Page 32 of Of Gold and Shadows (Time’s Lost Treasures #1)
32
S IX WEEKS LATER
Ami had read of the Mediterranean Sea. That the azure waters were unlike any colour one could imagine. How the breeze could make you forget about past sins and future troubles. Lies. All of it. For to stand at the railing of a ship and experience the enchantment firsthand far surpassed what authors penned in their travel guides. There, beneath the vast sky, she sensed God’s pleasure in His creation—in her—for no other reason than His great goodness.
And nothing could begin to describe the feel of her husband’s strong arms wrapped around her waist or the warmth of his solid chest at her back. Her career goals, once solitary, now had a companion in love—a profound shift that she embraced with a newly found sense of completeness.
His breath tickled her temple as he nibbled on her ear. “What are you thinking about, Mrs. Price?”
“How deliriously happy I am.” She turned in his arms, the gentle purling of the water against the hull as mesmerizing as the dusky-eyed man in front of her. “And you? What occupies your thoughts, husband?”
“Potatoes.” A handsome grin lit his face. “I hope they’re better cooked for dinner tonight.”
She arched a brow. “We are surrounded by beauty and all you can think of is your stomach?”
“Oh, I can think of plenty of other things, I assure you.” An amorous gleam smoldered in his gaze. “Potatoes are merely what keep me from acting on baser impulses.”
“I never knew you were such a beast, Mr. Price.” Rising to her toes, she kissed him soundly. “But at least you’re my beast.”
“I hope you are as happy with me as you are about the dig your father has arranged for us.” Bending, he whispered against the nape of her neck, “I expect a personal tutorial from you, you know.”
“Mmm.” She pulled away, hardly able to think straight. It’d been like this for the past two weeks now, since they married. She could only hope—and pray—this bliss would never fade. “When we arrive in Giza, meet me in the shadows of the pyramid.” She winked. “I think we can work out a deal.”
“Putting your shadow-brokering skills to good use, eh? I like it.” He pressed his lips to the crown of her head. “I like it—and you—very much.”
“Speaking of the like, there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” She studied his face, seeking truth. “Are you terribly disappointed we are going to Egypt and not to India? I know how much you adored it there.”
“You’re right. I do love India. But I love you more. And who knows? Perhaps someday you’ll fancy a dig in the Indus Valley.”
“What I fancy is you, husband.”
“There you two are.”
They turned to see her father striding across the deck. His hair, though normally a-muss, stood out like a fluff of milkweed gone to seed. His collar hung askew, and the top buttons of his waistcoat were completely missing, not to mention a red scratch marred his cheek.
“Father!” Ami grabbed Edmund’s arm for balance as the ship canted. Hopefully her father hadn’t taken a tumble. With his continued joint pain, his sea legs weren’t what they used to be. “What happened?”
His lips twisted as he stopped in front of them. “I’m afraid the curse of Amentuk has struck again.”
“Impossible.” Edmund shook his head. “Stuart Fletcher is safely tucked away at Colney Hatch asylum getting the care he needs.”
“No, I meant—”
High-pitched chattering cut through the air, followed by a man’s shout and a lady’s screech. Ami peered past Edmund to see a monkey in a tiny green coat scurrying past a couple farther down the deck.
And headed straight their way.
“Oh bother!” The words were barely past her father’s lips when he crouched low and extended his arm. “Nothing to be done for it now, though, I suppose.”
The little imp raced up his sleeve, parking his rump on her father’s shoulder and digging his tiny paws into the inside pocket of her father’s suit coat.
Ami exchanged a glance with Edmund, then grinned at her father. “I see you’ve made a new friend.”
“I didn’t mean to. Amentuk here belongs to the captain.” He pulled the monkey into his arms, the furry creature clutching a date and chewing furiously. “I merely made the mistake of offering him some leftover fruit from breakfast. Now he thinks I’m some sort of treat dispenser.”
Ami laughed. “Don’t tell me that monkey’s name is Amentuk.”
“All right. I won’t. But you should know that strange happenings always abound when embarking on a journey to the land of mystery.” Her father waggled his eyebrows as he patted the monkey on the head. “Come along, Tukky. Let’s get you back to your master.”
He strolled away, the monkey climbing to the top of his head like an oversized hat, its tiny black fingers clutching his hair.
Edmund chuckled. “I suspect your father will be occupied for the duration of this voyage.”
“Between that furry friend and his obsessive cargo checking, I believe you are correct.” With a light touch, she turned his face to hers, the sun bathing his skin in a golden glow. “I have no doubt he’ll keep a keen eye on the griffin in particular, but are you certain you don’t mind parting with it? As I recall, that statue was important to you because of your family’s heritage.”
“You’re right.” A soft smile graced his lips. “But my view of heritage has changed. I no longer feel compelled to hold on to the need to make my father proud, at least not my earthly father. Serving God is the legacy—the heritage—I wish to leave behind. I don’t need a notorious little statue to accomplish that.” Gently, he brushed an errant strand of hair that’d blown across her brow. “The griffin was a symbol of my past, but you, my love, are my present and future.”
Love flared in her chest, warming her more thoroughly than the Mediterranean afternoon. What a treasure this man was. “Have I told you, husband, how grateful I am that you’re selling not only the griffin but the rest of your artifacts to the Cairo Museum?”
“Yes, about that. I think you should know I didn’t actually sell it to the Cairo Museum.”
Her belly clenched. Oh dear. How had the deal gone bad? “But it’s already on board the ship. Please don’t tell me Mr. Harrison was so insistent that you’re sending it back to England?”
“Nothing of the sort.” He chuckled. “My, but your mind shoots off at odd angles.”
She frowned. “It is my job to think outside of the box, or I’d not be a very good archaeologist.”
“You are a stellar archaeologist. The most beautiful one I know. But what I meant to say, my love...” He entwined his fingers with hers, lifting her hand to kiss the back of it. “Is that I’m donating the lot to the Cairo Museum as a wedding gift to you.”
She gasped. “But what about Gil’s half of the proceeds?”
“I bought him out.” He winked.
“Oh, Edmund!” She squeezed his hand. He was wrong. Entirely wrong. Such an act was more than a gift; it was a testament to the love that bound his heart to hers. “Thank you, a thousand times over. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“You sound like Sanjay.” His lips twisted into a smirk. “I’ve lost count of his notes of appreciation for the business contract and money I wired him.”
“Which will hold him over quite nicely.” Reaching, she straightened his windblown collar, a frown suddenly wrinkling her brow. “But what if your lawsuit isn’t successful? Others like him will crumble under that new tariff.”
“Not to worry, wife.” He captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I have no doubt the crack legal team Gil and I have woven together will be victorious. The mighty men of Parliament cannot stand against an edict signed by Her Majesty the Queen even if it was over thirty years ago. No judge in his right mind will go against a royal decree. If only I’d known of it sooner, I wouldn’t have bothered with Lord Bastion.”
She inhaled deeply, savoring the salty tang of the warm air and the hint of curry that somehow always accompanied this man she loved. Although she’d told others God would make a way when things turned blurry, it was astounding to see how He had done so for her—and for Edmund. “How Mr. Fletcher found that old Indo-British Trade Accord still amazes me,” she murmured.
“He truly is a good business partner, as I’ve told you time and again.”
“Well, it was kind of you to remain loyal even when his brother was impersonating him. In fact, husband, I’d say you are the kindest man I know.”
“And you, my love”—his tone was a caress that tingled to her toes—“are the most intelligent, beautiful, and capable woman I’ve ever met, so I’d say we’re quite a pair, hmm?”
She grinned. “As unique as the artifacts we shall discover together.”
“And after this dig, what then?” Edmund’s blue eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Guiding his arm to her waist, she turned once again toward the water and leaned against the solid beam of her husband. “There’s a whole world of possibility out there, my love. A whole wide world.”
E DMUND ’ S P OEM
What soft light doth break beyond,
At dawning, in this golden morn,
In your eyes, my world’s reborn
New promise, new love, forever sworn.
Eternal pledge, our hearts entwined
Forever yours, forever mine,
Light or shadow, bliss or strife
Will you, my darling, be my wife?