Page 11

An Awkward Reunion

F rom where he rode his camel near the back of his family group, Tom turned and stared at the young lady who brought up the rear of the Everly procession.

He had been aware of Helen for their entire ride from the hotel. Hearing the sound of appreciation in her voice directed at their ruggedly handsome dragoman had him experiencing profound jealousy. Their talk of horses seemed to convey double entendres, but he couldn’t sort exactly how.

From the way Salman seemed to puff out his chest and ride even straighter on the small horse, Tom knew the guide was enjoying the young lady’s attention.

How could he not?

She looked like a bright desert bloom given her gown, gloves, and hat, a matching shawl threaded through her elbows to keep the sun from her arms.

“He is the perfect horse for the desert, my lady,” Salman said in response to Helen’s query about his Arabian. “Small, fast, nimble. Do you ride, my lady?”

At suddenly becoming the center of attention, Helen blushed. “I do, sir, but not often,” she replied.

“Because you live in a city and not in the country?” Salman guessed.

“Yes, I suppose,” she replied.

Tom fumed when the dragoman slowed his mount so he was riding between them. Despite the fact that he could still see over the top of Salman given how much taller the camels were than the guide’s small mount, Tom was now positive the guide was flirting with Lady Helen.

“What is it you ride? A cold blood?” Salman asked.

“An Irish walker,” Helen replied. “He is easy to ride but quite proud.”

“I do not know of these ‘Irish walkers’,” Salman said, his expression conveying doubt.

“It’s an Irish Sport Horse,” Tom stated. “They are known for their athletic abilities and gentle temperament.”

“Ah,” Salman replied, turning his attention to Tom. “And what do you ride, sir?”

“A Cleveland bay,” he said. “They are?—”

“Originated in Yorkshire, did they not?”

Tom gave a start, not expecting the guide to be familiar with the breed. “Yes,” he replied.

“Their coloring is exceptional,” Salman stated, waving to his own Arabian as if to show his horse was the same color of reddish brown as the bay horses in England.

“Uh, I suppose.”

“Ah, we are here,” Salman announced, spurring his horse so it moved up to join the camels at the front.

They had paused when they reached the shade from the largest pyramid, the lead cameleer already dismounting and joining a young boy who had several camels kneeling at the edge of the pyramid’s shadow.

The two quickly saw to Will’s camel, the beast first kneeling and finally settling so his back legs were tucked beneath him. Once Will had stepped off, he hurried over to stand next to Barbara’s mount.

“I’ll catch you,” he said, holding his arms up.

She only hesitated a moment before she leaned toward him and fell into his arms, tittering until her booted feet were safely on the sandy ground.

Meanwhile, Diana’s camel had already kneeled, and she was stepping off when Randy said, “How did you do that?”

Grinning, she moved to the side of his camel and had the beast kneeling with a couple of clicks of her tongue. “They want you off just as badly as you wish to be off of them,” she said, before moving to assist Tom with his camel.

Meanwhile, the cameleer had moved onto Harry’s mount.

“I appreciate your help,” Tom said, his gaze on Helen. He was in the middle of dismounting when their dragoman rushed to Stella’s camel. Since it was attached to the back of Harry’s camel, it had begun kneeling before Harry had a chance to help her down from the sidesaddle.

Seeing his opportunity, Tom hurried to stand next to Helen’s camel. “Might I assist you, my lady?” he asked. He frowned when he noticed she was watching their guide help with her mother, and jealousy once again had him fuming. “Or not?”

Helen turned to regard him with furrowed brows. “I’m still terribly high up,” she said, her eyes wide with indecision.

“Hold on,” he instructed, waiting until her camel knelt before he reached for her waist.

Helen gasped, her gloved hands moving to grip his shoulders as he lowered her from the sidesaddle.

For that brief moment before her feet touched the ground, when Tom was lowering her, he inhaled deeply and held his breath as her body brushed down the front of his.

They stared at one another a moment before she blinked. “Thank you, Mr. Forster,” she said.

“You’re welcome, my lady,” he replied, wincing slightly at hearing her formality.

She patted the side of the camel’s neck. “I do wonder what Bradley would have thought of riding a camel. I don’t know if he would have been frightened or delighted. He’s just over a year old, you see.”

Reminded of the babe, Tom did his best to hide his disappointment. He lifted her hand to his lips, and brushed them over the back of her knuckles. “I did notice you left him behind.”

“I found a nurse to see to him for the day,” she explained. “She has a babe about the same age, so he shan’t miss me.”

Although he wanted to ask her about the boy’s father, they were interrupted when Salman called out, “Let us begin here.” He was waving them to a spot at the base of the largest pyramid.

“Such an interesting man,” she said, so only he could hear.

Tom bristled at hearing Helen’s enthusiasm, and he reluctantly held out his arm for her.

Helen placed hers on it, and from the way her brows knitted, he knew she was confused by his manner.

Not about to mention the reason for his dislike of the guide, he pretended interest as they joined the others who stood and stared up the rough face of the Great Pyramid of Khufu.

“She looks so familiar. Who is she?” Helen asked.

Tom furrowed a brow, following her line of sight to discover she was staring at Diana. “My new sister, Diana,” he whispered. “She and Randy have been married about six months.”

“Henley?” she asked in surprise.

“Indeed. You know her?”

Helen nodded. “From school. Although... well, she wasn’t there much. Always off to Sicily. Is that where Lord Forster met her?”

He shook his head. “Athens, actually. Henley has a new dig site on the Acropolis, but I think Randy had made up his mind about taking her to wife long before her father even arrived in Athens to begin his position.”

Helen sighed. “I suppose the breeches helped draw his attentions?” she teased.

Tom’s eyes widened. “Uh... I... I couldn’t say,” he stammered. “I think he likes her because she’s... well, she’s clever. Knows a lot. Remembers everything.”

“Huh,” Helen replied softly. “Imagine having to travel two-thousand miles to meet the woman who is to be your wife,” she murmured. “When you’re both from England.”

Tom held his breath a moment. Was she talking about Randy and Diana? Or someone else?

And where was the father of her babe?

“It is a bit odd, I suppose,” he replied.

With that, the two turned their attentions to the dragoman and listened intently.