The kitchen was filled with the mouthwatering smell of a spicy lambdish that the women of the house had been preparing. The rich meat flavoured with Rash al Hanout the local mix of different spices and mixed with dried apricots that were now swollen to little orange pillow-shaped juicy balls. A platter with freshly baked flatbread waiting on a table.
Omar's mother filled a large bowl with the stew and placed the platter with bread on top of it and then motioned to Mary to follow her. The two women walked to the reception room of the Sheik's house where he was entertaining the French army captain Le Brun. The old lady handed Mary the food and shooed her into the room.
Three pair of male eyes focussed on her. Sheik Omar was sitting on a couch on one side of the room while Captain Le Brun, the French army officer, and another soldier were sitting on the one opposite of him. A table with mint tea and glasses in between them. Water pipes or shisha bubbling. The evening breeze coming in through the mashrabia, the ornamentally carved woodwork covering the windows.
Sheik Omar smiled at her and waved towards the table. She placed the food there and was not sure what to do next so was about to turn back to the kitchen when he gestured to a spot on the couch near him and said: "Amira please sit."
She lowered herself on the couch and looked at the men. Captain Le Brun stood and held out his hand and said: "Captain Le Brun mademoiselle at your service. May I introduce one of my men: Steve O'Shea?"
"Lady Mary Westlake. How do you do?" she answered shaking his hand.
"Ah so Sheik Omar calls you Amira, princess, as a mix of your title and your name? And me thinking it was a sign of his high esteem for you." the older man smiled. "O'Shea is here so he can translate for Sheik Omar."
The big rough man held out his hand and said in English with a Irish accent: "So even in the desert I cannot escape bloody English aristocrats."
Mary realised he must be one of the Irish rebels and probably had to flee Ireland ending up here.
"Please eat", said Sheikh Omar and the men scooped up the stew with pieces of the flatbread. Mary tried to copy them and discovered the food was mouthwatering.
When the meal was finished Mary brought the bowls and plates back to the kitchen to return with fresh tea and pastries. The ladies of the house did not show themselves to the strangers. Over tea a discussion in Arabic, French and English started with Le Brun and O'Shea translating.
"Please tell Amira I found her brother in the desert near the big oasis. He died due to heat and lack of water but had managed to walk a very long stretch to try to save the both of them. We buried him and recited a prayer for him. I had no idea how Christians are buried so we buried him as one of our own."
