Chapter One
Rick and Evy stepped off the train onto a platform crowded with people and smoke. Men, women and children were hurrying in both directions, carrying luggage and talking in generally agitated tones. Porters pushed trollies laden with luggage, and the stationmaster, an obese man in his fifties, clutched his waistcoat as he chortled with laughter at a joke evidently just made by the young man carrying a cane with whom he was conversing. Rick and Evie began weaving between the swarms of people surrounding them, who jostled and bumped them. Every time this occurred, a hurried apology was murmured automatically by both parties and each went on their way again, only to accidentally shove someone else.
Evie's fourth major blunder resulted in a heated discussion between a cranky middle aged gentleman and Rick, who could not let the man walk away from insulting Evelyn's coordination unscathed. Luckily, Evie managed to pacify him before he did anything rash, such as shove his opponent onto the tracks. She eventually also succeeded in pulling him away, whispering consolingly, 'Its not important, Rick. Let it go.'
Rick, who didn't want to let it go, bristled all over again.
'That guy had better hope I never run into him again, or-'
'It's not as though what he said was untrue, Rick.' Evelyn pointed out. She knew very well that she was somewhat less than graceful, particularly in situations when it was most necessary to be poised. But it wouldn't hurt to hear Rick contradict her remark regarding her failing.
'I know. But that's not the point.' Well! So much for soothing assurances of her coordination.
Evie glared at Rick. 'Oooooh! Just because I can barely walk upstairs in my own home without tripping over my own feet does not give you leave to remind me of it!'
Rick grinned and shrugged. 'Hey, I was just being helpful. Your memory's not that great either, you know.'
'Mr O'Connell!' Evie said indignantly. The nerve of the man! But none of their remarks were serious and they both knew it.
By this time, the couple had almost made it to the end of the platform, and out into the fresh sea air, where they were to spend the day. It was an outing suggested on a whim by Rick, who had noticed Evie was looking a worn out and overworked, and needed a break. She had greeted his suggestion with enthusiasm. Since their move to London three months ago, almost immediately after returning from Hamunaptra, Rick and the Carnahans hadn't left the city at all, being busy with a new job in the British Museum, helping at the museum by lifting heavy crates, or being reunited with all of London's best pubs, as the case may be. The proposed day trip was given the go- ahead, and a day was set. Jonathan couldn't come, having had arranged to meet some old acquaintances for a few drinks ('Just a few!' he had promised Evie. 'Stop fussing!'). Neither Evie or Rick minded in the least that Jonathan couldn't come too- in fact, his absence pleased them immensely. Jonathan didn't mind either. As he muttered to himself while waving goodbye to his sister and her companion, 'three months of bearing witness to constant sessions of cooing and coddling was quite enough without spending an entire day in such a way, without giving a chap so much as a single break.'
Evelyn and Rick stepped out into the bright, cheery sunshine, a rarity in London.
'So.any idea how to get to this restaurant?' Rick asked Evie, who groaned.
'You really are infuriating, Rick! I don't even know what the place is called. You made the reservation!'
'So? Just because I booked the damn table doesn't mean I know where it is! And what makes you think I know what it's called?' Rick countered. He crossed his arms across his chest and watched Evie smoulder and splutter, her mouth opening and shutting. He would have smirked, but that might be pushing it.
'Don't you dare swear at me!' she said, narrowing her eyes. They widened again as she thought of something. 'You can't remember what it's called?'
Rick gave a mental gulp. Whoops. Shouldn't have said that. 'I'll know it when I see it!' he said defensively.
'How do you propose to see it if we haven't the foggiest where it is?' Evie shot back. Their voices were raised considerably higher than usual, and Evie saw a stately old couple walking along the opposite side of the street frowning at them. Too worked up for propriety or even manners, Evie glared back.
'Old gossips.' She muttered, jerking her head at them. Rick looked to where she indicated before turning back to meet her eyes, fighting the smile which was creeping across his face at the mental picture which had formed suddenly before he could stop it, of a very old Evie hobbling beside a very old him, both with masses of wrinkles and grey hair.
'What are you looking so amused at?' Evelyn asked suspiciously. Rick, looking down at her as she evidently tried to decide whether to be stern or share the joke, suddenly felt love for her wash over him, her presence intoxicating his senses. He hadn't felt anything like this before for anyone. For a while, since Hamunaptra practically, Rick had known that he was in love with Evelyn Carnahan. Five years back, or even one, if anyone had told him that he'd fall for a girl like her, Rick O'Connell would have laughed fitfully. Laughed, or punched their lights out. But when he'd met Evie, he'd grown to love all the things about her that he would have scorned before. He loved her for her intelligence, and how she never gave up hoping for a career traditionally given only to men. He loved her cute smile, and her even cuter accent. He loved her clumsiness. He loved her obstinate and determined nature. He loved her fearlessness, and her recklessness. He loved the way she genuinely cared for Jonathan. He loved her inclination to rant on and on. He loved how passionate she was when she talked about Egypt, and how sometimes when she talked she forgot about everything else and engrossed herself in her stories as she delved into her knowledge.
Realising that Evie was blushing hotly under his stare, O'Connell smiled easily and considered telling her what he'd really thought. A second after he thought the thought he dismissed it. She wasn't ready to hear it.
Or are you not ready to say it? something in him asked.
'I was just wondering how two people could possible fight as often as we do and still be crazy about each other.' He said. That would have to do- it wasn't the time or place for professions of undying, timeless love. Rick, studying Evie's face, saw that it had done the trick.
She smiled sweetly up at him. 'It's a mystery. Just like the location of the restaurant. One would hope that the mystery of the restaurant doesn't prove as hard to solve as the other you've put forward. Three months and we still haven't got a single solid lead.' She raised her eyebrows and slipped her arm around his. 'Let's go.' Evie said, urging Rick on down the street. Rick winced. The day was NOT turning out the way he'd hoped.
Rick and Evy stepped off the train onto a platform crowded with people and smoke. Men, women and children were hurrying in both directions, carrying luggage and talking in generally agitated tones. Porters pushed trollies laden with luggage, and the stationmaster, an obese man in his fifties, clutched his waistcoat as he chortled with laughter at a joke evidently just made by the young man carrying a cane with whom he was conversing. Rick and Evie began weaving between the swarms of people surrounding them, who jostled and bumped them. Every time this occurred, a hurried apology was murmured automatically by both parties and each went on their way again, only to accidentally shove someone else.
Evie's fourth major blunder resulted in a heated discussion between a cranky middle aged gentleman and Rick, who could not let the man walk away from insulting Evelyn's coordination unscathed. Luckily, Evie managed to pacify him before he did anything rash, such as shove his opponent onto the tracks. She eventually also succeeded in pulling him away, whispering consolingly, 'Its not important, Rick. Let it go.'
Rick, who didn't want to let it go, bristled all over again.
'That guy had better hope I never run into him again, or-'
'It's not as though what he said was untrue, Rick.' Evelyn pointed out. She knew very well that she was somewhat less than graceful, particularly in situations when it was most necessary to be poised. But it wouldn't hurt to hear Rick contradict her remark regarding her failing.
'I know. But that's not the point.' Well! So much for soothing assurances of her coordination.
Evie glared at Rick. 'Oooooh! Just because I can barely walk upstairs in my own home without tripping over my own feet does not give you leave to remind me of it!'
Rick grinned and shrugged. 'Hey, I was just being helpful. Your memory's not that great either, you know.'
'Mr O'Connell!' Evie said indignantly. The nerve of the man! But none of their remarks were serious and they both knew it.
By this time, the couple had almost made it to the end of the platform, and out into the fresh sea air, where they were to spend the day. It was an outing suggested on a whim by Rick, who had noticed Evie was looking a worn out and overworked, and needed a break. She had greeted his suggestion with enthusiasm. Since their move to London three months ago, almost immediately after returning from Hamunaptra, Rick and the Carnahans hadn't left the city at all, being busy with a new job in the British Museum, helping at the museum by lifting heavy crates, or being reunited with all of London's best pubs, as the case may be. The proposed day trip was given the go- ahead, and a day was set. Jonathan couldn't come, having had arranged to meet some old acquaintances for a few drinks ('Just a few!' he had promised Evie. 'Stop fussing!'). Neither Evie or Rick minded in the least that Jonathan couldn't come too- in fact, his absence pleased them immensely. Jonathan didn't mind either. As he muttered to himself while waving goodbye to his sister and her companion, 'three months of bearing witness to constant sessions of cooing and coddling was quite enough without spending an entire day in such a way, without giving a chap so much as a single break.'
Evelyn and Rick stepped out into the bright, cheery sunshine, a rarity in London.
'So.any idea how to get to this restaurant?' Rick asked Evie, who groaned.
'You really are infuriating, Rick! I don't even know what the place is called. You made the reservation!'
'So? Just because I booked the damn table doesn't mean I know where it is! And what makes you think I know what it's called?' Rick countered. He crossed his arms across his chest and watched Evie smoulder and splutter, her mouth opening and shutting. He would have smirked, but that might be pushing it.
'Don't you dare swear at me!' she said, narrowing her eyes. They widened again as she thought of something. 'You can't remember what it's called?'
Rick gave a mental gulp. Whoops. Shouldn't have said that. 'I'll know it when I see it!' he said defensively.
'How do you propose to see it if we haven't the foggiest where it is?' Evie shot back. Their voices were raised considerably higher than usual, and Evie saw a stately old couple walking along the opposite side of the street frowning at them. Too worked up for propriety or even manners, Evie glared back.
'Old gossips.' She muttered, jerking her head at them. Rick looked to where she indicated before turning back to meet her eyes, fighting the smile which was creeping across his face at the mental picture which had formed suddenly before he could stop it, of a very old Evie hobbling beside a very old him, both with masses of wrinkles and grey hair.
'What are you looking so amused at?' Evelyn asked suspiciously. Rick, looking down at her as she evidently tried to decide whether to be stern or share the joke, suddenly felt love for her wash over him, her presence intoxicating his senses. He hadn't felt anything like this before for anyone. For a while, since Hamunaptra practically, Rick had known that he was in love with Evelyn Carnahan. Five years back, or even one, if anyone had told him that he'd fall for a girl like her, Rick O'Connell would have laughed fitfully. Laughed, or punched their lights out. But when he'd met Evie, he'd grown to love all the things about her that he would have scorned before. He loved her for her intelligence, and how she never gave up hoping for a career traditionally given only to men. He loved her cute smile, and her even cuter accent. He loved her clumsiness. He loved her obstinate and determined nature. He loved her fearlessness, and her recklessness. He loved the way she genuinely cared for Jonathan. He loved her inclination to rant on and on. He loved how passionate she was when she talked about Egypt, and how sometimes when she talked she forgot about everything else and engrossed herself in her stories as she delved into her knowledge.
Realising that Evie was blushing hotly under his stare, O'Connell smiled easily and considered telling her what he'd really thought. A second after he thought the thought he dismissed it. She wasn't ready to hear it.
Or are you not ready to say it? something in him asked.
'I was just wondering how two people could possible fight as often as we do and still be crazy about each other.' He said. That would have to do- it wasn't the time or place for professions of undying, timeless love. Rick, studying Evie's face, saw that it had done the trick.
She smiled sweetly up at him. 'It's a mystery. Just like the location of the restaurant. One would hope that the mystery of the restaurant doesn't prove as hard to solve as the other you've put forward. Three months and we still haven't got a single solid lead.' She raised her eyebrows and slipped her arm around his. 'Let's go.' Evie said, urging Rick on down the street. Rick winced. The day was NOT turning out the way he'd hoped.