Holding his gaze, Olive nodded, her barely contained glee gleaming behind her glasses. “They were digging in the wrong place.”
Part of him wanted to whoop in excitement again and drag her into his arms. But he needed to be certain.
“Ye think it’s possible the matchingsphaerais still here?” He tapped at the map. “Behind the back wall? Just waiting to be excavated?”
“I think, if the river flowed along the rear of the building while it was occupied, then not only could thesphaerahave rolled from the ridge down the back of the building, but it would have hit the water and sunk.”
He didn’t think it was possible for his heart to speed up any more, but it did.
“It could still be there, buried under layers of riverbank mud!”
She must have been as excited as he was because she reached over and grabbed his hand. “Just waiting for you to find it!”
The words gave him pause.
“Nay, lass,” he corrected, shaking his head. “Waiting forusto find it!”
When he squeezed her hand, she squeezed his back.
“When do we start?”
The thought of embarking on this adventure filled him with a kind of excitement he’d never felt before. Aye, he’d faced death and dismemberment, and even—shudder—boredom on his travels before. But today, now…?
The thought of sharing an adventure withher, even if it meant a gentle stroll to the nearby ruins with a set of spades and a notebook, well, that was somehow far more exciting. Perhaps it was the glint in her eyes, or the knowing quirk of her lips, but whatever it was, Phin couldn’t wait to start.
He glanced at the window, noting the clear skies. “It looks as if we’re having a break in the weather. Go change into yer auldest gown and meet me near the maze in thirty minutes with a notebook and some pencils. I’ll see if I can find some equipment.”
Her grip hadn’t loosened. “Are we going to do some archaeology, Phineas?”
“Aye, lass.” His smile bloomed. “We’re going on an adventure!”
