added.
Reed answered with a shrug. “I have no idea. Perhaps he was struck by another of his whims and decided to stay in Istanbul and just send this box on.”
“You think it’s a wedding present?” Kyria asked doubtfully. “It seems a little odd.”
“Why didn’t he send a note explaining it?” the duchess added. “Theo, at least, scribbles a note, usually.”
“That’s true,” Kyria said.
Rafe McIntyre spoke up. “I don’t know your son, ma’am. But maybe he told this fellow who brought thebox whatever it was he wanted to say to you. We just don’t know what it is.”
The duchess nodded. “Yes, that makes sense, I suppose. Theo was never as comfortable with a pen and paper as the rest of my children.”
Reed let out a snort. “You mean he’d rather face a charging elephant than write a letter.”
“Still, I agree with Kyria,” Thisbe commented. “An ancient reliquary seems an unlikely wedding gift. Especially for Olivia. It’s more something Papa would like.”
“Not really my period,” the duke pointed out. “Besides, the chap said, ‘Kyria.’”
“Perhaps he was saying, ‘Kyrie,’” Desmond suggested quietly, and everyone turned to look at him. “It is Greek for lord, isn’t it? Kyrie eleison? Perhaps he was trying to say Lord Broughton?”
“But I’m not called that,” the duke said.
“Yes, but a Greek isn’t going to necessarily know the intricacies of British titles,” Thisbe put in. She turned toward Rafe. “Could he have been saying, ‘Kyrie’?”
Rafe shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. Once he said only the first syllable, and the first time…I don’t know. I’m not sure what the ending of the word was. It sounded like Kyria, but of course the two words are very similar.”
“But why would Theo send that to Papa?” Kyria asked. “Theo would know that that wasn’t the era that Papa studies.”
Reed nodded. “It makes more sense that he sent it to Kyria because of the diamond. We all know that she loves gems. Although I have to say it seems extravagant, even for Theo.”
All around the table, heads nodded in agreement. They were all silent for a moment, looking at the reliquary. Then the duke said, “You know, Kyria, that chap I mentioned last night—Jennings? Actually, he lives not that far from here. Only a few hours’ ride. It wouldn’t be too difficult to take this over and show it to him, get his opinion. I am sure he could tell us a lot more about this reliquary than Uncle Bellard and I can. He has studied the Byzantine Empire for years and years. I could write him, telling him why you want to see him.”
Kyria sat up straighter, smiling. “That would be wonderful. I would like that. Perhaps he would even know something about how it should open.”
“I have to go to London tomorrow,” Reed put in. “I’m sorry, Kyria, but it’s important business. I won’t be back for at least a few weeks, but I could escort you then.”
Kyria bridled. “I don’t need an escort, Reed. I am quite capable of going to see Mr. Jennings by myself.”
“Kyria—” her older brother frowned “—I don’t think that would be wise.”
“Because she is a female?” the duchess asked, leaning forward, her eyes flashing.
“No,” Reed answered automatically. “Well, yes…” He squirmed a little under his mother’s fiery gaze, then burst out, “Blast it, Mother, this isn’t an equality-of-the-sexes issue. It could be dangerous! Look at what happened to the last person who was in possession of that box. I have no idea why someone attacked Mr. Kousoulous, but I cannot dismiss the possibility that it was because he wanted that box. It is obviously quite valuable. Surely you cannot want tohave Kyria running about the countryside carrying that box.”
“No, of course not.” The duchess leaned back, frowning.
“No one will know I have the box,” Kyria protested. “I will be fine by myself.”
“Oh, no, dear,” the duke put in worriedly.
Reed answered with a shrug. “I have no idea. Perhaps he was struck by another of his whims and decided to stay in Istanbul and just send this box on.”
“You think it’s a wedding present?” Kyria asked doubtfully. “It seems a little odd.”
“Why didn’t he send a note explaining it?” the duchess added. “Theo, at least, scribbles a note, usually.”
“That’s true,” Kyria said.
Rafe McIntyre spoke up. “I don’t know your son, ma’am. But maybe he told this fellow who brought thebox whatever it was he wanted to say to you. We just don’t know what it is.”
The duchess nodded. “Yes, that makes sense, I suppose. Theo was never as comfortable with a pen and paper as the rest of my children.”
Reed let out a snort. “You mean he’d rather face a charging elephant than write a letter.”
“Still, I agree with Kyria,” Thisbe commented. “An ancient reliquary seems an unlikely wedding gift. Especially for Olivia. It’s more something Papa would like.”
“Not really my period,” the duke pointed out. “Besides, the chap said, ‘Kyria.’”
“Perhaps he was saying, ‘Kyrie,’” Desmond suggested quietly, and everyone turned to look at him. “It is Greek for lord, isn’t it? Kyrie eleison? Perhaps he was trying to say Lord Broughton?”
“But I’m not called that,” the duke said.
“Yes, but a Greek isn’t going to necessarily know the intricacies of British titles,” Thisbe put in. She turned toward Rafe. “Could he have been saying, ‘Kyrie’?”
Rafe shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. Once he said only the first syllable, and the first time…I don’t know. I’m not sure what the ending of the word was. It sounded like Kyria, but of course the two words are very similar.”
“But why would Theo send that to Papa?” Kyria asked. “Theo would know that that wasn’t the era that Papa studies.”
Reed nodded. “It makes more sense that he sent it to Kyria because of the diamond. We all know that she loves gems. Although I have to say it seems extravagant, even for Theo.”
All around the table, heads nodded in agreement. They were all silent for a moment, looking at the reliquary. Then the duke said, “You know, Kyria, that chap I mentioned last night—Jennings? Actually, he lives not that far from here. Only a few hours’ ride. It wouldn’t be too difficult to take this over and show it to him, get his opinion. I am sure he could tell us a lot more about this reliquary than Uncle Bellard and I can. He has studied the Byzantine Empire for years and years. I could write him, telling him why you want to see him.”
Kyria sat up straighter, smiling. “That would be wonderful. I would like that. Perhaps he would even know something about how it should open.”
“I have to go to London tomorrow,” Reed put in. “I’m sorry, Kyria, but it’s important business. I won’t be back for at least a few weeks, but I could escort you then.”
Kyria bridled. “I don’t need an escort, Reed. I am quite capable of going to see Mr. Jennings by myself.”
“Kyria—” her older brother frowned “—I don’t think that would be wise.”
“Because she is a female?” the duchess asked, leaning forward, her eyes flashing.
“No,” Reed answered automatically. “Well, yes…” He squirmed a little under his mother’s fiery gaze, then burst out, “Blast it, Mother, this isn’t an equality-of-the-sexes issue. It could be dangerous! Look at what happened to the last person who was in possession of that box. I have no idea why someone attacked Mr. Kousoulous, but I cannot dismiss the possibility that it was because he wanted that box. It is obviously quite valuable. Surely you cannot want tohave Kyria running about the countryside carrying that box.”
“No, of course not.” The duchess leaned back, frowning.
“No one will know I have the box,” Kyria protested. “I will be fine by myself.”
“Oh, no, dear,” the duke put in worriedly.
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