Pride and Audacity — Part 7

“He was the last man on earth she wanted, but she was the only woman on earth he’d have…From the skyscrapers of New York City to the ancient sands of Ahalamin, two untamed hearts war for supremacy…”

Two hours later, Rashid sat on the edge of the divan in Jacob’s office and pondered the barren formality of his marriage ceremony. His agreement with Jacob was honored. Fulfilling his own desires would come later. For now, it was enough that the woman was his by her own law. When he returned with his bride to Ahalamin, they would marry again to satisfy Bedouin tradition as well.

Control invigorated his spirit. For the first time in weeks uncertainty no longer nagged him. Relaxing, he sank deeper into the leather sofa he and Califar shared. His new father-in-law, seated behind his desk on the far side of the room, looked exhausted and worried. The grayish pallor of his skin and the pain induced tightness around his lips made the outward signs of his illness more apparent than ever. Cancer was an unrelenting enemy and one he was sorry Jacob was facing. As soon as Victoria was informed of her marriage, Jacob could release responsibility to him. As a father, he would be satisfied with having taken care of his daughter’s future in the best way possible.

There was another emotion reflected in the long sighs Jacob repeatedly exhaled…apprehension. Now would probably be a good time to reassure his friend of his intention to honor his trust.

“Are you having second thoughts, Jacob? You don’t look comfortable with your decision,” said Rashid.

Jacob turned to stare at him. “You don’t miss much, do you? I was hoping my qualms weren’t obvious. I’m not looking forward to informing Victoria of the fact I’ve just married her to a complete stranger.”

“I know arranged marriages are not customary here, but in my country, they are quite ordinary, even expected. Be certain your daughter’s adjustment to her new situation will be as easy as possible. In my care, she will be safe from any who would harm her. Given time, I am sure she will come to appreciate the wisdom in your decision.”

“May I say without insult…you do not know my daughter?” Jacob replied.

“Your daughter is intelligent. She will soon accept the decisions you have made in her best interest. Take a few moments and settle your thoughts before we call Victoria in. If she discerns you are in doubt, she will find trusting your judgment difficult, a situation which can only cause her distress.”

“A moment would be good. There is one more thing, though. I would appreciate you not telling Victoria about the circumstance concerning Jadin’s threats. I don’t want her dealing with fear along with everything else.”

Rashid nodded in agreement. “Of course. Now, please, give yourself a minute to relax.”

Jacob turned his chair toward the wall of windows behind his desk. With time to think, Rashid’s mind returned to the morning’s events. Judge Hennington, a friend of Jacob’s, officiated over the marriage. There were five people present: Judge Hennington, Jacob, Califar, himself, and a woman named Judith who stood as proxy for Victoria. The arrangements seemed more than bizarre as he had taken his place next to the small, gray-haired woman in the plain, black suit.

Judge Hennington seemed reluctant at first. Having known Victoria since birth, he was at a loss to understand her strange decision not to be present at her own marriage. Reviewing her signature on the appropriate legal documents eventually settled his doubts and he proceeded with Jacob’s arrangements.

The next part of the drama would presumably take place as soon as Jacob could regain his composure. Rashid glanced at Califar seated at his side and envied the man his patience. He shifted his gaze from Califar to the strange landscape visible through the large windows of Jacob’s office. The diverse tops of many buildings jutted upward on a canvas of blue sky.

He was a man of the land. Here, in the tops of these structures, solidity was far below. The scene seemed to mock him, reminding him that a man of the earth mates with a woman of the clouds at his own peril.

Rashid flexed his legs and crossed one over the other. Offering Jacob more time had been an act of kindness, but sitting still was worse than torture. He wanted to see Victoria, to see himself reflected in her luminous blue eyes, to see the dawn of understanding as she looked upon him the first time as her husband.

*****

Victoria sighed with relief to see the boxes marked with Madam Soladar’s logo waiting in her office. She would open them after she made the final arrangements for tomorrow’s departure to the European Banking Conference. Her father sprang the assignment on her late the evening before, another evidence of his strange behavior of late. She had called to let the children know she would be gone for two or three weeks. She did not want them worrying.

She needed to settle two more details and she would be ready to leave the office. As the hostess, she was expected to arrive early at the Children’s Charity Ball. There was no time to waste.

Her father stepped through her office door. “Victoria, could you come to my office please?”

“Is ten minutes okay? I have a couple of important phone calls to make,” she questioned, sure the answer would be yes.

“Please, Victoria…this won’t wait,” said Jacob, shoving the door open wide to emphasize his request.

Victoria, somewhat unnerved by his impatience, followed him to his office door and straight to his desk where she took a seat in the chair directly in front. Her father pushed a stack of papers across the desk. Last-minute information for the conference, she thought. Picking them up, she gave him her attention as he spoke.

“Victoria, what you’re about to read will change many things, but never the fact that I love you very much. You are the most precious thing in my life. I would forfeit everything I’ve acquired to see you happy and to know you’re protected and cared for.” Jacob’s voice faltered and then leveled. “Read the documents.”

Her stomach rolled, as when the building’s elevator lurched to a halt, giving her a queasy knot in her throat. The strangeness of her father’s words made taking her eyes off him difficult. There was regret written on his face accompanied by the concrete resolve she was accustomed to. Her foreboding premonition returned with a vengeance. It took all her strength not to turn and scan the room behind her.

Silently, he nodded toward the papers in her hand.

Forcing her eyes downward, she attempted to make the printed material come into focus. Her trembling hand was not making the task easier. Laying the document in her lap, she began to read. The large lettering at the top was shocking and the last words she’d expected to see. She held a marriage license.

Sweet relief gushed through her-finally, an explanation that made sense. His anxiety and strange behavior of late was caused by the fact he had married without her knowledge. While the news did come as a shock, she wasn’t at all upset. He’d been alone for a long time. If this was what he wanted, she was happy for him. An unbearable weight of uncertainty lifted.

She stood and laid the papers on his desk. “Congratulations, Father. I’m surprised but very happy for you. Who is the woman? Do I know her?”

Her father’s horrified expression did not at all fit the occasion.

“Victoria, you misunderstood. Read the entire document.” With those words, he nudged the papers back toward her.

Confused, she scanned the document again. At last, the mystery problem revealed itself. This was a marriage certificate all right, just not a normal one. Now she was thoroughly perplexed. What was he doing? Why was he marrying someone by proxy?

She continued to read.

Not believing her eyes, she pulled the document closer. The wording didn’t change on closer inspection. In front of her, in bold clear print, was her name. Her name presented a problem, but the name joined to hers’ was more so.

‘BE THIS KNOWN: Victoria Chantal Ballard and Prince Alif Benhamin Rashid Davar consent to become Husband and Wife’…

Victoria locked her eyes on the purple flush streaking up her father’s neck. She recognized the stubborn tightening of his jaw and her mind thrashed about looking for clarification to this bizarre situation. The papers slid from her hand and scattered about her feet.

She sprang up from her chair and leaned across her father’s desk. “What is this? How did this happen?” With hindsight, she knew exactly when her father had rushed her into signing those pages.

He rose from his chair and skirted the edge of the desk. Approaching her, he slipped his hand under her right elbow. She jerked away from his touch and stepped back.

“Victoria, please sit down and I’ll explain everything,” said Jacob, his tone entreating.

“Sit down! Sit down! You want me to sit down,” she said waving her arms at him. “You tricked me into signing those papers. Why? Never mind. Whatever you’ve done, you can undo. I will never, ever, allow this to stand,” she said, dropping her arms and pressing them tightly against her side. Her mind un-spooled, twisted, and jammed in disbelief. She shook with denial.

“Victoria, please listen.” Jacob implored.

“Listen!” She shrieked, tossing her head higher. “You listen to me, Father. You have gone too far! I do not have a clue why you would manipulate my life in this insane way. However, if, and I do mean, if, I wanted to get married, Mr. Davar would be my last choice on this planet for a husband. He’s an arrogant fool and you are his equal!”

“Enough!” a voice commanded from behind her.

Startled, Victoria spun in its direction. The frenzied turn caused her knee to collide with the chair and a piercing pain shot up her leg. She wanted to curse the chair, her father, and most especially, the hateful man bearing down on her. She would, too, just as soon as she could get her tongue moving.

His long legs ate up the distance between them and the intimidating force of his anger slammed into her. In another moment he was so close she could see nothing but him. She edged backward horrified to find her father’s desk blocking her retreat.

Rashid’s aggressive glare affirmed his dominant male intent as he stopped a mere six inches in front of her. “You have said more than enough. You will give your father an apology.”

“Rashid,” Jacob interceded. “She is overcome. Perhaps, if we give her a few minutes to compose herself…”

Victoria shrank from Rashid as he leaned toward her. Narrow, obsidian eyes demanded her attention. He didn’t blink. He didn’t give her one inch of space as he answered her father’s appeal.

“Mr. Ballard, please do not interfere. Your daughter is now my wife. As such, I will determine her need, which at present, is to stop this childish behavior and apologize as I have asked. It is a reasonable request. I’m sure Victoria regrets her disrespect.”

Victoria fought to keep the spasms in her stomach from becoming something much worse. If not for the loss of dignity, she would take immeasurable delight in vomiting all over the despicable tyrant. She wanted to scream at the maniac looming over her but her lips were not cooperating…so she let her eyes do her talking.

Rashid pressed his body closer and grasped the edge of the desk on each side of her hips.

His nearness forced her to bend backward at an awkward angle. She knew she couldn’t support this difficult position for long. Nevertheless, she would put a permanent kink in her back before lowering her accusing eyes.

His jaw hardened like a brick. “I…am…waiting.”

Sparkling jewels of light flashed behind eyes that tingled and watered. Her peripheral sight dimmed as the heat from his body penetrated her silk blouse. His angry eyes and hardened lips were the only things visible at the center of what was left of her tunnel vision.

A disjointed thought flashed through her mind. What would it take to soften this man? She wanted to linger on the concept, but as her vision lessened, her small channel of light grew dimmer. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying in vain to stave off the conquering darkness. Wanting to stay within the safety of the light, she followed it into oblivion.

To be continued