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

angry glare. “I’m sure she will be thrilled to
meet him. I mentioned to you, did I not, Miss Stevens, that my husband is good
friends with his lordship?”
                “Yes,”
Ella said. She glanced at Digby who was doing a good impersonation of a slathering
dog in front of a bone as he stared at her breasts. “Very impressive,” she
said.
                “Mr.
Carter is only briefly in Cairo,” Julia said, “to meet with us and escort us to
the dig site across from Luxor. I just love saying dig site . I can’t thank you enough, sir.”
                Carter
picked up the menu and frowned briefly at Julia.
                “Not
at all, Lady Digby,” Carter said. “It is my honor.”
                “Lord
Carnarvon gave us entrée, you see,” Julia said to Ella. “As I am sure you know,
his lordship, who is presently in London, has the license for the dig and is
convinced that we shall find the tomb of King Tutankhamun there. Oh, my, did
you hear what I just said? I said ‘we.’ It appears I too am caught up in the
archaeological fervor. I am as bad as the Americans.”
                With
that comment and one final, determined nudge against Ella’s lightly slippered
foot, Julia steered the conversation away from Ella’s credentials or background
and firmly into the realm of subjects of unfailing interest to the men:
themselves.
                Later
that night, as they prepared for bed, Ella confronted her.
                “I
can’t go, you know,” she said. “Whatever you’ve got planned for us doing away
with your husband—”
                “Shhhhh!”
Julia said, looking over her shoulder. “My maid is still in attendance.”
                “Okay,
well I’m sure it’s okay for her to hear this. I am not going with you tomorrow . I have an important engagement.”
                “With
whom, pray tell? The disgraced valet? You have no such engagement.”
                “As
it happens, I do, and while I’m grateful forever for your help today, I need to
be on my way tomorrow.”
                Julia
jumped on the bed next to Julia, her dressing gown flowing around her. “It’s
only for two weeks. You have nothing else to do and it would be a wonderful
adventure. One you will tell your grandchildren about. Think of it, Miss
Stevens. To be present when they find the tomb of King Tutankhamun!”
                “It
sounds swell, really,” Ella said. “And as much as I’d love to, I have to get
back—”
                “Miss
Stevens, you must come. You saw him!
Surely, you can’t expect me to spend two weeks with him in a desert tent.”
                “Look,
you’ve got your maid there—”
                “ Alice isn’t coming.” Julia made a face
as if astounded anyone could be so ignorant. “I am not bringing a lady’s maid to the dig site. Really,
Miss Stevens, you are so funny.”
                “Okay,
well, you aren’t bringing me either,
Julia, er, Lady Julia. I’m sorry, I can’t
do it.”
                Julia
plucked at a feather sticking to her sleeve. “You have to come. I’ve already told them you were my traveling
companion.”
                “Well,
maybe you shouldn’t have done that without talking to me first.”
                “But
I already have done it. How can I
tell them now you’re not who I said
you were?”
                “Look,
I don’t know. See? This, Lady Julia, is why people shouldn’t lie.”
                “How
dare you! Are you accusing me of lying?”       
                Ella
felt exhausted just talking with this creature. Perhaps she should give in and agree
to come and then sneak out in the morning. It had been a long, over-stimulating
day and she really needed to just fall into bed and sleep if