But this was on a massive scale.
She thought back to her first sight of Lysander, surrounded by clamouring staff all wanting a piece of him. He had looked as tense as she’d felt then, but arriving home in Rosara had transformed him. He moved today with the ease of someone who didn’t have a care in the world. It was only when he mentioned going to the palace that the telltale creases reappeared around his eyes.
‘The crowd are enjoying this so much, it’s a shame to disappoint them by rushing away. Why don’t you send someone on ahead to sort out the most urgent stuff, while you stay here and enjoy your reception for a bit longer?’ Alyssa said with a smile. She guessed he might use her words as a good excuse to linger. ‘Anyone can see how you’ve been missed. You and Ra’id really ought to let the crowd get a good look at you both before you disappear behind the black glass of one of your official cars, Lysander!’
The warmth of his presence was quite a distraction in itself, but when his hand dropped lightly onto her shoulder in response to her words, she jumped.
‘There’s no need for that.’
Lifting his hand again, he pointed across the tarmac. A huge black open-topped limousine was gliding towards them. Surely she wasn’t expected to travel in that with him, under the interested gaze of his adoring public?
A chauffeur in full formal uniform and cap opened the car doors for them, saluting as Ra’id bounced into the front seat. Despite his regal status, Lysander stood aside with a smile for Alyssa to get into the rear seat first. She almost died of embarrassment as the crowd greeted this little touch with an extra loud roar of pleasure. From the sound of it, watching Lysander load young women into the back of official cars was a national pastime.
As they drove slowly past the airport terminal a man burst from the ranks of the crowd. The car slowed, giving him time to throw something into the car. It fell into Alyssa’s lap. She jumped, then saw it was only one of the famous red roses of Rosara. It was the first of dozens. The car soon filled with flowers, all thrown by the delighted, cheering crowd.
Secure in his popularity, Lysander gave her a lazy smile.
‘Wow, I’ve never experienced anything like this! Your people seem truly happy to have you as Regent.’
Her words had far more effect on him than the jostling press of people around the limousine. He dodged her gaze, leaning forward to reach between the front seats and tousle Ra’id’s hair. ‘I know. So all I have to do is to build on that. For Ra’id’s sake.’
Alyssa wondered if he only tacked on those last few words for her benefit. It was easy to see it was Lysander the people wanted. It was his name they were calling, not the name of his nephew. That made her feel suddenly very uneasy, but she couldn’t ask him about it in front of all these crowds. She had to wait until their car turned onto the new main road leading directly from the airport to the palace.
‘I need to speak to you, Lysander.’ She flicked her eyes meaningfully towards where Ra’id was chatting happily to the chauffeur.
Lysander flipped a switch, and the car’s roof slid silently into position. Then he raised the partition separating them from Ra’id and the driver.
‘Are you sure it’s safe to bring Ra’id to a place like this?’
He gave her a steady look. ‘It’s his home. You don’t need to worry about a thing.’
‘Yes, I do. I lost a child because I didn’t like making too much fuss, even though I knew in my bones it was the right thing to do. I’m never going to stand by and watch another one suffer. This time I’m going to speak out, whatever the cost to me.’
His looked at her steadily. ‘Go on.’
‘The people of Rosara are fond of Ra’id because he’s small and cute, but most of that love and affection wasn’t directed at him. It was meant for you.’
Lysander leaned back in his seat. As their car crossed the trackless wastes of desert he gazed out of the window, running one finger back and forth across his lips. ‘Oh. Is that all you’re worried about?’
‘All?’ Alyssa’s voice was a squeak of disbelief.
‘Let’s just say that who the country want as their king isn’t uppermost in my mind at the moment. My people want something to celebrate, Alyssa. My—our—country was marooned in the Stone Age until only a few decades ago. They don’t want that any more. My late father replaced the horrible regime that killed my mother, and started improvements.’
‘Your mother was killed?’
His expression shut like a trap. ‘Yes. The recent rulers of Rosara don’t have a good track record when it comes to wives. My parents were put together by politicians, while my late brother married for love. Both matches led to disaster and death, so I’m saving myself from that. That’s why, when it comes to women, I keep moving. Everything I’ve seen and experienced tells me it’s safer that way.’
‘I thought men played around for the sake of it.’
Alyssa hid her pain so well, Lysander laughed. ‘Yes, there’s an element of that. Or at least there was, until my brother died and I was forced to—’
He stopped in mid flow, looked at her and became serious again.
‘When I became Ra’id’s guardian, and caretaker for my country. That’s a job that’s every bit as serious as childcare, wouldn’t you say?’
‘I hope you’re not making fun of me.’
This time he recognised that something had touched a raw nerve in her. The half-smile he had been using to try and lighten her mood vanished again. ‘Now it’s my duty to concentrate on my country, and carry on the good work started by my father and brother. Once I’m up to speed on ruling, I’ll teach Ra’id how it’s done. Until then, I’m happy to live off my—I mean our—people’s love until I can earn their respect. If the Rosari are happy, then the Kahani family is happy too. It doesn’t matter which one of us gets the credit.’
‘I want to believe you,’ Alyssa said slowly. ‘But when you mention Rosara, sometimes you forget Ra’id. Your instinct is to call this country your own, instead of saying “our country” and “our people”.’
The look Lysander gave her was inscrutable, but he didn’t silence her so she carried on.
‘You said that your country is in flux. I hope there’s no tussle for power going on behind the scenes. It would be terrible for Ra’id if Rosara turned into a war zone.’
Lysander’s hawklike glare checked the car’s intercom. Their conversation was guaranteed to stay secret, so he relaxed—but only a little. Almost as though he enjoyed keeping her guessing, he started to smile and let his expression mature in the heat of her glare. She refused to back down.
‘That won’t happen. I do love my country, but I didn’t ask for this responsibility—frankly, I’m far more comfortable lazing about on yachts. I’ll just be thankful when it’s over and I can get my freedom back. Until then, it’s my job to keep control of things.’
‘Including me?’ She narrowed her eyes.
He allowed his soft laughter to caress her. For an instant she was back in his private cabin, waiting expectantly beneath his