She was, though, even if she couldn’t have done anything different. He sighed and said, “What about Jeremy?”
“He is such a sweet boy and a rule follower. Alice is always trying to get him in trouble, but he normally resists. He loves history as well, but he is more fascinated by modern inventions.He is very excited about the Great Exhibition coming to London soon.”
“I’m interested in attending as well. Do you think that your club will have a display?”
Lisbeth thought they deserved a spot, but she wasn’t sure what would happen. “Someone from the Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition will be at the event for the epic. I’m hoping we will be granted our place then.”
Thomas frowned. “Why were you going to leave London if the event on the epic was so important?”
She flushed, and Thomas shook his head. “I’m sorry my behavior has been so atrocious, and I forced us to wed. I wasn’t myself. I would take it all back if I could.”
It comforted her that he was apologetic, and she said, “We are starting anew, correct?”
He nodded. “I want only to spend time with you and the children. I want to show you and them that we can be a family.”
She still wasn’t sure, but the hope that she thought was dead was growing.
*
Thomas sat inthe townhouse study, reviewing what he would need to do to settle in London. Rose’s father, Benjamin, was away from the city but still in England. He’d need to make final plans with him. He wouldn’t be traveling for the foreseeable future. Thomas suspected Benjamin would return to Syria.
Lisbeth had mentioned that the Historical Society for Female Curators hoped to partner with Benjamin. They wanted a lady studying history to spend time at Benjamin’s main excavation site in Syria. One of their board members, Lady Esme, who studied ancient civilizations, would be the first lady to try out the idea.
He smiled. Benjamin would be able to teach another group of young adults all about antiquities. Thomas also needed to write to Rafe and Keaton and let his friends know he was staying in London. He wasn’t sure where Rafe was, but Keaton should be in Latakia.
The real question, though, was what he would do now that he was settling in London. Thomas supposed he could reach out to Anderson, and they could create some new serials. He wasn’t sure that was what he wanted. It would certainly make money, but he didn’t enjoy the fame that went with it.
Thomas, Benjamin, and Rose were all relatively wealthy, so he had time to decide, but he was never one to be idle. He frowned, wondering if he was getting ahead of himself. He hoped not. He glanced at the doorway and spied Alice peeking in on him. She quickly hid behind the wall.
“I know you are there,” he said, somewhat amused and also excited that she was interested in what he was doing.
An annoyed sigh filtered into the room, followed by her entering. She said, “This is my father’s study.”
Her words felt like a punch to his chest, but he didn’t let it show. “It is a wonderful space to work.”
She nodded and pointed to a wingback chair. “I used to sit here and read. On the bottom shelf behind you are multiple books on ancient tales. I would read one while he worked.”
Thomas asked, “Would you like one now?”
Alice looked conflicted, and he said, “Sometimes it is nice to do something familiar and think of the person you lost.”
She nodded jerkily. “The second book is about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Can you hand me that one, please?”
This was a positive step for their relationship. Thomas grabbed the book. “Do you know that it is suspected to be in Mesopotamia, which is governed by the—”
“The Ottoman Empire,” Alice interjected.
He smiled. “Yes.”
She grinned at him, and a kinship passed between them. Alice settled into the chair, and he did his best to focus on his plans, when all he wanted to do was ask the child dozens of questions. “Where is your brother?”
Alice laughed. “Our governess made him stay and study his math longer.”
“I hated math too.”
“It isn’t that hard,” she said, rolling her eyes.
She sounded so much like a young Lisbeth. He stared at her, and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Thomas, not wanting to frighten her, remarked, “You sounded just like your mother.”
