“Lord Marlsbrook, what an unexpected pleasure,” she said, steadying her voice.
“Miss Quinn, I find myself in need of your expertise.” He sounded so very serious, yet his eyes flashed with something that looked as though he was teasing her.
She struggled to maintain her composure. The nerves were back, and with a vengeance. “What question might I answer?”
He produced a small enameled box. “I am confident you will be able to identify this artifact.”
“Very well.”
She opened the box. Nestled against the velvet lining, a golden figure of a woman with the head of a cat gazed up at her with vivid green eyes.
Good heavens. The Amulet of Bastet.
“I’ve been told this dates to the eighteenth dynasty. I would like your opinion.”
She nodded. “Yes, I do believe that would be correct.”
He displayed the relic for the crowd. A collective gasp went up among the members. Benedict turned to the crowd.
“I came upon this amulet in the Nile Valley. Based on its markings, are you able to identify it?”
“Of course,” she said, examining the statue. “It represents the goddess Bastet.”
“The cat goddess,” a matron in the front row added, her voice brimming with excitement.
“Quite so,” Alex replied.
“Miss Quinn, I find myself faced with a dilemma. This is a treasure. I do not believe anyone in this room would argue against that point. But I am unsure as to the best course of action regarding its preservation.”
Everyone in the room seemed to be staring at the amulet, but Alex could not take her eyes off ofhim. What was happening here? What in blazes did he intend to do?
“I believe I have previously communicated my opinion on that, Lord Marlsbrook.”
“As a matter of fact, I am quite positive you did.” A slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I would entrust this artifact to you. I am confident you will see to its protection and display.”
He nestled the amulet against the plush lining in the box and placed the small container in her hands. She looked down. Good heavens, her fingers were trembling.
“Thank you.” She choked back a swell of emotion. The golden cat would have added considerable wealth to his estate. And now, he’d publicly given it away. “On behalf of the society, I offer my heartfelt thanks. I will see to it that this artifact is entrusted to the care of the proper experts.”
“Very good,” he said. His long fingers raked through his hair. Suddenly, he looked as though the nerves that had afflicted her were contagious.
Rising from his seat in the front row, Professor Stanwyck came to the stage. “I’ll take that,” he said, reaching for the amulet. “I believe you have better things to attend to.”
Alex studied his face, seeing the genuine smile in his eyes. “I don’t…I don’t understand.”
“You will, Miss Quinn,” Stanwyck said as he moved to the back of the stage, exiting behind a heavy curtain.
The members in the audience had grown unusually quiet, appearing to follow along as if they were viewing a stage play. Alex swallowed hard against a fresh surge of nerves.
“Well, then, thank you, Lord Marlsbrook.” She wrung her fingers together. “This has been…most interesting.”
Benedict’s face fell back into a somber expression. “Is that all you have to say, Miss Quinn?”
She gave a brisk nod. “At the moment, it’s all that comes to mind.”
“Miss Quinn, it occurs to me that I have one more question.”
She dragged in a low breath, as if that might slow her pulse back to normal.
