A Kiss In the Desert Read online

  “With the doubtless exception,” Charles remarked, “of Benjamin Disraeli, who you remember hunted for years on an Arab mare and boasted that he was always the best rider in the field when he did so.”

  “I remember that too,” the Earl replied. “I have always wished I had been present when he jumped his Arab over a dinner table.”

  “If that is the sort of stunt you are going to do in the future,” Charles said, “I must make it very clear it will not be over my dinner table.”

  The Earl made a gesture with his hands.

  “What we have to buy first,” he emphasised, “are the Arab mares and at least one stallion for each of us.”

  “I would completely agree with that idea.”

  “Then get on with it,” the Earl ordered. “We are talking too much and doing too little. The sooner we are on our way to Syria the better.”

  Charles found it impossible not to be aroused by his friend’s enthusiasm. Equally he was worrying on his way home, as he was driving the very fast team which he had brought to London.

  He loved his sister.

  He had always recognised that she was his responsibility and he must do everything he could to take the place of both their father and mother.

  Because Vanda was in mourning, it had been impossible for her to come to London this Season, but Charles was determined she should attend a number of Hunt balls in the autumn.

  She would be presented at Court next year, even if she was a little old for a debutante.

  He was very conscious that if he had Arab progeny to sell, he could do so much more for Vanda than he could at the moment.

  However he realised that both his father and mother would be shocked at the mere idea of her pretending to be a Royal Princess, even though it was only to hoodwink an unimportant Arab of whom no one had ever heard.

  It was nearly time for dinner when Charles turned in at the gates of the Manor.

  He knew that if no one else was annoyed with him for being late, Mrs. Johnson would be. She became agitated if the special dishes she had cooked for him were spoilt.

  He drew up his team outside the front door.

  One of the stable boys came hurrying from the stables as Vanda came running down the steps towards him.

  “You are back!” she cried excitedly. “You are so late that I was afraid something had happened to you.”

  “I am quite safe and you must forgive me for being later than I intended.”

  As Charles put down the reins and stepped down, Vanda kissed him and as they walked towards the front door, she slipped her hand into his.

  “Have you any good news to tell me?” she enquired.

  “I have most unusual news, something you did not expect,” Charles replied. “As it is going to take a little time to explain, give me a chance to wash my hands first.”

  “You can wash but you had better not change your clothes,” Vanda told him. “Mrs. Johnson is fussing in case your special dishes are spoiled.”

  Charles laughed.

  “I was thinking just that as I came down the drive.”

  “Then hurry, you know how hard she tries to please you.”

  Her brother ran up the stairs three at a time.

  Vanda walked into the small but very pretty drawing room and she was wondering what he had to tell her.

  She was hoping almost against hope that he had been able to buy the horses he fancied, but she was sure it was just a question of price.

  If they were very expensive, how could they economise to find the extra money?

  ‘Charles is so clever with horses,’ she thought. ‘If they are a little rough they will become quite different when he has trained them. There are always people wanting his horses because they are better trained than anyone else’s.’

  She was wondering if there would be a new horse for her to ride.

  Then she heard him descending the stairs.

  She met him in the hall and they walked into the dining room together.

  “Exactly two minutes past eight!” Charles exclaimed. “You must admit that is a good effort. Short of flying I could not have come back any quicker.”

  “You have done splendidly,” Vanda said, “and putting Mrs. Johnson’s mind at rest is more important than anything else.”

  They both chuckled.

  Then as Johnson brought in the soup, Vanda enquired,

  “Did you see any old friends in London?”

  “I saw someone I had not seen for some time.”

  “Who was that?”

  “Favin Shaw, who is now the Earl of Bracken.”

  “I remember him, of course I remember him, you were at Oxford together and I remember you both taking me out to luncheon once when Papa and I visited you.”

  “I do remember the occasion, but Favin is now the Earl of Bracken and his father, the Duke, is extremely ill.”

  “Then I suppose he will inherit the title?”

  Charles nodded because his mouth was full of Mrs. Johnson’s excellent pie.

  Vanda waited until they had finished the next course and Johnson had left the room, before quizzing him,

  “Was the Earl of any use to you? Did he say he wanted to buy some horses?”

  Charles was being rather slow in telling her what had happened and that there was something unexpected about his visit.

  “Favin, as I expect you know,” Charles began, “because we have talked about him before, has been travelling round the world. Now he has returned home and has taken over the management of the whole estate from his father and he naturally wants to improve his bloodstock.”

  Vanda clasped her hands together.

  “That is what I wanted to hear. Oh, Charles, that is wonderful and of course you bought the new horses at Tattersall’s which you were talking about.”

  “The horses were not good enough but actually Favin has a better idea.”

  “What is that?”

  “That we should travel to Syria and buy what he tells me are exceptionally fine Arab horses directly from their owner.”

  Vanda gave a gasp of surprise.

  “Go to Syria!” she cried. “Why did we not think of this idea before?”

  “Because it would be too expensive and because we would not know, as Favin does, where the best horses are to be found.”

  “Of course it is a wonderful idea,” Vanda enthused. “But can we afford it at present?”

  Charles paused for a moment.

  As he did so Johnson entered the room with the next course and he did not speak until they had helped themselves.

  When once again they were alone, Vanda urged him,

  “Go on, Charles. I know you did not want to talk about going away in front of Johnson. But I am so curious that I am finding it difficult to breathe until I hear the end of your story.”

  “The end of the story becomes a little difficult because it concerns you.”

  Vanda opened her blue eyes very wide.

  “Concerns me, but how can it?”

  “Because Favin wants you to come with us, but in disguise.”

  Vanda stared at him.

  “Is this a joke?” she asked.

  “No, of course not, it is very serious. But I am afraid you will find it difficult to do what Favin wants, in which case we will just have to refuse.”

  “What does he want?” Vanda quizzed him expectantly. “And why is it so difficult?”

  Charles looked over his shoulder before he spoke.

  The door of the dining room was closed and anyway Johnson was slightly deaf.

  “He wants you to come with us to provide what the Sheik who owns the horses requires and insists on. You are to pretend to be a Royal Princess!”

  Vanda gulped.

  “You don’t really mean it?”

  “Of course I mean it,” Charles replied almost sharply. “I have been talking about the idea for hours. But there is no other way that Favin and I can acquire the horses we both need and which he assures me are absolutel
y beyond compare with any Arabs he has seen anywhere else.”

  There was a poignant silence before Vanda commented breathlessly,

  “Suppose I make a mistake – or say the wrong thing and the Sheik realises – that I am an impostor.”

  “There is no reason why he should uncover you.” Charles replied. “And there is no reason for us to see anyone else but him. So you need not be afraid of being criticised or cross-examined.”

  Vanda sat silently as Charles continued,

  “I do not want to press you because it is something I could not ask of anyone else I know, nor would it be safe to do so. But Bracken is desperate to purchase these magnificent horses and naturally it is what I want for our estate too.”

  “Why will their owner sell them only if you take him a Royal Princess?” Vanda wanted to know.

  “It’s a long story, but apparently he is jealous because Jane Digby, of whom you may have heard, has married a Sheik who is a nobleman of great prestige, and is now of even greater importance because he has married an Englishwoman who is so beautiful.”

  “The Sheik does not want to marry me?” Vanda asked nervously.

  “Of course not. He is old and not interested in women in that way. What he wants is to raise his standing in his own neighbourhood. He can think of nothing which will do that better than if a British Royal Princess visits him to inspect his horses. It is as easy as that.”

  “If you and the Earl help me,” Vanda said thoughtfully, “I cannot see why I should be exposed or, worse still, disappoint the Sheik.”

  Her brother stared at her.

  “Do you mean it? Do you really mean it?” he asked.

  “Of course I mean it. You want the horses and I want above everything to visit Syria or anywhere where there are the Arab horses we have always talked about and admired ever since I can remember.”

  Charles gave a deep sigh.

  “I was afraid you would reject the whole scheme as insane the moment I broached it.”

  Vanda laughed.

  “I love being here at the Manor and am very happy. But at the same time you must realise that you have seen a great deal more of the world than I have, and of course your friend the Earl has travelled to all sorts of marvellous places.

  “I have always dreamt about visiting Greece, seeing the Pyramids of Egypt and of climbing the Himalayas, but up to now it has only been a dream and I have to imagine it all from the books I read.”

  She took a deep breath.

  “To see Syria would be to make my dreams come true!”

  “Then it is settled,” Charles stated with a tone of relief. “I thought you would never consider it for a moment, but I know when I take you to London tomorrow how grateful Favin will be.”

  Vanda stared at him.

  “To London tomorrow?” she repeated.

  “The sooner we start off on our voyage, the better. I don’t mind telling you quite frankly I am half afraid, if we do not agree at once, that as Favin is so determined to return to Syria that he will engage some actress to go with him.”

  “We cannot allow him to do that. It will be the most exciting and the most thrilling thing I have ever done! Even if we cannot afford to buy many of the Arab horses, at least I shall have seen them and stepped into their world, which will be something to remember.”

  “We will buy a few if it costs every penny I possess,” Charles vowed determinedly. “But I do know where Favin is concerned that we must act quickly. What time can you be ready to leave?”

  “In ten minutes,” Vanda teased him.

  When she saw the expression on her brother’s face she promised,

  “To be serious, I will be ready at ten o’clock tomorrow morning and that will give us time to do some shopping before we leave the next day, if that is what the Earl is planning.”

  “You do realise you will need grand clothes.”

  “Of course I realise it. There are a few of Mama’s dresses which I might be able to use, but they are slightly out of date, and as a Royal personage I cannot travel in rags and tatters.”

  “That is exactly what I said to Favin,” Charles agreed. “He recognises that you will require some really smart clothes. As he has been in London for some time recently, he will know where we can shop. And doubtless, more than we do, what you will need.”

  “I have looked in the magazines at what Princess Alexandra and the other ladies wear,” Vanda said, “and I am very conscious that my clothes are out of date. I shall need to buy some really lovely dresses, but you know as well as I do that they will be expensive.”

  “I will work out,” Charles said, “exactly what we can spend, and I know that Favin will help me, because it is in his interest even more than in ours that we please the Sheik.”

  Vanda parted her lips to say it would be most improper to accept money from a gentleman if it was just a question of buying her clothes.

  But she told herself that it would be silly to think like that.

  It was a business proposition!

  If the Earl was to purchase the Arab horses he coveted, he would have to produce a Royal Princess appropriately dressed for their owner.

  It all seemed too extraordinary.

  Yet from what she had read of the East and it was a great deal, many extraordinary things happened there which would never be tolerated or even considered in England.

  ‘I must not make any difficulties,’ she told herself. ‘I must just accept events as they unfold and hope there will be no recriminations afterwards.’

  It sounded rather alarming but on the other hand her heart was singing.

  No one knew how much she longed to travel abroad and to experience a little of the world outside the small part of Hertfordshire where they lived.

  It would be an adventure, a thrill and, as she had said to Charles, a dream come true.

  She would be very stupid if she made any difficulties or if she behaved like a strictly brought up Society girl!

  She had been told so often that was what she was expected to become, but she always thought of herself as someone very different.

  As an essential part of the countryside, the trees and the crops, the streams running through the meadows and the flowers which filled the garden at the back of Manor.

  This was Vanda’s world.

  But she was in a way confined by the smallness of it.

  The images of her ancestors were as real to her as the people who were moving about the house at the moment.

  Because she was so excited, her eyes were shining.

  As they walked from the dining room back into the drawing room, she looked even prettier than she usually did.

  In fact Charles became suddenly aware of his sister as a woman. “You must understand, Vanda, that no ordinary Society lady should behave in this fashion and I think Mama would be very shocked at your doing anything so unconventional.”

  “It may be unconventional,” Vanda replied, “but for me it is going to be something so exciting and so wonderful that I am just afraid everything will be cancelled at the last moment.”

  “I don’t think that is likely, as Favin is desperate to get away as quickly as he can.”

  “Then we must not disappoint him,” Vanda proposed. “I think in fact I can be ready by nine o’clock. I have very little which will be of much use to bring with me and you had better ask your friend to lend us some of the Brackenshaw jewellery for me to wear.”

  She paused for a few seconds,

  “Mama’s is very pretty but I do not think it is impressive enough if I have to impress a Sheik.”

  “That is very clever of you,” Charles remarked. “I never thought of jewellery.”

  “Let us go to bed and think of everything we need to take with us from England,” Vanda suggested. “If I am to act out this part successfully, we must arrange everything so cleverly that no one can ever be suspicious! That I think should include those who travel with us.”

  “We are travelling on Favin’s yacht a
nd that will make it very much easier than if we had to employ couriers and special carriages, which I have always understood are attached to trains when Royalty is travelling.”

  “It is certainly true if it includes the Queen.”

  “But you will just be a Princess and I am sure Favin will think of some way in which you can be supported.”

  “Of course you and the Earl will be on duty at all times. But what about Ladies-in-Waiting?”

  “I am sure Favin will have considered them,” Charles said optimistically. “But I will remind him just as soon as we reach his house in London, where we will be staying.”

  “If I am staying with him as your sister, you must not breathe a word to anyone, especially the servants that I am to be disguised later as a Princess.”

  “There I agree with you. It would be disastrous if anyone had the slightest idea what you are doing. Especially as Favin is the son of a Duke and all the social world likes to talk about Dukes.”

  “Well let them talk about him,” Vanda said, “but not about me.”

  She walked across the room and back again before she cried enthusiastically,

  “I can hardly believe it is true what you have said. But if it is, I know this is going to be a great adventure. Something I have so longed for and never thought would happen to me. Oh, Charles, it is all so exciting!”

  She clung to his arm as she spoke.

  Her brother thought she looked so pretty, but he was beginning to worry that such a journey might be dangerous for her and it was really something he should now allow.

  But he realised that Vanda was so thrilled by the idea that he could not now tell her it was all a mistake.

  Perhaps he should really ask the Earl to find someone else to act the part of the Princess.

  Then he asked himself if he was not being too overanxious. After all he and Favin were both there to keep a watch over Vanda so that no harm would come to her.

  It was undoubtedly an opportunity for her to see the world which might never happen for her again.

  Impulsively he put his arm round her.

  “I will look after you, Vanda, and now as we have to leave early and have so much to do, I suggest you go to bed and try to sleep. I do not want you exhausted before we even start.”

  “I will definitely not be, and thank you, thank you, dearest Charles, for the most wonderful opportunity that has ever happened to me. You are the kindest and best brother in the whole wide world.”