Across the Ages (Across the Ages Book One) (15 page)

TWENTY-THREE

READY FOR THIS

LANDING WASN’T
nearly as bad as the take-off, but it did make her stomach feel funny. Will worked on his laptop and spoke a foreign language into the phone. Once the plane stopped, Lucy watched from a window while their bags were loaded into the waiting limousine. She saw the great pyramids in the distance and her heart bloomed with excitement.

Once the stairs were let down, Lucy got off first followed by Will.

The limousine was stark white as was the driver’s uniform. He wore a suit and matching hat with a black brim.

“You ready for this?” Will whispered into her ear.

“Oh, yes.” Lucy gave him a radiant smile.

“Welcome to Cairo, Mr. Godwin,” the driver said. His English was perfect, but with an accent Lucy found charming. A light wind blew, lifting the edges of her sweater. “It’s seventy-three degrees in Cairo, the perfect temperature.”

“Appreciate it,” Will said.

“My name is Sudi. Anything you need, you just let me know.” He held the door open.

“Will do.” Will climbed in after Lucy.

“I’ll have you to The Fairmont Cairo in Nile City in approximately thirty minutes, sir.”

“Very good.”

The driver pulled the car away. “Are you in Cairo for business or pleasure?” Sudi asked.

Will had poured himself and Lucy some water from a bottle. Will took a drink. “Both,” he said.

“Ah, very good.”

Will closed the partition. “The hotel we’re staying in overlooks the Nile River. Thought you might enjoy that.”

“That was very thoughtful of you, Mr. Godwin.” She turned so that she could see out the window. The city could be seen in the distance. It sparkled like jewels in the sunlight.

“Our rooms are separate, of course, but there is a connecting door, just in case you need anything.”

Lucy took another sip, keeping her focus on the window, but she could see his reflection. He was watching her. She hid a smile. Will was a good man, honorable, if a bit, or rather a lot, arrogant. “That is most appreciated, Mr. Godwin.” She took a sip of water.

***

Will checked them into their hotel. An attendant brought up the luggage. Lucy wanted nothing more than a shower and a change of clothes. She felt rumpled and her teeth were grassy. She found it odd how easily she’d grown accustomed to the luxuries of a person living in the twenty-first century. But she guessed anyone from her time would do the same. No way would a person choose to relieve herself in a pot instead of a toilet that flushed everything down when finished. There was more than just that though. Toothbrushes, dental floss, and showers with hot and cold running water, those were items she couldn’t imagine living without now that she knew of them.

They took an elevator up to the top floor. Lucy grabbed hold of Will’s arm when it began to move and she didn’t give a blast that it was inappropriate. Will covered her hand with his and patted it. “You’re fine,” he said.

She nodded, trying to steel herself, but the movement frightened her.

Their hotel rooms were just as Will described, separate with a connecting door. Her room was spacious. A large bed adorned with white coverings and pillows rested against the left wall. It was covered in gold print except for the space where the bed sat. There was a floor to ceiling black leather backboard. It’s been quilted with large black buttons. A round mirror hung in the middle of it. On the far wall was an enormous window. The coverings were white and gold. To the right of the window was a glass desk with a black leather chair. The wall across from the bed housed a large black dresser. A flat screen TV had been installed on the wall. The bathroom had two sinks, a shower, a jetted tub, and a toilet.

Lucy went over to the window. Below were several smaller buildings and the Nile. It was a long way down, but still easy to watch light sparkling on the water.

Will knocked on their connecting door. Lucy opened it. “I need to meet with my contact. Do you think you’ll be okay for an hour or two?”

Lucy wanted to go with him, but she wanted to get cleaned up more. “Yes, I’ll find a way to keep myself busy.”

Will nodded. “Good. Just don’t leave the room. Stay here. Stay safe.” He pulled a phone from his back pocket. “I got this for you.” He handed it to her. “My number has been programmed in.” He handed her a booklet. “These are the instructions. If you get bored, read them over.”

“Thank you.” She was so grateful he’d given her a smart phone. It meant that even though he wasn’t right next door she could still talk to him if need be.

“I’ll be back in time for dinner. If you packed a dress, wear that.”

“I’ll be ready.”

***

Lucy used her alone time to get unpacked, clean up, get ready as best she could by herself, and then get started on reading the instructions manual. It was nearly six in the evening. Will should’ve already been back.

She texted him:
Checking to see how you are doing. I am ready lest you feared otherwise, Mr. Godwin.

Will texted back almost immediately:
Almost there.

Lucy heard his door open. Then he knocked on their connecting door.

“You are ready,” he said, appraising her outfit.

She’d chosen a cocktail dress that Ingrid packed for her. The bodice was white lace with a boat neckline and cap sleeves. The lace was done in the shape of leaves. Her favorite part was that several of the lace leaves carried into the navy blue skirt so it looked like they were falling. So beautiful. She wasn’t wearing any stockings. Ingrid told her not to. So she’d shaved her legs (Ingrid had given her a lesson on this as well) and applied lotion. The shoes were gorgeous. They were the exact shade of navy that the skirt was. The heel was five inches, the toe was covered, and they stayed on with a large ribbon of the same fabric as her skirt. The bow hung down her ankle and nearly touched the floor.

“I told you,” she said.

“Awesome. I’m going to shower and then I’ll take you to dinner.” He closed the door.

Lucy went back to the overstuffed chair by the window. She stared out, trying not to worry about the fact that she’d be going to dinner with Will and it would be just the two of them, without a chaperone.

By the time they finally went to dinner, she was at peace with the situation.

“You’re welcome to hold onto me,” Will said with a smirk as they stepped into the elevator. He looked amazing in black trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a navy, black, and white striped tie.

“I believe I can manage.” Lucy’s heart was racing for several reasons: First, she was nervous. That they were going to supper together, just the two of them, was something she would never contemplate doing in her time. She was also excited by the prospect of spending time with him. And she was worried too. What if she made a fool of herself? Or spilled food on her dress. Or tripped while trying to walk in her shoes. What if she sat wrong and her short dress flashed parts she didn’t want to flash.

“You’re going to be fine,” he muttered, turning toward her.

“I think so,” Lucy responded quietly. She hoped she would be. “But…”

“You want to know if we’re moving sideways, don’t you?”

“Are we?” She was shocked he knew.

“Yes.”

Lucy felt her eyes get big.

“Just breathe. Relax.” He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. “Like this.” He did it again.

Lucy imitated him.

He graced her with a big grim. “That’s it, Lucy.”

She kept breathing. It seemed to be helping. A little.

“Have I mentioned how stunning you look tonight?”

Lucy glanced down at her shoes. “No.” She couldn’t do much with her own hair so she’d used the products Ingrid told her to, and the blow dryer and brush, to straighten it. She’d also applied mascara, some blush, some lip-gloss, and then spritzed on some perfume.

“Well you do.” He put a finger under her chin. “Beautiful.”

“Thank you, Mr. Godwin.” She met his eyes, but only briefly before lowering her lashes.

“Call me Will.”

She chanced another peek at his gorgeous face.

“Please?”

Could she? She had years of etiquette training embedded into her brain.
Of course she could,
she thought. Calling a man she cared about by his first name should be acceptable. She’d called Dashel by his first name on more than one occasion. But she’d also known him nearly her whole life and she didn’t feel any sort of romantic notions toward him. “You’re insufferable, Will,” she said, fighting not to laugh, but it burst out of her anyway.

“I know.” He tucked his hands in his pockets, facing forward, seeming mighty proud of himself.

The elevator doors opened. They stepped out into an elegantly decorated restaurant. Chandeliers hung from forty-foot ceilings. The tables were dressed in fine white linens, and topped with beautiful silver, purple, and navy centerpieces with splashes of green.

“Looks nice,” Will commented softly, stepping up to the black-haired woman standing behind a tall pedestal.

She glanced up. Appraised Will. Then Lucy. “Table for two?”

“If you have an availability.”

“Of course. Right this way.”

She walked them to a table with a gorgeous view of the city as the sun sank into the horizon.

Lucy took in the size of the sun. She’d never seen it so big.

Will pulled out her chair. She sat. Will took a seat across from her.

Once they were seated, the woman provided them each with a menu.

Lucy took hers. “Thank you.” She was pleased to see it was written in English even though she didn’t recognize many of the words.

“Your waitress, Siti, will be with you in a few minutes.”

“Thank you. Could you have someone bring two bottles of sparkling water?”

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Of course.”

TWENTY-FOUR

ALSO AMAZING

AFTER THE
woman departed, Lucy leaned over the table. “I am unclear about most of the items on the menu,” she said.

“Would you like me to order for you?” Will asked.

“That would be appreciated.” Lucy set the menu down, grateful he’d offered.

“Are you sensitive to any foods? Anything you don’t like?”

A bus boy came by, turned over their glasses and filled each with sparkling water. “Anything else, sir?” he asked.

“No, thank you.”

When he was gone, Lucy said, “I’m not sensitive to anything, at least not that I know of and I’m willing to try anything once.”

“Excellent.”

Their waitress showed up. Will ordered an appetizer called sambosa, and for their main course he ordered kabobs with strawberry lemonades to drink.

“What is sambosa?” Lucy asked after the waitress left.

“They’re pastries stuffed with vegetables and meat. Quite delicious. I think you’ll enjoy them.”

“They sound fantastic.” She took a sip of the lemon flavored sparkling water. It fizzed in her nose. “And a kabob?”

“They’ll bring out shrimp, beef, and chicken that they’ve seasoned and cooked on a skewer, usually over an open flame.”

His description didn’t make sense, but if Will liked it, she thought she’d like it too.

The waitress brought the sambosa. Lucy took one and bit into it.

“What do you think?” Will asked.

“Very good,” she said after she swallowed.

Will set his down.

“Is the flavor not pleasing?” Lucy asked.

“It’s good enough, but I’m saving room for the main course.”

“I see.” Lucy took another bite.

“So tell me something about you? What’s your favorite pastime?”

While Lucy chewed she pondered his question. She loved spending time in the kitchen with Harriet and her mother. She enjoyed playing on the pianoforte. Then there was studying the sciences. And the world. “Probably my favorite thing to do is coming up with different ways to solve problems, like inventing a snake cage, or turning a pillowcase into a trap to catch a mouse.”

“You did those things?” Will asked, taking a drink of water.

“Yes, I did.” Lucy gloated, feeling proud. She considered it one of her best qualities.

“Aren’t you afraid of snakes and mice?” Admiration sparked his eyes.

“No, what is there to be afraid of? They’re just creatures trying to get along in the world, same as you and me.” She ate the last of her sambosa.

“True, but most girls don’t see them that way.”

“My maid, Harriet, and my sister Ellen are terrified of any kind of creature, except perhaps horses. I suppose that makes me odd.” She wiped her hands on the napkin in her lap.

“Odd for sure, but also amazing.” Will tilted his head as though he were reexamining a painting he hadn’t comprehended until that moment.

Siti, their waitress brought their main course. The meat sizzled on the plates. Along with the meat was a sauce she called tahini, some fresh lemon, and some couscous. “Is there anything I can get you?” she asked after all the food was on the table.

“Not now, thank you.”

Lucy stared at her plate, unsure where to begin.

Will cleared his throat. She looked up. He had the wooden piece with a string of chicken on it in one hand and a fork in the other. Lucy watched as he pressed the fork along the meat, pulling it from the skewer.

She nodded. Picked up her fork and did the same.

He dipped a piece of meat in the sauce. Chewed. Smiled. “Good.”

She dipped a piece of hers in the sauce. It was strange, unlike anything she’d tasted. There was tanginess, and some heat. But Will was right. It was good. “Very,” she agreed.

They ate in a comfortable silence a few minutes. Then Will said, “You also have a brother, correct?”

He’d remembered her ramblings of a few days ago, when she’d first arrived in this century. “Yes, his name is Beaumont.”

“And do you get along with them?” Will continued.

“For the most part.” She took a scoop of the couscous and put it in her mouth. It reminded her a little of rice and potatoes. “What about you? Do you have any siblings?” she asked when she’d finished her bite.

“I have three older brothers. They’re all
über
successful, married to amazing wives and perfect children. At least that’s what my mom and dad think. They’re super proud.”

Lucy thought she heard a hint of bitterness as well as sadness in his voice. “And you don’t believe they’re proud of you?”

Will snorted. “I dropped out of college to travel the world, searching for statues in exchange for profit. Proud is not the word they would use to describe me.” He shook his head. “Lazy. Privileged. Arrogant. Unruly. Those words have been used more than once.”

“But if you love what you do, and you’re obviously good at it. How can they say those things?” 

“You’d think that would be what they care about, I know. But my job isn’t respectable. They want to tell their friends I just took over a fortune five hundred company. Instead they have to tell their friends I’m traipsing through some godforsaken jungle looking for a trinket.”

“Ouch. I’m sorry.” She set down her fork, feeling full.

“I’ve learned to deal with their disappointment.” He smirked, shoveling another piece of meat in his mouth.

“It’s difficult to believe so little has changed in that aspect of family dynamics over the last two centuries.”

“Doubt it ever will.” He chuckled. “To change the subject, I thought we should discuss tomorrow.”

“I’m listening.”

“We’re leaving early in the morning. Seven, to be exact. Please be ready. Don’t wear heels or open toe shoes. Hopefully Ingrid packed clothing that’s appropriate for hiking.” His mouth fell into a frown.

“Not to worry. She did.” 

“Good. We’ll be hiking mostly rough terrain until we reach Ra’s Mouth. At the entrance we’ll make camp for the night.”

“Sleep outside?” Lucy asked, unable to help interrupting. She’d only imagined doing such a thing.

“If you’d rather not, you’re welcome to stay at the hotel. It’s paid for.”

She shook her head. “I want to sleep outside. I’ve never done such a thing.”

Will grimaced. “It isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, trust me. You’ll have to pee in the bushes while keeping a look out for sand spiders or poisonous snakes. Usually one man watches the other’s back while he does his business. You won’t have that luxury as you’ll be the only female on the team.”

Lucy swallowed. Her throat suddenly felt like it’d been coated with sand. “No other women?”

“Correct.” He combed his fingers through his dirty blond hair. “I want you to stay with me, no matter what. If I go around a tree to avoid something, you’ll do the same. The men in the group know what they’re doing, but that doesn’t make them honest or even good. They may try to…” He paused, his vivid blue eyes piercing into her soul. “Just stay close. And remember, you promised.”

The seriousness of his words as well as the tone of his voice convinced her. “I’ll stay nearby.”

Siti reappeared. “Can I interest you in some dessert?”

Will gave Lucy a questioning look.

“We’ll take one baklava. Thank you.”

“Right away.” She cleared their plates before leaving.

“I know that in your time men and women don’t share rooms, but you’ll be sleeping in my tent with me. There cannot be a negotiation on this. I need to know you’re safe and this is the only way I can do it. I think I’ve proven trustworthy.”

Lucy’s stomach began to flutter with nerves. She could see his reasoning. And she knew she wouldn’t trust anyone but him. Still, the thought of sleeping in the same quarters as a man… She couldn’t begin to imagine what her mother would say. “I do trust you, Will.” She gave him a tight-lipped smile.

“I trust you too, Lucy.” He sipped his water. “In the morning we’ll enter the cave. Again, I need you to stay with me. Got it?”

“I won’t leave your side.”

“That’s my girl.” He winked.

Lucy felt her face go hot.

“The plan is to retrieve the statue and be out of the caves before nightfall. Then we’ll stay another night at the entrance and return to New York the following day.”

Lucy did the math in her head. She would return to her time before midnight on the sixth day. That meant she wouldn’t be back in time to see her grandfather. She blinked back tears.

“What is it?” Will asked, grabbing hold of her hand.

Lucy didn’t flinch this time. She sniffled. “I’ll probably be gone before you arrive back in New York. Back… To my own time.”

Will opened his mouth, but no words came out. “I keep forgetting you’re not a part of this time,” he finally said.

“Me too.”