the palace and into the streets, Ibrahim told her a little of what she could expect.
‘Now that the king has arrived at the hospital, there will be great excitement, people gathering.’
It was all more than Georgie could immediately take in, though later she would surely go over it in her mind again and again, for as they approached the hospital, crowds of people were waving and cheering as the latest royal car arrived. It was the most bizarre moment of her life, and as she climbed out, holding Azizah, never had Georgie felt more responsible. She was filled with a need to take care of her niece as Felicity would want her to. She held Azizah close and pulled the shawl to shield the baby’s eyes from the fierce afternoon sun. Ibrahim waited patiently and then walked beside her, greeting waiting staff members who briefed him as they went to join the rest of the royals.
‘It won’t be long apparently,’ Ibrahim informed her. ‘The birth is imminent, and Hassan has just arrived.’
They arrived at a waiting room like no other. There were staff on hand offering refreshments, and Rina, who had followed in another car, offered to take Azizah, butGeorgie declined. ‘I’ll hold her. Where’s my sister?’ she asked, and it was Ibrahim who found out.
‘Felicity is staying with Jamal for the birth.’ He saw her blue eyes shutter. ‘I know it’s a bit overwhelming.’
‘A bit?’
‘Very,’ Ibrahim conceded. ‘I will stay with you.’ Even if it had been forbidden by his brother—in fact, just that morning, as Ibrahim had been heading out for a ride, Karim had issued an updated warning for him to stay away from Georgie—he did not care. The ways of his family overwhelmed even Ibrahim at times, so how much harder must it be for Georgie? And without the help of her sister too. ‘You don’t have to worry about anything.’
Georgie blew out a breath. ‘I don’t know how Felicity copes …’
‘It’s the life she has chosen, though it’s not like this all the time’ He watched as she held little Azizah closer, more, he guessed, for her own sake than the baby’s.
‘Well, I couldn’t do it.’
‘She does very well.’
She frowned as she turned to him, surprised by the genuine admiration in his voice when he referred to Felicity. ‘I thought you didn’t like her.’
‘I like her a lot,’ Ibrahim said. ‘My concern is for you.’ And then he gave a wry smile. ‘Not that you want it.’
‘She’s not using me.’
‘Of course she is,’ Ibrahim said. ‘And I don’t blame her a bit for it. She is here alone in a foreign country, shewants her family close—and she wants you to use her too.’ He’d voiced every one of her thoughts. ‘She wants you, the sister she loves, to share in the riches, but you feel beholden.’
And she closed her eyes, so raw was that nerve.
‘Look after yourself, Georgie.’
‘Like you do?’
He was about to say, yes, give his usual arrogant reply, yet she made him think, made him pause, and rather than answer her question, he looked at his niece, sleeping the sleep of the innocent. He ran a finger down the baby’s cheek and his reply was honest.
‘Like I try to.’ Ibrahim said, ‘but we are all beholden.’
For now, circumstance dictated he be here for the royal birth. It was his duty to see it through, yet he was surprised at his building anticipation. He had been touched by the people’s joy as they had driven through the streets. He was relieved perhaps because, when his father had been ill, when Hassan and Jamal had failed to produce a baby, there had been talk of Hassan renouncing his birthright, which would have bought Ibrahim one step closer to the unthinkable—that he might one day be king.
He was relieved, that was all, Ibrahim told himself as the lusty cries of a newborn assured Zaraq’s future.
‘A son!’ The king beamed. ‘Our future king has been born. A little small, a little weak, but the doctor assures us he is healthy, that he will
‘Now that the king has arrived at the hospital, there will be great excitement, people gathering.’
It was all more than Georgie could immediately take in, though later she would surely go over it in her mind again and again, for as they approached the hospital, crowds of people were waving and cheering as the latest royal car arrived. It was the most bizarre moment of her life, and as she climbed out, holding Azizah, never had Georgie felt more responsible. She was filled with a need to take care of her niece as Felicity would want her to. She held Azizah close and pulled the shawl to shield the baby’s eyes from the fierce afternoon sun. Ibrahim waited patiently and then walked beside her, greeting waiting staff members who briefed him as they went to join the rest of the royals.
‘It won’t be long apparently,’ Ibrahim informed her. ‘The birth is imminent, and Hassan has just arrived.’
They arrived at a waiting room like no other. There were staff on hand offering refreshments, and Rina, who had followed in another car, offered to take Azizah, butGeorgie declined. ‘I’ll hold her. Where’s my sister?’ she asked, and it was Ibrahim who found out.
‘Felicity is staying with Jamal for the birth.’ He saw her blue eyes shutter. ‘I know it’s a bit overwhelming.’
‘A bit?’
‘Very,’ Ibrahim conceded. ‘I will stay with you.’ Even if it had been forbidden by his brother—in fact, just that morning, as Ibrahim had been heading out for a ride, Karim had issued an updated warning for him to stay away from Georgie—he did not care. The ways of his family overwhelmed even Ibrahim at times, so how much harder must it be for Georgie? And without the help of her sister too. ‘You don’t have to worry about anything.’
Georgie blew out a breath. ‘I don’t know how Felicity copes …’
‘It’s the life she has chosen, though it’s not like this all the time’ He watched as she held little Azizah closer, more, he guessed, for her own sake than the baby’s.
‘Well, I couldn’t do it.’
‘She does very well.’
She frowned as she turned to him, surprised by the genuine admiration in his voice when he referred to Felicity. ‘I thought you didn’t like her.’
‘I like her a lot,’ Ibrahim said. ‘My concern is for you.’ And then he gave a wry smile. ‘Not that you want it.’
‘She’s not using me.’
‘Of course she is,’ Ibrahim said. ‘And I don’t blame her a bit for it. She is here alone in a foreign country, shewants her family close—and she wants you to use her too.’ He’d voiced every one of her thoughts. ‘She wants you, the sister she loves, to share in the riches, but you feel beholden.’
And she closed her eyes, so raw was that nerve.
‘Look after yourself, Georgie.’
‘Like you do?’
He was about to say, yes, give his usual arrogant reply, yet she made him think, made him pause, and rather than answer her question, he looked at his niece, sleeping the sleep of the innocent. He ran a finger down the baby’s cheek and his reply was honest.
‘Like I try to.’ Ibrahim said, ‘but we are all beholden.’
For now, circumstance dictated he be here for the royal birth. It was his duty to see it through, yet he was surprised at his building anticipation. He had been touched by the people’s joy as they had driven through the streets. He was relieved perhaps because, when his father had been ill, when Hassan and Jamal had failed to produce a baby, there had been talk of Hassan renouncing his birthright, which would have bought Ibrahim one step closer to the unthinkable—that he might one day be king.
He was relieved, that was all, Ibrahim told himself as the lusty cries of a newborn assured Zaraq’s future.
‘A son!’ The king beamed. ‘Our future king has been born. A little small, a little weak, but the doctor assures us he is healthy, that he will
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