The Prince's Passion

Chapter 7

“To my beautiful daughter Amber. And to Tarek, I think you will all agree, the luckiest man on the planet!” Craig Hamilton’s blue eyes misted over as he raised his glass of vintage Bollinger to the handsome couple standing by the fireplace.

“To Tarek and Amber!” chorused the voices surrounding them warmly. Amber’s blue eyes locked with Tarek’s dark enigmatic gaze as he pulled her closer to kiss her thoroughly till she was blushing all over. Amused laughter greeted this rather public display of affection from the assorted family members who now crowded round them, eager for a closer look at the ring which now graced her slender finger.

 Tarek had given her the huge oval pale blue-white diamond surrounded by flashing brilliants and baguettes en route to her parent’s Kensington home that afternoon after they had spent the morning at the Al Rashid residence.  He pulled the small worn red leather box from his jacket pocket, passing it to her while he drove.  “It would do me a great honour if you would wear my ring,” He began formally, allowing himself a small smile as he heard her gasp when she opened the box. “It belonged to my grandmother, who was French. I believe it is art deco in period, a Cartier original. The centre stone is very rare, from the Golconda mines in India…” Tarek continued as if he were an antiques expert giving a client a detailed appraisal.  When Amber did not speak, he turned to look at her and swearing softly under his breath, braked sharply to bring the Ferrari to a standstill on the side of the street.

Amber was sitting stock still, staring silently at the beautiful ring in her hand, tears pouring down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong Amber?” completely out of his depth Tarek was frantic at the sight of her crying. “I knew it, you hate the ring? Then don’t wear it…” He bit back another choice curse as Amber continued to sob. “I told my mother, a woman wants to choose her own ring, but would she listen? No! Look…Just give it back. Please Amber… I’ll buy you another one. We can go to another jeweller...” He wracked his brains for names…Bulgari? Adler? Graff? “Anywhere you want but please stop crying, I can’t bear it…” Tarek was now pleading in exasperation as he tried to pry the ring out of Amber’s fingers.

“No!” she cried out in protest as her fist closed around the small box, “No I love it…I just was…wasn’t expecti…I never thought you’d give me a ring….And…So…So beautiful. Tarek, it is the most exquisite thing I have ever seen” Amber raised her drenched, blue eyes to him and his first thought was that the priceless jewel, now paled in comparison to the woman sitting next to him.

“I would be honoured to wear your ring” she said haltingly, holding the box out to him.

Tarek was not a man for romantic gestures but his keen intelligence told him that the next few minutes were of overwhelming importance to Amber. Opening the box he took the ring out and placed it in his palm where it shimmered in the reflected sunlight, taking Amber’s small hand in his he placed the ring at the top of her finger and looked at her, suddenly nervous at what he was about to do.

“Amber Hamilton, will you marry me?”

“Yes, Tarek Al Rashid, I will marry you, I will be your wife” she vowed quietly as she looked deep into his eyes. The ring slid down her finger as if it had been made for her and he raised her hand to his lips to kiss the hand that wore his mark of possession. The tender gesture left her breathless with unexpressed emotion.