Volkan seemed to sense her need for space. He lifted her out of the chair, hefting her against his chest. “She’s tired from travelling halfway around the world in just a few days,” Volkan announced. “I’ll take her up to bed. Tomorrow is soon enough to talk about wedding plans.”

Without another word, he strode away from his mother and sister and climbed the stairs to the top floor while holding Yasmin as though she weighed nothing at all. She wanted to protest that he should put her down, but she really wasn’t feeling well at all.

A servant was dusting in the stairwell and Volkan had them unlock and open the door. He then sent them downstairs to make a cup of ginger tea.

Volkan placed her gently on the bed, sitting with her and smoothing the hair from her face. “What’s going on?”

Yasmin opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know what to say so she shook her head and buried her face in the pillow. She didn’t want to look at him, not when she was so confused about everything. It had been overwhelming to hear him and his family talk about wedding plans, but there was a part of her that had wanted to join in the excitement.

It was like she was starting to disassociate from her old life, to leave it behind and begin to look forward to a new future. One where it was possible to live with Volkan as his wife. To make a new home in Turkey, to visit with his family, to wear the beautiful clothes and jewellery he bought for her.

What was wrong with her? Was she willing to throw everything away just because some shiny baubles caught her eye? She knew that wasn’t the truth, though. She’d never been one to covet material possessions.

It was Volkan. Listening to his mother and sister talk about him. It made him seem more human.

He stroked his hand down her back and remained silently at her side until the tea arrived, then he sat with her while she drank, watching her, his face set in grim but determined lines.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Yasmin was feeling better the next day and determined to make someone in the household listen to her. She didn’t think Narin would help and Defne worshipped her brother to the point that Yasmin didn’t think she could convince the other woman he was capable of doing anything wrong.

She was by herself in the suite, pacing and trying to decide her next course of action. Volkan had left for the day, kissing Yasmin on the forehead and announcing that he would go to his dockyard office for the morning to go over the shipping manifests with the dockyard supervisor.