“Thomas?” Lisbeth asked,snapping him out of his memories.
Why was he thinking about the past? He shook his head. “Sorry.”
She frowned at him, and he smirked at her, knowing it would rile her up. Lisbeth took a deep breath. “As I was saying, the map is old, and we need to be careful with it. Still, it is quite detailed and hopefully should help us find the tablets.”
He leaned forward and looked at the old document. The person who drew the picture took great care to ensure it accurately reflected the actual cave system. Thomas had spent enough time there that he identified some of the corridors he’dexplored. Yet there were spaces he’d never seen. One cavern on the map had various objects painted in it.
“Is this the location?”
Lisbeth nodded. “That is what Rose and the club suspect.”
Lisbeth placed her finger, showing three corridors that led to the place of interest. He frowned. “I’ve never seen some of these areas. The entrance to them must be obscured somehow.”
She bit her lip and asked, “Do you think one of the corridors is still traversable?”
He grinned at her. “Anything is possible?”
She seemed startled by his optimism. Thomas lifted a brow, and a small, amused expression filled her face. “You certainly are no longer Serious Thomas.”
“That boy disappeared long ago.”
The past hung between them. Thomas cleared his throat; he needed her to leave. All of this was too much. “I wanted to suggest that you return to England. I give you my word that this will be my main priority, and once I find the tablets, they will be shipped to England.”
She frowned and then turned to Benson and Abbas. “Could you give us a moment to speak privately?”
The men rose and departed the room. Lisbeth said, “Why are you suggesting I leave after you all but taunted me to go with you?”
He sighed. “It has been years since you did this type of work. I don’t want to have to keep an eye on you.”
Lisbeth bristled. The tiny display of emotion flared feelings in Thomas that he thought were long gone. When they’d been together and much younger, Thomas had always been the reasonable one, with Lisbeth more emotional and dramatic. Over the last ten years, she’d learned to master that. He was a cad because he enjoyed riling her up.
“I don’t need a sitter or keeper. I’m the one who introduced you to antiquities all those years ago.”
He snorted. “Lizzie, I’ve traveled the world since then.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, the famed explorer, Thomas Easton, has done everything. I’m aware that you’ve discovered never-before-seen ancient libraries, Assyrian and Mesopotamian historical sites, and Roman buildings across the continent.”
His lips twitched at her lack of awe for his fame. She tilted her chin up. “I’m going, Thomas. When do we leave?”
Thomas had tried.Not very hard, his rational side taunted. Ignoring reason, he answered, “The day after tomorrow.”
He stood and headed for the door.
Lisbeth said, “Thomas.”
Stopping, he turned back. She smirked and looked down at her dress. “Can you help me acquire more practical clothing?”
The duchess before him was breathtaking, but for some reason, the idea of Lizzie, dressed ready to explore, might bring him to his knees, Thomas thought.She left you, he reminded himself. Still, he nodded. “I’m sure Rose has something at the building where we store all our items in Latakia. I will make sure clothes are delivered to the hotel.”
Chapter Three
Lisbeth couldn’t believeshe was going with Thomas on this trip. They wouldn’t be alone, as Benson, Abbas, and Thomas’s associate would be traveling with them. Still, she hadn’t envisioned doing more than delivering the map to Syria. Yet, now, she was on her way to assist in the search.
She glanced down at the clothing Thomas had sent her the previous day. The items belonged to Rose and were designed primarily for convenience. It was a blend of Bedouin culture in Syria and what one would imagine a man would wear for adventuring.
The shirt that covered her from her collarbone to her calves was a garment called a thawb, and it was paired with a pair of light men’s English breeches. The ensemble was finished with a belt and a hat. No ball gowns for her. She smiled, freer than she’d felt in a long time.
Lisbeth left her room and joined Benson and Abbas in the lobby. The hotel agreed to hold their luggage while they were gone. They would be taking a much smaller portion of their belongings on the trip. Abbas smiled at her. “You look very comfortable today. Much more than yesterday.”
