He was laughing helplessly, and in that moment he looked almost boyish. "You don't need vitamins. But I may, if I'm going to keep up with you. I can't supply you with any of those amusements, but if you'll hush, I'll try to give you an alternative."
"What alternative?"
"One you appeared to like very much before." He kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose. "In short, I'm ready to oblige my very demanding wench."
She grinned as she snuggled against him happily. "Well, why didn't you say so? That's more fun anyway. What are we going to do this ti—"
Her question was lost as he began to demonstrate.
Nine
It was late the next afternoon when the limousine pulled into the compound. The desert heat was oppressive, as it always was at that time of day, but Pandora was barely conscious of it. "Does Raoul know that I'm now an official thorn in his flesh?" She jumped out of the car before the driver could come around to open the door. "Do you think hell quit and leave in a huff? That would be terrible, wouldn't it? You'd probably divorce me." She went into Philip's arms as Philip got out of the car. "Wasn't it nice of Alex Ben Raschid and Sabrina to give us that lovely luncheon? I like them so much, don't you?"
He chuckled as his arms went around her. "Pandora, you're a bundle of energy. You've been running in high gear ever since we left for Marasef this morning."
"I'm happy," she said simply, her face glowing radiantly. "So happy. I feel as if the whole world is spinning like a beautiful pinwheel. My pinwheel."
He was silent for a moment, his face buried in the hair at her temple. "It's yours, if you want it," he said gruffly. "If you want the whole damn world, I'll find a way of getting it for you." He drew back and smiled with rare gentleness. "What do you want, Pandora?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. Why should I want anything more?" She made a face. "Except, perhaps, Raoul's blessing. Did you tell him we were going to be married today?"
Philip motioned for the driver to leave and took her elbow. "Yes," he said as he propelled her up the steps. "And youll be astounded to know that he didn't give notice immediately. He said he believed that he had become accustomed to the catastrophes that surround you, and he would, on no account, desert me in my time of need." His eyes were twinkling. "I think he regards you as his greatest challenge."
"He likes me," Pandora said cheerfully. "Hell get used to the hullabaloo in time." She stopped on the top step, a sudden frown creasing her brow. "You're not going to want me to change, are you? Are you going to expect dignity and serenity now that I'm the lady of the house?"
His brows lifted. "Dignity and serenity from you? Hardly. I'll immediately have you committed if you develop either of those qualities. The best I can hope for are brief interludes in between the storms."
Her expression was clouding. "Am I that bad? I don't want to make life uncomfortable for you. Perhaps I could try to—"
He held up his hand. "Don't try. Like Raoul, I've become accustomed to living in the middle of a tempest. I'd probably find serenity hellishly boring after the past weeks." There was a teasing glint in his eye. "I demand even less of my wife than of my friends." He waved his hand magnanimously. "If you wish to bring another cobra into my salon, feel free."
"Well, now that you mention it, I've been wanting to talk to you about Beldar and Hanar. Don't you think we could—"
The door swung open.
"Saved in the nick of time," Philip said in an undertone as Raoul stepped aside to allow them to enter. "Though only temporarily, I'm sure."
There was a warm smile on Raoul's face. "May I offer my most sincere best wishes?" he asked as he closed the door behind them. "I've put a magnum of champagne on ice. I thought that would be in order."
"Thank you, Raoul." Pandora gave him a brilliant smile. "Champagne would be very fitting." Her eyes were sparkling with mischief. "See, I do recognize proper decorum every now and then."
"Recognizing is not performing," Raoul said with a tiny smile. "But then, the wife of Sheikh El Kabbar will not have to obey rules. She can make her own. It is for you to decide what is fitting." He bowed slightly. "Will you have dinner in your suite or in the dining room?"
"Neither." Pandora turned eagerly to Philip. "Let's ride up into the hills and have a picnic. I can't
stand being cooped up anymore. I haven't been out of that room for two weeks, except to go to Marasef today."
"Why not?" Philip smiled indulgently. He released her elbow and turned to Raoul. "A picnic supper then. Phone the stables and have our horses saddled in about thirty minutes." He turned back to Pandora. "We are going to take time to change out of our bridal finery?"
"You look wonderful in white," she said idly. The faultless tailoring of his white suit gave his lean, powerful body an elegant panache. "I hate for you to take it off."
His dark eyes were limpid as he gazed at her. "I assure you, I'm looking forward to it exceedingly."
There was a sound from Raoul that was halfway between a chuckle and a cough. He turned away. "I'll make the arrangements at once," he said with sedate dignity. He abruptly turned back with a frown. "I'm extremely sorry. It completely slipped my mind. Dr. Madchen is waiting in the first-aid room. He's been there for over an hour."
"Really?" She felt Philip stiffen beside her, and she smiled reassuringly. It was sweet of him to be so protective, but not even an encounter with her father could dampen her spirits today. "Did you tell him why we were in Marasef?"
"Yes, of course." Raoul's lips tightened. "I also told him it was a most inconvenient time for an examination, but he insisted. He's going away to Munich on vacation tomorrow and wants to tidy up all the loose ends."
A loose end. How like her father to describe her in those terms. For an instant Pandora felt a familiar twinge, but instantly dismissed it. "Well, we wouldn't want to mess up his neat, tidy schedule, " she said with careful lightness. "I'll see him, of course. Perhaps you'd better tell the grooms it will be an hour instead of thirty minutes."
"You don't have to see him," Philip said quietly. "I'll go and explain that it's not a good time. He can see you when he comes back."
She shook her head. "I'll tell him I don't have time for a complete examination. Maybe if I let him see how well I look, hell be happy with a token checkup." She smiled. "It will be fine. The world's my pinwheel today. Remember?" She started down the hall in the direction of the first-aid room. "I'll meet you in the suite when I've finished."
Karl Madchen was sitting at the desk in the first-aid room, a cup of tea in his hand, his gaze on the medical journal on the blotter before him. He looked up abstractedly as she came into the room. "Good afternoon, Pandora. Sit down on the examining table. I'll be with you as soon as I finish this paragraph."