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tightened at the sight of her—not that Felicity noticed the tension.
    ‘Thank you, Ibrahim.’ Felicity took the huge teddy. ‘Did you have to book another seat for her?’
    ‘Georgie!’ Karim kissed the cheek of his sister-in-law. ‘You may remember Ibrahim from the wedding.’
    ‘Of course.’ Georgie gave a smile but he didn’t immediately return it. All she could see was her reflection in his glasses. She couldn’t read his eyes.
    ‘I wasn’t aware you were visiting.’ Only then did he manage to force a smile. ‘It is nice of you all to come and greet me,’ Ibrahim said, ‘but it was completely unnecessary. I didn’t want a fuss, it’s just a brief visit.’
    ‘We’re not here to fuss over you!’ Felicity grinned. ‘We’re actually here to greet Georgie—she was on your flight.’
    And Georgie was positive, completely positive that his dark skin paled, that behind those thick sunglasses, even if she couldn’t see it, there was alarm in those dark eyes.
    ‘Really?’ Ibrahim responded. ‘And you didn’t say hello?’ His question was polite and so too was her response, even if was a lie.
    ‘I didn’t actually see you.’ She gave a vague wave of her hand as she lied. ‘I just heard the steward saying that you were on board. I’m sorry if I was rude.’
    ‘No need to apologise.’ There was, Georgie was sure, a breath of relief in his voice. He even smiled again in her direction. ‘Just make sure next time you say hello.’
    The driver came up and had a brief word with Karim.
    ‘What are we waiting for?’ Felicity asked.
    ‘Georgie’s luggage has been loaded, but Ibrahim’s is taking a while to come off.’
    ‘La Shy,’
Ibrahim said and Felicity, who must have picked up some of the language, frowned.
    ‘You’ve got no luggage?’
    ‘Just carry-on.’ He held up a smart bag that Georgie was positive he hadn’t been holding on boarding.
    The car ride was short, the conversation seemingly pleasant, but it was mainly Georgie and Felicity speaking.
    Back at the palace Ibrahim had an extremely cursory chat with his family, then excused himself with an outright lie.
    ‘I couldn’t sleep on the plane.’
    When he left them, Georgie could relax a little and after Felicity had fed the baby, she was delighted to have a proper cuddle. ‘She’s stunning.’ Georgie enthused again.
    ‘Her lungs are!’ Karim said. ‘Half the palace was woken at four a.m. this morning.’
    ‘I had the French windows open to let in some air.’ Felicity grinned and Georgie could only marvel at the changes in her sister. She had always been so tense and uptight, but there was a lightness to her now. Her face glowed as she smiled up at her husband. ‘Anyway, soon it won’t just be Azizah disrupting the palace.’
    ‘When is Jasmine’s baby due?’ Georgie asked.
    ‘Jamal,’ Felicity gently corrected her, because her sister found it impossible to keep up with all the names. ‘She’s got five weeks to go and I just can’t wait.’
    ‘Is that the aunt-to-be talking,’ Georgie asked, ‘or the midwife?’
    ‘Both,’ Felicity admitted. And as easily as that the conversation flowed.
    Even if her sister was a princess now, even if she lived in a palace far away, she was still Felicity, still her big sister, still the person Georgie loved most in the world. Karim did have to dash off, but the girls hardly noticed, there was too much to catch up on. Long after they had eaten and late, late into the night, when everyone else was in bed, still the sisters sat talking in a sumptuous, surprisingly informal lounge at the front of the palace, the windows open and fragrant air drifting in. Felicity had the baby monitor by her side, and somehow Georgiefound the words to tell her sister about a marriage that had happened more than three years ago, a marriage she had soon realised was a mistake.
    ‘You’re disappointed.’ Georgie could tell.
    ‘No.’ Felicity shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I understand