Page 100 of The Girl Out of Time
Louisa pointed from one to the other. “So, you two are …?”
“Friends,” Theo supplied, much to Emmeline’s disappointment.
“Did you come here to study the specimens?” Emmeline asked Louisa.
“Those are a nice distraction. Did you know that kingfishers have a third eyelid, like so”—Louisa pulled one of her eyelids up, leaving Emmeline unsure of what she tried to demonstrate—“which helps them see their prey underwater? But, no. I actually came to spy on Daniel.”
“Spy?”
“Mm-hmm.” Louisa looped her arm around Emmeline’s and turned her away, leaning in closer. “Yesterday, we were supposed to go riding. He canceled a few hours before, so I went alone, and who do I see riding in Hyde Park, if not Daniel himself?”
“Maybe he changed his mind, but thought you’d already found another thing to do?”
“Or he was trying to get rid of me! And today I told him I’d come by for a visit. He knew it. But when I arrived, his butler told me he was indisposed. Daniel! He hasn’t been ill a day in his life. So I pretended I left, but I waited around the corner, and lo and behold, there goes my brother, not fifteen minutes later! I followed him here.”
“He came to the museum?”
“I know! It makes no sense. Will you help me?”
“Spy on him?” Emmeline wasn’t sure that was the best idea.
“Yes.”
“Actually, we were …” Emmeline looked over her shoulder at Theo. “We were trying to see the Egyptian exhibit.”
“We can do both. This way.” Louisa looked at Theo and gestured as if she were a guide. “Oh, you must be looking for the mummy. It’s fascinating.”
“I certainly hope Lady Scarlet didn’t hide the pouch with the mummy,” Theo murmured to Emmeline, making her giggle.
Louisa led them to a separate wing of the building, into a long gallery displaying preserved documents, statues, stones, and other art. “The mummy is over there if you—” She stopped, and Emmeline nearly bumped into her.
Strolling along the gallery, her eyes passing semi-interestingly over a collection of cat-shaped jars, was Lady Cassiopeia.
Louisa clenched her fists, rocked on her toes as if deciding which approach to go with, then relaxed her hands and smiled. “Lady Cassiopeia. What a pleasure.”
The young woman looked at them, scouring Louisa first, then Emmeline, then stopping on Theo, her eyes widening. She blinked and switched back to her first victim. “Lady Louisa,” she greeted in a perfectly neutral, polite voice. “Pleasure.” She added the smallest tilt of her head.
“This is my friend, Miss Marshall, cousin to Lord Haverston.” Louisa swiped her hand to Emmeline. “And, uh, Theo.”
“Miss Marshall.” Lady Cassiopeia repeated the same gesture, then looked at Theo, lingered for a moment, and nodded.
Emmeline glanced back at him; his ears were still slightly red, and he stood as straight as a stick, but she couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
Perhaps it was only awkward. Theo hadn’t told her what job he’d found in London. She assumed it wasn’t employment as a servant since his clothes were much too nice for it, but as long as it was actual work, the aristocracy would look down upon him. Maybe Lady Cassiopeia found his presence unpleasant.
“Let’s go look at the mummy, shall we?” Emmeline suggested to him, hoping Lady Cassiopeia wouldn’t follow and he could relax.
Theo nodded and followed her; Louisa sent her a quick “how dare you strand me with her” look, then smiled at Lady Cassiopeia and started chatting about some manuscripts.
“Hold on.” Theo stopped Emmeline. “Over there.” He gestured to a dark gray stone, about three feet tall, its entire surface etched with tiny symbols. Displayed at a slight angle, it rested in a perfectly fitting metal cradle.
“In its steel cradle now lies,” Emmeline whispered.
They approached. Emmeline leaned closer, reaching out to touch the hieroglyphic writing, when another attendant coughed in warning. Even as she stepped back, he kept her eyes on her.
“Where’s the pouch?” she said.
Theo walked in a wide circle around the stone, hands clasped behind his back like a well-behaved visitor, mindful of the attendant. When he was across from Emmeline, he cleared his throat and glanced downward.
