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to.  A word of advice, chérie?   Don’t trust your father on this topic.  Make your own decision.”
    “But…but…”
    “Goodbye,” he said again, and he strolled out.
    The expensive necklace was still circling her throat, and she was too dazed to remember it or to remind him.  She sunk into her chair, grabbed her glass, and filled it to the rim with brandy.  She swallowed a hefty gulp, then hunkered down to wait for whatever catastrophe was coming.

CHAPTER ONE
    Three months later…
    T heodosia stood in the middle of an Egyptian bazaar. The hot desert sun beat down, and the crowd swirled around her.
    Even though she was away from England, she was dressed in what she viewed as a normal British costume such as she would wear on a cool, rainy autumn afternoon in London.  But the heavy gown, shawl, bonnet, petticoat, stockings, shoes, and corset were totally inappropriate for the excessive temperature. Although she had a very hearty constitution, she truly wondered if she might faint.
    The air was so heavy she couldn’t catch her breath, and as she studied the native women passing by, she couldn’t help but be jealous of their attire that appeared much more comfortable and thoroughly suited to the elements.
    They’d been in Cairo for three days, and they were still settling into their hotel, so she hadn’t had a chance to acclimate to the climate or assess her wardrobe’s functionality.  Yet clearly, changes would have to be made.
    “Look, Theo.” Her cousin, Fenton, pointed to a booth. “Wouldn’t you like to have one of those scarves?”
    “I would actually.”
    “You could buy one for Mother too.  Perhaps if we return with a gift, it will improve her mood.”
    “Yes, it just might.”
    Though Theo didn’t say so, she didn’t think anything could improve his mother’s mood. His mother was Theo’s aunt, Edna Wallace.
    From the outset, the journey should have been an adventure. After all, they were on their way to tour the pyramids. First, they would tarry for a month at an archeological dig being run by Edna’s friend, Cedric Webster, who was a famous archeologist. Then they would sail even farther down the Nile to explore other ruins.
    But the trip had been partially organized as an excuse for Theo to flee her scandal with Lord Trent. With gossip and disgrace spurring them to slink out of London—practically in the dead of night—the entire expedition had commenced on a sour note, so they probably shouldn’t have expected a good outcome.
    The whole voyage, Edna had been grouchy and quarrelsome, and with their finally arriving, her disposition wasn’t any better. If a new scarf could have any effect, which Theo doubted very much, she was certainly ready to make the attempt.
    She stepped to the booth where the scarves were piled high, the beautiful fabrics and colors so vibrant that she wished she could roll around on them merely to feel the silky textures on her skin.
    It was a hard decision to select just one, and the vendor was eager to entice her.  He kept showing her different and prettier designs, and ultimately she tried to walk away, but it only encouraged him.  Apparently, he believed she was haggling over the price.
    She wasn’t sure that was the case, but it seemed to be.  She didn’t speak his language and he didn’t speak hers, and she chastised herself for getting immersed in a situation she couldn’t control or understand.  Why had she presumed it was a sensible idea to leave the safety of the hotel and go shopping?
    Their hours trapped at the hotel had been boring and stultifying.  They’d languished on porches, fanning themselves and waiting for Edna to arrange for transport down the Nile.  When Fenton had suggested a visit to the nearby market, Theo had jumped at the opportunity to join him, but they shouldn’t have ventured out.
    She glanced around to inform him that their excursion was over.  He should have been right behind her, but he wasn’t there, which