Part 23 (2/2)

Rufford's face fell a little. ”That does make it harder.” Kate couldn't believe he would actually want to have children. Wouldn't they be vampire too?

Kate cast about for another explanation. ”Maybe it's something about us that sickens her.”

Then she and Gian looked at each other, struck.

”No.” Gian said. ”It's the stones. They suck a vampire's energy. Maybe if you're newly made, it affects you more. Do you feel it, Rufford?”

Rufford's gaze turned inward. ”No. Or at least it is so faint as to be almost undetectable. But I do have a bit of the blood of an Old One. Beth has only my blood.”

Gian's resolve showed in his face. ”I'll take the stones and go.” He strode to the door, almost colliding with Abdullah on his way in with an ornate silver tea set on a tray.

”Wait.” Rufford chewed his lip. ”I don't want those stones out on the streets of Algiers either.” He laid Beth on the banquette.

Kate went to her side. ”Come with me,” he said to Gian. ”There's a root cellar at the far end of the compound. Practically a bunker. Perhaps that will mute the effect. And it has a stout lock to keep the stones from being stolen.”

”Meal.”

The two men left, leaving Abdullah staring after them. ”Does Miss want tea?”

”Set it down, if you would,” Kate asked. ”And could you get a damp cloth?” The servant bowed and withdrew.

Beth moaned and tried to sit up. ”What happened?”

”You fainted. We think it was the proximity of the jewels. To hurt Gian, he must be touched with them, but he says you are much younger.”

Beth took this fantastic explanation in stride. ”Oh. And Ian has the Old One's blood, so he wouldn't be affected. I expect that was it.” She laid her head on the back of the banquette.

”They've gone to lock them in some root cellar.”

”I do feel better.” And indeed the color was was.h.i.+ng back into her cheeks.

”I hope waking to the sight of me didn't startle you.” Kate's scar could send anyone back into a swoon. Kate managed a laugh.

Beth raised her head and looked at Kate strangely. ”Actually, I thought you were very good not to stare at my eyes. People always do, you know.”

Kate poured her out some tea, and handed her the cup. ”They are no doubt astounded by your beauty. It's not the same thing.”

Abdullah returned with a cloth and Kate laid it against Beth's forehead as he withdrew discreetly.

”Not likely,” Beth said, closing her eyes. ”I've been called a 'brown little thing' in the drawing rooms of London. And here, I'm not Egyptian enough.”

”You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen.” Kate meant it.

Beth gave a rueful smile. ”No, that would be you.”

Was she making fun of Kate? She hardly seemed the type. Probably she was still a little stunned and wasn't making sense.

Gian and Rufford burst into the room. ”Are you all right?” Rufford asked, striding to his wife's side. His forehead was wrinkled in worry.

”I'm much better, dear.” Beth removed the compress from her forehead and looked around. ”A little weak. This tea is doing wonders.” She patted his hand. ”I admit I could do with something a little stronger though.”

Rufford was unwilling to leave his wife's side, so Gian strode to the brandy decanter on a low table. He poured Beth out a little brandy and two substantial gla.s.ses for himself and Rufford. He lifted the decanter to Kate in question, but she shook her head.

Kate wondered how long Rufford and Beth had been married. The expression in their eyes whenever they looked at each other was... full-that was the only way she could explain it. She wanted to know everything about them. She wouldn't think why. ”Well, shall we return to the consideration of our problem?” It was Beth who prodded them back to the topic.

”I shall go with you of course,” Rufford said.

”No. You can't go, my friend.” Gian looked sorry about that. He obviously trusted Rufford. ”Because Mrs. Rufford can't go.

Elyta may try make contact with you for information about the Temple of Waiting if she doesn't know where it is. You wouldn't want her to find Mrs. Rufford alone and try to pry the location out of her.”

Rufford swallowed. ”I would not. But that leaves you in the lurch.”

”No it doesn't,” Kate said. ”Gian knows very well that the stones tell me the direction of the temple. He'd just rather leave me behind. And now he can't.” She smiled at Gian.

”But how is this?” Beth asked, sitting straighter.

”It's a long story...” Gian made it clear he did not want to go into it.

”No it's not.” Kate turned to the others, who waited with raised brows, agog to know what she was talking about. ”I see visions, sometimes.” There, she'd admitted it. ”And looking at the stones always brings one on. I don't go mad,” she hastened to interject.

”Or at least not madder than usual. And I can feel them wanting to go home. They... pull, for lack of a better word, in the right direction.” She looked at Gian. ”But only for me.”

Gian sighed. ”Miss Sheridan is a woman of some talents.” The words escaped through gritted teeth. ”That doesn't mean she should go on this expedition.” The arrogant b.a.s.t.a.r.d really hated admitting that she was as much a part of this adventure as he was.

”I can see how you wouldn't want to put her in danger, Urbano.” Rufford gave his wife one of those full looks. ”But I can't see any way out of it.”

”And the good thing is that I was planning to excavate the Kasbah at El Oued. I've organized a caravan to leave in two days. If we take some of their supplies and accelerate the preparations, you could leave tomorrow night.”

”Excellent.” Gian looked relieved.

Beth chewed her lip. ”Use the pa.s.s at Blida over the Atlas Mountains. The temple is on the southeast side of the middle range. If you use every available hour of darkness-maybe eight or nine days.”

”Do caravans travel at night?” Kate asked.

Beth smiled. ”My caravans do.”

But of course they would. What kind of a woman organized caravans and excavated Kasbahs? Kate found Beth fascinating, not only for who she was, but for the fact that she seemed at ease with what she had become.

”We'll travel both night and day, if you can tell us where to exchange animals.” At the look the Ruffords gave him, Gian bristled.

”I'll cover up. I'm older than you two, even though you have an Old One's blood, Rufford. I'll be fine. Kate will need to ride a camel.” He glanced at her in apology. ”Horses are not her strong point.”

It was Kate's turn to bristle; ”If you are going to take her with you, she will need rest, as will the drivers. You can't just push them all to exhaustion, Gian,”

Beth scolded. ”They don't have your strength.”

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