"Why? What other theories have been put forward?" I was interested to know, in case I could see merit in them.
"Well, besides "blast it to h.e.l.l", which didn"t work," Andre confessed, "your theory is an island oasis in a rippleless sea of possibility. I knew you"d be an a.s.set."
In the many times I"d worked with Andre, this was the first time he"d actually appreciated my knowledge more than my physical presence. Admittedly, my outfit did little for my figure. "One does one"s best."
James Conally was a pleasant bloke. He seemed well organised, courteous, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about anything that moved his project forward.
Needless to say, he greeted my theory with open arms, and praised Andre for bringing me to the project for I had already earned my week"s pay.
"I wouldn"t get that excited. I could be way off the mark." I needed to speak to Albray, but from what he"d told Ashlee about the construction of the pyramids, I had a sneaking suspicion I"d be proven right. "Our big problem is getting hold of this shem, shem, manna, ORME!" Indeed, the substance had many names. manna, ORME!" Indeed, the substance had many names.
"Star-Fire." Andre used a term that Albray had also used. "The maker of kings and G.o.ds!"
"I have no idea what happened to the powder," Conally advised me. "My partner, Christian Molier, is the expert on the site. If anybody knows, he will. I"ll contact him immediately."
"Molier is not here?" I wondered why someone should be so interested as to fund the excavation and then settle for applying his expertise from afar.
Conally shook his head. "My partner has a condition that does not allow him to be in sunlight, let alone desert heat."
"Oh, I see." I nodded in understanding.
"But not to worry, we have the best in communications gear," Conally said cheerily. "I"ll have answers in no time. Meanwhile, I"m sure you could use some food and rest."
The notion brought a large smile to my face.
"They"re predicting sandstorms anyway, so best to stock up and batten down the hatches for as long as it lasts," he continued. "If the winds have pa.s.sed by morning, then feel free to explore the Hathor complex."
"I will, don"t worry." He didn"t need to ask me twice if I wanted to be shown to my tent. I was weary from being on the move for over a day.
I was impressed by the campsite. We may have been in tents, but they were large and st.u.r.dy in order to survive a battering from the desert elements. As I was the only woman on the site, I got my own tent, which had a portaloo and also a self-contained shower recess-the base of the shower had sides high enough to be used for washing clothes, dishes, etc. I was also hooked up to the site"s power supply: I could run my computer, lights and an electric jug. A desk, a chair, a light and a bunk bed were supplied.
"We"ve had worse accommodation," I commented to Andre, who smiled in agreement.
"They"ve spared no expense to keep the team happy," he confirmed. "The mess tent is even air-conditioned! In the midday hours, not even the shade of this tent will offer much solace. The good news is that the food is excellent. Come," he motioned to the door, "try it out for yourself."
I looked back to the bunk with a mournful groan of indecision.
"I could have the cook bring something over?" Andre let me off the hook.
"Could you?" I smiled in appreciation. "I really don"t think I"m up for a big social evening. Better to wait for when my brain is functioning again." I gave my eyes a rub.
"No problem." Andre headed for the exit flap and then hesitated. "What about a small social evening?"
I served him a look indicating a negative answer. "I"m afraid I"ve met someone I"m rather taken with." I thought of Albray and grinned. I"d use him as an alibi to solve this little problem.
"But your lover is not with you, so-"
"I"m not like you, Andre." I shook my head and, thankfully, he conceded defeat.
"If you change your mind..."
"You"ll be the first to know," I a.s.sured him with a wave, and closed the tent flap behind him. "Ah...rest." I avoided my bed only long enough to use the loo, whereupon my weary body got familiar with my sleeping arrangement.
I awoke to find my tent doing a jig. The clattering of the metal supports stirred me from my slumber, but the base of the structure seemed to be holding up against the wind well enough. I rolled off my bed and crawled over to unzip the tent flap to see how bad the storm was-I didn"t even get a chance to look outside before my lap filled with sand. I quickly refastened the zip.
My stomach rumbled. I hadn"t stayed awake long enough to eat anything, and my eyes went to the desk to discover a tray of food had been delivered as I slept. "You really can be an angel at times, Andre."
There were two large bottles of water, fresh bread, some white meat that tasted like chicken, a salad in a small sealed container, dried fruit, nuts and a small carton of long-life milk that was sitting in a little bowl of water, which might have been ice many hours ago.
It was daylight outside, thus it seemed apparent that I had slept through the afternoon and all night! Some light penetrated the tent, but due to the raging sandstorm it was barely enough to see my hand in front of me. I switched on my desk light to dig out my little electric jug, adapter, tea bags and sugar which travelled everywhere with me. I noted that Andre recalled my habit and sent along the milk.
While the kettle boiled, I opened my bags to get myself sorted out. "Now, what to do first?" I gathered my wits and decided I needed Albray. I retrieved the stone from my pocket and summoned him forth.
What have you done? He flew into a rage the second he was present. I He flew into a rage the second he was present. I should have known better than to come here with an amateur...didn"t you feel me trying to get your attention"! should have known better than to come here with an amateur...didn"t you feel me trying to get your attention"!
I was confused for a second. "Do you mean the itching?"
Albray rolled his eyes and nodded. And now you have given the key to the enemy! And now you have given the key to the enemy!
"The enemy?" He"d lost me again. "Who is-"
Molier! he hollered over my query. I he hollered over my query. I should have known he"d be involved in this excavation. should have known he"d be involved in this excavation.
"How could you know about Molier, when you"ve been dead for eight hundred years?" I reasoned.
Do you want to guess who sealed my fate all those years ago? you want to guess who sealed my fate all those years ago? he challenged, the anger radiating from him. he challenged, the anger radiating from him.
I shook my head, able to think of only one answer, but it was impossible. "Christian Molier?"
Exactly right. Albray backed off to pace out his frustration. Albray backed off to pace out his frustration.
"I"m very sorry, Albray, but how was I supposed to know? Surely, you are mistaken about-"
Haven"t you read about Molier in Miss Granville"s journal yet?
"No, I haven"t-"
You mean you haven"t even reached Paris yet?
I understood that he was talking about Paris in Ashlee"s tale. "I was disturbed just as Ashlee was fleeing Devere"s chateau for Paris."
Then for G.o.d"s sake, read, Albray suggested, Albray suggested, so that you at least have some idea of who and what you"re dealing with. so that you at least have some idea of who and what you"re dealing with.
I really wasn"t used to being treated like an idiot and I wasn"t about to start appreciating it now. "Well, if you had just told me what the h.e.l.l was going on when I asked you, then I would have known, wouldn"t I?"
Albray"s dark eyes shot back to me, but his rage calmed quickly to a more reasonable level. Forgive me, Miss Montrose, it is not my intention to insult you. It is for your own protection that I recommend that you try to comprehend who and what you really are, and Ashlee is a far greater authority than I. That is why I beseech you to please read her account of the facts. Forgive me, Miss Montrose, it is not my intention to insult you. It is for your own protection that I recommend that you try to comprehend who and what you really are, and Ashlee is a far greater authority than I. That is why I beseech you to please read her account of the facts.
"All right," I agreed, being more disposed now that he"d moderated his tone of voice. "I shall read on."
Thank you. Albray ventured a smile. Albray ventured a smile.
"Would you like to stay while I read?" I inquired politely, secretly hoping for a yes.
Albray nodded. I have avenues I might investigate for our cause, if you would leave me at liberty in your world. have avenues I might investigate for our cause, if you would leave me at liberty in your world.
"And what is our cause, Albray?"
I suggest you read on and decide that for yourself. suggest you read on and decide that for yourself. He eagerly awaited my permission to be at liberty. He eagerly awaited my permission to be at liberty.
"But how do I know I can trust you at liberty if I am unaware of what business you are about?" I was just teasing. I did trust him, because, beyond the little conversation I"d had with him, he never seemed to steer Ashlee wrong.
I"m afraid you"ll have to trust your instinct on that count, Albray replied. Albray replied.
He knew that I felt well disposed toward him. "I think it is very unfair that you should have telepathic access to my thoughts and emotions, and that I should not be awarded the same insight into you."
No offence intended, Miss Montrose, he grinned, knowing his reply had cheek, he grinned, knowing his reply had cheek, but if you strove to perfect your psychic skills you could know anything you desire about me. but if you strove to perfect your psychic skills you could know anything you desire about me.
"Did you mention that to Ashlee?" I hadn"t read anything to that effect yet.
It didn"t take long for Miss Granville to discover it all on her own. didn"t take long for Miss Granville to discover it all on her own.
I hated the way Albray spoke with such admiration about her, when he obviously thought so little of me. "I understand that I must be a great disappointment to you." I couldn"t believe I was jealous of a dead woman and her relationship with this knight who"d been dead even longer!
"On the contrary," Albray a.s.sured, "you are too smart for your own good...which is why you need to redefine your beliefs about the boundaries between fact and myth. Only then will you comprehend the events that are about to unfold in your life."
I considered his words, which were not exactly as complimentary as I would have liked. I wanted him to flirt with me, as he had with Ashlee. Every other man with whom I came in contact admired me, so why not this man? "Feel free to be about your business," I granted, not wanting to bore him with my insecurities.
Just call if you need me and I shall return at once. He departed through the wall of my tent as I nodded. He departed through the wall of my tent as I nodded.
"It"s not like it matters whether he"s attracted to me or not." I struggled with my moodiness, but it was really depressing to consider that the most desirable man I"d ever met had been dead for eight hundred years. I dug out Ashlee"s huge journal and found the key to open it on my key ring. "Come on, Ashlee. Share your insights so that I might understand what the h.e.l.l our friend is so worried about."
I opened to the page marked by a gold ribbon attached to the middle of the upper spine of the huge volume and noted that I was about a quarter of the way into the tale. I was tempted to turn to the last chapter and cut to the chase, but how much would I miss learning about Albray if I did? "Just continue where you left off," I lectured, not wanting to waste time debating the issue with myself. "Now, where was I?" I scanned down the page and found my place...
-my heart was shattered by my failed romance, but also exulting to be on the run, free of everyone and everything that had ever held authority over me.
Next there was a break in the text and a special note that read: From this point on, the section of this From this point on, the section of this tale that involves Mr Devere was copied from the Honeymoon journal of my dear friend, the Countess of Oxford, Lady Susan Devere. Eyewitnesses confirm that her contribution to this journal is a truthful and accurate account of events. tale that involves Mr Devere was copied from the Honeymoon journal of my dear friend, the Countess of Oxford, Lady Susan Devere. Eyewitnesses confirm that her contribution to this journal is a truthful and accurate account of events.
LESSON 9.
ENLIGHTENMENT.
FROM THE HONEYMOON JOURNAL OF LADY SUSAN DEVERE.
No one noticed Ashlee"s absence until early afternoon the next day.
Mr Devere"s manservant, Mr Tibbs, who had been instructed not to disturb his lord in the morning, ventured into his lord"s quarters later that day to find his new mistress and all her belongings gone and his lordship in such a fit of sleep that he could not be woken.
I dared say nothing of what I"d seen late last night.
The house steward informed Mr Tibbs that Mrs Devere"s maid had told him that Mrs Devere was planning a surprise for her husband and had borrowed a coach to take to town and make arrangements.
This prevented the alarm being raised until evening, but when Ashlee did not return and Mr Devere did not wake, my husband and brother began to feel uneasy.
Ashlee hadn"t mentioned anything about poisoning her husband before departing, and I couldn"t help but wonder what she"d done to make him sleep as he did. We fetched a physician to look at Mr Devere, and the diagnosis was that he was in fine health. No poison, nor a blow to the body, had caused his fit of sleep; as long as he awoke within the next few days, my brother-in-law would be none the worse for the rest.
This was quite true of Mr Devere"s physical condition, but when he did finally awake on the morning of our third day at the chateau, his emotional and mental condition were not so stable.
My husband was with his brother when he awoke. I was waiting in the adjoining boudoir, hoping to obtain some clue as to why Ashlee had fled in secrecy.
"No!" I heard the cry of loss ring out. In fact, I suspected the whole household had heard it. The pain was so heartfelt that I couldn"t help but feel for the man. "G.o.d no, don"t let her have jumped to the wrong conclusion."
Then, everything went quiet. I crept up to the door and placed my ear against it. I heard the sound of ripping paper and there was silence for a moment. Earnest suppressed a groan of despair.
"What does it say?" my husband beseeched his brother, and I a.s.sumed they"d found Ashlee"s letter.
"She"s left me everything and fled," Earnest summed up, mournfully.
"I am sorry, Earnest. I told you from the start that she would be trouble. Still, at least your marriage wasn"t a total loss. You"re a landowner now and-"
"You don"t understand! I have to go after her," Mr Devere insisted. "I cannot lose her. My life won"t be worth living."
Then came a great thud.
"Clearly, you"re not well enough to go anywhere." The strain in my husband"s voice seemed to indicate that his brother had collapsed and Lord Devere was struggling to aid him to his feet.
"I just need some food," Mr Devere insisted. "Tell me, where is my sister-in-law this morning?"
"My countess is in the next room, waiting for word about your condition," Lord Devere informed him.
I smiled. I liked being his his countess. countess.
"How much does she know about my wife"s disappearance?" Mr Devere lowered his voice and I barely heard the question.
"No more than the rest of us, I should think," my husband replied honestly. "My wife has been in my company a good deal, as you know, and was just as surprised as the rest of us when our sister-in-law went missing and you slept on unaware for two days."
"Two days!"
I heard the rustle of paper once more, then footsteps coming toward the door.