Wicked with the Scoundrel by Elizabeth Bright

Author:Elizabeth Bright
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2019-01-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Six

Treasure hunting was dirty, dangerous work, and Lady Claire took to it like a hog to mud. Colin had tried to stop her from lifting and rolling small boulders in her search, but she would have none of it. An hour into their search, her dress was torn, her gloves muddy, and there was a scratch near her elbow that worried him. She had never looked worse, he would wager.

Or happier.

But they had not found the treasure. He had not expected to within the first hour of their search, of course. It would take several days at least to thoroughly explore. Perhaps longer. He wouldn’t mind. There was no urgency to return to Bath, and the next ship did not set sail for Egypt for another month.

They had passed through the mouth of the cave, where cheesemakers stored large wheels for ripening, and ventured deeper into the tunnel, leaving bits of cloth as they went to form a trail. Now they entered a part where large formations of rock hung from the roof like icicles. The floor of the cave also was solid rock. Since Scipio could not have dug through it, they confined their search to crevices and cracks in the floor and wall. He watched Claire wrinkle her nose at a slug and grinned to himself.

A few more days, or perhaps a fortnight. If he kissed her every day for a fortnight, that would be fourteen kisses. He wouldn’t mind if their search took yet another month longer, even if it meant delaying his departure. There would always be another ship to Egypt. There would never be another Lady Claire Harrison.

There was a crack slightly larger than a breadbox just above his head. “This is exactly where I would hide my hoard,” he said cheerfully, “if I had a hoard to hide.” He was half joking, of course, but as he spoke his hand felt something remarkably like wood.

He paused, then felt again. His fingertips grazed something soft and cloth-like.

No. It couldn’t really be that easy.

Could it?

He leaned back to try for a better look, but the angle was wrong.

“Claire?” His gaze found hers. She drew in a sharp breath, and her eyes widened. “Don’t get too excited yet,” he said. “It’s probably not what we are looking for, but it’s definitely something. Here, help me move this boulder.”

She sprang forward, and together they rolled the rock until it rested under the wall. He stood upon it, using the wall to balance, and held the lantern so he could take a better look.

There were shards of wood. Indiscernible metal shapes and fabric. Coins. A lump of something wrapped in cloth.

He stepped down and took her trembling hands in his. “You can reach it yourself. I won’t let you fall.”

It ought to be her. This was her adventure, after all.

But she shook her head. “No. It has to be you.”

Which was an odd thing to say, but then, it was just another odd moment in a very odd fortnight.

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