Miss Annersley's Vacation
The CBB -> Ste Therese's House
#1: Miss Annersley's Vacation Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:35 pm

Oh, no, here we go again! Something a little different this time, though.

Miss Annersley sat on the huge aeroplane and looked dreamily out of the window. She did not really notice the endless miles of sand beneath the plane, as she was lost in thought. She was remembering that day in June when the whole thing had begun.
It had been an ordinary enough day in the beginning. She had taught her classes in the morning, for she still enjoyed teaching literature to the senior students. She had enjoyed a lovely lunch at the staff table then had retired to her office to attend to the registration of new students for the forthcoming year. As ever there was a long list of new students and they all had to be allocated a place within a form according to their age and ability. There were the usual applications from girls living as far apart as Aberdeen and Australia, and even, for the first time, Chinese sisters, as their father was the newly appointed ambassador to Switzerland.
Rosalie Dene, Hilda's secretary, had come in as Miss Annersley was sighing over the possibility of having 35 girls in Inter V, and announced a visitor. She described him as a prospective parent, so Miss Annersley agreed to see him straight away.
When he came into the room Miss Annersley stood up to greet him. He was very dark, with chocolate coloured eyes and black hair, a neatly trimmed black moustache and an olive coloured skin. He was wearing a grey suit that screamed Saville Row, a white shirt and the shiniest shoes Miss Annersley had ever seen. He was a little above average height, well built without being fat, and when he smiled Hilda saw that he had very even white teeth.
"Good afternoon," he said, extending his hand. "I am Jassim Al Jazeiri."
"Good afternoon," Miss Annersley replied politely, shaking the proffered hand. "How can I help you?"
"I would like to register my daughters for your school starting in September. I have five daughters, between the ages of seven and fifteen."
"I can give you an application form for them, and once we have seen the form, we can tell you about the availability of places for them."
"Money is no object," he said suavely. "If you need me to pay the year's fees now, I can do that." He took out his wallet and began to count out some high denomination bills.
"No, no," said Miss Annersley, rather taken aback by this. "I will give you the application forms and you can complete them, then we can discuss the rest."
Jassim Al Jazeiri closed his wallet. "I need my daughters to be accepted," he informed Miss Annersley. "I have been told that this is the best school around, and so I wish my girls to come here."
Miss Annersley buzzed the intercom and Rosalie Dene appeared. "Can I have some application forms, please?" she asked.
"Of course," Rosalie answered and went to fetch the necessary papers.
Once he had the papers, Jassim took a gold fountain pen from his breast pocket and began to fill the forms in, his writing exquisitely neat. He wrote slowly, as if not used to writing English, and stopped to consider what he was writing several times. Miss Annersley studied him covertly as he wrote, completely unable to work out who he might be, or where he was from. His English was fluent and had the unmistakable accent of a public school, but nothing else about him, except for his suit, seemed at all English. When he had finished completing the forms, he shuffled them into a tidy pile and presented them to Miss Annersley with a smile.
"Thank you," she said. "If you leave a contact number we will call you and let you know about your daughters. I will give you a copy of the prospectus so you can have a look at it."
Jassim had then thanked Miss Annersley for her time and shaken her hand again then he had left her office.

Last edited by Fatima on Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:19 pm; edited 11 times in total

 

#2:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:54 pm

This looks interesting Fatima. Seeeing as you said it was something different I assume that it's not a romance for Miss Annersley?

 

#3:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 6:02 pm

This looks good Fatima. More please.

Edited to correct stupid spelling

 

#4:  Author: ali, Location: medway, kent PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 6:25 pm

Very intriuging, he sounds as though he's a rich sultan or something. I wonder how this fits in with the title.

 

#5:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:16 pm

Well, that was a bit different! Am most intrigued...

 

#6:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:44 pm

A little background before we get down to the nitty gritty.

Once he had gone, she looked at the applications he had filled in. It seemed that the girls had been educated at home by a governess, and had never been to school before. The eldest one, called Aisha, was just fifteen and Noura, the second one fourteen. Two of the others were eleven, but from their dates of birth they were not twins, as they were born five months apart. They were called Sara and Dana. The youngest, who would be eight by the time the summer ended, was called Alia. A closer inspection of the applications revealed that the mother of Aisha and Sara was called Lulwa, while the mother of Noura, Dana and Alia was named Maha. Puzzled, Miss Annersley looked at the rest of the forms and found that they all came from a country she had only heard of in passing and was not really sure where it was. She got out the atlas and found that Gharafah was a tiny country on the Arabian peninsular, between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It also shared a land border with Saudi Arabia and its coast was on the Arabian Gulf. The girls were discribed as Muslim, not Christian, but this did not concern Miss Annersley; she still remembered Lilimani and how that young lady had fitted in so well at the school.
Miss Annersley was brought out of her reverie by the stewardess offering her a cup of tea and some sandwiches. Realizing that although she did not feel hungry, she was thirsty, Miss Annersley accepted the tray and sipped the tea with enjoyment. The flight was a long one, but she did not mind, as it gave her a chance to get her thoughts in order. She nibbled on the cheese sandwich, wondering why food did not taste as nice in the air as it did on the ground. Then she thought back to the second visit of Jassim Al Jazeiri to the school. He had turned up the next day, accompanied by a diffident young man, also wearing an extremely expensive suit. He had been introduced as Omar, Jassim's eldest son, and the reason for the family's visit to Switzerland. He was to be working at the San, as he had just qualified as a doctor and had secured his first appointment there. Jassim had then presented Miss Annersley with the most enormous box of chocolates that she had ever seen, bearing the label of the most expensive chocolatier in Interlaken.
She had tried to refuse them, but both Jassim and Omar had looked shocked and Jassim had insisted most politely that she could not possibly refuse such a trivial gift. "After all," he had said smoothly, "You are soon to be the beloved teacher of my girls and I know that they would wish to give you a little something to thank you for teaching them."
Hilda smiled as she remembered how warmly she had been greeted in the staffroom that evening. The mistresses had been very impressed by the chocolates and had assured her that they would be happy to make endless cups of coffee for the Head if she made a habit of turning up amongst them with such luxuries.

 

#7:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:00 pm

Thanks, Fatima. This looks really interesting so far. I'm looking forward to finding out more about these five daughters.

 

#8:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:05 pm

Thanks Fatima! This looks really interesting!! Very Happy

 

#9:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:11 pm

Lovely - thanks Fatima

*stealths a luxury chocolate and sits down to listen to the story*

Liz

 

#10:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:45 am

I'm looking forward to finding out of the CS reacts to the new girls! Smile

 

#11:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:55 am

Thanks Fatima! Smile

 

#12:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:14 am

I did wonder if they would all have the same mother.

 

#13:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 2:12 pm

Oh-oh! *giggles at a sudden thought*

This looks great Fatima, I'm looking forward to finding out whether my suspicions are confirmed

 

#14:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 2:59 pm

Ooh, Frances, please reveal your suspicions! Thank you for all your comments, they are greatly appreciated.

Miss Annersley accepted Jassim's daughters into the school. They had arrived at the start of term in two huge limousines, and the chauffeurs had carried five monogrammed trunks and five monogrammed leather night cases out of the limousines and into the school. The girls had been dressed in the school uniform, but it had clearly been tailor made for them. Miss Annersley had received them in the study, as she did each term with the new girls. She had been highly impressed with them all right from the start. They had been very polite, and had greeted her in a very grown up way, offering their hands for her to shake. Aisha, the oldest, had spoken on behalf of her sisters, explaining that they had never been to school before, but were thrilled to have the chance of coming to the Chalet School. She hoped that Miss Annersley would excuse their poor English (Miss Annersley had not been aware that the carefully accented tones of the eldest would warrant the description of poor) and assured the Head that they spoke French far better, owing to a Lebanese nanny that they had had since Aisha herself had been born. Miss Annersley had been rather taken aback by Aisha's self-possessed manner, but found that she soon grew used to it.
The girls had settled in well, making friends and participating in the usual school activities with enjoyment. They were hard-working girls, and the members of staff responsible for teaching them were satisfied with their efforts. Omar, at the San, had also settled in well and Jack Maynard could often be heard extolling that young man's virtues. He, too, was exceedingly polite and respectful, and eager to learn anything that anyone could teach him. He had studied for his medical degree in Germany, so spoke fluent German and had done his best to teach his sisters enough of the language to get by when they started their careers at the Chalet School.
Jassim Al Jazeiri had turned up at the school a fortnight into the term, and had gone straight to Miss Annersley's office. He had greeted her as a long lost friend, and told her how he had not been present when his daughters began school as he had been on business in Italy. He then presented the Head with a gorgeous Venetian glass vase, which he said he had picked up on his travels. Again he would not agree to her refusing the gift, and he overrode her objections so smoothly that she was left speechless. Hilda Annersley was not used to anyone stopping her from getting her own way, and the calm way that Jassim got his way amazed her.

 

#15:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:11 pm

Gifts eh? Interesting....

Thanks for the update!

 

#16:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:12 pm

*g* Thank you Fatima.

 

#17:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:15 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I look forward to finding out more about the five sisters.

 

#18:  Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:27 pm

This looks like a very interesting start, there aren't many people who can steamroller Hilda like that! I can't wait to learn more about the family Fatima, thank you.

 

#19:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:19 pm

This looks extremely interesting Fatima - I can't wait to see how it plays out. You write so well.

 

#20:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:21 pm

Fantastic!

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#21:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:53 pm

Thank you, everyone! A little more for you...

Over the next few weeks, Jassim had called upon Miss Annersley several times. He had stopped for coffee and a chat, and gradually Hilda grew used to his visits. She even found that she looked forward to seeing him, as he was a very highly educated man and could converse knowledgably on a variety of topics. He kept up to date on current affairs, knew a lot about history, both of his own country and people and about European history, too. He enjoyed classical music, had read any number of classics of literature and enjoyed discussing religion. He was always scrupulously polite, holding doors open for her and calling her Madame. He often brought flowers, sometimes brought big boxes of books as a donation to the library, or had huge crates of delicious fruit sent to the school for the girls to have after their meals. After a while, Miss Annersley gave up trying to persuade him that it was not correct for him to shower the school with gifts; he was thrilled to discover how happy his daughters were and wanted to reward everyone involved in their education.
Finally the day came when he asked Hilda to go out to dinner with him. She refused, not wanting to upset him, but not feeling comfortable about going out with the father of her students. In addition, he was married, which made it all doubly inappropriate. Jassim was very persuasive, though, and he managed to convince Hilda that she should dine with him so that they could properly discuss his daughters' education and the scholarship he hoped to set up, giving some poorer girls in his country the chance of having an excellent education that they would never otherwise have the chance of receiving.
As Hilda said to her good friend, Nell Wilson, with such winning arguments, how could she refuse to go to dinner with him?
Over dinner, Jassim spoke of his family. He had four other sons beside Omar. Two of them were currently at public school in England, as Omar had been, and the other two were both still in Gharafah with their mother. In all he had been married three times. He had divorced Lulwa, his first wife, the mother of Omar, Aisha and Sara. She now lived quietly with her sister, preferring to devote herself to her religion. His other two wives were younger, and they lived in neighbouring villas in his family compound. They got along very well together, and were constantly visiting each other. Jassim then admitted that he found them both very irritating. They were both beautiful, but neither had been educated beyond being able to read and write a little. They were devoted to their children and could run their households, with many servants. They took great pleasure from having their hair done and getting new clothes made or drinking tea and gossiping about their friends and acquaintances. They liked travelling to London, Paris, Geneva or New York so that they could shop to their hearts content and dine in fashionable restaurants and visit all the top beauty parlours.
"I can take four wives," he had informed Hilda, who was somewhat surprised by so much family history. "But when I get married next time I want to find a woman who will be a companion, who will be able to talk to me and share my interests. I will not marry another young wife, whose only interests are shallow pleasures."

 

#22:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:58 pm

This is excellent Fatima. I feel a little sad that the first wife should be shunted away to her sister's and that she doesn't seem to see her own children anymore. Why is four the magic number for him with wives? *curious*

 

#23:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:10 pm

I put the story here because I didn't know how people would feel about me talking about Islam. I am Christian, but my husband and children are Muslim and I live in a Muslim country. I find the Arabs I meet absolutely charming on the whole and I love living here. (The constant sunshine makes it worthwhile, if nothing else!) In Islam a man can have four wives at a time, as long as all are provided for equally. As Jassim currently has two, he can take two more, as he seems well able to provide for them all!!

 

#24:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:36 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I am learning a lot from reading this drabble. I'm really enjoying it as well.

 

#25:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:10 pm

I suspected that he was going to court Hilda and that she has NO idea that he can have 4 wives. That was my very first instict when I saw the names and you said it was going to be a little different.

There we go....

*waiting in anticipation*

 

#26:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:18 am

Yes, I was wondering about this - very interesting indeed Fatima.

 

#27:  Author: calico, Location: Wellington, New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:45 am

Great!
Thanks Fatima

 

#28:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:49 am

I'm liking this Fatima. Particularly that Miss A was so bowled over by Jassim the first time they met she asked Rosalie "Can I have some application forms?"!!! Wink

 

#29:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:06 pm

Quote:
"Can I have some application forms?"

Oops! Sorry, Sophoife, I didn't notice that! Embarassed


The plane began its descent, dropping lower and lower so that Miss Annersley began to notice features in the endless sand below. She gazed out of the window, completely back in the present now, concentrating on admiring the sparkling blue waters of the gulf and the contrast between them and the brown of the sand. The passengers put on their seatbelts ready for the landing and finally they felt the plane touch down on the runway. The landing was an excellent one, with scarcely a bump, and then the plane was coming to a halt. Miss Annersley gathered up her book and her handbag and got ready to leave the plane.
Guided by the stewardess, Hilda walked down the plane and then came to the door. Steps had been drawn up to the plane and the passengers were starting to descend to the tarmac. The first thing that Hilda noticed was the heat, which rushed to greet her as she began to go down the stairs. She thought she had been used to heat in Switzerland and, before that, Austria, but she found that the heat in the Middle East was nothing like any she had felt before. Before she had reached the bus that was to carry her and the other passengers to the terminal, she felt uncomfortably hot and hardly able to breathe. All the windows of the bus were open wide and as the bus pulled away, a welcome breeze blew through, giving a little respite from the heat.
In the airport terminal, Miss Annersley showed her passport and had her handbag checked before being reunited with her suitcase. She started to feel nervous as she walked across to the baggage, as a crowd of poorly dressed workers came over, clamouring to help her. She took her case, giving those nearest her a steely look, but they did not seem at all deterred. They tried to take the case from her hand and she was on the verge of wishing she had never come when a firm voice barked a command that she did not understand.
Turning, she found Jassim beside her, ably shooing away the workers. "I am so sorry to be late," he said, switching to English. "I had planned to be here before the flight landed, but I was delayed. Are you all right?" He barked another command, and one worker produced a trolley and Jassim loaded Miss Annersley's suitcase onto it. Jassim then swept out of the airport, Miss Annersley at his side and the porter running along behind.
He led her to his car, a large American saloon, and the porter put Miss Annersley's case in the boot. Jassim held the car door open for his guest, and closed it behind her once she had got in. He climbed into the driving seat and they drove off into Gharafah City. Hilda looked eagerly out of the window, noticing how different Gharafah was from any other country she had ever visited. One of the first things that struck her was the predominance of brown. The sky was a clear, bright blue, but everything else looked brown. There was little greenery and it was almost as if the desert had been trying to invade the city. As they drove through the streets, Hilda noticed that most of the people they could see were men. Some were young, some were old, and almost all of them were wearing traditional clothes. Some were wearing the flowing white robe, or thobe, and a white or red and white headdress, whilst others wore the shalwar kameez, more usually seen on Pakistani men. Ragged children were playing in the street, some barefoot, some looking as though they had come out in their nightclothes. They drove through a run down residential area, then into a wider street with shops on either side. Jassim pointed out various streets, explaining that some places were where you could buy material, other streets had all the gold shops along them, and different areas were famous for different things. He showed her the palace of the ruler of Gharafah, a colossal edifice set behind high walls and guarded by armed police. Finally, Jassim stopped and sounded a fanfare on his horn and a man rushed out of an enormous gateway to open the huge gates. Jassim drove through the gates into a large compound and parked his car under a corrugated iron shade.

 

#30:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:16 pm

Thanks Fatima that was great Very Happy

Is it just me or is Jassim arrogant in the extreme? Shocked

 

#31:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:18 pm

How has Miss A ended up going for a visit?

Thanks Fatima, I'm enjoying this.

 

#32:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:23 pm

I'm really enjoying it too, it's really interesting. I love the description of the desert invading the city, so lovely...

Jassim is obviously wealthy and a VIP so that would excuse his arrogance a little... Smile

Thanks Fatima - fascinating

 

#33:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:26 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I enjoyed reading Hilda's first impressions of the country.

 

#34:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:46 pm

trés interessant....

looking forward to more when you can Fatima

 

#35:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:54 pm

How did I miss TWO updates? Shocked

Thanks Fatima - wonderful descriptions and fascinating premise! Smile Looking forward to hearing some more of Hilda's visit.

 

#36:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:17 pm

Sorry, I am dreadful at remembering to update the date in the first post. I will try harder to remember to do it each time.

"Welcome to my home," he said warmly. "I am so happy that you could come here to visit us."
Hilda got out of the car and looked around her. There were four enormous houses, one in each corner of the compound, all built to the same style. Around them were beautiful gardens, full of flowers and palm trees. There were six other vehicles in the car parking area; a battered looking jeep, two more luxury cars, two trucks and a brand new land rover. At one end of the compound was a big swimming pool and at the other some outdoor furniture arranged to look like a Parisian café.
As Hilda took in her surroundings, the gateman came over to take her suitcase from the boot. Jassim took her arm and led her across the beautifully tended lawn to the second of the houses. They walked up the marble steps and through an imposing wooden door. Having just come in out of the brilliant sunshine, Miss Annersley could not see her surroundings for a moment. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dimness of the house, she could hardly contain her gasp of surprise and pleasure. The entrance hall was enormous. It contained two main areas, one decorated with ornate furniture in gold and greens and the other arranged in a more Western style, with comfortable looking settees and chairs and more muted beiges as a colour scheme.
Jassim looked pleased by Hilda's reaction, and he waved the gatekeeper away before leading her over to the more western side of the hall. "I hope you like it," he said. "I want you to be comfortable here, so if there is anything you don't like or want but don't have, please tell me."
Before Hilda could answer, a young Indian girl appeared and Jassim gave her some instructions. She then disappeared as silently as she had come, and Jassim turned back to his guest once more. "Zuhaira will bring us some tea," he told her. "While you are here, she will be your maid and she will do anything you want done. She has been with us for two years now and she is very trustworthy. She speaks English, too. Would you like to see your room and freshen up before the tea comes?"
"Yes, please," said Hilda gratefully.
Jassim picked up the suitcase and led the way up the huge staircase. Hilda found that there was another sitting area at the top of the stairs, as the landing was very large. This one looked very informal, with colourful cushions scattered around on wicker furniture, some low tables piled with magazines and a bookshelf on one wall filled with books of all sorts. Opening off the landing were several doors, and Jassim led Hilda through the first of them. She found herself in a large bedroom, decorated in shades of blue, which made it seem delightfully cool. Beyond the bedroom was an en suite bathroom, complete with huge sunken bath.
"This is your room," Jassim told her. "I will see you downstairs when you are ready for your tea."
"Thank you."

 

#37:  Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:28 pm

Verrry interesting drabble Smile I love your descriptions, too - very evocative.

Ray *intregued*

 

#38:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:00 pm

The house (if it can be called that! Smile) sounds amazing!

I was reading the replies in between when I clicked on the new posts thing, so you must have posted just before I closed my window or something Very Happy

 

#39:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:18 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I like the sound of Jassim's house.

 

#40:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:23 pm

Thank you for all the comments, folks. Here is the next installment.

Once he had left, Hilda opened her suitcase and found her wash bag. She went into the bathroom and had a wash, which left her feeling fresher. As she changed her clothes, she thought back again to some of the other times she had seen Jassim. He had been away on business at the beginning of December, and had asked her if she would like to accompany him, as he had been going to Paris and London and he thought she might like to visit those cities with him. She had declined, as she had her classes to teach as well as the school to run. He had been obviously disappointed when she had refused his invitation, but he had understood that she could not leave the school in the middle of the term. He had phoned her from Paris and again from London, and on his return he had brought expensive perfume for her and some French magazines for the staff to enjoy.
Hilda brushed her hair and wondered when it was that she had fallen in love with him. He had admitted to being smitten with her very early on, and had made no secret of the fact that he wanted her to give in her notice at school and return to Gharafah with him, as his wife. They had gone out as often as her busy schedule and his business allowed, visiting many places of interest in the area and even driving into Berne a couple of times. They went shopping, and it was then that Hilda learnt not to admire anything seen in shop windows, because Jassim always wanted to go straight inside and buy whatever it was that she had liked the look of. They had a good time together, though, whether shopping or looking round museums or dining in fancy restaurants. Even the more mundane kaffee und kuchen seemed enjoyable with Jassim, as he was a charming companion and Hilda found it very flattering that he liked to spend so much time with her.
During the Christmas holiday Jassim had taken his daughters and returned to Gharafah. He had not asked Hilda to accompany him, but he had taken her to the theatre and to dinner the evening before he left, to say good bye. Hilda had spent the Christmas holidays on the Gornetz Platz, missing him and counting the days until he was due to return. Afterwards, she realized that he had deliberately left her for those three weeks, because he wished her to miss him and appreciate him all the more on his return. And his ploy had worked. He had returned with his daughters for the spring term and had waited in her office until she had greeted the girls, then he had taken her in his arms and told her that he had missed her so much and never wanted to be away from her again.
Shockingly, Hilda had found herself telling him that she had missed him too, despite the fact that he had been with his two wives in Gharafah and that she had always prided herself on her fine moral stance against adultery. Somehow, because he talked freely of his family and made no secret of the fact that he already had two wives, yet wanted a third, it did not seem quite so much like adultery. He had kissed her then, as she had never been kissed before, and after that, for the first time in her life, Hilda had found it very difficult to work. She found that she thought of Jassim all the time, and was constantly wondering whether he would phone her or visit her. She was bemused by her feelings, astonished by the way that her world suddenly revolved around a man that she had only known a few months, stunned by the way that her heart leapt when she heard his voice on the phone, or found him coming into her office to visit her.
Suddenly aware that she had been daydreaming, and that Jassim and a cup of tea were waiting for her downstairs, Hilda put her brush on the dressing table and went out of the bedroom. She glanced around the landing area, thinking how lovely it would be to sit there, reading and relaxing, then she went down the sweeping staircase and found Jassim lounging on the comfortable-looking settee, a tea tray in front of him. Hilda sat down beside him and he leaned forward to reach her cup and pass it to her. The cup he gave her was tiny and made of glass, and it was filled with a pale looking tea. There was no milk in it, just a single mint leaf floating in the amber liquid.
"I asked for our favourite mint tea, as it is so refreshing," he told her, eagerly watching her reaction to one of his favourite drinks. "If you don't like it, Zuhaira will bring you English tea."
Miss Annersley sipped some of the tea and found that he had been correct; it was very refreshing and she decided that she would definitely grow accustomed to it. "No, this is lovely," she assured him.
"I'd like to take you out to dinner tonight," he told her. "We have a traditional restaurant here called Al Khaima, which means the tent. It is set up like a traditional Bedouin tent and the food served is all Arabic. We will go from here at about nine o'clock, so you could sleep for a few hours first."
"I'm too excited to sleep," Hilda told him with a smile. "I have travelled a lot in Europe, but never in Asia before. I would like to unpack, but I don't think I will be able to sleep."
"Zuhaira will unpack for you," he told her. "You won't need to lift a finger while you are here. We have so many servants working for the family that I can send you another one if you like."
"No," she answered at once, unable to think how she could keep one servant busy let alone two. "I am quite happy to look after myself, Jassim."
He smiled indulgently at her. "I shall keep you so busy while you are here that you will be glad of Zuhaira," he promised. "More tea?"
"Yes, please." She watched as he refilled her cup, but did not refill his own. Instead he stood up.
"I must go and make some business calls," he told her. "Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?"
"No, I will be fine," she assured him, inwardly wishing that he would stay with her.
"Remember, this is your home," he said, "so feel at home. I hope you like the books I have put upstairs for you. There is also a telephone here and upstairs, and this is my number if you want me." He took a little card from his pocket and handed it to her. "Call me if you need anything."
"Thank you," she said.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly, then he was gone.

 

#41:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:29 pm

I don't think Hilda will ever get used to the servants completely! Smile

Thanks Fatima! Will we get to see them at the restaurant?

 

#42:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:34 pm

Thanks, Fatima. Jassim definitely seems to like to have his own way. He actually reminds me of someone I know with the window shop thing, but the other person definitely doesn't have four wives!

 

#43:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:49 pm

Thanks Fatima. When you said that he'd been married 3 times I did wonder if he was looking for a 4th wife! This is certainly an interesting adventure for Hilda.

 

#44:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:25 am

Hilda sat and finished her tea, wondering what she should do. It felt odd to be alone in someone else's house, and she wondered who else lived there. Presumably his two wives lived in two of the other houses, for he had explained that any man who took more than one wife must treat them equally. He had told her that his parents had died some years earlier, and that he had two full brothers and three full sisters, all of whom were married and lived on their own compounds, with their families. He also had several half brothers and sisters, but she guessed they would also live elsewhere.
Hilda got up and went to look out of the window. She saw a gardener tending the flower beds and another worker busy washing the car that had recently brought her from the airport. There was no evidence of life in the other houses, no sign of any of Jassim's children. Hilda gazed dreamily out across the garden, noticing the vibrant pink of the bougainvillea and the delicate white jasmine, as well as a whole host of exotic flowers and shrubs that she did not recognize. She would have liked to wander in the garden, but she recalled the heat and decided that it was far more sensible to look from the window of a room cooled by a fan. As she looked out, the front door of the opposite house opened and a tall figure dressed in a long white robe came out. For a moment she wondered who it was, whether it was one of Jassim's family or friends, then she recognized the set of his shoulders and the way he walked and realized that it was Jassim himself. Seeing him dressed like that made her realize just how different from her he was. She had lived in Austria and Switzerland for many years and considered herself to be a very cosmopolitan woman. Jassim had always worn a suit or well cut causal clothes when she had seen him in Switzerland, and although she had known that Arabic men wore robes, she had never really thought of Jassim dressed in that way. It came as a shock to her to see him looking so foreign.
She left the window and went back up the stairs. She found that Zuhaira was in her bedroom, polishing the already spotless dressing table. As Hilda paused on the threshold of the room, Zuhaira said, "Shall I unpack, Madam?"
Hilda was rather taken aback at being called Madam. She smiled at the girl and said, "It's quite all right, I can manage, thank you. I didn't bring much with me."
Zuhaira looked puzzled by Hilda's response. "I will do it for you, Madam," she said. "I will help you with everything."
"I would prefer to have some tea, please," Hilda said, deciding that it would be a good way to get to do her own unpacking. Her request had the desired affect; Zuhaira left the case and headed off down to get some tea. Hilda quickly unpacked her things, arranging them to her satisfaction, after which she went to sit in a comfortable wicker chair, next to the bookcase. She was surprised to see how many of the books there were by authors that she had discussed with Jassim, and that most of the books looked brand new. Zuhaira returned with her tea, and as she sipped the delicious mint brew, Hilda could hear the maid working in the bathroom. No wonder everything was so spotlessly clean, she thought, if a maid went around and cleaned everything as soon as it was used.

 

#45:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:46 am

Hehe... nice distraction by Hilda! Laughing

 

#46:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:17 am

Hilda chose a book and sat to read it, but she found it very difficult to keep her mind on the page in front of her. Images were whirling busily round her brain and distracting her. She could not wait to go out and see some more of Gharafah City, which seemed to be fascinating in the extreme. Then there was the prospect of a meal in a traditional Arabic restaurant that evening, and Hilda wondered what traditional Arabic food was like. Eventually she abandoned the book and got up and went over to look out of the window again. This time she watched some little birds in the garden, dainty little bulbuls and larger, cheeky looking mynah birds, as well as the more familiar sight of sparrows and pigeons.
Glancing at her watch, Miss Annersley saw that it was just five o'clock in the afternoon, and she had another four hours to fill until she went out for dinner. She decided to look around the house, so she began by going on up the stairs to the second floor. That was much more basically furnished, and when she investigated the rooms that opened off the landing, she found that two of them housed two or three beds and very plain furniture, so she guessed that they were rooms for the servants. Another room acted as a storage area, with cases and crates and furniture presumably no longer used. Miss Annersley went downstairs again and looked into the room opposite hers. It was furnished like an office, with a huge desk and practical chairs, several cupboards and shelves and, surprisingly, no papers or pens anywhere.
Miss Annersley then descended the stairs and went to look through the door from which the maid had appeared with the tea. She found it led to a corridor, and judging by the sounds and smells coming from that direction, on to the kitchen. At that end of the corridor was another door, and Hilda found that it opened to reveal an opulent dining room. The table was huge, and would easily seat twelve people. It was made of a very dark wood, and the chairs surrounded it were upholstered in a dark red and navy material. The room did not look dark, though, because a gorgeous chandelier hung from the ceiling and sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight.
She was distracted from her examination of the china cupboard in the dining room by the sound of the front doorbell ringing. She went quickly through to the reception, then wondered if she should answer the door or wait for someone else to do it. Fortunately, Zuhaira appeared at that moment, and went over to open the door. A brief exchange in Arabic followed, then Zuhaira was closing the door again.
"This is for you, Madam," Zuhaira said, holding out a large box, wrapped in pale blue paper.
"Thank you," said Hilda, puzzled. She took the box and sat down on the comfortable settee to open it. Inside she found a long dress made of a beautiful midnight blue material, heavily beaded around the neck and sleeves. A little card was with the dress, proclaiming it to be from Jassim and that he would be thrilled if she would wear it to dinner that evening. Hilda took the dress upstairs and held it in front of herself as she stood before the full length mirror in her room. She saw at once that it was a perfect colour for her as it brought out the clear grey of her eyes, but she was not sure if she could imagine herself wearing such a style. It was beautiful, but she tended to wear more subtle clothes, and she wondered if the beading was too much. She hung the dress on a hanger, and put it in the enormous wardrobe, that looked empty with her few clothes hung in it.
Zuhaira appeared again at that point. "Madam, Madam Maha and Madam Amna are downstairs. They would very much like to see you."
For a moment Hilda could not think who would be calling on her, then she realized that Maha and Amna were the names of Jassim's current wives. She had guessed that she would see them if she was living in the same compound as they lived, but she had not anticipated meeting them so soon. She had been curious about them, and yet nervous at the same time. Now, though, she had to go down and face them alone, without Jassim by her side.

Last edited by Fatima on Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:13 am; edited 1 time in total

 

#47:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:24 am

I'm curious about them as well! I think Hilda should wear the dress though Smile

 

#48:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:34 am

All very interesting. Thank you Fatima.

 

#49:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:11 am

This is wonderful, she should definitely wear the dress... Smile Smile

 

#50:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:35 am

This is really good, Fatima thanks.

 

#51:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:30 am

This is great Fatima, thanx. It all seems hugely decadent (can't spelt that)

 

#52:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:01 pm

Róisín wrote:
It all seems hugely decadent

Yes - a perfect setting for *whispers* seduction! Wink

Thanks Fatima

Liz

 

#53:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:32 pm

Wow Fatima this is brilliant!

I'm really looking forward to the meeting with Jassim's other wives - don't think Hilda will get on with them much.

 

#54:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:15 pm

I had planned to keep Miss Annersley a woman of virtue, but after

Quote:
a perfect setting for *whispers* seduction!


I may be tempted to lead her astray!


She walked slowly down the enormous staircase and found two ladies waiting in the hall. The taller of the two was dressed in a full length dark red dress, long sleeved and decorated with braid and beads. She had a length of black draped loosely over her hair and she was very lovely as Jassim had said. She looked young, around twenty eight or nine, and was slender and graceful in her movements. The second woman was shorter, but also slim and lovely looking. She wore a similar dress, but it was light blue, and she had the same black material covering her hair. She seemed older, possibly in her mid thirties, and her striking resemblance to Noura proclaimed her that young lady's mother. Both wore heavy gold necklaces and several gold bangles that jangled as they moved their hands. They also sported large rings, inlaid with stones of blue and red and green.
It was the shorter woman who spoke first. She advanced on Miss Annersley with her hand held out, but instead of shaking Hilda's hand she pulled her close and kissed her on each cheek. "Welcome," she said, her voice low and soft. "I am so happy to meet you. I am Maha, mother of Noura, Dana and Alia."
Next, the taller woman kissed Hilda and introduced herself. "I am Amna," she said, "and I am also very happy you could come to see us."
"Thank you," Hilda said, feeling rather overwhelmed. She wondered if she should ask for some tea to be brought, but she need not have worried. Amna drew her over to the formal sitting area and they sat down on the sumptuous golden chairs. Zuhaira soon appeared bearing a tray of tea and a large dish of fruit. As well as apples and grapes, Miss Annersley recognized mangoes and some delicious looking apricots.
"The girls are very happy to go to your school," Maha continued. "They told us that you were beautiful and kind and so strict with them. I am happy; they need you to be strict because their father is too kind with them."
Miss Annersley was speechless at this news, but she had no need to say anything, because Amna was speaking. "Omar is also telling us of your kindness," she said, "and how your school is so famous. We are gratitude that you teach our girls."
"We are grateful," corrected Maha. "Amna, your English is very bad."
"I have not been often to England as you have," Amna countered, obviously not at all put out by the correction.
Maha leaned over and passed a cup of tea to Amna and then to Hilda before helping herself to a cup. "Tomorrow you will come to my house for lunch," she said, "and meet some of my friends. When I told them I would have English headmistress to visit they said they must come to see you."
"Thank you," said Hilda. "It is very kind of you."
"Not at all," Maha answered. "You will be our sister, Miss Hilda, and we will share everything with you all the time."
Amna passed Hilda a plate of apricots and mangoes and said, "Please eat. You will like these fruits."
Hilda nibbled on an apricot, as Maha continued to talk. It seemed that she was not required to say very much, as Maha was very loquacious. Amna also contributed to the conversation and from their exchanges Hilda could see that they were very good friends and were eager to be friendly with her. She was surprised by the way they welcomed her so warmly; she was sure that she would not have felt so generous towards a stranger that came as a guest of her husband. Gradually she relaxed in their company and they discussed Switzerland, London and other places that the three of them had visited. Hilda recommended that they visit Italy, as she thought they would enjoy some of the towns in the north of that lovely land. They seized eagerly on the suggestion, deciding that they could have a lot of fun shopping in Milan and suggested that Hilda might like to join them there at some point.
Finally they stood up and told Hilda they should return to their homes, as they were entertaining Lulwa, the mother of Jassim's other children, that evening. Maha repeated her request that Hilda join her for lunch the following day then they were kissing Hilda again and heading off down the marble stairs and back to their own houses.
Hilda took another apricot and nibbled it thoughtfully. As it was almost seven o'clock, she thought she would go upstairs and have a bath before getting dressed ready to go out. She looked at the tray of cups and apricot stones and decided against upsetting Zuhaira by returning it to the kitchen. She walked slowly up to her room and through into the bathroom. She ran a lukewarm bath, feeling it would be more refreshing, and poured in some of the bath oil she found in the bathroom. At once the room was filled with a delightfully exotic fragrance. Hilda went to find her dressing gown and collected one of the gigantic, fluffy white towels from in the cupboard and she headed off to the bathroom.

 

#55:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:22 pm

These exotic fragrances definitely seem to be setting the scene for seduction ... could Hilda be losing some of her C S inhibitions? Thanks Fatima.

 

#56:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:27 pm

Thanks Fatima, the other two wives seem nice and friendly.

 

#57:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:38 pm

Lovely - thanks Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#58:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:21 pm

Thanks Fatima - good to see them so welcoming! Smile

 

#59:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:37 pm

Oh how I am spoiling you today, another update! The bunnies are really going for it this time, they just won't stop whispering in my ear.

She lay in the bath for some time, feeling delightfully decadent bathing in the early evening and reflecting on her rather unusual position. She had a sudden attack of conscience, wondering what she was doing in Gharafah, staying with a married man and taking tea with his wives. Whatever had she been thinking of, going to stay with the father of some of her pupils? Then she recalled the Maranis and the Mensches, with whom she had stayed whilst living in Austria. They had welcomed her with open arms, and she had stayed several times with them. But I was not in love with Herr Marani or Herr Mensch, she told herself. The water in the bath grew cooler and Hilda found herself finally feeling less hot than she had done since her arrival in the desert land. 'He can marry me,' she said eventually. 'He can take four wives at the same time. He can obviously court another woman while he is married. Maha and Amna seemed happy enough about it all, why shouldn't I? It is quite acceptable for me to be here.'
Happy with herself for having justified her presence in the country, Hilda got out of the bath and wrapped herself in the towel. She went over to the shelf that contained an interesting selection of bottles, jars and pots and selected a body lotion with a heady scent to rub over herself. Finally, dry and smelling most unlike her usual self, Hilda went through to the bedroom and began to get dressed. It was now close to nine, so she hastily slipped the new dress on and sat down at the dressing table to brush her hair and sweep it up into a classic chignon. Once she had done that she stood before the long mirror and looked thoughtfully at herself. She was impressed by her reflection; she looked slim and graceful in her new dress, much as Amna had done earlier. The colour suited her very well, and she decided that she would be quite happy wearing the dress when she went out with Jassim. She slipped her shoes on, picked up her handbag and went off to the sitting room to wait for Jassim to put in an appearance. He arrived at half past nine, wearing his white thobe and a red and white checked headdress, and Hilda had to admit it made him look even more dashing than western clothes did.
"I am sorry to be late," he said, looking appreciatively at her dress. "Hilda, habibty, you look fabulous."
Hilda remembered him telling her that habibty was Arabic for darling. She smiled at him, and repaid the compliment with one of her own. "So do you," she said.
"I am glad you like it. I usually wear the thobe here. It is traditional."
"It looks very nice," she replied.
Jassim said, "Shall we go? The car is ready." He took her arm and they walked together down the steps and out into the balmy evening. As they crossed the garden, Hilda could hear the chirping of numerous tiny insects, and very little else. It really was a peaceful place, she thought, away from the bustle of the city.
They got into the large car that Jassim had collected Hilda from the airport in, and the gateman rushed to open the gates so that they could drive out into the city again. It was dark, but the streets were well lighted and Hilda could see that there were still many people around. The shops seemed to be open, despite the lateness of the hour.
"They close in the afternoon for three or four hours," Jassim explained in answer to her query. "Then they stay open until ten or, sometimes, even later."
They drove down a street that contained dozens of shops selling gold, and Hilda noticed more women than she had seen on her arrival. They were, for the most part, robed in black, some even had their faces completely covered. There were some more European types shopping, too, and Hilda could understand the fascination with that particular street, as she had never seen so much gold before in all her life. Each little shop had necklaces, bangles and other jewellery hanging in the window and trays of rings displayed below.
"I will bring you here next week," Jassim promised, seeing her interest. "You will have a lovely time examining all the gold. We have some fine craftsmen here and they produce exquisite jewellery."

 

#60:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:59 pm

Quote:
Maha answered. "You will be our sister, Miss Hilda, and we will share everything with you all the time."
They are taking it as read that Hilda will marry Jassim - what has he told his other wives?

 

#61:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:28 pm

Thanks Fatima. I would love to see Hilda's impressions of all the jewelry when they go shopping!

 

#62:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:48 pm

Thanks, Fatima. It was interesting reading about Hilda meeting two of Jassim's wives.

 

#63:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:14 pm

Thanks Fatima

You're painting a wonderful picture of the Gharafah for us.

Liz

 

#64:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:17 am

A short while later Jassim was parking outside a very new looking building. They got out of the car and went inside, and Hilda found that she had been transported back in time to the days when the people of the Arabian Peninsula lived in tents. The restaurant was large, but divided up into little sections, so that the diners there could have privacy while they ate. There were no tables and chairs; instead there were red patterned cushions on the floor around very low tables. Hilda noticed that there were several families already eating and that even very young children had come out for the meal. The little girls were sumptuously dressed, often in full length dresses that were similar in style to her own. The boys looked equally delightful, dressed in thobes and looking like miniature editions of their fathers. Jassim followed the restaurant manager to a quiet corner of the restaurant and soon Hilda was settled onto the cushions and Jassim was ordering their meal. Hilda found that it was surprisingly comfortable sitting on the floor, leaning against a pile of cushions.
The waiter quickly returned with a large plate of Arabic starters and a basket of flat bread, still warm from the oven. Jassim showed Hilda how to break off little pieces of bread and scoop the different dips onto it. She tasted hummus, baba ghanoush and moutabel, and thoroughly enjoyed the labneh with mint. Once they had eaten enough of those, the table was cleared and a large dish of rice brought in, along with a dish of lamb chops and some glasses of fresh juice and water. The rice was of several varieties, some with nuts or raisins in, some coloured yellow and some plain. Hilda allowed the waiter to give her a little of each kind, eager to experience everything while she had the chance. She found it all delicious, and ate with enjoyment, having discovered that she was very hungry, the meal on the aeroplane seeming a very long time ago.
While they ate, Jassim outlined some of his plans for her visit. He had a yacht and he wanted to take her sailing on the calm waters of the Gulf. Maybe she would even like to swim, he suggested, as the water was delightfully warm. He also wanted to take her into the desert, and planned to get a tent set up so that she could experience the real Bedouin lifestyle first hand. "And do you want to meet my family?" he asked her, watching her carefully to see her reaction to this question.
"I have already met your wives," she informed him. "They called upon me earlier and Maha has invited me to go to lunch with her tomorrow."
"They called upon you?" he asked in surprise. "I asked them to leave you to settle in. Were they kind to you?"
"Yes," she assured him. "They were lovely."
"Are you sure?" He sounded doubtful.
"Yes, they were very nice," she said firmly. "I would like to go to lunch with them tomorrow, if that's all right."
"Of course," he agreed. "You are free to do as you wish, Hilda. If you would enjoy meeting them again, by all means go. It will be a good experience for you."
"Will you come as well?" she asked hopefully.
"No, it will just be the ladies and the children," he answered. "It would not be correct for me to be there."
Hilda sipped her juice thoughtfully. She knew that Muslim women were not able to go out in the company of men in public as their European counterparts did, but she had not realized that this would also affect their home lives. She put the glass back on the table, and watched the waiter clear away the main course and get the table ready for desert. She glanced round the restaurant, looking at the other diners and suddenly noticed a woman at a nearby table watching her. She realized that she was rather an unusual sight, a western woman with her hair uncovered, sitting with an Arabic gentleman. She looked back at Jassim, wondering if she would ever get used to such a different lifestyle. She wondered whether he found life in Europe very different and strange.
Another big dish was placed before them on the table, and Jassim told Hilda that it contained a local specialty, called Umm Ali. Hilda tasted it and found it very much like bread and butter pudding. She could not eat much of it, though, as she was starting to feel very replete. Finally they were given tiny cups of the mint tea, which Hilda found she was enjoying more and more. She glanced at her watch and found, to her surprise, that it was gone eleven o'clock. She could not believe how full the restaurant was considering the lateness of the hour. Suddenly, full and tired, she realized that she wanted nothing more than to climb into that huge, comfortable looking bed and sleep.
Jassim guessed what she was feeling and paid the bill. He helped her up from the cushions, and they walked together to his car. The evening was still warm, the sky clear and the stars sparkling like diamonds. A very thin moon was just visible and Hilda thought she had never seen such a delightful night. Jassim drove through the city, still busy and bustling despite the fact that it was so late, and back to his compound. By the time that they drove in through the gate, Hilda was feeling drowsy and it was an effort to get out of the car and walk across the garden and up the steps to the house. Jassim took her arm and helped her through the front door, closing it firmly behind them then he swung her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. He gently deposited her on her bed and bent to kiss her good night.
"Good night," she answered. "And thank you, Jassim. I have had a lovely evening."
"So have I," he responded. "I hope it will be the first of many." Giving her a final kiss, he left her and soon she heard the front door open and close. Too tired to wonder where he had gone, Hilda pulled off the dress, slipped into her nightie and fell into bed. Almost as soon as her head touched the pillow she was asleep.

 

#65:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:28 am

Interesting to see she's wondering if she could get used to that lifestyle

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#66:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:32 am

Miss Annersley was woken just before dawn. She heard some sounds a little like singing, and she was puzzled by what it could be. She had slept well, but the bed was so comfortable that she wanted to remain there. She listened drowsily to the sounds, until they stopped as abruptly as they had begun and she fell asleep once more.
When she next awoke the sunlight was streaming through the curtains and someone was knocking on the door. She sat up, reaching for her dressing gown, as she called out, "Yes?"
The door opened a fraction to admit Zuhaira. "Please, Madam, Mr. Jassim is downstairs and breakfast is ready," she said.
"Thank you," answered Hilda. "I'll be down in a few minutes."
Zuhaira closed the door and Hilda got out of bed. She had a quick wash and put on a dainty summer dress, and then she quickly brushed her hair and put it up. She was heading downstairs not twenty minutes after she had awoken, and she found Jassim sitting on the settee, wearing a track suit and looking extremely casual.
He stood up as she arrived. "Good morning," he said cheerfully. "I hope you slept well?"
"Very well, thank you," she admitted.
"Come and have breakfast," he suggested. He took her arm and they went into the dining room, where breakfast was already laid out for them. The coffee smelt delicious and there were plates of food, some Miss Annersley recognized and some she did not. They sat together at one end of the huge table, and Jassim began filling Hilda's plate with some of the delicacies on offer. "Try these," he said, piling falafel onto her plate. "They are made from chick peas and fried. And this is foul," he went on, pronouncing it 'fool'. "It is a very filling breakfast."
Hilda tasted everything, and enjoyed most of it. She finally sat back, feeling full once more and wondering if she would put on a lot of weight whilst she was in Gharafah.
"What would you like to do this morning?" Jassim asked as she sipped her coffee. "Shall I take you to the gold souq? The souq is the market," he added by way of explanation.
"Yes, please," she said at once. She did not usually wear much jewellery, but the shops she had been driven past the previous evening fascinated her.
"I will change," he told her, "and come back in half an hour. Will you be ready?"
"Yes, I will be ready," she promised him. "Jassim, where do you stay?" she wondered.
"I live in the first house," he answered. "It was Lulwa's home whilst we were married. Omar still lives there, although Aisha and Sara stay with their mother when they aren't away at school."
Secretly relieved that he did not live in either Maha's or Amna's house, Hilda followed Jassim back to the reception area. While he went off to his own house to change, she went back upstairs to put on her sandals and find her handbag. She was soon ready, so she spent a while sitting at the window, looking out into the beautiful garden. She watched Jassim coming out of his front door, feeling a mixture of sadness and relief to see him wearing a pair of dark trousers and an open-necked white shirt. It would attract less attention if she was with him dressed thus, but she did like to see him wearing his thobe.
She went down the stairs and opened the door as he knocked upon it. They went over to the car park and got into the back of the car Jassim usually drove himself. "I have brought the driver because it can be difficult to park in the gold souq," he explained. "Mohammed will look after the car while we shop."
They pulled out of the compound and Mohammed drove them to the gold souq. It was a hot, sunny day, much as the previous day had been. Hilda looked around her with interest, finding the streets fascinating. Mohammed dropped them off at the end of the street that contained the gold shops. Jassim took Hilda over to the first one and they looked into the window. Hilda was amazed by the gold, glittering in the bright sunshine, almost dazzling her. She noticed that it was yellower than the gold she had seen in shops in England, so she asked Jassim the reason.
"It is purer," he told her. "It is mainly 22 or 24 carat, while in England people like 9 or 18 carat gold. This gold is much softer."
Thinking of the servants people obviously had in Gharafah, Hilda understood how they could wear the softer gold. Some of the necklaces caught her attention at that point, reminding her more of Lord Mayors' chains than jewellery that she would wear herself. They moved on to the next shop, Jassim explaining that gold was given by a man to the woman he planned on marrying, and the more gold that a man could give the better. Hilda allowed Jassim to lead her from shop to shop, starting to feel more than a little overwhelmed by the amount of jewellery on show. Finally, though, she found a display of charms and decided that she would like to buy herself a little gold palm tree to hang on her necklace.
They went inside and Jassim began negotiating with the shopkeeper. They had an animated discussion in Arabic, with a lot of waving of hands and then the little charm was put into a box. "Now choose a chain to hang it on," Jassim instructed.
"I already have one," answered Hilda.
"You can choose another even so," he told her with a smile.
The shopkeeper produced a veritable pile of necklaces and Miss Annersley chose a pretty box chain. Again he weighed the gold and debated the price of the piece with Jassim. Jassim paid for the gold, put it into his pocket and they went out to look in some more windows. Further down the street they went into another shop, and Jassim asked to see the tray of rings in the window. He pulled out a thin gold band that had a pretty design carved round it and was set with tiny little blue stones. He took Hilda's hand and put it onto her finger, where it fitted perfectly.
"Do you like it?" he asked her. "I would like to buy you a souvenir of your visit, and I thought this would be something you could wear. It is not ostentatious like some of them are."
Looking at a ring that had to be at least as thick as the space between her hand and first knuckle, and was set with an enormous yellow stone, Hilda had to agree with him. "It is lovely," she agreed. "But you don't have to…"
Jassim cut her protests off in the middle. "No, but I really would like to," he explained patiently. "Please, Hilda."
"Thank you," she said, giving in graciously.
The ring was weighed and the negotiations began again, then Jassim replaced the ring on Hilda's finger and they left the shop. It was starting to get very hot and so they climbed back into the car and Mohammed drove them away from the souq. Jassim handed Hilda the other purchases, and she put them safely into her handbag.
"What shall we do now?" he asked.

 

#67:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 11:24 am

Lucky Hilda - I love Middle Eastern food, and he's certainly spoiling her with all the presents ...

Especially considering that Madge, Dick and Joey and 6 of Dick and Mollie's kids, and both Juliet and Erica as well for that matter, were all born in India, albeit presumably in British enclaves there, there's virtually nothing in the books about non-Western cultures (the way no-one even bothers to use Lilamani's surname really bugs me!!). It must be really interesting for Hilda to be somewhere so different from what she's used to.

 

#68:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 11:39 am

Thanks, Fatima. It was interesting to hear about the meal.

 

#69:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:54 pm

Thanks Fatima - the description of the meal was absolutely wonderful, and I really enjoyed the jewelry scene Smile

 

#70:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:39 pm

How well he knows her taste - to choose the simpler ring.

 

#71:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:48 pm

Lovely lovely lovely Very Happy Very Happy squeee Thanks Fatima

 

#72:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:03 pm

Fatima wrote:
Jassim explaining that gold was given by a man to the woman he planned on marrying, and the more gold that a man could give the better.

Well I guess he's made a start then Very Happy

Thanks Fatima

Liz

 

#73:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:16 pm

Thank you for all your comments, it is lovely to get feedback. Here's the next installment for you.

"What shall we do now?" he asked.
"Could we drive round and just look at the city?" she asked.
"Of course," said Jassim, and he gave Mohammed some instructions.
Soon they were driving along the Corniche, as the sea front was called. Hilda was thrilled by the colour of the gulf – it was a beautiful clear blue and was as flat as a mill pond. Some old-fashioned Arabic ships were sailing on the waters, and Jassim told her that they were dhows, wooden boats that had been used in the area for hundreds of years.
"Many of the people here used to live by pearl diving," he explained. "It is only recently that the discovery of oil has changed everyone's lives so much."
They drove next through an older part of the city, where the houses were very ramshackle, then on to newer parts, where large villas stood behind high walls. Hilda was puzzled by large bricks and stones that hung on ropes over some of the walls and Jassim laughingly explained, "They are tied round plants, to keep them growing nicely against the wall. Sometimes they grow out too much and take over the garden."
Before she realized it, they were slowing up and the large gates to Jassim's compound were being opened. "Oh, I didn't know we were here!" she exclaimed.
"If you still want to go and have lunch with Maha, you must get ready," he explained. "It is already half past twelve."
"How the time does fly," she said, surprised by how quickly the morning had passed.
They got out of the car and he walked across the lawn to her house with her. "You must wear the new dress," he told her. "They will like that. And after dinner, when you have had a siesta, we will go to the desert for the weekend, if that is all right."
"It sounds lovely," she assured him. "I would like it very much."
"Good. Go and get ready, and be warned!" he added. "Maha will have some of her friends coming. They will talk incessantly!"
"She did tell me that she had invited some of her friends," Hilda answered, looking forward to meeting the women despite his warning. "What shall I wear to the desert?"
"If you have trousers they would be better," he told her. "It can be a little rough getting there. Once we have reached the tent, you can wear whatever you like. There won't be anyone to see us. I could have some clothes sent over for you, if you like," he added.
"No, that's not necessary," she answered. "I did bring some trousers." She smiled as she remembered going shopping in Interlaken with Jo, looking for a pair of trousers that she would feel comfortable in. She had never before owned trousers, and had felt very self conscious as she wore them to dinner with Jo that evening, just to try them out. Gwynneth and Nell, also present at the dinner, had both admired her new look so sincerely that she had felt more comfortable, and she thought that she just might manage to wear the trousers when she went to the desert.
"And wear your new gold to lunch now," Jassim said. "Have a good time, habibty, and I shall see you at about four."
Hilda turned her face up towards his, and he kissed her quickly, then she went off to change her clothes while he headed back out to meet some of his own friends for lunch.
Hilda changed into the new dress, which had been washed and ironed during the course of the morning, while she had been out exploring the gold souq, then she walked nervously through the garden to Maha's house.

 

#74:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:34 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I hope that Hilda will have a good time.

 

#75:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:38 pm

Oooooh! a weekend, just the two of them, in A tent in the desert.

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#76:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:12 pm

As she approached Maha's house, the door was flung open and Maha came down the steps to greet her. "Miss Hilda!" she exclaimed, kissing Hilda on both cheeks. "You came!"
"Hello, Mrs. Maha," said Hilda, having decided that would be the best way to address the other woman. "It is lovely to see you again."
"Come in!" said Maha, sounding very excited. "I have my friends here, they are eager for a glimpse of the famous English Head Mistress."
Before Hilda could answer, Amna had come out to greet her, too. She kissed Hilda on both cheeks and then took her arm and led her into the house. Inside Hilda found about ten other women sitting round in the reception, along with several small children. Some of the ladies were young, some older, around her own age. All were wearing long dresses, with black scarves covering their hair, or draped loosely around their necks. Most of them were pretty, with shining dark eyes and olive coloured skin, some tall, some shorter, all smiling with delight at meeting the famous English Head Mistress. As Hilda entered the reception, they got to their feet and came over to be introduced to her.
Hilda listened carefully as they were introduced, but she soon lost track of the unusual names and knew it would be difficult to remember who was who. A short lady in a vibrant orange dress decorated with swirls of yellow and red, turned out to be Maha's sister, Jamilla, while a plain looking older woman with a black and white dress was introduced as 'Our sister Lulwa' and Hilda guessed that she was the wife Jassim had divorced. Later, over lunch, her suspicions were confirmed. She was sitting next to Hilda, and as Jamilla was entertaining the other women with a tale about the outrageous behaviour of her tailor, Lulwa turned to Hilda and said, "Thank you for all that you have done for my daughters. Aisha respects you very much."
"They are charming girls," Hilda responded sincerely.
"Thank you," said Lulwa. "I have been impressed by the education offered by your school. They have learned a lot in the last six months and they are very happy there. It is very good that you will let them live their lives in Islam with you, too. I was worried you would try to make them leave their faith, although Jassim did promise me you would not."
"We have not had much experience of other religions in the school," Hilda explained, "but we respect other faiths and would not try to change someone's religious views."
"This is very good. Have you considered becoming Muslim?" she went on.
Hilda shook her head. "No, I am Christian," she said simply.
Lulwa went on to explain how closely Christianity and Islam were related and Hilda listened with interest as she said how Muslims respect Jesus as a great prophet. By the time the meal ended, Hilda really felt that she had learnt something, and she had developed a lot of respect for Jassim's former wife.
Once they had finished eating the huge mountains of rice and the deliciously stuffed chickens, along with big plates of salad and glasses of fresh mango juice, they all went off to the bathroom to wash their hands, then Amna and Maha led the way back to the reception area. Several servants, dressed in the same long blue dresses that Zuhaira always wore, came into the dining room to clear the table and then they brought the inevitable mint tea. Maha reclaimed Hilda, and proceeded to tell her all about Arabic food, claiming that her sister Jamilla was the best cook anyone knew. Jamilla blushingly admitted that she loved to cook and was soon persuaded to host a big dinner party in honour of their new English friend the following week.
"And she does all the cooking herself," Amna put in. "Her housemaids are poor cookers and she does not let them cook."
"It is true," Jamilla agreed. "They make curry hot and tasty, but other things are not. Maha's cookers are the best."
Trying not to laugh, Hilda agreed that the food had been lovely. "Yes, your cook is very good," she said, hoping that her subtlety would help the ladies see their mistaken use of the word 'cooker'.
Hilda remained a little longer then she found that it was almost three o'clock, so she took her leave of the ladies and returned to the house she was staying in. She looked through her limited wardrobe and took out some clothes she hoped would be suitable for wearing in the desert and packed them into her capacious handbag. She added her brush and comb and put a book in on the top, just in case she should want something to do. She put on her trousers and a cotton shirt and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She decided that the trousers actually looked very nice, as they made her look taller and slim. She went downstairs and stood by the window, waiting until it was time to go. She could see some of the other ladies leaving Maha's home, now dressed in black abayahs. They crossed the garden and got into the cars that had either come for them or been waiting until they were ready to leave, and were driven off to their own homes.
Hilda thought about the time she had spent with them, and how happy they had all seemed together. They had been friendly and welcoming and had all made every effort to talk in English all the time she was with them. Of them all, she had been very drawn to Lulwa, who seemed more serious than the others, and she wondered why Jassim, fed up with his more frivolous wives, had divorced the one who seemed best suited to him.

 

#77:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:24 pm

Oooh I've just read this all the way through and it's lovely and so interesting. Thank you Fatima

 

#78:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:51 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad Hilda had a good time. I'm wondering also why Jassim divorced his first wife.

 

#79:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:25 pm

Wow, I thought i was only a day or so behind, but there was so much to catch up with. I am really enjoying this, it is fascinating to see Hilda in a completly different environment.

Also wondering about the divorce.

 

#80:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:20 am

Thank you Fatima, this is fantastic, very intresting.

 

#81:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:06 pm

People have mentioned before that they like long posts, so here is a really long one for you!

Before she could give the subject any further consideration, a veritable fanfare on a car horn attracted her attention, and she saw Jassim waving at her from the window of the brand new land rover. She grabbed her handbag and went off to meet him. He leaned over to open the passenger door, and she got in beside him. He grinned at her and put the car in gear, and then they were off.
"I love the desert," he informed her as he drove away. "It is so utterly peaceful and when you are there you feel that you could have such a simple life. It is just you and Allah."
He drove quickly, and soon they were leaving the city behind. They saw fewer and fewer houses, until they were driving along a road that seemed to stretch ahead forever, with just brown rocky ground on either side. Soon they were unable to see any other cars, there was just the endless brown of the desert. Hilda was surprised to find that it was not just sandy, and that there were some green plants growing amongst the rocks.
The quality of the road they were driving along worsened and the journey became very bumpy. Then they turned off the road altogether and started to drive across the desert itself. Hilda hoped Jassim knew where he was going, as there did not seem to be any landmarks to guide him. She clung on tightly to the door handle, hoping that the weekend in the tent would be worth the journey.
"It isn't much further now," he assured her, as they crossed an especially bumpy part of the track he seemed to be following. "Hang on, it is going to be worth it."
Hilda wondered how he knew what she was thinking. "I hope so," she managed to say from between clenched teeth. She decided that journeys round hairpin mountain bends were more enjoyable than the bone-jolting ride she was currently taking.
After what seemed like an eternity, Jassim slowed and Hilda could see that they were coming to a place where people obviously lived. There was a big pen, full of sheep and goats, and some little shacks built nearby. "This is my farm," Jassim told her. "They will cook the food for us this weekend, and bring it over to the camp site. It is just over that rise." Jassim stopped by the farm and two men came out of one of the little huts. He had a quick conversation with them, then they went off again, over the rise.
As they cleared the top, Hilda could see a big tent set up, and guessed it was for them. It was much larger than she had expected, and as they got nearer she could see that it was made of some thick black material, with a white pattern running round it. It was closed on three sides, while the fourth side was completely open and provided a view of the carpets and cushions inside. There was a low table, giving a look similar to that which she had seen the previous night (was it only the previous night? she wondered) at the restaurant. Jassim parked behind the tent, next to a little generator, and they got out of the car. He took her arm and they went round to the tent, and Hilda could not believe how comfortable it looked. A fluorescent light had been rigged up, and a fan, too, and it all looked very inviting.
"I didn't expect it to be so comfortable," she said in surprise.
"It is very basic," he informed her. "But we won't need more. Some families bring their refrigerators and radios and things and live as if they were in their home, but I think it is nice to get away from that."
Recalling the 'farm' nearby, where the food would be prepared, Hilda thought that they had not got so far away from all that, but she did not wish to hurt his feelings, so she kept her observations to herself. "It is lovely," she said, realizing that she was going to enjoy her weekend in the desert far more than she had thought.
"Sit down," he suggested. "I'll just bring the bags from the car."
Hilda sat down on the cushions and stretched her legs out in front of her. She found that the only sound she could hear was the low throbbing of the generator, and other than that it was very quiet. She could see for miles in front of her, sand and rocks and the occasional green of a hardy desert plant, but no other people or animals could be seen.
Jassim reappeared, carrying an old holdall, and some plastic bags, and he deposited them all in the middle of the tent and then he disappeared to fetch the rest of the things from the land rover. This time he returned with a box, and he set it down in front of Hilda. He sat down next to her and unpacked an ornate flask, shaped like a coffee pot, and some little glass cups from the box. "Let's have some tea," he suggested with a smile.
He poured two cups of tea and then found a little box of Arabic cakes, all nuts and honey and very satisfying. They ate in a companionable silence, then Jassim set his empty cup on the table and pulled the bags closer to him. He pulled out some packages, and handed the first ones to Hilda. "I thought you might find these more comfortable," he told her, and when she opened the bags, she found that he had bought two more dresses for her, long and flowing but not beaded as the other dress was. "I think it is cooler to dress like this in the desert," he said. "And you did look so lovely in the other dress."
"Thank you," she said, deciding that she liked the dark purple dress better than the rather lurid pink one.
"And as it is so very sunny," he went on, passing her a much smaller bag.
She opened it to find a new pair of sunglasses. "You are just too kind," she told him. "I left my sunglasses at school. I never even thought to bring them." She put the sunglasses on and relaxed against the cushions, noticing that it was much more comfortable to wear glasses in the strong sunlight.
"And I got some games for us to play," he said, showing her the last bag. "Can you play chess?"
"Yes, although I haven't for years," she answered. "I am not very good. Nell tells me that I don't look far enough ahead when I play."
"We can try later," he told her. "Now, would you like to take a little walk before it gets dark?"
Hilda agreed and they set off together across the rocky ground. It was not as flat as Hilda had originally thought, and they climbed a little rise, from where they could look down on their camp. Jassim turned her away from the view of the tent and Hilda found herself looking across the desert to Gharafah City. "What a lovely view," she said. "I miss the mountains here, there is nothing to compare with the majesty of snowcapped peaks, but this is lovely in a different way."
"And now for the sunset," Jassim said, and they turned to face the west. The sun seemed to be impossibly high for him to be mentioning sunset, but it was dropping far faster than Hilda had seen it move before. As she watched it sank to the horizon, grew redder and redder and then it disappeared. "There is nothing like our sunsets," he commented, taking her arm and leading her carefully over the rough ground back to their tent. "It is because we are near the equator here," he explained. "It is very different from Europe, where the sun takes ages to set and twilight goes on and on. It will be just about dark by the time we get back to the tent."

 

#82:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:32 pm

Thanks for the long post, Fatima. So, the two of them are now alone together in the middle of the desert...

 

#83:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:18 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I really enjoyed reading about the views.

 

#84:  Author: ali, Location: medway, kent PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:46 pm

It sounds most idyllic, wonder if Hilda will succumb to the romance of the situation.

 

#85:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:43 pm

Jassim was quite right; by the time they reached the tent the darkness surrounded them. He switched on the light and they sat together again, appreciating the quiet. It was like another world, sitting in the tent, knowing that they were in the middle of nowhere, far away from the cares and worries of everyday life. They talked a little, but mainly just enjoyed the peace and quiet of the evening. Jassim got out a bottle of water and poured Hilda a glassful, advising her to make sure she drank plenty of water whilst she was staying in Gharafah. Finally, he produced the chess set and they started their game. Jassim was a very good player and he soon had Hilda in checkmate, but he told her that she was not as bad as she had told him she was. She laughingly wondered how that could be true when he had beaten her so quickly.
Before they could begin another game they could hear the sounds of a car engine growing closer. Jassim stood up and went to look out of the tent. "It is our dinner," he reported a moment later. Hilda cleared the chess set out of the way and soon the two men from the farm were carrying in a large plate of food. They put it on the low table and went back to the truck to collect some spoons, a big dish of fruit and some bottles of cold water. They collected the tea cups and the flask, and then left Hilda and Jassim to their dinner.
The dinner turned out to be enough rice for at least ten people, and the most enormous piece of lamb Hilda had ever seen. It was all cooked to perfection, and they did justice to it, although afterwards it did look just about untouched. "They will come and take it and eat the rest with their families," Jassim explained in response to Hilda's question. "It won't be wasted. Here, have some fruit."
They ate figs, which were deliciously fresh and then drank tea. Finally the men from the farm returned and cleared away, packing everything back into their pickup truck. Jassim gave them some more instructions, and they constructed a fire outside the tent, which they efficiently lit and had blazing away in no time at all. Once they had gone, Jassim moved some of the cushions to the entrance of the tent and they sat together in the firelight, looking up at the stars.
"I am so happy," he told her at last. "I wanted you to come here so much. It is perfect sharing all this with you. Are you happy?"
"Yes, Jassim," she answered, her voice soft. "I'm very happy."
"I can't believe how I had to go all the way to Switzerland to find you," he remarked. "I thought my soul mate would be here in Gharafah, or in the Middle East, not half a world away. I never imagined she would be some Christian school teacher lady, either."
Hilda was rather taken aback by his use of the term 'soul mate', then she reflected that she did feel closer to him than she had done to any other man, closer even than she had done to most women. Maybe that was what soul mate meant – someone you were so close to it was as if you shared the same soul. Hilda sighed, realizing that the time had come to make some serious decisions. Which was more important to her, her life at the Chalet School or the possibility of a future with the man at her side? As if sensing her inner turmoil, Jassim slid his arm round her and she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Why did you divorce Lulwa?" she asked suddenly. "I thought she seemed very nice."
"She is very nice," he answered, "but we were married very young. Our fathers were friends and they said we had to marry. We did, but it was not the right thing to do. We were happy, but it was more in spite of one another than because of each other. Lulwa wanted a quiet life, and I wanted to travel. She travelled with me, but she didn't enjoy it. She would have become a nun if she had been Christian, I think. She likes to contemplate religion and with me she never had the time to do that. We are still friendly, and, as you know, I have three wonderful children with her." He looked down at her. "Why do you ask?"
"After all you have said, I thought she would be the one you liked best," Hilda told him. "Yet she was the one you divorced."
"Actually, the divorce was her idea," he told her. "I would have remained married to her, but she wanted me to let her go."
"Oh." Hilda sighed and looked heavenwards again. "It is lovely here," she said. "I did not realize how many stars there were. I am sure I have never seen this many before."
"And none of them are as beautiful as the stars in your eyes," he told her, his voice husky. "Hilda, habibty…" His words trailed off as he kissed her.
Out in the desert, in the middle of nowhere, Hilda felt as though they were the only people in the world. It felt so right, being with Jassim. It was as though she had been waiting all her life for that moment. He seemed to feel it too, for he stopped kissing her and looked deep into her eyes, his question unspoken, yet she clearly understood what he was asking. As he looked down at her, she was aware of an unfamiliar sensation in her stomach and she found herself nodding wordlessly.

 

#86:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:04 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad Jassim has explained about what happened with Lulwa.

 

#87:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:06 pm

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#88:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:17 pm

Thanks Fatima... the place sounds absolutely lovely! And Jassim is so charming! Smile

 

#89:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:48 pm

Fatima - wow!

Have only just found this, and have read it straight through; it's brilliant! Seeing Hilda in such a new setting is fascinating, but really interesting. Can't wait to read the rest of it...

Thank you for writing it!

Hope we get some more soon *hint* Wink Laughing

 

#90:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:31 am

Fatima, how lovely. Thank you Very Happy

 

#91:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:08 pm

Thank you for the comments and here is the next part for you. Warning - maybe you should not read any further if you don't want to find Hilda falling from her pedestal of virtue!

That night, for the first time in her life, Hilda was not alone when she went to bed. She lay down, finding that the makeshift bed with its piles of soft, fluffy blankets was both delightfully warm and comfortable. She was feeling nervous yet excited at the same time. Jassim came and lay beside her, taking her gently in his arms and leaning over her to kiss her. Above them the stars were shining brightly, millions of little diamonds in the velvet blackness, making that evening one of the most perfect of Hilda's entire life.
Much later, she lay wakeful, looking across at Jassim in the light of the dying fire. He was so handsome it seemed hard to believe that he was really lying beside her. She loved him so much at that moment that she was almost tempted to wake him and tell him. He had already told her how he loved her and how he wanted her more than any other woman he had ever met. He said that he felt as though they had been made for each other, two halves of the same whole, two pieces that fit perfectly together, and, just then, Hilda had to agree. She had never felt like this about any other man, not even when she was young and had had several men eager to get to know her better. She had never before been able to understand how Madge Bettany had given up her school when she had married Jem Russell, but now it was very clear to her. Surely there was nothing better than being with someone who loved you, someone to whom you were the whole universe, especially when you felt the same way about them. She pulled the blankets more closely round her, realizing how true it was that the desert was a cold place at night. She inched closer to Jassim, not wishing to disturb him, but needing to feel him close to her. He muttered in his sleep, turned over and put an arm across her, so she snuggled up to him and felt delightfully warm once more. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.
Next morning she awoke and found that he had got up, but was nearby, poking the fire and getting it blazing ready to start making tea for their breakfast. As she stirred, he looked over at her and gave her a special smile, which she shyly returned. "Good morning," he greeted her. "I will make tea and Ahmed will arrive with the breakfast very soon."
"I had better get up," she said, reaching for her long dress and slipping it over her head. She wondered if he had brought water for them to wash in, and was reminded of numerous Chalet School adventures, nights spent in Alpine huts, where they had been unable to wash until their return to school.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked her as she came over to sit on a cushion beside him.
Hilda could feel herself blushing at the unusual intimacy between them. "Yes, thank you," she answered, pretending to be absorbed in the view across the desert.
"It is lovely to sleep in the desert," he said. "When you lie and look up at the stars it is perfect." He passed her a tin mug of strong, black tea, which she had not been expecting. "They will bring milk with the breakfast," he told her. "You won't have to wait long." He took his own cup and put three spoonfuls of sugar into it and came to sit beside her. Seeing how she was avoiding his gaze, he put his cup down and gently turned her to face him. His eyes were soft as he looked down at her, then he smiled slowly. "Habibty, I love you," he told her. "Don't be like this."
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice very quiet. "I'm…not used…to all this."
"Maybe you should get used to all this," he said gently. "I think I could get used to it." She looked at him then, but he said no more. Instead he pointed just past her and said, "Here is breakfast."
Looking round, she saw the pickup truck coming down the rise, and she realized that she felt famished. The men unpacked a much smaller meal than the one they had delivered the previous evening. There was bread and cheese and yogurt, some more figs and a bowl of honey. Hilda found it all most delicious, especially as Jassim warmed the bread on the fire and made the cheese melt. By the time she had finished eating, Hilda was feeling more at ease with him, and they began to discuss their plans for the day. He had some camels, and he wanted her to try riding one, telling her it was a perfect thing to do on holiday in the desert. He assured her it would be quite safe, that the camels he was thinking about were used to being ridden, so she agreed to try.
In the end it was a lot of fun. It was not easy to get used to the rather awkward motion of the camel arising from its knees but it was oddly enjoyable to be carried across the desert by the sure-footed beast, the creature traditionally used to traverse the desert. After lunch, Jassim took Hilda round the farm and showed her how they made cheese from the milk of both the goats and the sheep. Hilda tasted camel's milk, which Jassim assured her was very good for her, but she did not like it very much. They then retired to the tent for tea and cakes, and another game of chess. Having been beaten again, Hilda decided she stood more chance playing a different game, so he produced dominoes, a very popular game in the tea shops. Here Hilda's luck was better, and she managed to win both games they played before their dinner arrived.
They spent another romantic evening in the tent, then packed up the next morning to return to the city. Jassim had to take care of some business that afternoon, so he needed to have time to bath and change before heading off to his office. Hilda had mixed feelings about leaving the desert, as she knew that she would never forget her time there, but she was relieved at the prospect of having a long soak in the bath and washing her hair. Jassim promised to transact his business quickly, and to return to her by early evening. He told her that he would arrange to have their dinner cooked in her house and that he would spend the evening there with her.
He carried Hilda's bag to her house, then bade her farewell and went off to his own house. Hilda went upstairs and was soon soaking in the bath, enjoying washing the sand out of her hair. She relaxed for a long time in the bath, luxuriating in the scented water and allowing her thoughts to wander back over the experiences of the last couple of days.
Now that Jassim was not so near, she found she could think more objectively about him. He was gentle and considerate, kind and generous, but he could also be rather high-handed, she reflected. He liked to tell her what to wear, and she was not used to being directed in such matters. However, she conceded, it was a very different culture, and his knowledge of what was proper there did exceed her own. She closed her eyes and recalled the nights she had spent with him. She could hardly believe what she had done, yet she did not feel at all bothered by the impropriety of it all. She felt that she had spent years waiting for someone to come into her life, that one person who would make her complete, and now she had found him. Hilda knew that, whatever the future held, she would always love Jassim and would never want any other man. She sighed contentedly and sat up, not wishing to fall asleep in the water. She got out and dried and put on her nightdress, deciding to have a siesta, as she understood that everyone did in that part of the world.

 

#92:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:13 pm

How lovely and evocative. Thanks Fatima. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

 

#93:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:14 pm

Thank you Fatima, that was lovely. I shall be interested to see what Hilda's decision is.

 

#94:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:25 pm

Glad Hilda gave into temptation! This is lovely, Fatima, thanks.

 

#95:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:21 pm

Thanks, Fatima. That post was lovely.

 

#96:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:11 pm

Those last posts were marvellous Fatima, thanks so much.

 

#97:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:38 pm

Lovely Very Happy

Thanks Fatima

Liz

 

#98:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:16 pm

Awww!

*hoping that Hilda isn't let down in any way*

Thanks Fatima!

 

#99:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:31 pm

Wow so many posts

Thank you Fatima, this is brilliant

 

#100:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:03 am

Thanks Fatima! Nice to see Hilda finally gets to fall in love! Smile

 

#101:  Author: tiffinata, Location: melbourne, australia PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:39 am

I love the desert at night.It is a completely different world

 

#102:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:17 pm

Thanks for all your comments, I really appreciate them. Here is the next bit.

Hilda and Jassim had a lovely evening together. The cook had provided a more European dinner for them, and some kind of delicious custard desert. They had drunk real coffee then retired to the upstairs sitting room to talk and read the daily newspapers that Jassim had brought back with him. Gharafah had an English daily, to cater for the English speaking ex-pats, and although it was not as comprehensive a newspaper as Hilda was used to reading, it was still a good way of finding out what was happening in the rest of the world. Jassim read the local Arabic language newspaper, treating Hilda to translations of anything he thought might interest her.
Once they had perused the papers, they sat together on the settee and turned their minds to more romantic things. Although he had plenty of work to occupy him, Jassim promised that they would soon go off in his yacht for a couple of days, to get away from it all. Until then, although he would dally in Hilda's current abode for the evening, he would have to keep up the pretence of decorum and return to his own place each night. Hilda agreed that it would not be appropriate for him to spend the night in her house, however they might both prefer it to be otherwise.
He suggested that while he was tied up in his office the next day, she might like to have Mohammed drop her off in the souq, so she could do some shopping. There were, he said, some excellent shops where one could purchase ready made clothes, material, watches and household goods, and a multitude of other items very cheaply. Maybe she would like to buy some things to take back to Switzerland for her friends and colleagues or for herself as souvenirs of her holiday. Hilda agreed, thinking that it would be fun to go shopping somewhere as exotic as Gharafah, but she was a little worried about how she would manage with the language.
"You don't need to worry," Jassim reassured her. "You will find that they all speak English in the shops. And if you take Mohammed with you, he will look after you. He speaks a little English."
Hilda smiled in anticipation. "It will be wonderful," she said happily. "I can hardly wait."
"Good. Now, today is Saturday and I shall be busy until Monday. I think we should take the yacht out then. Did you bring a swim suit with you?"
"No, I didn't think of it," Hilda admitted. "I am shockingly bad at packing."
"Is that because you have the 'Matey' my girls all talk about to help you?" he enquired with a grin. "I hear she is a miracle worker with over-stuffed cases!"
"Yes, she is pretty good at getting packing sorted out," Hilda agreed.
"You can get some swim suits tomorrow," he suggested. "I think you should swim in the Gulf while you are here. It is lovely at this time of year."
"Are there any sharks?" she wondered. "Or jellyfish?"
"We do have sea snakes, but you don't often see them," he said. "You will be quite safe."
Thinking that even though the girls often went swimming in the lake, she seldom accompanied them and could not remember the last time she had been swimming, she said, "I think I shall enjoy that very much. I am having such a lovely holiday, Jassim. Thank you for inviting me. I shall remember this forever."
Jassim looked as though he wanted to say something, but he stopped at the last moment. Instead he took her in his arms and smiled down into her eyes. "Thank you for coming," he said sincerely. "It is so much more beautiful here when you are by my side."
Jassim left in the early hours of the morning and Hilda had slipped happily into sleep almost before he had closed the bedroom door. She did not wake until she heard the same sounds of singing that had woken her on her first morning in Gharafah, but she now knew that it was the dawn call to prayer. Jassim had explained about the five prayer times and how the muezzin called the faithful to the mosques for prayer. He sorrowfully admitted that he often did not get up for the dawn prayers, but prayed them later, once he was awake. Hilda fell asleep again, and was finally woken by the bright sun shining onto her bed. She recalled that she was going to go shopping that morning, so she dressed and went down for breakfast. As she ate her omelette and bread, she heard someone at the door. She ate a little faster, wondering if it could be Mohammed, but soon Jassim was striding into the room.
"I am absolutely starving," he proclaimed, sitting down with her. "Hilda, habibty, please can I have some coffee?" He reached for the dish of foul and a piece of bread and began to eat hungrily.
She poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him, saying, "Good morning, Jassim. How are you?"
"Very well, but very late," he answered, pausing to reach over and lightly touch her cheek. "Mohammed is ready whenever you are. I have told him all the best places to take you. Do you need any money?"
"No, thank you," she assured him. "Can I get you anything while I am out?"
"Don't worry about me," he answered. "Just enjoy yourself, habibty." He quickly finished his food and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "I'll be back for lunch. Bye," this last called back over his shoulder as he disappeared as abruptly as he had arrived.
Hilda smiled to herself and enjoyed her coffee for a few minutes longer before going off to see Mohammed and to tell him that she was ready to go.

 

#103:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:21 pm

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Slightly worried that Jassim did not seem his normal self there - hope it was just because he was in a hurry.

Liz

 

#104:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:45 pm

Hmmm. I'm wondering about the way that Hilda referred to it as just a holiday.

Thanks Fatima, wonderful as usual Very Happy

 

#105:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:46 pm

Thank you Fatima!

Looking forward to reading Hilda shopping in the souq!

 

#106:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:04 pm

Hope she doesn't get stung by a jellyfish! Has she upset Jassim by saying that it's just a holiday? Thanks Fatima.

 

#107:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:45 pm

I'm getting the impression from a couple of thing that Hilda might already have decided...but I could be wrong.

Hope the shopping is fun! Thank you Fatima.

 

#108:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:47 pm

Thanks Fatima. If Hilda doesn't want Jassim can I have him please? He seems to know how to spoil a girl! Wink

 

#109:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:26 pm

Mohammed drove Hilda to the souq in a rather smart black Chevrolet, and she felt very important sitting in the back being driven by a chauffeur. They went to a busy souq, but with skilful manoeuvring he managed to get the car into a parking space, then they set off to explore the shops. Hilda was thrilled with the shops in the souq. They were very little, and had many goods on display considering their size. Robed men stood outside the shops, calling passers-by and trying to attract their custom. Women covered from head to foot in black were looking round, often followed by a demure housemaid or a bored looking driver. One thing that surprised Hilda was the number of men who were shopping. She was used to women shopping, and men complaining about shopping, but in Gharafah the men seemed to enjoy going round the shops and buying all manner of goods.
She found herself first in the area where perfumes were sold, and the smells as she walked around were delightful. She went into the little shops and bought tiny vials of exotic perfume for her friends and a couple of new fragrances for herself. She also bought a very nice masculine one for Jassim, deciding that she wanted to give him something to thank him for giving her the best holiday of her life.
After the perfumes, they went on to look at shops selling material and Hilda was amazed by the variety of colours and patterns on offer. She finally decided to buy herself some gorgeous navy silk, and to persuade one of the maids in school who was very good at dressmaking to make it up into a blouse for her. She moved on to the ready made garments, but did not like most of what she saw. Next she turned into a narrow alley where the air was heady with the smell of spices. She looked into the shops, not recognizing a lot of what they had for sale, but enjoying the experience. Finally she went inside one of the spice shops and invested in some unusual spices for Karen to experiment with in the school kitchen, though not necessarily for the pupils of the school to try.
Each time Hilda came out of the shop, Mohammed gravely took all of her purchases from her and carried them for her. He did not seem to mind walking along behind her, waiting outside the little shops while she went in to look at the goods they sold, and Hilda guessed that he was used to accompanying Maha and Amna when they went shopping.
Hilda went next into a street where the shops sold household goods. She found some lovely sets of tea glasses, and decided that Jo Maynard would like to serve tea to her guests in a particularly pretty set. She also got Nell Wilson a set, so that they could take tea at St. Mildred's together. Hoping that she would be able to fit all her purchases in her suitcase, Hilda added an ornate tea tray to the pile of things she wanted, deciding that it would be perfect for using in her office when she was entertaining visitors. She paid for the things she wanted, and went out of the shop, amazed at how well all the shopkeepers spoke English. She had not had any problems at all while she was shopping, and everyone had been very courteous.
"Thank you," she said as he took her final purchases from her. "I have finished now. Shall we go back home?"
"We go?" he asked. "Car?"
"Yes," she answered. "Thank you, Mohammed."
Mohammed led the way back to the car, which, Hilda reflected, was just as well, as she had no idea where they had left it. He loaded her purchases in, closed the door for her and then they were off, back through the busy lunchtime traffic to Jassim's compound.

 

#110:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:32 pm

So many updates!

Fatima, you are spoiling us!

Thankyou though, this is excellent and I'm really enjoying it.

 

#111:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:33 pm

Thank you Fatima. It seems that Hilda is planning a future back at the school then? Ooh, will she just love 'im an' leave 'im!

 

#112:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:26 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I wonder if Hilda is planning on hiring a removal van to take everything Jassim has bought her back to the CS!

 

#113:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:30 pm

I'm not sure about the spoiling you bit, but the bunnies just don't let up. They are on to me the whole time and so I have to sit and type or they are nipping at my ankles. I am glad you are enjoying reading this, as I am enjoying writing it. Thank you for all your kind remarks, I am flattered by all the nice things you say.

When Hilda got back to the compound, Mohammed carried all her bags across to her house and set them down in the reception for her. She thanked him and would have sat down to look at them, but as Mohammed went out, Jassim came in.
"Hello," he said, smiling at her. "How was the shopping? Did you have fun?"
"Hello," she responded, returning his smile. "It was wonderful. I think the shops are fascinating. They are just like Aladdin's cave – packed with wonders!"
"What did you buy?" he asked her.
"Some gorgeous silk," she told him, "and some perfume and some gifts for my friends on the Gornetz Platz."
"I will take you to the tailor," he said, "and he will make up the silk. What do you want made?"
"I was going to ask one of our maids to do it," she said.
"The tailor will do it in a couple of days," Jassim told her. "If you like, we could go this afternoon, then it will be ready by the time we get back from the sea."
"Thank you," she said. "That would be great."
"I think lunch will be ready soon. Are you hungry?"
"Very," she realized. "Have you finished all your business?"
He put his arm around her shoulders and led her over to the settee. "Yes, for this morning. I have another meeting at five, but I am yours until then."
Hilda felt the increasingly familiar frisson of excitement as he gave her a very meaningful look, and she reached up to kiss his cheek. "Jassim, I love you," she told him. "I can still hardly believe how much."
He took her in his arms then and held her close, as if he never planned on letting her go. Finally, though, Zuhaira announced that their dinner was ready, so he was obliged to release her, albeit reluctantly. "Come on," he said, keeping an arm around her as he took her to the dining room. "I have had hamour sent in for dinner. It is a local fish and it is very famous for being one of the world's most excellent. I think you will enjoy it."
In the dining room they found plates of fish and rice, some prawns and lots of salad. There were also dishes of fish soup, which Hilda was not sure she fancied, but which turned out to be delicious. As Jassim had promised, the hamour, grilled and served with a garlic dip, was excellent.
"We eat much fish here," he said. "It is available fresh every day in the fish market, or you can go to the Corniche and buy it from fishermen there. It is very cheap and, of course, very healthy."
"And really delicious," she added.
They went upstairs after dinner for a siesta, then got up and went off to the tailor. Jassim was horrified to think that Hilda had just bought one piece of material, and insisted on going into some shops near the tailor and getting enough for her to have two more blouses, a dress, another pair of trousers and a jacket made as well. She submitted to being measured from every angle by the tailor, and then they had to look through some brochures to decide in what style she wanted the clothes made. By then it was virtually five o'clock, but Jassim just shrugged off the thought of business.
"They will probably be late," he said philosophically. "They usually are. Now, what about this dress? It would look wonderful on you."
They finally agreed on the designs, left explicit instructions for the tailor and went out into the street again. Jassim dropped Hilda back at the house, promising to be back later. She went up to her room, where she changed into one of the long dresses she had worn in the desert, as she found that they were comfortable to wear around the house. She stowed her purchases from the morning in her suitcase and then chose a book to read. It was already dark by the time she had finished pottering around in her room, so she turned on a lamp and sat on the settee, and was soon deep in the book.
Jassim arrived at nine, carrying bags and dressed in his thobe, so Hilda guessed he had come straight from his meeting. "I have brought supper," he told her. "I hope you are feeling hungry."
Hilda put her book to one side and sat up. She watched with interest as he put the bags on the coffee table and unpacked them. In the first there were some neatly wrapped cylindrical things, which turned out to be shwarmas. These were either chicken or meat, with onion and some kind of sauce, rolled up in the flat bread Hilda was getting used to. In the next bag there were some pickled vegetables, which Jassim enjoyed, but Hilda did not fancy. The last bag contained two big, lidded paper cups, with freshly squeezed juice in. They were what Jassim called cocktails, and they seemed to contain almost every fruit Hilda had ever heard of. She sipped it through the straw provided and found it icy cold and delectable.
Before he started on his food, Jassim removed the kaffiyeh, or headdress, he was wearing and undid the top button of his thobe. He sat down on the settee beside Hilda and took a shwarma. "These are our favourite snacks," he told her. "Eat up and then tell me if you want the good news or the bad news first."
"The bad news," she said, unable to keep a look of panic from her face.
"Don't worry," he said, patting her knee. "It isn't that bad. I have to go back out in half an hour. I called the people I was supposed to be meeting tomorrow and I'm going to meet them tonight instead. That leads on to the good news, which is that I shall be ready to take you out on the yacht tomorrow instead."
She visibly relaxed. "Jassim that was mean," she scolded him. "I was worried."
"I'm sorry," he said contritely. "Forgive me?"
One look into his soft dark eyes was enough for her. "Yes, of course," she assured him.
"I might be late back," he said. "Will you wait up?"
Hilda nodded, hoping she would be able to stay awake, but not wanting to miss out on any time with him. "I can't get over how late you conduct your business here," she observed.
"We find it strange how everyone in Europe finishes work at five," he said. "But I agree that it is nice to have the whole evening free. It is a bind having to go back out again when you have other things you would rather be doing."
He ate another shwarma and then stood up. "I am so sorry, habibty," he said. "I really must go. I hate rushing off all the time. Will you be all right?"
"Yes, I will be fine," she assured him, standing up, too. She watched as he replaced the kaffiyeh and flicked some imaginary dust from his immaculate thobe, and then he was taking her hand and walking downstairs with her. At the front door he stopped, took her in his arms and kissed her.
"Good bye," he said, then he was gone, striding across the garden and getting into his car. She watched as he started the engine, then he was driving out the gates and off to his meeting.

 

#114:  Author: ali, Location: medway, kent PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:52 pm

I'm glad she told him that she loves him, but she doesn't seem ready to settle down.

 

#115:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:19 pm

Wow, you really are posting quickly Smile

Good to see Hilda enjoying the shopping, and also that she found nice gifts for her friends!

I'm inclined to agree that Hilda might not be ready to settle down, but I don't think it's because she doesn't want to!

 

#116:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:35 pm

Thanks, Fatima.

 

#117:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:09 am

Can I just say the food sounds so delicious, it is really making me hungry!

*tummy rumble*

Thanks Fatima - I wonder if Hilda will settle down?

 

#118:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:13 am

I really like shwarmas!

Come on Hilda - nice food, prezzies, yacht ... are you really going to give all that up to go back to the school?!!

 

#119:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:21 am

Thank you Fatima. This is wonderful and the food is also making me feel hungry.

 

#120:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 11:21 am

I love your drabble Fatima!!

Thank you for the updates Smile

 

#121:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 11:26 am

Thank you Fatima.
This is an unconventional story - I wonder will it have an unconventional ending?

 

#122:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:21 pm

Thanks Fatima,

Wonder what the reaction would be if Hilda were to insist on something instead of Jassim?

Liz

 

#123:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:32 pm

Sorry about the predilection for food! I sometimes feel that all we do here is eat!

The next day they set off for the marina where Jassim kept his boat. It turned out to be a very nice boat, much bigger than Hilda had imagined and crewed by two taciturn looking sailors. They took the bags from the car and carried them onto the boat and then Hilda and Jassim went on board. Jassim took her to her cabin, a small but exquisitely furnished room, with a wardrobe, dressing table and comfortable looking armchair as well as a big bed. He showed her his own room, which was just next door, and then they went back up on deck to watch as they left the marina. The weather was lovely, with a cloudless sky but a slight breeze to cool them, and Hilda began to look forward to being out on open water. She felt partly constrained by the presence of the two sailors, yet also acknowledged that it would give Jassim a lot more free time to spend with her because he would not be worrying about sailing the boat.
The two sailors were on the bridge, and Jassim assured Hilda that they would spend their time either there or in the galley, which was nearby. The part of the boat used for sunbathing was out of their line of view, and there was a sitting area where they could eat or sit out of the sun and be quite private. The older sailor, named Abdul Rahman, would be in charge of the cooking, as he was an accomplished chef as well as a first rate sailor, and the younger one, called Ibrahim, was his apprentice.
They sailed out into the gulf and Hilda was amazed by the colour of the sea and how clear it was. It was very calm as they sailed north, the coast of neighbouring Qatar just visible on the horizon. Hilda relaxed on the deck, lying on a very comfortable chair, a long cool glass of orange juice at her side. Jassim, who had been giving instructions to his crew, returned, clad in some long shorts, and stretched out in the chair at her side. They could not remain on deck for too long, as it soon grew too hot, so they sought refuge inside, and Jassim showed Hilda some maps of the area and explained where he planned on taking her. They were served a delightfully simple lunch and retired for a siesta while the sun was at its hottest.
In the late afternoon they went up on deck again and Jassim suggested that they anchored just off a little sandy island and went for a swim. Hilda recalled that she had completely forgotten to buy a swimming costume, but Jassim had saved the day. He had remembered and had got her a new swimsuit and a loose wrap to wear over it. The sailors had anchored the boat a little way from the island and they had gone down the stairs at the back of the boat and slipped into the delightfully warm water. They swam over to the little sandy beach and lay together in the afternoon sunshine, relaxing after their swim. By the time the sun set they were back on the boat, and they spent the evening sitting out on deck. It was pleasantly cool after dark, and the only sound they could hear was the gentle lapping of the waves on the side of the boat. A multitude of stars shone down on them and the moon looked so near it was as if they could reach up and touch it. They spent the night anchored by the sandy island and got up early the next morning to swim again while it was still cool. Once again it was the peace and tranquility that Hilda appreciated, allowing her the time to reflect on every tiny thing she noticed and felt and to enjoy every second of the day.

 

#124:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:40 pm

Oh Fatima that was spectacular. I feel like I'm after being on holidays myself now... Very Happy

 

#125:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:49 pm

Oooooh thinking about food is fine....

*wanders off to the kitchen*

Thanks Fatima!

 

#126:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:22 pm

Sounds absolutely wonderful

Thanks Fatima

Liz

 

#127:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:30 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I don't mind about the food. The trip sounds lovely.

 

#128:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:08 pm

Fatima, most days I feel that all I do is eat!

Quite fancy the idea of the siesta ... the office is v warm today...

 

#129:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:37 pm

So, what is Hilda going to do...she wouldn't give up the school surely, but I can see a choice looming.

 

#130:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:33 pm

In the end they spent three days on the boat, relaxing and being together every moment. They did not get tired of one another's company, nor did they run out of things to talk about. They also enjoyed sharing silence, sitting close together and feeling completely in tune with each other. In between, Jassim told her about his childhood and how it had been on his family's land that oil had been discovered. His second cousin was the current ruler of Gharafah; he and Jassim had grown up together and still saw each other quite often. Jassim's father, although just the son of a nomadic herdsman, had been shrewd enough to realize that it was better to go into partnership with an oil company than just sell out to them, and this was the root of Jassim's great wealth. He had branched out, buying land and building houses and apartments on it and had increased his wealth that way. In return Hilda told him about her life, although beside his it sounded very tame. Jassim was fascinated, though, and listened attentively to all that she told him.
They sailed along the coast of Iran and back towards Gharafah along the coast of the United Arab Emirates, and all the time they were on the boat the weather was perfect. The sea was calm and there were plenty of places where they could swim or lie on deserted islands, feeling as if they were the only people in the world. Eventually, though, the boat was heading back into the marina, and Jassim and Hilda were returning to Jassim's compound. It felt odd being on dry land again, after three days of the gentle swaying of the boat, but the thing that Hilda missed most was the monopoly that she had had on Jassim's time and attention. No sooner had they returned than he received a phone call and had to go off to his office and sort out some problem with one of the oil wells. Hilda spent the evening writing long overdue letters to her closest friends on the Gornetz Platz, but she would have preferred to spend the evening with Jassim. She had been with him exclusively for three days, but it was not nearly enough. She wanted nothing more than to be with him every minute of every day, talking and laughing with him, touching him, having him hold her and look at her in the way that made her heart somersault within her.
Hilda sighed and put the letters to one side, guessing that Jassim would send out one of his minions to have them posted. She went over to the window and stood looking out over the darkened garden, wondering what it was like in Gharafah in the winter. It was only April, yet already it was very hot. Jassim had told her that they had very little rain, just a few days a year, if they were lucky. He also said that it got cold, but she could not quite imagine that. Then he pointed out that the houses were built to be cool, so in cooler weather they were cold. There was no central heating, no fires or radiators, so it was chilly.
It was as she stared into the darkness that Hilda realized that she would be returning to Switzerland in just a couple of days time. She had come to Gharafah for ten days and had already been there for six days. And what a time she had had, she reflected, smiling to herself. It had definitely been a holiday of firsts. She had done so many things for the first time that it was hard to recall them all. Though, she admitted, some stood out more than others in her mind. She was so deep in thought that when she heard footsteps behind her she jumped. Turning, she found Jassim coming across to her side and she threw herself into his arms.
"I was just thinking about you," she told him happily.
"I was thinking about you, too," he responded. "I am sorry I am so late, habibty."
"That's all right," she assured him. "Have you eaten?"
"No," he answered, "but I am not really hungry. Zuhaira will bring us some tea and sandwiches." He pulled her down onto the settee with him. "I am glad you waited up for me."
"I am glad, too," she said with a smile.
Zuhaira arrived at that moment with some sandwiches, and they concentrated on eating and only continued their conversation once the plate was empty and they were sipping their tea. "What would you like to do tomorrow?" Jassim asked her. "Is there anything else you particularly want to see or anywhere you really want to go?"
"No, I don't think so," she said. "Is there anywhere else you think I should go?"
"We don't have many tourist places here yet," he answered thoughtfully, "although I am thinking of building a really large hotel complex on the beach, and trying to attract tourists here. If the petrol ever runs out we will need other strengths here, and tourism would be a good thing to develop."
"I would just like to spend my time with you," she admitted.
"I shall see what I can do," he promised. "My cousin Rashid could handle some of the work as he should be taking more responsibility now. And then I shall take you to the camel races."
"Camel races?" she asked, surprised by the thought of camels in races.
"Yes," he laughed, "they are excellent runners. There will be a race tomorrow, if you would like to go and watch."
"Yes, I would like to," she said.
Jassim leaned back against the cushions, drawing her nearer and they forgot about talking after that. He stayed until the dawn, then slipped reluctantly back to his own bed.

 

#131:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:43 pm

Thanks Fatima Very Happy

Hope Jassim doesn't bet on the Camels and lose his fortune Laughing

Liz

 

#132:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:52 pm

Don't put ideas like that into her head! Smile

Sounds like Hilda doesn't want to leave just yet!

 

#133:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:02 pm

Thanks for a great update Fatima Very Happy
Hmm. It sounds like Hilda is hung up about being with him all of the time - so that probably means she would have a big problem being one of a group of wives. Methinks she will not stay... Shocked

 

#134:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:51 pm

Hmmmm this is getting to be very interesting....

Thanks for the update Fatima - are you going to describe the camel races for us?!

 

#135:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:27 pm

Strange to find this, just as I am coming to do just that!

Quote:
are you going to describe the camel races for us?!


I have never seen a real camel race, but they are on television for those who enjoy such things! Just a short bit now, more tomorrow, hopefully. Thank you for all the kind remarks.

The camel races were another experience that Hilda knew she would never forget. They went in the land rover, and Hilda was surprised that they did not park outside, but drove into the large stadium where the races were held. There were plenty of other four wheel drive vehicles there, all around the starting area. There were many camels, too, each with a very small boy perched on top. Hilda was rather shocked to see how young the riders were, and even more stunned when Jassim explained that lots of them were sold by their families in India to wealthy camel owners. Hilda watched as the camels were finally lined up and then the race began. The little boys seemed to cling on as the camels loped off, their long, thin legs looking so ungainly yet still contriving to manage a fair speed. The group of cars then drove alongside the race track, so that the occupants could watch the race from close quarters. Jassim and Hilda kept pace with the other cars and Hilda was moved to wonder how they did not have frequent car accidents beside the track, as the drivers all seemed to be concentrating more on the race than on the route their cars were taking.
Finally a very mean looking camel ridden by a slightly larger boy jogged over the finish line and his success was greeted by a fanfare of car horns. The other camels straggled in behind, and the boys dismounted, and led their camels over to the trainers. At the other side of the course the next group was getting ready for the next race, and Jassim explained that it was like horse racing, where several races would be held. They were racing for the prestigious Sheikh Ahmed Cup, a prize presented to the winning owner each year. They drove on round the course, and Jassim pointed out the large box in the stand from where a group of robed gentlemen were watching the races.
"That is the crown prince, Sheikh Ali bin Hamed, and he is the ruler's eldest son," Jassim explained. "He will present the prize. Sheikh Ahmed is the former ruler, my uncle. He died some years ago, and the cup was named in his honour."
"Do you keep racing camels?" Hilda asked.
"No," Jassim answered. "We just have those on the farm, which we keep for meat and milk. I enjoy watching the camel races, but am not interested enough to buy racing camels."
They stayed on to watch some more races, then a tall young man in a thobe went up to the royal box to receive the Sheikh Ahmed Cup. His camels were acknowledged to be the best in Gharafah and it was the second year running that he had been presented with the cup. Jassim explained that he was another son of Sheikh Hamed, named Sheikh Jassim bin Hamed. Apparently his father was eager to marry Jassim bin Hamed off to Jassim's daughter Aisha, although Jassim had not yet decided whether his daughter would be obliged to marry who he chose for her, or whether he would allow her to have some say in the matter.
"But it will not happen for another four or five years," Jassim said with a shrug. "By then, who knows? It would be a good match for our family, but I prefer to wait."
Hilda was somewhat relieved to hear that, as Aisha was still only fifteen. She refrained from comment, as it really was not something she should be involved in, but she hoped that Jassim would let Aisha have some say in the matter of her own marriage. After all, he had been married to Lulwa without having a choice in the matter and that had not worked. Perhaps he could learn from that experience, to the benefit of his children.

 

#136:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:22 pm

Thanks, Fatima. The camel races sound interesting.

 

#137:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:28 pm

This whole drabble is completely fascinating, it's so nice to read your descriptions of Gharafah. Thanks Fatima.

 

#138:  Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:35 pm

Fatima, this drabble is amazing! The shops reminded me very much of the time I spent in Jerusalem this summer - as did your description of Hilda getting off the plane and being hit by a heat-wave!

 

#139:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:55 pm

Fatima, this is fascinating!

I once sat on a camel ... although I certainly never tried racing one ...

Come on Hilda, you would be mad to leave all this - stay put!!

 

#140:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:08 pm

Thanks Fatima,

What a huge gulf there is between their lives - can they both compromise enough to be happy together in the long term?

Liz

 

#141:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:41 am

As they returned to the compound for a late lunch, Hilda had the feeling of time slipping through her fingers like sand. She had only a few days left and then it would be back to school and snatching brief meetings with the man who had come to mean so much to her. He would come and go from Switzerland, called away on business and family matters and she would have to be happy with such time he could spare her. Hilda was glad that he had decided not to go off to work in the afternoon, leaving Rashid in charge of the office in his absence. She found that they were to go back to the tailor in the afternoon, to collect her clothes, and she was excited to see what they looked like. They headed off at five, as the tailor would not return from his long lunch until then, and when they got to the little shop, they found that he had just arrived. He greeted Jassim deferentially, producing the completed garments with a flourish. Hilda was astounded by the craftsmanship; they were beautifully made and looked as though they were highly expensive. Jassim sent her into a miniscule changing room to try them on, and she found that they fitted perfectly. Now she would change from a dowdy headmistress into a well dressed and stylish one. Unable to stop herself from smiling happily, she left the changing room and handed the garments to the tailor, who proceeded to show them how he had matched buttons to the exact shade of the material and had put a spare inside each blouse; he showed off the neatness of all the stitches and the exquisite cut of the silk shirt. Jassim conducted a brief discussion with the tailor, handed over some money and they watched as the tailor carefully packed the garments up into a couple of bags. They took the bags and left the shop.
That evening Jassim decided that it would be appropriate for Hilda to wear her new dress and that he would take her out to one of the more European restaurants. They went to a very smart place in the Sheraton Hotel, where both local dishes and European cuisine were served. Not wanting to attract too much attention, Jassim dressed in trousers and a shirt. They had a lovely meal together, then drove to a quiet spot overlooking the Gulf and sat quietly in the car, watching the sea. For the first time since she had arrived in Gharafah, Hilda found that it was getting windy, and the waves were bigger than she had seen there before. They drove back to the house and spent a long time lying together in Hilda's large bed, before Jassim headed unenthusiastically back to his own house.
They had agreed to drive along the coast the next day, so that Hilda could see the sand dunes that were located in the north of the country. They drove out of Gharafah City for about an hour, then they saw the dunes in the distance. They were a beautiful golden colour, and rose majestically up from the desert. Jassim drove the land rover up into the dunes, while Hilda held tightly and closed her eyes. Once they were on the top of a particularly high dune she was glad they had driven up, as the view across an endless succession of crescent shaped dunes was wonderful. They drove down again, and then Jassim got out and told Hilda that she really should climb up a dune on foot. They were by the steep side of a smallish one, and Jassim set off energetically. Hilda, thankful for her trousers and sensible shoes, endeavoured to follow him upwards, but was surprised to find how difficult it was to climb. She felt as though she was taking two steps up and then slipping two steps back and she began to feel very hot and tired. Taking pity on her Jassim stopped his ascent and allowed himself to slither back to her, then he held out his hand and virtually dragged her up the dune to the top. They sat together at the apex, looking across the neighbouring dunes to the sea. It was so quiet up there, the only sound the noise of the sand blowing in the slight breeze. Hilda felt her heart gradually stop its exhausted thumping and began to breathe more slowly.
"What a view!" she managed to say.
"It is spectacular, isn't it," he agreed complacently, almost as if he was responsible for the beauty of the view. "It's worth the effort to get up here, isn't it?"
"Yes, definitely," she agreed. "But now I am worried about how we will get down."
"We just slide," he told her, looking very boyish as the wind ruffled his usually immaculate dark hair. "Come on, I'll show you."
She allowed him to take her hand, then they were slipping and sliding their way down, reaching the bottom in a fraction of the time it had taken them to go up. Shaking the sand from her shoes, she laughed happily. "What an experience!" she said.
"But not one you are anxious to repeat?" he suggested.
"Not really," she admitted. "I loved the view from the top, but it was such hard work getting there."
"That is why we drive up," he told her. "Yet you didn't like that much either!"
"That was before I knew about the alternative," she told him firmly. "Now I'm thirsty. Did you bring some water with you?"
"Yes," he said, and he opened the car and passed her a rather warm bottle of water.
They both drank thirstily and then it was time to return to the compound once again.

 

#142:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:19 am

Thank you Fatima, such wonderful descriptions Very Happy

 

#143:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:19 am

Very Happy Thanks Fatima

Love the sliding down the sand dune - sounds like it was worth the effort to get to the top

Liz

 

#144:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:08 am

Hehe... I now have an image of Hilda behaving like a naughty middle! Smile

Thanks Fatima!

 

#145:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:25 am

All too soon it was their last night together. Jassim had arranged for his staff to produce a wonderfully romantic dinner then they had retired straight to the cosy sitting room at the top of the stairs. As they sat together sipping their tea, Hilda was aware of a feeling of sadness. She had enjoyed her visit so much that she did not want it to end, yet there they were, spending their last few hours together. She wondered how she would get used to living her own life again, not this privileged life that she had adopted for such a short time, yet which had been so much fun. She acknowledged that she probably would not enjoy it as much if it was her normal life, for there would be too much time spent at home and not enough time spent out with Jassim, seeing new sights and enjoying simple pleasures with him. He would be working and she would have to wait at home for him. He would live in one house and she in another. They would be no better off than in Switzerland – relying on snatched meetings when he had time for her. In between she would wait and read and be pampered, but she would be lonely.
"Hilda, you look so sad," Jassim's voice broke across her thoughts.
"I have had such a lovely time here and I don't want it to end."
"It doesn't have to," he said softly, taking her hand and tipping her face up to meet his gaze. "Hilda, will you marry me?"
Hilda was shocked by the question, then she told herself what a fool she had been to never let the thought of marriage enter her mind. Here was a man from a very conservative culture, far more conservative than the little community at the Gornetz Platz, which was saying something, and she had been staying in his house, living with him. How could he be comfortable with such an unconventional state of affairs? He loved her, she had known that for many weeks now, and so the next step would, of course, be marriage. He had even told her once that he wanted to take another wife, someone who would be a companion to him and someone who was serious and knowledgeable enough to converse sensibly with him. Why had she never considered that he would think of her as that woman?
"Well, Hilda? What do you think?" he asked, when she made no reply.
"I don't know," she answered helplessly. "I never thought of this. It was naive of me I know, but I just didn't think."
"I love you, Hilda," he reminded her. "I have had more pleasure in these last days with you than ever before in my life. You are everything I always dreamed of finding in a woman. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"What about my job?" she asked, still reeling from the shock of his proposal. "Term begins next week."
"You can go back to work and we could get married in the summer. After that, you could leave and come and live here with me. We can go where we like and do whatever we want together."
"I don't want to give up working, though," she realized. "I love teaching and I love the school. I can't imagine life without that."
"Then let's open a school here," he suggested. "We could run it in a similar way to the Chalet School, and offer an excellent education to the girls of Gharafah. There would be a lot of interest in a top class school for girls here."
Hilda sighed. "I am too old to start planning a new school," she said sadly. "If I had met you twenty years ago…My friends are all in Switzerland, Jassim. I would be very lonely here."
"You would have me," he reminded her. "And we could buy a house in Switzerland and spend a lot of time there. Your friends would always be welcome to visit us."
Hilda leaned closer to him and kissed him very gently. She realized that she was just making excuses, and in a moment of clarity she knew exactly why she could not marry him. "I can't, Jassim," she said sadly. "I can't marry you because you are already married."
"I can have four wives," he said patiently.
"But I don't want to be the third or fourth of them. I would not even want to be the first. I need to be the only wife." Hilda looked at him, his brown eyes still holding some hope that she would accept his proposal even though she knew that she would not. It was breaking her heart to turn him down, and she knew that she would never marry anyone now, would never fall in love again; he would be the one she loved until the day she died, but she could not marry him.
"You would always be the wife of my heart," he said simply. "It would always be you that I loved above all."
"Until you decided on wife number four," she said cruelly. "Then you would replace me."
"I will divorce them," he said, sounding happy to have found such a simple solution. "I will promise you never to take another wife. There will be you only."
"No, Jassim, I could not let you do that. What have Maha and Amna done to deserve being cast off like that? I'm sorry, Jassim, I just can't."
Jassim leaned forward and gently kissed away the tears that were now rolling down her cheeks. "Hilda, habibty, please don't cry," he said, sounding upset himself. "There must be a way. I can't bear to lose you."
"I can't bear it either," she answered, "but there is no way we can be together. I'm so sorry, Jassim."
He kissed her then, as if he could show her how big a mistake she was making in walking away from him. She clung to him and he held her tightly, finally realizing that she would not stay and that once he had seen her off at the airport the next day he would probably never see her again.

 

#146:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:35 am

Oh Hilda, you were a bit behind the door there - did you not realise he was going to propose? What an awful dilemma ... and although this is a lovely unusual drabble the culture clash problem is sadly quite common. Trying to think of a way this can end happily for everyone - not succeeding though .. Crying or Very sad

 

#147:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:42 am

Oh how sad..... *sniffle* I hope they can work out a way to compromise, but like Alison, I can't see how! Crying or Very sad

 

#148:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:13 am

Oh no! That wasn't the way I saw it going at all!!! Shocked

 

#149:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:20 am

Are there some kind of Drabble Awards or something on the board? Cos if there is I would nominate this one for a prize - it's so unusual and brilliantly written and so evocative.

But oh Fatima! Poor Hilda! The only solution I can see is a very soap-ish one where Jassim has a twin brother that looks, talks and sounds exactly like him, but is unmarried (but still as rich, natch Very Happy) Now is the time to bring him out of the woodwork!
Alternatively, in soapland, it could turn out that Hilda dreamed the two other wives... and all the children...

 

#150:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:28 am

Thank you Fatima. Somehow I knew that would be the decision but its still very sad.

 

#151:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 11:03 am

Thanks, Fatima. I really enjoyed the thought of Hilda sliding down the dunes! I had guessed that she wouldn't choose to marry him, however much she loved him.

 

#152:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:54 pm

Well, we have almost reached the end now. Sorry it is sad.
Thank you for all the comments, I have really appreciated them.

Their last night together was bittersweet. They lay together, holding one another and spending hours just looking at each other, as if to imprint the other's image on their brain. They talked a little, and Hilda was grateful that he did not try to change her mind. She knew that she could not be happy as one of his wives, yet she did not wish to see Maha and Amna cast aside so that she could have the position she coveted. How could she enjoy being his only wife, knowing that they had suffered so that she could attain it? Furthermore, there would always be the nagging worry at the back of her mind that he would marry again. He had always been a man of his word, but maybe he would meet someone else and change his mind about her. She would not be able to endure the sight of another wife living in one of the beautiful houses on the compound or the knowledge that he was spending time with her.
"You know, I shall always wait, just in case you ever change your mind," he remarked, just as the dawn was breaking. "I shall love you forever, Hilda, and if you ever need me, all you have to do is call. I will always be here for you."
His voice was sincere, and the look he gave her brought tears to her eyes again. "I won't…" she began, but he put his finger across her lips to silence her.
"Please don't say it," he told her. "I just need to be able to hold onto a little grain of hope." He gently touched her face. "I wish this moment would never end," he said, his voice the merest whisper. "You are so lovely, habibty."
Hilda wanted to say something to him, but she knew that she would break down and cry, so she contented herself with pulling him closer and burying her face against his chest. Finally, though, they could put the day off no longer. They got up and dressed and went down to breakfast. There was plenty of coffee, for which Hilda was grateful, for she felt drained and knew that the delicious strong brew would revive her long enough to get on the plane. She ate little, having no appetite, and noticed that Jassim also picked at his food. At nine o'clock they took her case out to the car, for the plane left at half past ten.
Outside, Maha and Amna were waiting to say good bye. If they thought there was anything odd about their husband emerging from that particular house at that time of day, they kept their thoughts to themselves. They embraced Hilda warmly and both expressed the sincere hope that they would see her again soon. Glad that her rather red eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, Hilda returned their embraces and thanked them for their hospitality. She then got into the car beside Jassim and they drove off to the airport.
Jassim checked the luggage in and went with her to passport control. He had already explained to her that the customs of his country made it impossible for him to kiss her in public, so he held out his hand rather formally for her to shake. "By the way," he said, reaching into his pocket, "I found this in your room."
She saw that he was holding the little ring he had given her when they were in the gold souq. Realizing that he may have attached more significance to it than she had thought at the time, she had left it on the dressing table.
"I would like you to keep it," he said, his voice emotional, "and think of me sometimes."
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded and allowed him to slip the ring back onto her finger. He held her gaze for a long time, and then realized that they were rather in the way of others wishing to go through to the departure lounge.
"Good bye, Hilda," he said, finally releasing her hand. "Take care."
"Good bye, Jassim." She turned and walked resolutely through to the departure lounge without looking back. She knew he would be standing there watching her go, and she did not want to see the misery she had brought to him, nor for him to see the tears that she was trying to hide behind her dark glasses. She thought for a moment that he had called her, but she went straight through to the gate and onto the plane, clutching her handbag tightly and trying not to break down completely.
The plane took off on time, and Hilda accepted the offer of a glass of sherry, the first alcohol she had had for a long time. Jassim did not drink, and she had abstained to please him. Now she was glad of the alcohol, as it made her feel a little better and she managed to dry her eyes. She requested a second glass, as she had drunk the first rather quickly, then she sat back to try to enjoy the flight. She closed her eyes, but all she could see was the hurt in Jassim's eyes as she left him. She tried gazing out of the window, but the rolling sand beneath the plane just reminded her of the desert of Gharafah and how she had spent the night in the tent with Jassim. Everything she saw reminded her of him. Everywhere she looked she could only see him. With a sigh she tried to read her book, but although she turned the pages she did not see any of the words.
She fell asleep eventually, and slept well despite the noise of the plane. When she awoke they were announcing that they would soon be landing in Basel and Hilda realized that she was almost home. She went to the tiny bathroom to tidy herself up and then sat quietly, trying to keep her mind blank until she got safely back to her room at the school. She found the Swiss air very cool after the heat of the tiny desert country, and shivered as she went into the terminal at Basel. It did not take long for her to collect her luggage and to emerge from the airport, and she was relieved to find Nell Wilson waiting to collect her. They went out to Nell's car and put the cases in the boot, then she got into the passenger's seat and gave a heavy sigh.
"How was the holiday?" asked Nell as she pulled out into the traffic.
"Wonderful," Hilda replied with a sob. "Oh, Nell, it's all over. He asked me to marry him, but I couldn't."
"Hilda, I am so sorry," replied her friend sincerely. "I know you liked him very much."
"Very much," she agreed.
She spent the journey back to the Platz telling Nell a little of her visit, and the new experiences she had had in Gharafah. Nell was fascinated by her descriptions of the country and admired her friend for having gone off to such an exotic place on her own. Finally, though, Hilda stopped talking and did a lot of thinking.
"I have decided that I will go on that educational tour of Europe next term," Hilda said suddenly as they neared the school. "I need to get away, and that will be the perfect way of filling my life and my mind so that I can get over him."

 

#153:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:03 pm

Oh Fatima! This is very upsetting!! Crying or Very sad Will be sorry to see the end of this because the descriptions have been amazing.

 

#154:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:03 pm

*sniff* That's really sad!

Thanks for a lovely story though Fatima!

 

#155:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:04 pm

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Oh....

 

#156:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:12 pm

Sad, but a perfect way to end it. Thank you Fatima.

 

#157:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:53 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad Hilda was able to keep the ring.

 

#158:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:16 pm

Hilda would not leave me alone. She insisted that the story went on, so here is the last part. I hope she is now satisfied!

Epilogue.

Hilda enjoyed the educational tour and returned to the Chalet School feeling refreshed and able to get back on with her work again. She still thought of Jassim, but was increasingly able to remember the good times they had shared rather than the last heartbreaking evening. She always kept a careful eye on the news for any mention of Gharafah, and so heard about the modernization of the little state and even saw Jassim's cousin in the newspaper when she found a report of his visit to a conference in Switzerland. Omar remained at the san for many years, often visiting Gharafah and carrying news of the Chalet School to his father. Occasionally, Hilda would receive huge bouquets of flowers, accompanied by a little card that just bore the name of the sender. Sometimes she would lock herself in her room, pleading a migraine, and cry for all that they might have had together. Often she thought of writing to thank him or even phoning him, but it did not seem fair to reopen old wounds.
As the years passed, she heard of the death of the Sheikh and the accession of his son, and wondered if Aisha had married Jassim. She saw pictures of wonderful hotel complexes and shopping malls and read about the family that was responsible for raising the standard of living for the people of the country. In all it seemed that the country was prosperous and its people grateful to the ruling family. Finally, after many years, she was rewarded for her vigilance by discovering an article about Gharafah that featured a photo of the owner of the country's new airline and saw that it was none other than Jassim. He still looked handsome even though he looked older and Hilda spent many hours gazing at the picture.
Hilda retired from her position as head of the Chalet School when she turned sixty-five. She was still an active woman, living on the Platz and being involved in fund raising for the San and the little Protestant chapel that the Chalet School had built so many years ago. She went walking with her friends, still skied in the winter and generally lived life to the full. She shared a little chalet with Rosalie Dene and the two of them got along very well together. Rosalie continued to work as head of the administrative side of the school. All in all, Hilda decided, life was very good to her.
It was one particularly cold January day that she was making soup for lunch when there was a knock at the door. She turned the soup down so that it did not spoil and went to see who was calling. There was plenty of soup to go round, as she believed in cooking enough to last two days, so she decided that if it was one of her numerous friends calling she would ask them to stay for lunch with her. She was by no means lonely, but sometimes unexpected company could be most enjoyable.
She opened the door and found that there was a man outside. He was well wrapped in a thick winter coat, a fur hat pulled down low and a scarf wrapped around his face and neck. His hands were encased in leather gloves and the only thing visible was a pair of brown eyes. Hilda drew a sharp breath, and had to catch hold of the doorframe to steady herself. At once he stepped over the threshold and took hold of her arms, obviously thinking that she was going to faint. Not that he was far wrong, she agreed, for she did feel like swooning.
"Hello, habibty," he said, his voice just as she remembered it.
"Jassim, what…oh, I can hardly believe it," she said, glad that he was holding her upright. "Come in, it is so cold out there."
He pushed the door closed and took her into the living room, where he sat her down in an armchair. He pulled off his hat and gloves and unwound the very long scarf, then he unbuttoned his coat and removed it, placing it carefully over a chair in the dining room. When he turned back to Hilda she was sitting where he had put her, still looking shocked and he began to wonder if he had done the right thing, coming back after so many years.
"Maha died last autumn," he said sadly. "Amna died in a car accident about three years after you left. I have no wives now."
Hilda felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, tears of sadness for the deaths of two lovely women and tears of joy at the thought that after looking at a little picture from a magazine for so many years, she had the real man in front of her. She noticed how he had changed; he was white haired and his face was lined. He was still handsome, though, and his eyes were still full of warmth and fun. She hoped he thought the years had been as kind to her as she found they had to him.
"How are the children?" she asked, still trying not to think of those magical sounding words – 'I have no wives now'. "I saw you in a magazine a few years ago, with your airline."
He seemed unaware of what she had said, for he was following his own line of thought. "I know you never married and I wondered if I could see you again, maybe persuade you to give me a second chance," he said. "I never stopped missing you. I'll come and live here in Switzerland if you like. You can stay here, or go wherever you like, just as long as I can be with you." He took her hands then, and looked down at them, then he smiled suddenly and it was as if all the years had melted away. "You are still wearing it," he said, noticing the ring he had bought her so many years ago, then he was gently drawing her out of the chair and into his waiting arms.
"I always wear it," she said, "and this time the answer is yes. If you still want me, I will marry you."

 

#159:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:24 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad they were able to be together in the end. It's a pity Rosalie never found a man.

 

#160:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:12 pm

Chair wrote:
It's a pity Rosalie never found a man.


Not yet anyway!! Wink

Mexican Wave I knew there'd be a happy ending, huzzah!! Thanks Fatima

 

#161:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:44 pm

Thanks Fatima - glad there was a happy ending!

 

#162:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:51 pm

Awwwww!!!
Thank you Fatima! So glad it was a happy ending.

 

#163:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:45 pm

Yay! Finally Hilly can be happy with Jassim!

Thank you for a brilliant drabble Fatima, I've enjoyed every sinlge bit of it.

Do we get to see what married life does for Hilda??

 

#164:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:04 am

Aww thank you Fatima, lovely to get a happy ending.

 

#165:  Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 1:23 pm

Lovely. I've thoroughly enjoyed this - definitely one of the most interesting drabbles and I love the ending.

Ray *applauding*

 

#166:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:20 pm

*applauds loudly too*
Thanks Fatima - wonderful to see Hilda happy in the end Very Happy

 

#167:  Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:17 pm

Glad that Hilda got a happy ending after all!

 

#168:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:26 pm

Oh Fatima, that was such a lovely ending. Thanks you.

 

#169:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:25 pm

Just caught up on the last few posts of this

Wonderful Very Happy Thank you Fatima Very Happy

Liz

 

#170:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:58 pm

Awwww I'm so glad they did get their happy ending after all.

Thank you so much, Fatima. That was beautiful story

 

#171:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:43 am

Thanks Fatima, that was fantastic. *joins the applause*

 

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House


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