Chapter One
England 1933
Violet dreamed of Egypt. Again. She’d never set foot on the continent. Yet.
She blamed it on the anticipation of her upcoming trip, but the truth was, she’d experienced these dreams since she was a child. Since her mother had returned fromhertrip to Egypt.
A wave of sadness washed over Violet. It had been several years since her mother’s passing, and still Violet felt the sting of loss as strong as it had been the day her mother crossed the veil into eternity. She rubbed her fingertips over the jeweled bracelet around her wrist, the amber stone warming beneath her touch.
Her mother had given her the jewel when she was ten, a bauble purchased from a street vendor in Cairo.
Violet glanced around the empty dining room and sighed. Everything seemed empty without her mother.
“I miss you,” she whispered, pressing a hand to the locket around her neck, where her mother’s image rested. It was silly, speaking to the dead in such a way, but it soothed her soul to think her mother could hear her. Such comfort gave her strength to continue.
Instead of lingering on loss, she focused on the importance of the day. After years of pleading, her father had agreed to take her to Cairo. Finally, she would see the wonders her mother told her about in bedtime stories. The luxurious hotels. The pyramids. The vibrant marketplaces. Sunset glittering on the Nile.
It grew impossible to sit still with anticipation and excitement roiling inside her like champagne bubbles.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway and pulled her from her thoughts. She took a deep breath to remain calm and composed.
Her father appeared in the doorway, looking distinguished in his navy suit and yellow tie. His neatly trimmed beard was highlighted with gray and matched the gradual transition in his dark hair. As a successful businessman, Templeton Connoly was a force to be reckoned with, but Violet knew exactly how to negotiate in order to win his favor...in most cases, anyway. It took time and patience.
He cleared his throat. “Are you certain about this, Violet?” Her father’s brows furrowed as he carefully studied her. “There’s nothing to dissuade you from this madness?”
Violet rose from her seat and brushed an errant crumb from her skirt. “Nothing save an act of God will dissuade me from this trip.” She crossed the room, rested a hand on her father’s shoulder, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I am already packed and ready to go.”
“I will never understand your fascination with Egypt,” he grumbled, softening at her touch. “Or your mother’s. She filled your mind with wild stories and fantastical ideas.”
“Mother told me of wonderful adventures.” Violet straightened his tie before returning to her seat at the table. “I only wish to experience it myself.”
“You would do better to remain in England to find a suitable husband.” Her father shook his head before sitting across from her.
“There’s plenty of time for that, Father.” Violet ignored the rising frustration in her chest. This conversation had been ongoing for nearly five years.
“I would just feel better if I knew you were taken care of.” Her father sighed. “I’m not getting any younger, you know?”
“You don’t have to worry about me.” Violet reached out and rested her hand on his, painfully aware of the toll her mother’s death had taken on them both.
“When your mother first became ill, I made a promise to her.” He squeezed Violet’s hand. “I vowed you and your brother would always be taken care of. She made me promise you would find love like ours.”
Violet swallowed a lump of sadness and dropped her gaze. “I know you mean well, but I cannot be forced to fall in love.”
“I know, darling girl.” He released her hand and sat back in his chair. “But you also cannot remain alone forever.”
I can.Violet bit back the response and forced a smile, determined to enjoy the day she’d so long awaited. “I wonder where David and Isaac are?”