Journey to the Lost Tomb (Rowan and Ella Book 2) by Susan Kiernan-Lewis

Every square inch of the
skylight had been etched with swirls and scrolls that flickered and danced with
the movement of the light from twin gigantic crystal chandeliers that
illuminated the entire room with electric light.
                Every
head turned as they passed. Julia’s maid had dressed Ella’s hair for the
evening. She was thankful that her hair had grown enough from her Heidelberg
adventure—where she had found it necessary to crop it short to pass for a
boy—to be twisted into the chignon she now wore. Two long glittering
needles topped with semi-precious stones held the coif in place. As they
approached their table, the two men seated there tossed down their napkins and
stood up.
                I could totally get used to this, Ella
found herself thinking. She glanced at Julia to see if it was okay to smile yet
but she found her new friend looking stern and wooden.
                “Good
evening, my dear,” said one of the men as he took Julia by the elbow. He leaned
over and kissed her on the cheek but his eyes locked with Ella’s.
                So this was Viscount Digby. Ella pretty
much disliked him on sight. He was thin with a pale complexion and strawberry
blond hair combed in greasy waves. His nose was pronounced and strong with a
nearly invisible blond mustache beneath it and his lips were thin and mean. He
looked at Ella like he wanted to take a very large, meaty bite out of her.
                “Edward,
this is Miss Stevens.”
                Viscount
Digby bowed and held out his hand to Ella. She reached out to shake it and was
surprised when he brought her hand to his mustachied lips and kissed it.
Feeling the skin under her long gloves crawl, she forced herself not to snatch
her hand away.
                “Charmed,”
he said, his eyes dropped to the bodice of Ella’s gown.
                Hey, bub, my eyes are up here, Ella
thought, finally pulling her hand back.   “Pleased
to meet you,” she murmured.
                “And
Mr. Howard Carter,” Lady Julia said. She turned from her husband and Ella to
shake hands with a tall, middle aged man standing patiently at the table.
                “Good
evening, Lady Julia,” he said. “Very pleased to meet you Miss Stevens.”
                Julia
seated herself, which cued Ella to do the same. The men sat down.
                “Miss
Stevens is an American,” Julia said, “who has responded to my father’s advertisement
for a traveling companion for me.”
                Ella
was in the process of tugging off her gloves when Julia spoke and she was sure
her reaction was as dramatic as a vaudevillian double take.
                I
did what?
                “Oh,
very good, Miss Stevens,” Digby said. “So you will be accompanying us to the
dig site?”
                Ella
stared at Digby in astonishment.
                Julia
deftly removed her own gloves in a single movement. “Oh, yes, she’s very
excited to be a part of it all,” she said.   “She has read all about your work, Mr.
Carter, and is an Egyptian aficionado. Isn’t that true, Miss Stevens?’
                Ella
looked at Julia and tried not to register on her face the solid nudge Julia
gave her shin under the table. “Er, yes,” she said. “Very excited.” She gave
Julia a return nudge with her foot and hoped it would be interpreted correctly
as what the hell?!
                “The
Americans, especially, seem to love all the excitement happening in
archaeological circles in Egypt today,” Digby said. “Especially at KV62.” He
gave a nod in Carter’s direction but Carter merely signaled for the waiter to
fill the ladies’ wine glasses.
                “Miss
Stevens has read all about Lord Carnarvon’s interest in the Valley of the Kings,”
Julia continued, ignoring Ella’s