Chapter Thirty-Three
Lisbeth stood in front of the packed lecture room at Seely House with Rose and Addie.
The chatter throughout the room was deafening.
None of them had expected to have so many people.
They had almost double what they had when they opened the exhibit for the cuneiform tablets.
It was madness. Diana, Sarah, and Esme stood in the back of the room speaking with the Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition.
The commission seemed happy to be there, and Lisbeth hoped that meant they would be granted a space at the Great Exhibition. Excitement swirled in her.
“This is a bloody mess,” Rose muttered under her breath.
Lisbeth giggled. “This is exciting. You and the club have made it.”
Rose grinned at her. “I suppose you are right. It just feels cramped in here.”
“All these people are here to learn about the ending to Belit and Sibri’s tale. A story that is thousands of years old, and we only know because you were able to decipher the ancient text. It’s amazing.”
A blush formed on Rose’s cheeks. “Enough of that.”
It was true, but Rose would never be one to accept all the credit. A loud whistle from Addie caused the room to fall silent. She beamed at them all. “Please take your seats.”
People shuffled around quietly. Lisbeth looked around for Lord Harston and was shocked to discover he wasn’t in attendance. The man loved to attend their events and cause trouble. Perhaps this talk wouldn’t be as combative.
She noticed one of Benson’s associates standing with Thomas.
They were both perusing the room for any dangers and watching her.
Benson had arranged for a few more guards to be on hand, but nothing seemed amiss.
Plenty of ladies approached Thomas to talk with him or obtain his signature.
Lisbeth smiled, wondering how long he would be this famous.
The hilarious part was that he didn’t have any interest in fame.
Addie motioned for her to start. Lisbeth looked out at the crowd. “Thank you for joining the Historical Society for Female Curators for this event. We are so excited to reveal the end of Belit and Sibri’s story.”
A woman sighed. “We can’t wait.”
The rest of the room giggled. Lisbeth and Rose smiled at each other. Another lady raised her hand, and Lisbeth pointed at her. “Why did we have to wait for the ending?”
“That is an excellent question. Once Miss Calvert started deciphering the text, we quickly discovered we were missing the last third of the story. The club worked with the solicitor, Mr. Abbas, and the London Society of Antiquaries to find the rest of the ancient tale that was suspected to be on two tablets in a cave system in Syria.”
“How did the London Society of Antiquaries help?”
Lisbeth smiled. “In their vaults, they had a very old map that gave us an idea of where to look for the tablets. Thomas Easton and I journeyed into a cave system to find the artifacts. Mr. Abbas was there as well. It was quite an adventure. Mr. Easton was swept away and pushed out into a river.”
All the ladies sighed. Thomas from the back said, “Her Grace is being far too kind. She is the one who retrieved the last two tablets containing the end of the epic.”
Ladies beamed at her, and one raised her arm. “Did you really marry Mr. Easton?”
More women giggled, and the noise sent a chill down Lisbeth’s back. Thomas said from the back. “Yes, we are married.”
A few ladies applauded, and some actually booed. Lisbeth refocused the conversation, growing uncomfortable. “Why don’t we listen to Miss Calvert explain the end of Belit and Sibri’s story? It’s a wonderful ending, I promise.”
Several ladies sighed. She smiled at Rose, who stepped forward and said, “Before I explain the rest of the tale, let’s applaud the new Mrs. Easton on finding the tablets.”
The room broke out in loud applause. Lisbeth blushed, and her eyes connected with Thomas’s, who grinned proudly at her. It was good that she attended.
Rose stated, “The last two tablets are the most exciting, but let’s do a quick summarization of what has happened so far.
Belit is a guard, and he falls in love with the princess Sibri.
The king says the only way he can be with her is if he obtains the golden fruit.
Our hero sets off on his quest and encounters many challenges, but eventually he finds the fruit. ”
“He befriends the monster guarding it,” a lady burst out.
Lisbeth and Rose both smiled at her excitement.
Rose nodded. “Yes, and at the end of the third tablet, he is on his way to claim Sibri as his. The recently discovered tablets reveal he encounters several problems but overcomes them. His biggest battle is with the king. They’ve agreed to fight to the death, but in the end, Belit grants him mercy.
The king allows him to marry Sibri. They rule their kingdom for twenty years. ”
People applauded. Addie stepped forward. “We have art representing the story and the deciphered text for the last two tablets in the exhibit room.”
Men and women started to stand, excited to see the display.
Happiness and pride coursed through Lisbeth.
The club had accomplished this. She caught the eyes of Diana, who was walking with the Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition.
She beamed at Lisbeth. Had they pulled it off? Were they to be given a space?
Addie looped her arm through Lisbeth’s. “I think we’ve done it!”
*
Thomas stood next to Devons, grinning as he watched all the ladies of the Historical Society for Female Curators thank their well-wishers. They’d concluded their talk a couple of hours ago, but plenty of people still lingered to speak with them.
“Diana told me that the Royal Commission of the Great Exhibition offered them a place in the Crystal Palace that is being built.”
He nodded. “I’m glad they were admitted. It would have been outrageous for them to be denied. They hold the only fully deciphered epic.”
Devons nodded and chuckled. “When I signed on to work with them, I was skeptical how successful this club would be, but I am damn impressed.”
“Me too,” Thomas said.
“All of society is talking about some grand estate you are building right out of London. I suppose that means you plan to stay. I’m glad I will have another husband to spend time with, while our ladies are challenging the world.”
“Agree.”
“What are the two of you talking about?” Sinclair asked, joining them.
Devons grinned. “That we need our own husband’s club for the Historical Society for Female Curators.”
Sinclair nodded. “There are three of us now.”
Thomas watched Lisbeth as she explained the details of the tablets to a young teenage girl.
Sadness lurked in her eyes, and he suspected it was because she’d fought with Alice earlier.
Alice had been excited to attend the event, but they’d decided to bring her when it wasn’t so crowded.
Just in case there was any validity to his admirer being dangerous.
She’d been so upset, but Thomas was glad they’d made her stay back. The place had been overwhelmed with a crush of people today. They could lose sight of her within seconds. Lisbeth smiled at him from across the room. He said, “Excuse me, gentleman. I think I will join my wife.”
They nodded. Once Thomas reached Lisbeth, he kissed the top of her head. “I’m so proud of you.”
She smiled. “Thank you. We obtained a spot in the Great Exhibition. They are calling the space being created the Crystal Palace. We will have to take Alice and Jeremy there to make up for not attending here.”
“They would love that.”
He glanced around the room and smiled. A memory flashed in his mind.
*
Eleven-year-old Lisbeth flipped through the book about the ancient city of Palmyra, located in present-day Syria. The ruins had been discovered over a hundred years ago, and they were still finding new artifacts and secrets about the society.
Thirteen-year-old Thomas frowned at her. “You’ve looked at that book a dozen times. Why do you keep rereading it?”
She lifted her head and grinned. “Because someday, Serious Thomas, I’m going to discover something amazing, and the world will applaud me as an explorer and antiquarian.”
He grinned at Lisbeth, completely enamored with his friend. Her eyes narrowed, and she frowned at him. “Are you laughing at me?”
Thomas looked at her, shocked. “Of course not.”
Lisbeth looked at him skeptically. “Are you sure?”
He pulled her up from where she was lying on her belly, reading the book. “I promise I will always believe in you.”
Lisbeth hugged him tight, and Thomas squeezed her back. She whispered in his ear, “Good, because I expect you to be by my side.”
“Always, Lizzie.”
She released him and charged out of the room. “Come on. Let’s find some adventure.”
*
Lisbeth, studying him, asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Amused, he said, “I’m just remembering an eleven-year-old girl who said she was going to discover something amazing and the whole world would applaud her. She was right.”
She smiled. “That was so long ago.”
“It is a good memory.”
Lisbeth looped her arm through his. “And here you are by my side as you promised.”
“Always, Lizzie.”
She leaned into him and said, “Let’s go home. I think the ladies can manage without me.”