The Panther & the Pyramid (Khamsin Warriors of the Wind) (26 page)

They combed the chamber thoroughly, Graham selecting the west end, Jillian the east. Their search was interrupted by another group of tourists. When the last visitor drifted out, the duke jammed his hands into his trouser pockets and joined her. "Nothing. But it must be here."

The map indicated a major clue was specifically in the King's Chamber. Tomb robbers had swept the room clean, picking it over as thoroughly as vultures on carrion.

"There's nothing here."

Jillian glanced at Graham. "Perhaps you are thinking in English terms. Be an Egyptian. Think as they did. Let's take another look at the map. Explain to me the hieroglyphics."

He unfurled the copy of the papyrus he had traced and read aloud: " ‘In the chamber of Khufu, the key to unlock the treasure is found, visible to all but hidden from those who would rob the sacred dead. Follow Ra's path, then follow the Nile's opposite course.'"

"The map says to take the clue from the Great Pyramid itself, for it is like the pharaoh: layers upon layers, complex and intriguing."

"So we must look beyond the obvious. But the map indicates the key is found in a very visible spot." Graham carefully rolled the tracing and tucked it away. "I don't see anything clearly visible here."

Jillian studied the empty King's Chamber. "What if the key were not an actual object, but something else? Let's break down the problem. First, what is a key?"

Intrigued, he replied, "It unlocks something."

"You're thinking in concrete terms. Let's view the abstract. A key can unlock a solid object, such as a door, a box, a chest..."

"Or a mystery."

Their gazes locked. Graham's filled with excitement as he slowly digested her meaning. "And what if the key to unlock the treasure were hidden in the King's Chamber, but was not actually a physical key, but... what? What would tomb robbers be unable to steal? What is hidden and yet visible?"

Jillian began pacing. "If Khufu wished to hide a clue in his burial chamber for his son, where could he order it hidden in plain view?"

Her footsteps rang in the chamber, clicking on the stone in precise movements. Graham looked at her feet "Jillian! That's it. What is constant and visible, yet hidden?"

She halted, casting him a puzzled look.

He pointed to her feet "Walk five paces."

Obeying, she carefully stepped five paces and then abruptly stopped. "Measurements!" Jillian exclaimed. "Oh, Graham, yes!"

He rubbed his jaw. "The map says ‘Follow Ra's path, then follow the Nile's opposite course.' Ra, the sun, travels from east to west. The Nile's opposite course is north to south because the Nile flows south to north."

Jillian measured east to west of the chamber, then north to south while Graham kept watch out for visitors. "Then outside the western wall of the pyramid, we go ten-point-four-six meters westward, turn south and go five-point-two-three meters," she surmised. "What's the third clue?"

Graham read aloud, " ‘In an empty space destined for a king, find the depth of a man's life as he descends into the afterlife.' " An empty space destined for a king. "A sarcophagus intended for a king who was never laid to rest there. But the body was stolen long ago."

Graham gave her a slow smile and went on, "What if it were never there? Some theorize that Khufu's mummy wasn't stolen, but hidden in another burial chamber. If so, then the sarcophagus..."

"Would be a ruse and remain empty." Their gazes whipped to the immense stone coffin. Missing both its lid and the king for whom it was built, it stood out in the empty chamber near the western wall. Jillian measured the depth and wrote the numbers down on a pad kept in her reticule. "Nearly one meter."

"The key must be buried that far down. We'll have to return tonight to dig," he mused aloud. "Come, let's return to the hotel."

Chapter Fifteen

Back at the Shepheard's, they raced to their suite like schoolchildren, giddy with joy over their discovery. Jillian whipped off her wide-brimmed hat and set it upon a table, eyeing the water closet. A bath before dinner sounded delightful.

Graham's black eyes danced with fevered excitement. "I want to study these measurements."

He sat at the small wood table, armed with paper and pencil as she stripped off her white blouse. Jillian glanced up and saw Graham wasn't studying the figures they had jotted down. His hungry gaze caressed her instead.

"Perhaps we should have an early dinner," he said thickly. His gaze flicked to the bed, covered with mosquito netting.

Jillian smiled. "I'd like that.

After a splendid repast in the hotel's elegant dining room, they adjourned to the immense ballroom for drinks and dancing. The duke ordered champagne for them both. Bubbles tickled her nose as she lifted the flute and sipped.

A giddy feeling, accentuated by the champagne, filled her.

The immense bar and ballroom boasted majestic pillared lotus columns modeled after the ones at Karnak, a ceiling with jewel-toned Oriental murals, and linen-draped tables where an assortment of the wealthy and powerful observed the dancers. An orchestra played while couples swirled by. A balmy breeze floated through the open doors leading to the famous terrace. A delicate floral scent from the blooms in large Oriental vases flanking the columns mixed with the heavier scents of men's powerful cologne and women's exotic perfumes.

Despite her excitement at being abroad, and at the new and fascinating scenery before her, Jillian only had eyes for her husband. The buzz of elegant couples and polite, hovering waiters did not exist. Graham swirled the liquid in his glass, studying her over the rim. His glass remained full, while hers was half empty.

"Do you want to dance, Jillian?" he asked.

She saw him staring at her with avid hunger, and instinctively knew what he wanted.

"The waltz is a fine dance," she said, watching him.

"I did not mean the waltz," he purred. "Would you like to dance with me upstairs?"

He stood and stretched out a hand to her. She put her fingers into his as he pulled her upright.

Clearly the excitement of their find had translated into a different land of excitement for him. She sensed a warrior's triumph, an eagerness to claim a prize far more corporeal and earthy than the key to unlocking some treasure.

Graham wasted no time as they entered their room. He tumbled her onto the bed, his kiss devouring. The kiss was hard and fast, crushing her mouth against his, his hands roving her body, fumbling at her gown.

Jillian sat up, letting him unfasten it. Cool air billowing from the opened windows washed over her naked flesh as the gown and underlying chemise fell free. Clad only in her stockings, she kicked off her soft kid slippers, smiling.

His gaze darkened and widened as he slid off the bed and shed his clothing. Graham joined her on the bed, kissing her.

She lay beneath him, raising her hips as he opened her legs, his ragged breaths filling the air. In one powerful thrust he was inside her. A startled gasp fled her at the thick pressure in her wet core.

Her hands pushed at the hard muscles of his chest, tangled in the thick thatch of hair as he strained above her. Jillian gripped his muscled arms, hiding her face in his shoulder as he moved. Her scream of pleasure was buried in his skin. The duke shuddered and groaned as he released his seed.

He looked down at her, eyes half lidded and drowsy with pleasure. "Ah," he sighed.

"I do enjoy how you dance," she said impishly. A nasty tug of jealousy filled her. "Did you"—she plucked at the damp sheet—"have many lovers before me?"

To her surprise, he looked sheepish. Graham slid off her, rolled to his side. He rested his head on his hand.

"My dear Jillian, how many lovers do you think I've had?"

Irritated, she pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts. "How should I know? I'm not that experienced. I'd say several. While you were my first," she added sullenly.

"As you were."

Dumbstruck, she stared. Graham reached over and gently tipped her open jaw closed. "I've something to confess, dear wife. That night in the brothel? You weren't the only virgin."

"It can't be."

"It was. You were my first, Jilly."

Deeply touched, she gazed at him. Truly there was something special about his confession. It endeared him to her even more.

"Is there a particular reason why you waited?" she asked.

Tenderness etched his face. "I waited for you. I suppose it was my fate that we would be together. I'm glad it was you. Even with that ridiculous wig."

Jillian smiled. "Even though you explicitly asked for anyone but a redhead with green eyes?" Her smile faded. "Why did you not want that, Graham?"

"I have my reasons," he said, his voice a husky whisper. A dark shadow crossed his face.

"Graham, there's something you're not telling me."

"Yes," he said. "Perhaps someday I might tell you. For now, just know this. No other woman but you was meant for me, Jilly. I know that now."

Secrets danced in his eyes and Jillian felt troubled. She hoped he would confess in his own time, and yet when he did, as much as she'd wanted Graham to share himself, she suddenly was afraid of what his secrets would be.

* * *

"I have the key to the treasure."

Jillian's pulse quickened with excitement as she stood behind her husband, who was sitting at the table the next morning. She glanced at the papers strewn about. Calculations. From a short piece of wood, Graham had carved what resembled a key.

Last night, they had dressed in dark clothing and set out for the Great Pyramid. Graham had short shovels and an electric torch in his rucksack. The night porter had ignored them as they left the lobby. A short while later, they had arrived at the Great Pyramid. Moonlight spilled over the sand, turning it a ghostly gray. Graham and Jillian measured the distance from the western wall according to the clues they'd discovered. Then they began to dig, and discovered a small stone block with the outline of a key upon it.

This morning, after tracing the outline of the key, Graham had made a duplicate.

"I didn't know they had locks," she confessed.

"They were an advanced culture thought to be inventors of the first locks."

"Are we headed directly to the treasure?"

"No, we need to visit a tribe I know. The Khamsin, who raised my brother, live south. But first, we need to purchase supplies for the trip—and I thought you'd enjoy touring Cairo."

Cairo, with its towers and minarets and Islamic architecture, had Jillian exclaiming with wonder. Graham indulged her in a quick shopping trip in the souks, admiring her womanly curves as she bent over to examine a gold pot offered by an eager vendor. The rich, vibrant emerald tones of her day gown, with its froth of ivory lace, complemented her creamy complexion and vivid red hair. Never again would she wear ugly, repressive gray. Her father had swathed her in it like steel armor. Slowly, Graham was coaxing her true spirit to emerge. He knew she felt unnoticed, unappreciated and unloved, and he wanted to change all that.

But he didn't want her with him while journeying to find Khufu's treasure. At the Khamsin camp, he planned to leave her in his friends' care, while he journeyed alone into the deep desert.

In the desert he would face his tormentor, for while they had toured Cairo that afternoon, Graham had spotted another redhead ducking cleanly out of sight. And there was no mistaking that face. He knew it too well.

They departed for the Khamsin camp the following day. Graham surprised Jillian by renting a dahabiya to travel down the Nile. The two sat on a plush divan on deck as the captain steered the craft. Wind caressed Jillian's cheeks, played with strands of hair escaping their pins. Her eager gaze drank in the sights as the dank smell of river water tickled her nostrils. Donkeys plodded alongside the riverbank, towing carts piled with vegetation. Curious children stared.

"I feel like a redheaded Cleopatra leaping forward in time," she murmured as she waved to the children.

Graham smiled. "Wait until you meet the Khamsin, the tribe that raised my brother. The Khamsin are unlike other desert tribes. Tents are not cordoned off to segregate genders. Men and women eat together, and the men have only one wife."