“I was hoping that your disposition might have improved after last night, but I can see it hasn’t,” Philip remarked casually.
“And I was hoping that you’d have the decency not to mention last night. But you throw it in my face, like the cad you are! I promise I’ll never let it happen again!”
Philip grinned wickedly as he calmly sat down beside her. “Don’t make promises you won’t be able to keep, Tina.”
Christina swung viciously at his leering face, but he swiftly grabbed her wrist.
“This is hardly the time for a quarrel, my sweet. I suggest you put your energy to a better use and finish your meal. Afterward, I’ll take you to bathe.”
“No, thank you. I bathed last night,” she said haughtily.
Philip’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Christina winced when he seized her shoulders and turned her to face him.
“So that’s why you were wearing my robe this morning!” he stormed, shaking her violently. “You little idiot! Do you think we’re the only tribe in these hills? There are at least a dozen others, and we share our water and our bathing hole with Yamaid Alhabbal. His tribe doesn’t speak English as mine does. Do you know where you’d be this morning, had one of his tribesmen discovered you? You’d be at a slave auction—bringing a healthy price. After Yamaid Alhabbal and all his men had sampled your charms, that is.”
Philip pushed her away and stood before her, his eyes cold and unrelenting. “Never will you leave this camp unescorted again. Do you hear me?”
“Yes,” she whispered meekly.
Seeing how frightened she looked, Philip calmed down. “I’m sorry, Tina. It’s just that if you were sold, I probably wouldn’t be able to find you. The fat old buzzard who could pay the most for you would hide you away for fear of losing you. I wouldn’t want that to happen any more than you would.”
“I’ll be sure to heed your warning and be more careful in the future,” Christina replied, smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. “If you’ll excuse me now, I have some sewing that needs to be done.”
She picked up a bolt of material and disappeared into the bedroom. Philip shook his head. She certainly could compose herself quickly, he thought: frightened dismay to cool disdain.
After he had eaten his fill, Philip sauntered over to the bedroom and pulled back the heavy curtains. “By the way, my sweet, don’t waste your time making nightdresses to sleep in, for you’ll have no use for them here.”
Philip ducked as a pillow came flying at him. He laughed deeply as he turned and left the tent. He would start breaking the wild horses today: they might prove more tamable than Christina!
That evening after dinner, Philip reclined on the couch lazily watching Christina. She sat across from him sewing on a piece of light-green material and ignoring him completely. Her neglect irritated him, but he decided not to give her the satisfaction of knowing it.
Closing his eyes, Philip let his mind wander. He’d spent the latter part of the afternoon with his father telling Yasir about Paul and his new wife. Although his father hadn’t seen Paul for many years, he was still close to his heart. Philip hoped Paul would come at least once to visit his father. The old man didn’t have much time left. People died before their time in this land.
When Yasir had decided to move his tribe into the foothills, Philip had been delighted. He had never liked the nomadic desert life, constantly roaming from one oasis to the next. The tribe had lived in the hills for eight years now. Philip might not have stayed so long with his father if they had not moved permanently to these hills. The climate was considerably cooler. There was enough water even for regular bathing. And their camp was situated so they could hold off an attack if necessary.
Philip didn’t know if he would stay in Egypt after his father died. But now that he had Christina, he’d probably decide to stay. He couldn’t take her back to England, because she’d be able to escape him there.
Stretching languidly, Philip opened his eyes to find Christina dozing on the couch. He arose and quietly walked around the table to stand above her. His eyes caressed her unbraided hair; its glowing mass covered the pillow and rippled to the floor behind her. She was curled in a ball like a little girl dreaming innocently. She hardly seemed the sensuous woman of the night before.
Philip bent to scoop Christina into his arms. But she jumped up and scurried to the other end of the tent. She turned to see if he were pursuing her.
“So—you were only feigning sleep.” He straightened, giving her an amused glance. “It’s rather late for games, my pet.”
“I can assure you, I do not play games,” she retorted stiffly, pushing back the hair that had fallen all around her.
“I was only going to carry you to bed. But now that you’re awake—I can think of better things to do,” Philip teased as he slowly came toward her.
“No!” she snapped, backing away from him. “And I won’t sleep in that bed with you. It’s indecent! I’d rather sleep on the floor!”
He chuckled softly as he cornered Christina at the end of the tent.
“You wouldn’t like sleeping on the floor, Tina. It can get very cold here at night, and you’d better have the warmth of my body next to you. Winter is coming soon!”
“Better to suffer with the cold than with your advances,” she replied tartly. She tried to run past him.
“You didn’t feel that way last night, Tina,” he said. He caught her in his arms and threw her roughly over his shoulder.
She struggled fiercely as Philip swiftly crossed the tent and tossed her onto the bed.
