What the Dashing Duke Deserves (Lords of Happenstance, #3) by Sandra Sookoo

Author:Sandra Sookoo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Lords of Happenstance, Regency romance, adventure romance, action romance, treasure hunting, duke, Thieves of the Ton series, Egyptian antiquties, tombs, intrigue
Publisher: New Independence Books
Published: 2019-06-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

November 6, 1822

It had taken two days, but the task of carting away the fill in the tomb’s passageway had finally been finished. The physical work made conversation, or anything else, impossible, for Crispin was exhausted by the end of each day, and once he’d tended to bathing and then went to dinner with the company, he fell into his bed exhausted.

But, once the fill was cleared, they’d discovered rock-cut steps that led down into another passageway. Miles was beside himself with joy, for that meant there was indeed a tomb somewhere inside what would probably be a vast network.

Unfortunately, two nights ago, a worker was discovered dead at the entrance to the tomb. It had been his lot to guard it during those overnight hours. The death—still under investigation—had sent anxiety through the camp. Everyone was on edge, the workers especially, and superstitious minds tended to be more dangerous than an airborne plague. The death of the man, hard on the heels of the cobra incident, had tongues wagging.

Was there a curse at play? If so, did that mean the tomb had once belonged, indeed, to a pharaoh, who was now displeased at having his final resting place disturbed?

The earl being who he was, quickly summoned everyone to Archewyne House shortly after the body was discovered. He made a heartfelt speech that this was not the work of a vengeful spirit, and when he found out who had murdered the worker, there would be hell to pay. That seemed to relieve some of the worry, and when everyone sought out their beds that night—with a new man at the tomb entrance—life went on much as usual.

The following day was uneventful until they’d broken through a wall at the bottom of the stairs, which revealed yet another passageway filled with limestone chips and other rubble, but not to the extent of the entrance tunnel.

The bigger news was nothing seemed disturbed or desecrated. No doubt they’d need to break through a wall or two, or descend into a burial shaft, but they would find the burial chamber... and they’d need to avoid traps or other peril, for the ancient Egyptian tomb builders adored arming the final resting places of the kings with such.

Beyond that, the discovery meant the tomb was now a magnet to local thieves and a great temptation for tomb robbers. Archewyne ordered double the guard every night, and each of them would take a turn.

Tonight was Crispin’s.

He yawned as he plodded along the trail that led into the Valley. The bath and dinner had only refreshed him so much. How did Archewyne do it? He showed up every day shortly after breakfast and he remained at the excavation site until the sun went down. He never complained; he never hesitated to take up a basket or a shovel alongside the native men hired for those jobs. Then he did the pretty each evening, presiding over dinner, charming the ladies, cajoling his wife.

And the countess! She was a gem like no other.

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