Disclaimer: I still own nothing and mean no offense by it.
Chapter X Plotting
Josephine didn't know where she was on the estate; all she knew was that she had to get away from them. She loved Alex, but she could not stay another moment in a place with a man like Ardeth. His arrogance almost rivaled that of Mr. Newton's, and she would not expose herself to that torment any longer. As she ran she didn't notice the figure in front of her until two strong arms grasped her own.
"Miss Montgomery, what brings you to this part of the estate," Gabriel asked in his sly tone. Immediately Josephine's nerves were on end, but she didn't care. Gabriel was better company than Ardeth, so she just sobbed and accepted his arm as he led her some where she didn't recognize.
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"Where on earth could she have gotten," Rick asked as he searched the garden with Ardeth close behind.
"Perhaps, she has already left," Ardeth sighed as he lowered himself into a chair as he held his ribs from overexertion. He wouldn't blame her for trying to get away from them. They had accused her of terrible things, and if she was innocent she had every right to wish to be as many miles away from them as possible. Ardeth just couldn't believe how his life changed in the matter of a week. Last week, he had been paying a routine visit to the curator of the Egyptian Museum, and now he was searching for a woman he barely knew in order to find directions to Nefertiri's sacred necklace. Not to mention, Alex and Evy were both furious with him for his accusations.
As Ardeth sat catching his breath, he heard a commotion coming from the house. "Where is he?...What did you do to him?... You let him do what," Ardeth heard the loud voices of his second in command and his brother.
"I am here, Rashid," Ardeth called and within moments both men were rushing into the garden. "Calm yourselves, I am perfectly fine," he said before Rashid could begin to berate him.
"Of course…. You're perfectly fine, you just have broken ribs, a broken wrist, and various gaping holes in you, but you're fine," Rashid said sarcastically as he knelt beside his leader in respect. "But even if you are thick headed, my chieftain, it is good to see you awake and about," Rashid said calmly as he took a seat across from him. Rick had returned to them and was standing to the side with Naji informing him of what had happened in his short absence.
"I am not so sure that it is good to be awake, my friend," Ardeth said in a soft whisper as he tried to rise from his chair.
Naji was by his side holding his uninjured arm aiding him to stand before he was even out of his chair. "Ardeth is it wise to be exerting such energy after what you have been through," Naji asked carefully as he held his taller leader tightly beside him. Rashid was also at his side lending his support to his leader.
"I do not have the luxury of doing what is good for me Naji. If Ghalib finds Nefertiri's necklace before we do, he will release the curse placed upon the jewel," Ardeth said as he tried to walk toward the house.
"Nefertiri's necklace," Rashid was so shocked actually hearing of Nefertiri's necklace that he completely missed the mention of Ghalib who he believed was long dead.
"Curse," Rick and Rashid began to shout as Naji whispered to Ardeth.
"Ardeth, where is Josephine? Surely, she was not the one who let you out of bed," Naji whispered as he tried to hold up his quickly weakening leader.
"Yes Ardeth, where is the woman who was looking after you," Rashid asked as he noticed the absence of anyone watching his leader. He was suddenly furious that the woman had let his leader out of the safety of his bed.
"Wait a minute. I'm still confused about a curse," Rick said as he stopped everyone else.
"The necklace was cursed in order to keep looters from defiling Nefertiri's tomb. She is to be respected for giving her life for her father, and her tomb is sacred," Ardeth said off handedly as he turned back to Naji and Rashid. "We do not know where Miss Montgomery is, Rashid. She ran when we found out that she was sneaking around the pyramids," Ardeth explained.
"Where did she go," Naji sounded concerned, now not so much for his ruler but for the young and feisty governess that he had come to respect.
"She left shortly after I awoke," Ardeth sighed as he continued to move with Naji by his side.
"What did you say to her," Naji asked without thinking.
"Naji," Rashid hissed to his brother for questioning their leader's judgment and honor.
"Forgive me, my leader, but I have spent these past days with Miss Montgomery. I know that she spent night and day watching over you while you healed. She is stubborn, but she is very dedicated to her work," Naji said in defense of both himself and Miss Montgomery.
"My friend, how much time have you spent with Miss Montgomery," Ardeth asked in curiosity of his guard. Ardeth hadn't known that Naji hand been sent to stand guard over him, but now it made sense since they were both standing beside him.
"We spent many hours speaking while she tended your wounds. She is a very brilliant woman, and has a quick wit," Naji laughed as he remembered several of their conversations.
Suddenly, Ardeth felt the cruel twist of anger flow through his veins as he listened to Naji. He didn't know why his second's brother's confession angered him so, and he wasn't sure if her really wanted to. All he knew was that he disliked the fact that Naji had gotten to known, and more importantly to like, Josephine while Ardeth himself couldn't speak more than three words to her without angering her.
"We were just looking for her actually," Ardeth admitted between clenched teeth as he pulled away from Naji and attempted to stand alone.
"Ardeth, perhaps we should sit and discuss the things that have transpired in your absence and our own. You have already confirmed my own early suspicions, so perhaps we can find a suitable reason for this Miss Montgomery's disappearance. Since Naji seems to know her the best out of all of us, he may have better insight into the situation at hand," Rashid suggested reasonably as he stood behind his friend having noticed his change in demeanor.
"Perhaps you are right, my friend. I before we can rush into action we must fully understand what is going on," Ardeth admitted tiredly as he found his seat again, allowing only Rashid to hold his elbow in support.
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Josephine followed Gabriel without truly realizing what she was doing. Her tears were so thick that she could barely breathe. She couldn't believe that she had been so naïve as to trust Ardeth with the fact that she had visited the pyramids. Her family was correct. The world wasn't what she had believed it to be. People judged by their own standards, and the less trustworthy the people that you associated with the more questioned your own scruples were to become.
"What has my friend's governess so upset," Gabriel asked as he sat her in his private study. Reaching into his pocket he retrieved a silk handkerchief and dabbed at her puffy eyes.
"I should never have come to Egypt. My mother was right, I expected fairytales and I found out the fairytales don't exist," Josephine sobbed as she allowed Gabriel to embrace her as her father had always done before he passed.
"Quiet now, the world is not as bad as all that. You just happened to see one of the blemishes that plague this planet. Now, tell me what happened, and I will see what I can do about it," Gabriel said in his sickeningly kind voice.
"They think I am out to steal and lie to them. They thinking that I was using Alex to get to the secrets of the pyramids. They're sending me home on the next steamer. I'll have to go back to my family and beg their forgiveness, and I'll never work as a governess again," Josephine sobbed uncontrollably at the idea of returning to her mother and telling her that she was right all along. She could bear the O'Connell's harsh words and Ardeth's distrust, but she could not bear returning to her mother's oppressive attitude.
"Who thinks all this," Gabriel asked as his mind began to hatch a small plan.
"The O'Connell's! They'll never trust me again. How could I have been so naïve," Josephine began to calm as her tears became silently though they still flowed mercilessly down her soft cheeks.
"Shh, I am sure that I can help you," Gabriel said softly as he rubbed her shaking back. His plan was perfect. If they already did not trust Miss Montgomery, he could use her as the scapegoat or even decoy to his own actions. By the time the O'Connell's and that filthy desert warrior figured out the deception, it would already be too late. "Richard told me that you know many languages, Miss Montgomery. Is that true," Gabriel asked coyly although she was too upset to tell.
"I know a few, but it no longer matters because I will not be governess anymore," Josephine said as she finally calmed enough to dry her eyes with the handkerchief Gabriel had handed her.
"Well, I may not be able to persuade Richard allow you to aid me instead of being sent home. I shall be traveling to several small villages before I meet one of my suppliers for an artifact deal. You could aid me," Gabriel suggested as he took his seat behind his desk as though he was preparing to do business.
"But how would I be of any use," Josephine asked cautiously as she watching him. Before Gabriel could answer, a young man appeared in the doorway.
"Mr. Di Paolo, we have word from Ghalib about…" the dark hair man said in a deep and menacing voice. When he saw Josephine sitting on in the chair in front of the desk, he stopped mid sentence.
"James, this is Miss Montgomery. Miss Montgomery, this is my right hand man, James DeFerio. Won't you come in, James? We were just discussing how Miss Montgomery might join us on our trip," Gabriel introduced them casually.
"Nice to meet you Ma'am," James said as he entered, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. As he did this he sent a questioning look to his boss. Gabriel just smiled cruelly and waved it off.
"Now Miss Montgomery, why don't you go calm down? Maria, will bring you to your own quarters away from the O'Connell's if you think it will be unpleasant going back to them. When I am done here, I will go speak to Richard myself," Gabriel said as he ushered Josie out of his office and into the waiting arms of his maid, Maria.
"Thank you, sir," Josephine said timidly as she followed the petite maid away. She didn't know if it was a good idea to follow Gabriel anywhere, but she was so blinded by her fear of returning home that she would do anything to escape it.
"What is this about her joining us," James asked as he watched her leave. James sat in the seat that Josephine had recently vacated and propped his booted feet up on Gabriel's desk, as though he were right at home in that office. He had been in Gabriel's service ever since he was seventeen. Now twelve years later, he was Gabriel's most trusted associate.
"The O'Connells think that she is behind everything, or at least they will when she mysteriously disappears after the argument they had with her. They will follow her while she travels across the desert with our men, leaving us to do what we must without being detected," Gabriel plotted as he watched James' reaction.
James laughed heartily at Gabriel's declaration, not so much because it was absurd, but because he knew that Gabriel was serious. "Gabe, you mean that they will think that that mousy woman is behind the beating of a Med-jai chief, the disappearance of maps to Nefertiri's necklace, and the ultimate disappearance of the necklace itself," James asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"I know they will. According to Maria, Josephine and Ardeth had a heated argument this very morning, and he believes that she is plotting to loot some of the tombs. Ardeth's judgment is probably still shaky from having his brains rattle so, during the beating that Ghalib's men delivered to him. This, my friend, leaves us the perfect opening. So, what do you think," Gabriel asked as his cold eyes danced with mirth.
"You are a heartless man, Gabriel, but I think this may be interesting. Just how naïve do you think this woman is," James said as he began plotting as well.
"Not so much naïve, but she is willing to do anything in order to escape returning home to her family."
"How do you know that," James asked curiously.
"Because she wears the same look that you had when you came to me twelve years ago, trying to escape your father's wrath for stealing his fortune," Gabriel said softly as he stood and walked around to the front of his desk. "So, do we have a plan," he asked as he reached out his hand to his partner.
"Of course we do. You know I will never disagree with you," James said as he took the offered hand and shook it firmly as both men smiled sadistically at each other. This was going better than either of them could have hoped, all thanks to a woman who always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you input is greatly appreciated. I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm sorry that it isn't very long. I'm extremely sorry that it took me so long to update, but my head has been spinning for the past few weeks, and I simply haven't had the time to sit and write anything significant until yesterday and today. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out by Monday, but I'm not making any promises, so please bear with me.