Philippe took out his stethoscope and applied the receiver to her back.

“We can’t take long,” he said in French. “Answer when I ask. Breathe deep. Now exhale. He did it, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“Again. Has he hurt you before?” “Not like this.”

“And again. I believe that you are in great danger.” “I saw him kill a man.”

“Once more. You’ve got to get away from him. I’ll help in any way I can.” “There’s nothing you can do.”

“Lie back. That’s it. Relax. I need to palpate.”

His touch was firm, gentle, expert. There was safety in his hands, protection. “Does that hurt?”

“No. If I leave, he’ll take my son.” “And if you took the boy with you?” “He’d hunt me down and kill me.”

“And here—any pain at all? Even in France?”

“A little. Like a bruise. Yes. Even there.” Was he asking her to leave Ali for him? God, if only it were possible!

“Cough, please. Good. And if the two of you were to vanish?” “I don’t understand.”

“Go far away. Become someone else. I have money.” “He’d hunt us down, I tell you. You have no idea.”

Philippe leaned close to examine the wound on her forehead, where the stitches had been. “Healing nicely. Just a little scarring.”

“I don’t think he’ll dare anything soon—not after this.”

“I hope not. But you’ve got to get out. I’ll try to come up with something.

You try, too.”

“Please. You can’t help. Don’t try.”

“I’m your doctor, Highness,” he said, smiling. “Your health is my concern.” “You don’t understand the danger.”

“Oh, but I do. Precisely.” He stepped back from the bed. “Our patient’s doing very well,” he told Rabia in Arabic, “and so is her French.” “God is merciful and compassionate.”

“Yes. Well, Highness, I leave you in the capable hands of Dr. Konyali. Follow his orders. I’ll be checking up on you the minute I’m back in al-Remal.”

“And when might that be, doctor?”

“Why, for the festivities, the semicentennial. His Majesty was so gracious as to invite me. Didn’t I mention it?”

Amira’s heart leaped. The fiftieth anniversary of the king’s ascension to the throne was less than two months away. It would be a nationwide feast that lasted for six days.

“It will be good to see you, doctor.” Their eyes locked.

“Take care of yourself, Highness. Au revoir.”

“Au revoir.”

He left with a professional compliment to Rabia, who blushed fiercely.

O

“He’ll be our guest, of course,” said Ali. “It’s the least I can do. He saved your life, then left without giving me a chance to reward him properly.” “He might be more comfortable in one of the Western hotels,” Amira said, hardly knowing why she said it.

He waved the objection aside. “Every hotel room in the city is taken. I could twist arms, but why?”