My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel(54)
No. This cannot be. Surely the unaccustomed climate is causing your face to flush and your pulse to race. Shrugging off this unnerving feeling, you hand Kamal the tea that has just been brought in and force yourself to speak.
“I am so sorry, sir. Did they take many things?”
Kamal turns his large, soulful brown eyes—now wide with confusion—to you.
“No, and it is very strange. I have gone through my inventory all morning. We have many fine things, but it appears the thieves took only one object: the turquoise scroll canister.”
Lady Evangeline stands suddenly, her jaw tight.
“Delphine St. Croix!” she hisses.
Kamal’s jaw drops.
“How can you be so sure?” he asks, but Evangeline is now pacing the room, barely paying attention to either of you.
“Oh, this is so like her! Of course she would do this. Of course!”
“Who is Delphine St. Croix?” you inquire, unable to disguise your curiosity.
Evangeline swings around, her eyes flashing azure fire. Her finely made bosom heaves before she regains her composure. “Delphine was once a…friend of mine.” Behind you, Kamal coughs discreetly, and Evangeline continues. “We bonded many years ago when my late husband was stationed in Egypt. Life was somewhat constrained and lonely for us women, with the war on. What is more, she and I were the only two ladies in our circle who had the same love for, ah, ancient artifacts.”
Kamal coughs again, somewhat less discreetly.
“At the time, I fancied I cared for her more than anyone. But then, well, let’s just say she betrayed my confidence in a manner that I will never forgive her for. We parted on the harshest of terms, and last I heard she was making a living raiding tombs, selling the objects to the highest bidder with no thought to their significance, nor where they are destined to go. And now she has drawn your museum into her schemes, Kamal. I am truly, truly sorry.”
Something in the way Evangeline speaks of the mysterious Delphine piques your curiosity…and your jealousy. You ignore the emotions roiling around your heart and manage to keep your voice steady.
“But why would she take the turquoise canister and nothing else, especially in a room filled with much worthier treasures?”
Evangeline locks her lustrous eyes with yours, and again you feel the heat rising to your face.
“Because this was no simple robbery, my dear. This was a message.”
“W-w-what do you mean?” you stammer. Lady Evangeline smiles at you, not unkindly.
“The canister was made of turquoise, you see, the sacred stone of Hathor, ancient Egyptian goddess of love. Delphine and I…well, we had this foolish notion that one day we would find her temple. It was lost to the sands of time many years ago, but legend has it that the temple can be raised again should two lovers enjoy love’s purest joy within its grounds.”
A strange look crosses Lady Evangeline’s face as she tells you these words. You find yourself suddenly out of breath.
“A silly idea conjured up by two bored young women, to be sure,” she says, crisply brushing off the strange moment. “Still, I must confess myself curious to know what was on the scroll in that canister. No doubt Delphine is using it to locate some other priceless treasure that she will hawk to shady sorts, and to make sure I know she is thumbing her nose at me all the while.”
“I think I can help, my lady,” interjects Kamal. “You see, I make a sketch of everything that comes through these doors, including the canister and its contents.” He hands you and Evangeline a finely rendered illustration of the artifact and several pages of neatly copied hieroglyphs.
“Oh, Kamal, you are a national treasure!” Lady Evangeline exclaims. “Do you know what this means?”
You and Kamal exchange curious glances and shake your heads. Lady Evangeline turns and grabs you by the shoulders.
“It means I shall be able to translate what is written here and get to the bottom of what exactly Delphine is up to!”
“You can read hieroglyphs?!” you say, stunned.
“It is a very new practice, but yes.” Evangeline nods. “I assisted Mr. Young and Mssr. Champollion when they were working on their studies of the Rosetta Stone. When they were still speaking to each other, at least.” At this, she rolls her eyes.
“Lady Evangeline is too modest,” says Kamal reverently. “She has published the eminent paper on translating hieroglyphs, albeit anonymously.”
Evangeline throws back her head and laughs. “Ah, Kamal, you are too kind about my little treatise. And that is why you are my favorite Egyptologist,” she says, causing Kamal to blush.
She then turns her luminous gaze back to you. “My dear, translating this scroll may take a while. If you wish to use this time to explore Cairo, then by all means be my guest. I’m sure Kamal will be more than happy to provide an escort. I certainly think he could use a respite from this morning’s unpleasantness.”
Kamal nods in agreement. “It would be a pleasure, miss. I will bring my strongest guard to make sure we remain quite safe.”
Lady Evangeline turns her head to the side, her hair shining in the sun as richly gold as the priceless treasures of the pharaohs she so loves.
“What do you say, my dear? Would you prefer an afternoon stuck in a stuffy room with me translating hieroglyphs or out in the sunshine in one of the most beautiful cities in the world?”