Adventures of Grace Quinlan and Lord William Hayden Along the Nile (Volume 1)

by Freda, Paula

  The Adventures of Grace Quinlan and Lord William Hayden

  Along the Nile

  Volume 1

  Copyright 2005 - 2011

  by Dorothy Paula Freda

  (Pseudonym - Paula Freda)

  Cover photo and inserts licensed by Paula Freda from iStockphoto.com

  Smashwords Edition

  Author retains all rights. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof.

  This story appeared in my novel "In Another Life (from the Journals of Grace Quinlan and Lord William Hayden)" under my pseudonym, Paula Freda. It is a work of fiction. Except for documented historical data and geographical locations, all names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  With thanks to my Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother Mary whose strength, guidance, and her Holy Rosary, are my anchor in this troubled world, I dedicate this novella to my husband, whose love, patience and kindness over the past 40 years have kept my dreams and my view of the romantic, alive and vibrant." Paula Freda

  The Adventures

  of Grace Quinlan and Lord William Hayden

  Along the Nile

  CHAPTER ONE

  June 1949

  From the corner of her eye Elizabeth noticed Lord Hayden entering the library and head for the section on ancient relics. She pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her short, but inquisitive nose. The slim gold, grey-tinted glasses had a habit of slipping, which she encouraged. Her brown oxfords thumped across the tiled floor as she approached Lord Hayden.

  "Good afternoon, Professor Hayden. Could you spare a moment? The meaning of this particular phrase eludes me." She did not wait for him to glance at her, but placed her opened book on top of his and pointed to a series of Egyptian symbols. "Would you be so kind?" She ignored his irritable frown.

  Lord Hayden controlled his rampant urge to run. Lately she sought his advice daily and he suspected she nurtured a crush on him. Coincidentally, she had purchased the cottage opposite his. He had seriously contemplated moving.

  Elizabeth normally left her home for Layton Hall at the same time he did. Two weeks ago, her car had conveniently stalled as he was starting his. Of course, he had been obliged to give her a lift.

  Professor Elizabeth Eldridge was well known and respected in archaeological circles, even if she did her research and developed her theories from behind her desk. He might have welcomed her attentions if she was younger and attractive, or if her glasses did not constantly hang on her short nose, or if her hair was not such an intense, somber shade of dark brown, pulled painfully and tightly up into a bun to sit purposefully and ridiculously on top of her head, like a day-old toasted bagel. Perhaps if she was not almost as tall as he was, her legs not so spindly, her hips and breasts nonexistent, her wool suits so grey and her man-tailored shirts so stiff and high-collared, then he might have found her remotely attractive. Perhaps then, he might have considered a casual relationship, if only for the reason that her archaeological expertise was nothing to sneer at.

  At thirty-five, she was his peer and easy to converse with, having long graduated college, and attended various schools abroad where she had earned degrees in Paleontology and Archeology. Her eyes under the grey tinted glasses held an eager expression whenever discussions centered on the sciences dear to his heart. Enthusiasm laced her lectures in class. Knowing that she would substitute for him during his exploratory trips, he need never worry that his students might fall behind in their studies. Her love of the ancient equaled and sometimes surpassed his.

  He did not mind her company during lunch and breaks in the faculty lounge. She listened to him with unabashed interest, occasionally inserting comments—expert ones. On the rare occasions she attended a social function at the college and allowed herself a bit of unrestrained laughter, her face would light and color and the drabness momentarily vanish. On those rare occasions, he would think that she had been quasi-attractive as a girl. A loveless past may have kept her from blossoming into all that a woman could. He admired that she did not attempt to cover her plainness with layers of makeup, unashamedly simple both in her non-use of cosmetics and in her unconcealed quest for knowledge.

  Elizabeth interrupted his flow of thoughts.

  "Professor Hayden?" She cocked her head inquisitively and nudged his shoulder. She controlled a chuckle as he appeared momentarily startled, realizing he had not answered her question but had been staring at her.

  "Y-Yes, what can I do for you?"

  The phrase, remember? I asked if you could help me decipher its meaning."

  "Oh, yes." He studied the symbols.

  "By the way, Lord Hayden, Happy Birthday. Thirty-eight, isn’t it? The years do have a way of piling up, don’t they?" Just one of many details she had quietly researched about him.

  Not amused, he ignored her question and her comment, and replied, "Truth. These symbols signify truth. And this one," he pointed to another, "represents a woman. This other represents a valuable gem."

  "An opal," Elizabeth revised, "reputed to have and bestow mystical powers. Its owner is said to have been a woman of royal descent, and a clairvoyant. Little is known about her except that she was beautiful in body and in soul. Upon her death, her priests placed the opal in the underground temple alongside her burial chamber, somewhere in the Valley of the Queens. Neither her tomb, nor the temple has ever been located." Elizabeth smiled, continuing, "Thank you. You’ve been most helpful. We will have to discuss the possibilities of finding her tomb, and the temple, and the opal. If they exist—" She did not need to elaborate. He understood.

  "I’m intrigued," he admitted. "And I’m sure the Museum would be interested, but as for mystical powers attached to the opal, I venture its owner merely possessed a highly perceptive nature. The powers of the mind we take for granted today often savored of mysticism to the ancient Egyptian."

  "Perhaps. Yet in all your travels and explorations, so vividly detailed in your published journals, you speak of mystical encounters."

  Again he chose not to comment. "Do you plan to research the whereabouts of this lady’s tomb?" he asked.

  "Most definitely. With summer vacation just a few days away, I plan to scour libraries and contact as many archaeological societies as I can within that time. What about you? Have you special plans?"

  He regarded her slyly as though he suspected that she already knew the answer to her question. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, he replied, "I’m leaving for Europe. A pre-Roman building has been unearthed in an archaeological excavation in Sicily. The board has authorized the purchase of artifacts uncovered with it."

  Both the College and Museum Directors considered Lord Hayden their best asset, and often sponsored his trips to obtain precious artifacts for outright purchase or lease for exhibition. "Another imminent entry to your next journal?" Elizabeth remarked. She removed her book from the top of his. "Enjoy yourself."

  She felt Lord Hayden’s nonplussed gaze follow her as she retraced her steps up the aisle. He would be wondering, as her heavy oxfords pounded the floor tiles, was she actually attempting to secure his attentions? And how could a woman as smart as she ever imagine that he would form a sexual liaison with a skinny, spectacled, grey-eyed spinster, no matter if archeology was her first love?

  Elizabeth reseated herself at the reading table. A sad smile played on her untinted lips. Lord Hayden was a gentleman and an adventurer rolled int
o one. She had gathered quite a dossier on him. He was a brilliant teacher and ingenious at discovering and acquiring relics that brought the past into the present. Never in her life had she felt such an affinity for another human being. And never in her life had she stood such small chance of requital. For years, she had followed his exploits, mentally devouring his published journals, as did most of the college staff and many of the students. His books often were best sellers, garnering him hefty royalties. He did not need to teach to earn a living. He was wealthy by birth and inheritance and owned estates in England, yet chose to live in a simple cottage a mile from the college campus.

  Safely hidden in her dresser drawer were newspaper clippings of Lord Hayden and beautiful women who had shared his exploits. She could not deny jealousy, but mostly she felt grateful she would never qualify for one of those newspaper clippings. It would hurt too much to love and then find herself replaced. She knew he respected her intelligence. Several times they had collaborated on antiquarian reports. Whenever he returned from his trips with valuable finds, he discussed them freely with her. Those conversations when Lord Hayden forgot the plain wallflower, and saw only the eager archaeologist, became the happiest times she had ever known. He had never married, though most considered him quite a catch. His bride was Archeology. She recalled one evening during a staff meeting when she had contemplated asking him if she might accompany him on one of his searches. As she began to form her first word, she glimpsed herself in the window pane beside a lit lamp. The image of herself alongside the debonair, resourceful archaeologist had made her laugh aloud. She quickly cleared her throat, feigning a cough. That evening she realized how important it was to keep alive his respect for her intelligence.

  Before she had plunked her book over the one Lord Hayden was reading, her astute eye had caught the title of the chapter that held his interest. Sicily—Archaeological Digs—The Lost Temple of the Goddess Psyche. Yes! she quietly cheered. Elizabeth closed her book with a snap, startling several of the library’s visitors, including Lord Hayden, and herself. She lowered her gaze shame-faced. With regard to the eminent professor, she was turning into a lovesick puppy. This simply would not do. Something must change. Rising grimly, she tromped out of the library. An idea formed in her mind as she drove home. It was a wild, crazy, idiotic idea. But she was smart—it just might work!

  * * *

  "Nice to see you again," the captain greeted as Lord Hayden boarded the plane to the Continent.

  Hayden acknowledged the greeting, smiling and touching the rim of his hat. Suited in grey linen, none could deny his handsome profile. The stewardess on board inspected him openly, not attempting to hide her appreciation as he removed his hat and slid his traveling bag into the overhang. He made sure to return her look of appreciation. She was slender, attractive and blonde. He might have continued his appraisal except that another female caught his eye. Lovely, like autumn leaves. She sat a few seats further up the aisle, gazing out the window. Possibly, she sensed his interest, for she turned and briefly gazed at him.

  She was indeed lovely, her slight makeup, meticulously applied; a hint of blush on her cheeks, eyebrows tweezed and finely penciled, lips tinted a soft coral pink. She wore a fitted blue suit. Her hair was her best asset. Shoulder-length and wavy, it caught the sun’s brilliance streaming through the window and shone the colors of autumn—muted, velvety amber reds and dark yellows, and mixtures thereof, as though in her case nature had not been able to make up its mind. He had already made up his mind to meet her. A little relaxation before plunging into the Sicilian Dig. And that vision of loveliness, if she found him appealing, might provide that relaxation nicely. He settled into his seat in preparation for takeoff.

  The woman who had sparked Lord Hayden’s interest turned and glanced again at her admirer. She could just make out the top of his head. A smile parted her softly tinted mouth. She had caught Lord Hayden noticing her, his glance definitely loaded with enthusiasm. Yes, she thought, breathing out gently. A wild, crazy, idiotic idea. But it just might work!

  CHAPTER TWO

  Elizabeth congratulated herself. Her well-kept secret would remain a secret. The world of the 40s and 50s did not expect a female professor of archeology to be auburn-haired, non-spectacled, slim and lovely. The standards of her time rarely equated beauty with intelligence. Such a professor would be a distraction to the male students and create envy among the females. Thus, she had created a facade acceptable to the world of her time and Layton Hall. Weekly she saturated her hair with the most horrid brown rinse she could find. She wore rest glasses tinted grey. Wore underclothes proportioned to hide her graceful lines, and long-skirted man-tailored suits and grey business sheers to make her legs appear thin and unappealing. But of late, she nurtured a desire to frequent Lord Hayden’s company. For the first time since her student years, she had discarded her facade. Her hair washed of the rinse and free of the confining hairdo, glowed red-gold, and wove and fell softly about her shoulders. A dab of rouge smoothed lightly over her cheeks added a lively rosiness to her face. Her green eyes, minus the grey lenses, sparkled like emeralds. All this and the fetching blue suit purchased at a fashionable boutique, underwear made to uplift rather than camouflage, and a splash of sweet smelling eau de cologne, had transformed the flounder into a sultry catfish.

  When the plane had settled into a belly squat above the clouds, Captain Craig joined the stewardess to check on the passengers. Lord Hayden thought this moment propitious to ask the Captain to introduce him to the russet-golden haired woman who sat a few seats in front of him.

  "Excuse me, Miss Grace Quinlan," the Captain touched her shoulder. "An acquaintance of mine would like to be formally introduced." He turned to allow Hayden who stood behind him to show himself. "This is Lord William Hayden, an explorer and instructor, currently teaching at Layton Hall."

  Elizabeth Eldridge gazed straight into Lord Hayden’s face and saw not even a thread of recognition. Instead, what she caught was that glint of admiration and that hint of a smile he normally reserved for those fortunate enough to spark his interest. Lord Hayden extended his hand. "May I join you?"

  "If you like," she answered, accepting his handshake. He contemplated her smooth, slim hand, holding it longer than necessary, as Captain Craig retreated discreetly. "I’m on my way to Palermo, to visit an archaeological dig," Hayden said, settling down beside her.

  "The lost Temple of Pscyhe?"

  "Why, yes. You’re familiar with the dig?"

  "I’m a writer, Lord Hayden, enroute to the site to research an article on the temple."

  "Then we have something to talk about."

  "It appears we do," Elizabeth replied, annoyed. So that was how Lord Hayden operated. The photos of the handsome, aristocratic instructor and the beautiful women who frequently shared his travels and the poses, flashed through her mind. Had they been as besotted as she had become. Elizabeth felt humiliated.

  "Where will you be staying?" Lord Hayden asked.

  "Hotel Internazionale," she said, casually.

  Lord Hayden arched his brows. Another coincidence. "That’s the hotel I’ll be staying at as well. It seems we’re fated to see more of each other."

  Emerald green eyes narrowed. "Not necessarily. I’ll stay out of your way, if you promise to stay out of mine."

  Hayden opened his mouth, but all at once he seemed not sure what to say. He finally stammered, "N-no, on the contrary, I was hoping we might have... dinner together."

  "Really, Lord Hayden?" Elizabeth inquired.

  "Yes. And please call me William," he said with renewed self-assurance. He leaned back smugly.

  "Lord Hayden—William," she corrected. I have a lot of reading to do on Sicilian archeology. So if you don’t mind, we can pick up this conversation at the hotel."

  Hayden’s mouth fell open. His face clearly showed his emotions running the gamut of surprise, confusion and downright indignation. "Y-yes, of course," he mumbled, plainly alarmed at his lack of affect
on one attractive, seemingly intelligent female. He stood up. "See you around."

  Elizabeth did not answer him. With an air of dismissal, she bent to rummage inside the tote bag at her feet. But from the corner of her eye she noted Lord Hayden’s mouth quirk wryly as she took out a book from her bag and immersed herself in reading.

  Elizabeth smiled as Lord Hayden returned to his seat. No doubt, his ego deflated, he must be fuming and wondering was he growing old and losing his touch?

  The following day, Lord Hayden’s anticipation of seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, and if it were possible, hearing, the Sicilian artifacts unearthed during the dig in the Sicilian countryside, temporarily blanked his memory of the auburn-haired beauty. Even the knowledge that she occupied the room opposite his, elicited little reaction compared to his excitement as he beheld the marble figurine of the Goddess Psyche. Tables behind which a government official supervised, had been set up outside the dig. Lord Hayden picked up the figurine with the care it deserved. The ancient artist had sculpted Psyche as a young girl in flowing robes, her hair loose and streaming about her small-boned cheeks, her tiny feet bare, toes finely hewn, and her hands at her sides, delicately carved fingers spread apart as if to feel the air rushing through them. "How much?" Lord Hayden asked the official.

  "The statuette is not for sale," the official replied.

  Hayden entreated, "For such a piece as this, the museum I represent would be willing to pay, let’s say—five thousand."

  The Italian official laughed outright. "Signore, my country would not sell it for a hundred times that price. The statuette will be placed in our national museum. However, you may choose to bid for one of these lesser pieces." He pointed to an assortment of gold bowls and utensils, and several other pieces of art, among them, a miniature of the Apollo Belvedere.

  Lord Hayden frowned. Why display the statuette with the other artifacts if it was not for sale. The answer he reasoned—to attract buyers for the other artifacts. Not an unheard of business tactic. He would have to settle for the Apollo. He picked up the Apollo. "And the cost?" he inquired.