Chapter One
Syria
Twelve years later
Lisbeth stood in the small building in the bustling Syrian port city of Latakia.
She waited patiently as Mr. Abbas spoke to the guide who could escort her, Abbas, and her guard, Seth Benson, to the Calverts’ excavation site out in the desert.
From what she’d been told, it would be another three-day ride.
Mr. Abbas’s hands flew in every direction.
Lisbeth frowned; once long ago, she’d been able to speak some Arabic, but they were talking much too fast to understand what was being said.
Instead, she glanced out the window. The street was alive with street vendors, men and women strolling along, and other lively entertainment.
If she were any other lady, she might be terrified to be in a new country, but the sounds, sights, and smells exhilarated Lisbeth. Partially, she supposed, because this wasn’t her first time in this city. However, it had been over ten years.
Abbas turned back to her and sighed, “Your Grace, Mr. Dawoud said Benjamin Calvert, his daughter, and her husband have returned to England.”
Lisbeth’s eyes widened. “Her husband?”
“Yes, surname Sinclair,” their guide, Mr. Dawoud, said.
Abbas frowned at him. “You speak English?”
“Of course I do.” Dawoud looked at him, puzzled.
Lisbeth smiled at him. “Did you say Sinclair?”
Dawoud beamed at her. “Yes, they wed in the desert. Miss Calvert’s father insisted.”
She laughed. It sounded like Benjamin. Joy coursed through her, but then it was replaced with frustration that she’d traveled all this way, and now they would have to return to England.
“Their partner, Thomas Easton, is in the city. Perhaps he can help you?” Dawoud suggested.
This was the one thing she’d feared. Well, not exactly this.
She’d never anticipated Rose and Benjamin not being here at all.
Yes, Lisbeth had suspected she might have to see Thomas briefly, but nothing more than that.
Now, he was the only person who could assist her.
She hoped Rose had told him about the map potentially being delivered.
She did her best to shake off her concerns.
They didn’t matter. What was important was that she had a very old map indicating the location of two ancient cuneiform tablets that her club, The Historical Society for Female Curators, needed to retrieve.
The club required them to finish deciphering an ancient epic.
In London, they had clay tablets that contained the beginning and middle of the story.
The map, if accurate, would lead them to the artifacts that included the ending.
It would be a huge success for the club to display one of the oldest completed pieces of literature known to the modern world.
It was an epic that explained one man’s quest to win the right to be with the woman he loved. The Historical Society for Female Curators had deciphered and put on display the first half of the story at Seely House in London. It was currently a favorite attraction among the ton.
It wasn’t often that London society became enthralled by antiquities, but the Historical Society for Female Curators had successfully grabbed their attention.
Lisbeth was excited and proud of the club.
They’d only been around for a year. Still, the male-only London Society of Antiquaries was doing everything in its power to limit their achievements.
Having a completed ancient epic on display would wow everyone.
The club’s president hadn’t said it out loud, but Lisbeth suspected that Addie and the other board members hoped it would parley them into a chance to showcase artifacts at the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations that the Royals were hosting in a few months.
The global event nicknamed the Great Exhibition promised to be the first of its kind, bringing unique goods, innovations, and items from all over the world for tourists to peruse.
The most sought-after architects were building a massive building in Hyde Park to house the event.
It was to be known as the Crystal Palace.
Artifacts and historical innovations were only a small part of the exhibits.
Still, the Historical Society for Female Curators was determined to be part of the event.
To do that, the club needed the tablets containing the epic’s ending.
Lisbeth pushed away the unease of having to engage with Thomas and asked, “Do you know where we can find Mr. Easton?”
Dawoud nodded. “If you follow the road and pass through two intersections, you will find a small café. He is likely there. I think he is planning to head to another excavation site farther south tomorrow.”
Lisbeth ignored the nerves sizzling in her stomach and smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Dawoud.”
She glanced at Abbas and Benson. “Shall we?”
They both frowned at her. Abbas suggested, “Perhaps you should wait here.”
Annoyance flared in her. “Mr. Abbas, I’m not the first English woman to venture to Latakia. I have spent time here previously.
Both Abbas’s and Benson’s eyes widened. Mr. Dawoud nodded. “She is safe here. I will escort you all. Follow me”
She departed after him, walking past them and exiting the space.
The street was even busier than when they entered the small building owned by Mr. Dawoud.
More street vendors had started to fill empty spaces, and locals shopped and socialized.
It had been smart to forgo her usual elaborate dresses for practical skirts and blouses.
Beyond being sensible, it was bloody hot.
She weaved her way through the crowds with Abbas and Benson scrambling behind her as they followed Dawoud. Memories came flooding back. A man selling dates transported her to a time with Thomas when she was eighteen and he was nineteen—so long ago.
*
“Don’t eat that, Lizzie,” Thomas insisted.
Lisbeth grinned mischievously at him. “You are no fun. We are on an adventure. One that is going well, I might add. We found the famed explorer, Benjamin Calvert, and he is allowing us to work with him and his daughter. We need to try everything.”
She bit into the date and closed her eyes, enjoying the sweetness.
Lisbeth had expected it to be tart, but it wasn’t.
Opening her eyes, she found her dearest friend Thomas staring at her lips, transfixed.
A moment of something passed between them.
She cleared her throat. “Here, try this, Serious Thomas.”
He yanked his gaze away from her mouth and glared at her. Thomas hated the nickname she gave him. She laughed and pressed the date to his lips. His eyes widened as he bit into it. When he was done, Thomas said, “It’s sweet.”
*
A hand grabbed Lisbeth’s arms, yanking her out of the decade-old memory. A cart came lumbering by close enough that Lisbeth could touch it. Benson frowned at her. “Be careful, Your Grace.”
She glanced around and said, “I think you should call me Lisbeth or Mrs. Lusby.”
Abbas nodded. “That is a good idea.”
Mr. Dawoud stood farther down the street, motioning to them. They finally reached the small café, and Lisbeth heard laughter inside, which she suspected was coming from Thomas. How did she know his voice after so many years?
Dawoud said, “Stay here, and I will ask him to join us.”
Lisbeth nodded and stood to the side with Benson, her heart pounding.
*
Thomas Easton smacked his close friend Desmond Keaton on his back as they broke into laughter. Keaton smirked. “I thought for sure we were goners. Luckily, Rafe found us.”
Their Syrian friend, Tarek Al-Rafiq, or as they knew him, Rafe, grunted. “You fools are lucky I found you out in the desert. I sent you a letter to wait for me.”
Keaton sighed. “Hawley said it was of great importance.”
Thomas snorted. Delivering antiquities across the desert wasn’t worth their lives. “I think Hawley is confused about what matters. I care about artifacts as well, but if Rafe hadn’t shown up, we would have died from lack of water.”
The table fell quiet, but finally, Rafe grinned. “Luckily, I happen to like you two Englishmen. I can’t say that about all those that come here.”
They all smirked. Keaton looked at Thomas. “What is next? Do you know when Rose and Benjamin will return? I can’t believe she is a duchess. I would never have predicted that for her.”
Thomas elbowed Keaton in the stomach. His friend grunted.
He wouldn’t let anyone speak poorly of Rose.
He was happy for her. Though he suspected he wouldn’t see her in Syria as often as before.
Still, the duke was likely her perfect match.
He seemed to have no interest in stymying her scholarly pursuits.
He should have returned to England with them. It had been almost a decade since he last saw his mother. She would be happy to see him. Over the last few years, she’d been more pointed about wanting him to return to London, but he couldn’t. Lisbeth was there.
Thomas wished his ex-betrothed only the best but had no desire to interact with her.
He’d finally made peace with their past. Still, it had taken him a damn long time to do so.
“Rose and her husband will be back. She needs to deliver a map that shows the location of the two clay tablets I’ve been searching for.
There are too many corridors and cavities within the cave system down South.
Without the drawing of what pathways to take, I’m simply guessing.
I suppose they could send someone else. I don’t know how long it will take to have a grand society wedding. ”
Keaton shuddered. “I may pass if you head back to the tunnels. That cave system is so vast, and I hate those tiny spaces.”
Thomas grinned. Keaton detested the caves. They spooked him; he often complained about how he hated the tight spaces.
“I’ve explored them a couple of times and think the best decision is to wait on the map.”
Mr. Dawoud stopped at their table. Thomas grinned at the guide, who generally acted as their escort to the permanent excavation site Benjamin Calvert worked at when he was here. “How are you, Dawoud? I don’t think I will be going out to the site anytime soon.”
Dawoud shook his head. “You have a visitor who wants to speak with you because Benjamin isn’t here.”
Thomas groaned. Benjamin enjoyed hosting a diverse range of people.
He didn’t have much going on, but it didn’t mean he wanted to take over for his partner.
A bit of guilt swirled in him because he knew Thomas would expect him to entertain the visitors.
He would do it, but not until the next day.
“Can you ask them to meet me at the main hotel tomorrow? We can make plans to head out to the site.”
The guide shook his head. “I don’t think that will work.”
Thomas lifted a brow. “Why?”
Just then, the café went quiet, and he heard rustling behind Dawoud.
His heart nearly leaped out of his throat because Lisbeth, the Duchess of Lusby, joined Dawoud, followed by two other men.
His eyes roamed over her uncontrollably.
She looked like everything he’d imagined over the years—stunning and untouchable. Why did his hands itch to touch her?
Their eyes connected, and she gulped; he suspected she was nervous to see him. She took a deep breath and said, “Hello, Mr. Easton.”
Fury welled in him at her proper tone. They had a past, one that was far too intimate for such formality. Thomas wouldn’t allow it. He was a legend in the field of antiquities, possibly the most famous explorer of his time.
He leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Well, hello, Lizzie. I certainly wasn’t expecting you. Why am I so lucky to have you grace my presence?”
Fire sparked in her eyes, and she gritted her teeth before saying calmly, “Please call me Mrs. Lusby.”
He lifted a brow at her haughtiness. His smile became more of a smirk. The owner motioned for Thomas to use a private room. It wasn’t often that women were in this café. He rose and said, “Please follow me, Lizzie.”
She stiffened at his second use of her old nickname.
He suspected it had been a long time since this duchess had been addressed so informally.
She was both the same and so different. He couldn’t stop himself from perusing her beautiful face, blonde hair, and slender form.
She was dressed far more casually than Thomas believed a duchess would be, but it appeared she’d acquired a regal bearing over the last ten years that gave her an air of importance.
Rafe and Keaton stared at him curiously. Finally, Keaton asked, “Should I join?”
Thomas shook his head and led Lisbeth and her two associates into the private room. What was she doing here?