Swords of Arabia: Betrayal (41 page)

Badr,
ever
astute,
also
sensed
the
meeting
was
moving
toward
supporting
the
British
alliance.
Quite
apart
from
his
genuine
belief
in
the
rightness
of
an
Ottoman
treaty,
he
also
knew
that
for
him
to
suffer
personally
a
second
defeat
in
a
few
short
months
could
well
destroy
his
power-base.
To
lose
any
future
hope
of
becoming
emir
was
something
he
would
not
tolerate,
so
he
decided
to
speak
again
–
and
this
time
with
force
and
to
the
point.
To
underline
this,
he
rose
to
his
feet,
the
added
height,
as
he
fully
intended,
lending
weight
to
his
words.

“Times
in
our
land
are
dangerous.
They’ve
always
been
so,
but
today’s
dangers
are
far
bigger
than
any
we
have
previously
faced.”
He
paused,
looked
around
slowly,
and
then
went
in
for
the
kill.
“It
is
a
time
when
strong
leadership
is
needed.”
He
paused
again,
glancing
very
casually,
but
very
noticeably,
at
his
nephew.
Ignoring
the
indrawn
breaths
at
the
subtly
given,
but
obvious,
insult,
he
continued
smoothly.
“It
is
a
double
misfortune
that,
at
this
a
most
dangerous
time,
we
are
without
Fouad,
my
brother.
He
was
a
strong,
powerful
warrior,
yes,
but
above
all
he
was
a
master
of
the
arts
of
the
ruler.
One
of
these
–
perhaps
the
greatest
–
was
to
see
beyond
the
dangers
of
a
day,
a
month,
a
year
–
and
to
see
far
enough
ahead
to
know
what
would
best
serve
his
people.
He
had
always
been
a
supporter
of
the
Ottoman.
I
know,”
he
continued,
heading
off
a
challenge
from
Nasir,
who
had
more
truly
known
his
brother’s
thinking
on
the
matter,
“that
he
had
looked
at
a
British
alliance,
but
am
sure
that,
had
he
lived,
he
would,
having
both
honour
and
foresight,
renewed
our
friendship
with
our
Ottoman
allies.
It
is,
my
friends,
time
that
we
stopped
drifting
as
so
many
grains
of
sand
in
the
desert
winds.
It
is
time
to
again
take
our
place
alongside
our
friends.
To
stand
side
by
side
with
them
in
their
hour
of
need
–
as
friends
do.
And,
as
friends
also
do,
they
will
remember
our
aid
and
be
sure
to
help
us
after
the
great
war
is
ended.
Mus’id,
though
wrong
in
his
conclusion,
is
right
on
the
single
most
important
truth
we
have
always
faced.
Our
real
enemy
are
the
al
Saud.
One
day
we
must
fight
them
again –
and
for
that
we
need
trustworthy
friends.
Strong
as
we
are,
wealthy
as
we
are,
we
cannot
win
against
them
if
we
stand
alone.
It
is
time
that
strong
decisions
are
taken
now
to
protect
our
future
–
as
they
were
in
Fouad’s
day,”
he
added,
with
the
slightest
of
sneers
as
he
looked
at
his
nephew.

This
sally
was
what
made
Nasir decide
to
respond
as
he
did.
No
longer
was
he
prepared
to
be
tactful
and
pleasant
to
his
older
brother.
Badr’s
words
had
told
him
that
a
break
was
inevitable
–
and
very
near.
So
be
it,
he
would
land
the
first
open
blow
–
and
it
would
be
a
hard
one.
Hard,
that
is,
if
Badr,
with
his
own
widespread
intelligence
network
and
close
ties
of
marriage
and
friendship
hadn’t
already
heard.
He
certainly
shouldn’t
have
in
the
previous
few
hours.
All
those
who
wished
to
give
messages
to
the
leaders
in
the
majlis
had
been
closely
questioned;
none
of
the
earlier
ones
were
seeking
access
with
the
information
that
would
aid
Badr,
so
they
were
let
through.
Later,
two
who
were,
had
been
caught
and
held.
Nasir
now
listened
with
extra
care
to
every
word
his
co-regent
spoke,
trying
to
glean
the
extent
of
his
half-brother’s
knowledge.

Badr’s
next
words
gave
him
his
answer.

“And
even
if
some
temporary
advantage
was
seen
in
slinking
away
from
the
tents
of
our
friends
–
how
would
it
look
to
our
other
friends?
How
would
the
young
emir
of
the
Rashid
view
us?
How
would
other
steadfast
allies
of
the
Ottoman
look
upon
us?
Many
of
you
know
that
I
am
honoured
by
the
friendship
of
Husain
ibn
Ali
the
Sherif
of
Mecca
itself,
one
of
the
greatest
of
Arabia’s
princes
and
long
a
close
supporter
and
loyal
friend
to
the
Sultan
himself!
How
would
I
be
able
to
explain
our
desertion
to
him,
should
we
decide
to
grovel
at
the
feet
of
the
British?
How
could
any
of
you
explain
to...”