Exasperated, Sara stood up and went to a window. The moon had risen, and she could see, in the silvery light, a courtyard garden, surrounded on all sides with high walls.
"Yes. David is my lover. What do you care? You obviously don't care that there are people who will be worried sick about me. Can't I at least let them know I'm all right.?"
"I am sorry, but it just is not possible at this time." He stood up and approached her. "Please try to understand. Mine is a small, weak country. We need to trade with your country and are now in very delicate negotiations to establish that trade. If it should become public knowledge that a member of the Royal Family had kidnapped an innocent American citizen with the intention of selling her to the highest bidder, ... well ... you can imagine what that could do to relations between our two countries."
"I don't give a damn about your delicate negotiations! I just want to go home." She rushed over to him and pounded on his chest with her fists. She shouted through a fresh onslaught of tears, "You can't keep me here!"
Rashid, taken by surprise at her abrupt attack, finally managed to restrain her flailing arms, and she slumped against his chest in defeat. He guided her to a wooden chair set against the wall and sat her down. Quiet now, Sara stared, as if in a trance, at her hands resting in her lap, while Rashid opened the cabinet next to the chair and pulled out a bottle. He poured some amber liquid into a glass and handed it to Sara.
"Here, drink this."
She took the glass and downed the drink in one gulp. Her eyes grew large, and she coughed as the fiery liquid burned her throat.
Rashid couldn't help but laugh. "I am sorry, I should have warned you it was strong." He poured himself a shot and downed it with no ill effect. "It takes some getting used to."
Sara held out her glass and asked, in a voice hoarse from the brandy, for more. "I'll sip this time." she said in answer to his raised eyebrows. "I thought Muslims weren't allowed to drink alcohol."
Rashid grinned mischievously. "That is true, but I won't tell if you won't tell." He winked, and the traces of a smile formed at the corners of Sara's mouth, indicating she was no longer hysterical.
He dragged the twin to her chair from the other side of the cabinet, placed it in front of her, and sat down. He forced her to look at him.