The Duke's Runaway Princess Page 0,3

dress from this side of her closet, grabbing the shoe box which contained the appropriate shoes. She had to keep them in boxes because of the dust that accumulated due to the lack of use. It wasn’t very often that her brother would come to New York to visit with her. More often, she flew home for significant events and she had other clothes there which she could wear for those occasions.

It took her less than ten minutes to change into the sophisticated dress, slip on her purple, Prada shoes and wind her long, black hair into a twist at the base of her neck. Adding a pair of diamond earrings, a bit of lipstick and she was set. At the last minute, she added mascara and powder, but only because Rashid would expect her to look nothing less than her best when they were out in public. There was always the risk of the press when they were outside of Tasain and she didn’t want to embarrass her brother by looking even slightly dowdy. She also knew that the cameras tended to make her look pale and sickly if she didn’t have just a small touch of makeup on and she’d rather not have the paparazzi assuming she was falling ill with a deathly disease and all the silly speculations that came with that conjecture.

As they sat down to an elegant dinner at the exclusive, beautifully decorated restaurant, Rashid glanced at his baby sister carefully. She really was a stunningly beautiful woman. He hadn’t realized that she’d grown up so well, but looking at her across the table, he was impressed with how she held herself, the dignified way she moved, the inherent grace of her stature.

Where was the immature girl who had argued passionately to be allowed to attend university? Who had thrown a temper tantrum when he’d refused? He remembered Zarah storming out of his office several years ago, slamming the door in her wake when he’d refused to allow her to leave the security of the palace to attend a school thousands of miles away. Gone was that girl and in her place was a sophisticated, elegant woman and, despite his previous objections to her wishes, he was very proud of all that she’d accomplished and how she presented herself.

He wasn’t even sure how she’d finally convinced him in the end, but here she was. Not only had she completed her undergraduate work, but she had a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia University. Not a small accomplishment since Columbia was an extremely good school.

“So what are you planning to do now that you’re finished with school?” Sidra asked as soon as the wine was served.

Rashid glared at his wife, wondering what she was up to. They had just been discussing the offers he’d received for her hand in marriage. That was the only option for Zarah and Sidra knew it. Putting ideas into her head that there were alternatives was not helpful.

Unfortunately, Sidra didn’t look back at him so she didn’t see his irritation.

Zarah glanced from Sidra to her brother, then back again. Could it be this easy? Had Sidra knowingly provided the needed opening? Zarah wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She took the presented opportunity and ran with it before the window closed with Rashid rejecting any other possibilities. “I was actually considering various options,” she started to say and looked over at her brother, trying to gauge his reaction. “Now that I have my degree,” she said carefully, “I think the best way to be an asset to my future husband is to get some experience in the business world.” She saw Rashid open his mouth and knew he was going to reject the idea for the more traditional marriage route so she spoke quickly. “I know that, whoever I marry, will have many business interests. It would be much better if I could speak intelligently with my husband and help him through the multi-faceted issues he will probably be facing.”

She couldn’t believe she was speaking such ridiculous tripe! Helping her husband? Good grief, let the man figure out his own problems. She intended to have several of her own to work through so the old coot would be on his own. Nor could she imagine even wanting to hear about some old man’s problems, much less caring and hoping to advise him.

But she had to play to the audience and Rashid wanted her safely married off to