The Runaway McBride by Thornton Elizabeth

Author:Thornton, Elizabeth [Thornton, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, General, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780425226346
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2009-02-03T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“It’s very grand, isn’t it?” Faith held James’s hand as he helped her alight from the hansom. They had just arrived at the Hugheses’ house for the meeting of the Egyptology Society.

“It would show to better effect,” James replied, “if this confounded fog would only lift.”

For the last week, Faith had heard those words constantly. The whole city had become shrouded in one of those frequent and infamous London fogs that forced people to remain inside or brave the elements with a cologne-scented handkerchief pressed to their mouths. It had rained on and off for most of the day, and though the fog had thinned considerably, it still settled in pockets close to the river, and Mr. and Mrs. Hughes’s house on the South Bank had extensive grounds sweeping down to the water.

“It must cost the earth to keep up a house like this.” Faith’s neck was craned as she looked up at the towering neo-classical building.

“It does. Places like these have outlived their usefulness. It won’t be long before they are pulled down to make way for something more in keeping with the times. It’s happening all over.”

They were making their way up the stone steps to the front doors, along with a crush of people, all waving their invitations under the noses of two stalwart footmen in black and silver livery. James took the invitation from Faith’s hand and held it up as they passed through the doors and into the house.

He pocketed the invitation. “This doesn’t seem democratic,” he said. “I thought that the Egyptology Society was open to one and all.”

“Well, it is, but this is not the official branch of the Egyptology Society.” She tried to recall Lady Cowdray’s words. “I think they call themselves the ‘Friends’ of the Egyptology Society. Most of the people here have been to Egypt and like to get together once in a while to reminisce about old times.”

“Good; then perhaps we shall learn something useful.”

“Well, I’d like to know what happened to my mother’s box for a start.”

Though it was early evening, the gas lamps had been lit to stave off the shadows cast by the dark clouds hanging low in the sky. Everyone hoped it would rain, because the rain would chase the last of the fog away.

The hall they passed through could have been mistaken for the Egyptian section of the British Museum. Faith’s eyes wandered from one treasure to another—life-size sculptures of lions, wall paintings of Egyptian hunting scenes, alabaster busts of handsome Egyptian men and women who walked the earth eons ago—and she felt as though she was walking on holy ground. She spoke to James in a husky whisper. “Mr. Hughes must have spent years collecting all these artifacts.”

He shook his head and replied softly, “Mrs. Hughes’s first husband was the collector. He died many years ago, but Mr. Hughes has preserved everything just as it was when he married the widow.”

They were almost level with their host and hostess in the receiving line.

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