The Duke’s face flushed. Sophia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“I would love to tell you about the mummies.” She took Oliver’s hand and led him toward the sarcophagus he had been examining. “Do you know what the ancient Egyptians believed happened after someone died?”
Oliver shook his head, his eyes wide.
“They believed the person went on a great adventure. A journey through the underworld, with monsters to defeat and riddles to solve. And at the end, if they were brave and good, they would reach a beautiful land where the sun always shone, and the river never ran dry.”
“Like a story?”
“Exactly like a story.” Sophia pointed to the hieroglyphics painted on the sarcophagus. “See these pictures? They are spells to help the person on their journey. This one here, with the bird? That is a falcon, the symbol of a god named Horus. He protects travelers.”
“A falcon.” Oliver pressed his face to the glass again. “I like falcons. They are fast.”
“They are indeed.” She crouched beside him. “Shall we play a game? Let us see how many animals we can find hidden in these paintings. I will count the birds, and you count everything else.”
Oliver threw himself into the task with enthusiasm, pointing out jackals and serpents and creatures Sophia was fairly certain did not exist outside the artist’s imagination. She praised each discovery, asked questions, and let him lead the exploration.
“That is not historically accurate.”
The Duke’s voice came from behind her. Sophia straightened and turned to find him frowning at the sarcophagus.
“I beg your pardon?”
“The journey through the underworld. You simplified it considerably. The weighing of the heart, the tribunal of forty-two judges, the role of Osiris as lord of the dead?—”
“He is four years old.”
“And capable of understanding complexity.” The duke crossed his arms. “Education should challenge, not coddle.”
“Education should engage.” Sophia matched his posture, folding her own arms. “A child who is bored learns nothing. A child who is curious learns everything.”
“Curiosity without rigor is mere entertainment.”
“Rigor without curiosity is mere torture.”
They stood facing each other, the sarcophagus between them, the air charged with something that had nothing to do with ancient Egypt. Sophia realized how close they stood. Realized the way his jaw tightened when he was annoyed. The flecks of gold in his blue eyes, visible only at this distance.
“Sophia!” Oliver’s voice broke the tension. “I found a lion! Come see!”
She turned away from the duke and followed Oliver to the next display case. Behind her, she heard her mother’s soft voice.
“That game she plays with him. The counting game.” Lady Brimsey spoke to the duke, though Sophia could still hear. “Her father invented it. When Sophia was small, he would take her to museums and galleries and challenge her to find hidden treasures in every room. She spent hours searching, learning without ever realizing she was being taught.”
Sophia’s chest tightened. She had not thought of those afternoons in years. Her father’s patient voice. His quiet pride when she discovered something new. The way he made the whole world feel like an adventure waiting to unfold.
The Duke moved to stand beside Sophia while Oliver counted the sphinx’s legs.
“Your mother mentioned you have a talent for observation.” His voice was low, meant only for her. “For seeing connections others miss.”
Sophia’s pulse quickened. “She flatters me.”
“I think not.” He watched Oliver for a moment. “Surely a woman of your… profession picks things up that others do not,” he whispered. “Admittedly, I find myself curious about the particulars of your… enterprise. How does one identify a suitable match?”
She glanced at him, surprised by the genuine interest in his tone. “I listen. Not just to what people say, but to what they avoid saying. I watch how they move through a room, who draws their attention, what makes them laugh.” She paused. “Most people tell you exactly who they are if you pay attention.”
“And Mr. Colborne?”
“He handles the correspondence. He provides respectability, and I provide insight.” She kept her eyes on Oliver. “We have helped more than twenty couples find happiness.”
