Page 18

Plotting the Next Adventure

L ater that night

The last of the Egyptian dessert omm ali , a sort of bread pudding, had been consumed and the dishes removed when the ladies excused themselves to head to the parlor.

The men remained at the dining table with glasses of sobia sitting in front of them.

The creamy coconut-based drink was good, but it wasn’t port.

As soon as the server disappeared, Harry reached under his chair and pulled out a bottle of port. Will chuckled. “You had better be prepared to share that,” he warned.

“Fear not. I stocked up when our ship put into port at Sines,” he replied, grinning as he poured five glasses of the liquor.

“It’s very generous of you to share,” Randy commented, holding up his glass in a salute.

The others held their glasses out and took a sip before Will asked, “Where are you off to next?”

Harry arched a brow. “I hear there are several varieties of hibiscus in Aswan.”

“That’s five-hundred miles away,” Tom commented.

“Indeed. But easy enough to get there when traveling on the Nile. Where are you off to?”

David and Tom looked to Will, but it was Randy who said, “Diana is desperate to see the temples in Luxor. The city is on the river, about four-hundred miles south from here, so we’ll have to arrange passage on a ship.”

“You do know there are a number of temples along the Nile between here and there?” Harry asked. “And the Necropolis of Saqqara includes the pyramids at Dashur. They’re only about twenty miles from here,” he added.

“We’ll go to as many as can be arranged,” Will said. “Won’t you?”

Harry allowed a shrug. “Truth be told, I hadn’t considered our itinerary beyond Memphis, but we’ve come all this way. We really should see the ancient sites. My countess has not put voice to a complaint of our extended absence from London, nor do I expect her to...”

“So you’ll go with us to Luxor?” Randy urged. “You might find other hibiscus there.”

Chuckling softly, Harry nodded. “I hear there are a number of interesting birds along the Nile,” he murmured. “Pigeons are apparently a delicacy here, so I can be on the lookout for them when I don’t spot any flowers. So, I suppose we will.”

“Luxor it is,” Will replied with a grin, lifting his glass in a salute. “I’ll see to finding us a dhahab?yeh that will accommodate both our families in the morning.”

Harry suddenly stiffened. “Has anyone warned you about those boats?”

Will furrowed a brow. “If you’re asking if I know what will be involved in hiring one, then yes,” he admitted.

“I’ll split the costs with you. We’ll have to do the provisioning and prepare the ship for passengers,” Harry warned.

“And paint it, I hear. But I think that can all be arranged.”

“Then I say let’s do this.”

The others held up their glasses, obviously pleased with the plan.

T om was the first to sober, his thoughts on a certain young woman and her babe. He had been doing the math in his head regarding Bradley’s age, and he wasn’t happy with what he had determined.

Had Helen done something to coerce him into the gardens that night before they left London? Something he had been unaware of? Because given the babe’s age, it meant Helen would have been halfway through a pregnancy at the time of their meeting.

At the time they had kissed in the gardens.

Surely she would have known she was with child. He was sure she wasn’t married, so had she intended to kiss him in the hopes he might propose marriage? Trap him knowing she would be giving birth to another man’s child only a few months later?

He had thought her an innocent. Well, except for how she had returned his kiss, her manner betraying her eagerness at continuing the act of intimacy.

Perhaps she had been married and had lost her mate to an untimely death, he considered. Missed having a man in her life and was eager to exchange a passionate kiss in the gardens in the hopes of finding a new husband.

If she had been married, surely she would have used her husband’s name or title when they were introduced, though. Why keep that information from a potential suitor?

He couldn’t recall their exact words that night at the Morganfield ball. He couldn’t even recall the words they had said to one another when they were in the gardens.

What he could remember was the intensity of the kiss they had shared. The profound sense of wonder he had felt. The look on her face when they had finally ended their elicit kiss and stared at one another as if their entire worlds had been turned upside down and inside out.

He could swear she was as surprised as he was by what had happened. Either that, or she was a very good actress, able to pretend she felt far more than she did whilst in his arms.

Earlier that day, she had gladly accepted the offer of his arm as they toured the area around the pyramids.

He knew she had frequently directed her gaze on him, as if she wanted some sort of assurance he still held her in high regard.

He had done everything in his power to act in a cordial manner, never giving away his suspicions nor encouraging her to speak her mind.

Coward , he thought. Had he simply asked as to her regard for him, Tom was sure Helen would have told him. He didn’t know if he was ready to learn more about Bradley, though.

Not sure what to believe, Tom downed his drink in almost a single gulp and sat back to listen to the conversation of the others around him. At some point, he would have to confront Helen with his suspicions. Ask her outright about her intentions.

But he knew he wouldn’t do so until he was sure about what he wanted.