Seeing his opportunity, Tom hurried to stand next to Helen’s camel.“Might I assist you, my lady?”he asked.He frowned when he noticed she was watching their guide help with her mother, and jealousy once again had him fuming.“Or not?”
Helen turned to regard him with furrowed brows.“I’m still terribly high up,” she said, her eyes wide with indecision.
“Hold on,” he instructed, waiting until her camel knelt before he reached for her waist.
Helen gasped, her gloved hands moving to grip his shoulders as he lowered her from the sidesaddle.
For that brief moment before her feet touched the ground, when Tom was lowering her, he inhaled deeply and held his breath as her body brushed down the front of his.
They stared at one another a moment before she blinked.“Thank you, Mr.Forster,” she said.
“You’re welcome, my lady,” he replied, wincing slightly at hearing her formality.
She patted the side of the camel’s neck.“I do wonder what Bradley would have thought of riding a camel.I don’t know if he would have been frightened or delighted.He’s just over a year old, you see.”
Reminded of the babe, Tom did his best to hide his disappointment.He lifted her hand to his lips, and brushed them over the back of her knuckles.“I did notice you left him behind.”
“I found a nurse to see to him for the day,” she explained.“She has a babe about the same age, so he shan’t miss me.”
Although he wanted to ask her about the boy’s father, they were interrupted when Salman called out, “Let us begin here.”He was waving them to a spot at the base of the largest pyramid.
“Such an interesting man,” she said, so only he could hear.
Tom bristled at hearing Helen’s enthusiasm, and he reluctantly held out his arm for her.Helen placed hers on it, and from the way her brows knitted, he knew she was confused by his manner.Not about to mention the reason for his dislike of the guide, he pretended interest as they joined the others who stood and stared up the rough face of the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
“She looks so familiar.Who is she?”Helen asked.
Tom furrowed a brow, following her line of sight to discover she was staring at Diana.“My new sister, Diana,” he whispered.“She and Randy have been married about six months.”
“Henley?”she asked in surprise.
“Indeed.You know her?”
Helen nodded.“From school.Although...well, she wasn’t there much.Always off to Sicily.Is that where Lord Forster met her?”
He shook his head.“Athens, actually.Henley has a new dig site on the Acropolis, but I think Randy had made up his mind about taking her to wife long before her father even arrived in Athens to begin his position.”
Helen sighed.“I suppose the breeches helped draw his attentions?”she teased.
Tom’s eyes widened.“Uh...I...I couldn’t say,” he stammered.“I think he likes her because she’s...well, she’s clever.Knows a lot.Remembers everything.”
“Huh,” Helen replied softly.“Imagine having to travel two-thousand miles to meet the woman who is to be your wife,” she murmured.“When you’re both from England.”
Tom held his breath a moment.Was she talking about Randy and Diana?Or someone else?
And where was the father of her babe?
“It is a bit odd, I suppose,” he replied.
With that, the two turned their attentions to the dragoman and listened intently.
