The Haj - Leon Uris [256]
‘I know,’ she answered. ‘I have played very hard with the children today. They will sleep through without a sound.’
‘Take your shower. The door to my apartment will be open.’
He could not stop kissing her body.
‘You are lovely,’ Nada said. ‘It was not so painful as I thought. How crazy my life has been to stifle something so lovely. Bernard, you sweet man. You are very thoughtful.’
‘It is you, Nada. How did you become so free, so, so uncomplicated.’
‘I will be freer now. And you will try everything, teach me everything. I want to do it all. Let me know what parts excite you and how to excite you. I want it all. I want to eat you alive.’
‘Oh yes, Nada ... yes, yes, yes.’
‘Come in, Nada, sit down,’ Hamdi Othman said.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘You have seemed fairly glowing this past month,’ he said, opening the cigar humidor and going through the ritual of clipping, wetting, spinning, lighting.
‘I am very happy with the children,’ she said.
‘Only the children?’
She looked into his thin debonair face, his eyes sparkling, a bit cruel, a bit tense.
‘Life is much kinder here than in Aqbat Jabar. I hope my work has been worthy.’
‘The children adore you, you know that. Would you take the kerchief off your head, Nada?’
‘I do not have much hair.’
‘Does that bother you?’
‘Oh no, but when people look at me, they seem to feel uneasy.’
‘Well, will you take it off?’
She slipped it from her head. A growth of a few inches had returned. Somehow it made her look more poignant, even stunning.
‘See, it doesn’t offend me,’ Hamdi Othman offered. ‘In fact, you are an extraordinarily beautiful girl. Your father cut your hair, for modesty, didn’t he?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Well, you haven’t been too modest, have you?’
‘No.’ Nada answered without wavering or showing alarm.
He placed a tape recorder on his desk. ‘Have you ever seen one of these? Do you know what it is?’
‘No.’
‘It makes a recording of people’s voices. Would you like to hear yours?’
‘Of me making love with Bernard,’ she said bluntly.
Hamdi Othman almost bit through his cigar. Her reaction took him completely off guard. ‘Well, do you think your father would like to hear it?’ he said with a touch of menace.
Nada glowered, then shrugged. Othman studied the girl for a long time. She was apparently quite unafraid of him and completely in control of herself.
‘There is an opening for a high UNRWA position in Syria. I am recommending Bernard for the job.’
‘As punishment?’
‘It is an advancement.’
‘Does he know?’
‘Yes. He is quite willing to leave Amman at once.’
‘Very well, Mr. Othman.’
‘You don’t seem too upset, Nada.’
‘I will miss him very much, but we made no promises. I have no desire to hold him. We always knew it would only be for a short time.’
‘Now you tell me, Nada, what should I do with you?’
‘I would like to remain in Amman in your home. I love the children. I don’t know when I will have children of my own or if I’ll ever have Allah’s blessing. They give me much happiness.’
‘This business with you and Bernard is very serious. Fortunately, no one other than I knows about it. Shall we keep it that way?’
‘Do as you wish, Mr. Othman. If you want to hear me plead with you, you are wasting your time.’
His expression was that of a man who had been struck. The girl was becoming more interesting by the moment.
‘Tell me, Nada, how would you like your own room?’
‘I have never had my own room or even dreamed of such a thing.’
‘It could be arranged. Of course, with this secret we share ... I realize I am not a young man like Bernard. ... On the other hand ... I am, shall we say, rather mature. As you know, Madame has a very full schedule, particularly on Thursdays. She spends the afternoon at the hair salon, after which there is her bridge club. What I am suggesting ...’
‘You want to make love with me.’
He laughed. ‘You are a very cool piece of business, young lady.’
‘I think you are a very attractive man, Mr. Othman, and I do not mind making love in your wife’s home. You do it with