Death and Desire (Love in Cairo #1)

Chapter One

E ngland 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 from her trip 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?”

Templeton’s brow furrowed. “Your brother is probably still abed at this hour. When I was his age—”

He ceased speaking at the sound of boisterous conversation filtering in from the hallway.

Violet hid a smirk behind her teacup just as her brother, Isaac, and his best friend, David, entered the room. A year younger than her, at twenty-four, Isaac’s devil-may-care attitude often ruffled their father’s feathers, and David, who had been his stalwart companion since the age of five, held little sway in her father’s good graces. They received animated lectures about proper behavior at least once a week, and yet, the two ruffians were as thick as thieves and did as they pleased without question or repercussion.

That alone irritated her, but her father’s requirement for both of them to accompany Violet on this trip, acting as her escort and chaperone...well, that certainly left her rankled. However, if she wished to enjoy this adventure, she required both of them to be amenable to her plan.

Violet sat back, remaining silent, watching her father’s irritation shift to resignation.

“How lovely for you to join us.” Templeton picked up his coffee cup and sipped the rich brew.

“Good morning, Father.” Isaac beamed and poured himself some tea.

“Sir,” David said with a respectful nod before sitting beside Isaac.

“This is a business trip, Violet.” Her father leaned close, ensuring everyone could hear him clearly. “I cannot indulge your every whim.”

“I never asked you to do so, Father.”

“Isaac and David will accompany you wherever you wish to go.” He gave both men a pointed stare. “If they fail in their duties, I will hire someone trustworthy to accompany you.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m—”

“Violet. You are my only daughter. If I cannot accompany you, I will ensure you are in safe hands.” His eyes sparkled as he drew her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He smoothed a thumb over the jeweled bracelet, his gaze lost in memories. “Your mother would have loved this. Seeing your excitement about this trip.”

Sadness coiled around her heart, then softened into longing. “I wish she could have been here for this.” Violet glanced at her brother. “At least then I wouldn’t need them to follow me like two guard dogs.”

“Cairo is beautiful and exotic. It’s popular among travelers, especially Europeans and Americans. There will be familiar comforts, but remember, my dear, you are a woman and a foreigner in those lands. It is my duty to ensure you are properly protected.”

“I could encounter street thieves in Paris or London.” She squeezed his hand. “Danger is not exclusive to faraway lands.”

“While that may be true, I must ensure you’re safe regardless. If you wished to go to Paris or London, I would also require you to have a companion.”

“I’m a modern woman of twenty-five.” Violet nudged him gently. “I’m perfectly capable of traveling unaccompanied.”

“Will you not indulge me?” His expression shifted from humor to concern. “I would be unable to live with the guilt should something happen to you.”

“Nothing will happen to me.” She leaned against him. “I promise.”

“You will remain with Isaac and David and promise not to venture out on your own?” His soulful look made her heart twist.

“I promise.” She ignored a pang of guilt nagging at her conscience.

“Excellent.” He brightened with a wide smile. “Oh...I’ve had a call this morning from my business associate in Cairo.”

“Good news, I hope?”

“For you, certainly.” He winked. “My associate has a daughter around your age, and she’s agreed to join you.”

“How lovely.” Hope blossomed in Violet’s chest. At least she wouldn’t be subjected to Isaac and David’s company alone. “I look forward to making her acquaintance.”

“Remember your promise to behave.”

“I will, Papa.” She kissed his cheek again. “You needn’t worry about me.”

Beyond the door, the grandfather clock chimed the hour.

“I’m a parent, it’s my job to worry.” Templeton smiled, finished his coffee, and stood. “As for you two”—he pointed at David and Isaac—“I expect you both to be on your best behavior during this trip. Do not make me regret this decision, or it will be the last indulgence either of you receive.”

Isaac blinked at him, midbite, his mouth overflowing with scone, clotted cream clinging to his upper lip. David sat silently, his gaze firmly fixed on the lukewarm tea in his cup.

Isaac swallowed and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Yes, Father.”

“Yes, sir,” David echoed, finally looking up.

“Very well.” Templeton stood. “The cars will be here shortly. Best finish your tea.”

With varying levels of enthusiasm, they assented and didn’t say another word until the older man left the room.

Violet turned her attention to her brother and his best friend. “If anything, he should be worried about the two of you, not me.”

“What are you trying to say, Vi?” David asked, elbowing Isaac in the ribs so he nearly choked on the pastry. “Do you think we’re susceptible to the same danger as a woman in a foreign country?”

Isaac glared at his companion. “Father’s just worried she’ll fall in love with some foreign bloke and his dreams of expanding the empire through marriage will fall apart.”

“Fall in love? Expand the empire? Fat chance of either of those happening.” She poured herself more tea and placed a warm blueberry scone on her plate. “I have no intention of getting married to anyone, no matter how rich or handsome.”

“So there’s a possibility then?” David looked at her, mischief dancing in his eyes. He’d practically been raised with Isaac and her, as he grew up on a neighboring estate, and Violet regarded him as a brother. There had never been anything but familial affection between them, and yet, some days, such as today, she wondered if he had ulterior motives in his teasing. Not that it mattered, her course was firmly set.

“A possibility of adventure, yes.” Violet sipped her tea. “Marriage? Most certainly not.”

“You’ve been begging Father to take you to Egypt for years,” Isaac noted.

Violet embraced the shift in conversation, and the small bubble of uncertainty that lingered in her chest burst, giving way to a warmth that surrounded her. “Yes, I have.”

“What made him agree to take you this time?” David leaned back, his dark eyes fixed on her.

“She strongarmed him.” Isaac scoffed. “It began as a negotiation but quickly turned into a siege when Father hesitated. With a few sweet words and batted eyelashes, he played into her hands until he surrendered.”

David laughed, but Violet merely shrugged.

“I’m only permitted to accompany him if Isaac joins us.” Violet took a bite of scone, irritated that their father’s antiquated views of women would hinder her ability to explore on her own. “And Isaac promised to not tell Father everything that transpires during this trip if I request that you come along.”

“I could never disappoint my sister, but Egypt has nothing to entice me, which is why I require your presence, old chum.” Isaac clapped a hand on David’s shoulder.

“You dragged me into this mess. You owe me.” David eyed them both. “I should have taken that trip to Boston.”

“No one stopped you.” Isaac bristled.

“You tore up my ticket.” David turned to him.

“I do not require an escort,” Violet grit out between her teeth. Frustration simmered inside her, but a slow current of calm flowed through her to sooth her ruffled disposition.

Both men ceased arguing and pivoted to her, amused but not surprised.

“You will accompany me as we leave the hotel, but once we’re out of Father’s purview, you can do what you’d like.”

The two men exchanged a wary look.

David shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “Vi, you know we cannot allow you to venture through the streets of Cario alone.”

“Why? You’ve left me to my own devices before...in London. Paris. Even in Vienna.”

“Yes, but that was before...” Isaac let the words trail off and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Before what ?” Violet held her chin high, refusing to be deterred by the direction of this conversation. “Before Father demanded I find myself a suitable husband?”

Both Isaac and David had the good sense to look abashed.

“He’s worried about you, Violet. We all are.” Isaac reached across the table and rested a hand on hers. “We just want you to be happy.”

“I’ll be happy if you all allow me to make my own decisions about my life.” This tired discussion seemed to be an ever-present burden as of late. Everyone expected her to be well on her way to marriage, but such an arrangement with the men of her acquaintance felt more like a death sentence than a new beginning.

“I fail to see how that makes a difference. I’m absolutely capable of looking after myself. And I won’t be alone.” She cradled the locket between her fingers, fiddling with the clasp. “Look, I’ve done countless hours of research on the culture and the city. I’m positive I can manage without two meddling shadows.”

“Dreaming of Egypt does not make you an expert, Vi.” Isaac leaned forward.

Violet snickered at the crumbs clinging to his mustache. “If that’s the case, dreaming of women doesn’t make you an expert either.” She grinned at the blush staining his cheeks. “You may be a man, but you’re still my younger brother.”

“Perhaps your dreams are an omen,” David said, his lips twitching in amusement.

“I’ve had them for years. If they were bad omens, something terrible would have happened by now.” She lifted her wrist, showing the bangle clasped around it. The amber stone winked in the morning light. “Besides I have questions.”

“Mother’s bracelet?” Isaac asked. “Vi, you’ve spoken with every jeweler in England. No one has ever seen a stone like it. It’s worthless.”

“It’s priceless ,” she said with certainty.

It was true. The gift was more than a jeweled bauble; it was her most treasured possession.

David reached out, taking her forearm to draw her closer. She shifted, eyeing him carefully as he scrutinized the bracelet.

“It’s an interesting piece,” he murmured softly, lifting his gaze to meet hers. Humor glinted in his brown eyes. “Perhaps it’s cursed.”

“Cursed?” She chuckled before withdrawing from his touch. “I don’t believe in curses.”

“You don’t have to believe for them to be real, Vi.” David winked, then gasped in mock suspense, his voice growing horrified. “Perhaps the dreams are merely an enticement for you to go to Egypt, where some horrible fate will befall you.”

“Nonsense.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “They’re nothing but dreams, born of excitement.”

Even as she said the words, she knew the truth. They were not just dreams. No one knew the extent of her dreams, or how they followed into her waking hours. There were times when she thought she was going mad. A vision, a flash of memory shifting her from one place to another. Glimpses of a culture she’d never experienced. Places she’d only seen in photographs. Tantalizing hints of a foreign land teasing at the edge of her mind for years. All she could do was explore countless libraries in search of information, tour exhibits in London, examine the pieces brought back from Egyptian excursions.

But nothing quenched her desire to visit Egypt. To walk the streets of Cairo. To experience it for herself.

Even so, the dreams and visions instilled no fear, merely a desperate curiosity, as though a thread bound her to that far away land, tugging with a gentle insistent pulse. She looked at the jewel on her wrist. It was not cursed. She was not cursed.

But something demanded her undivided attention.

“You’re obsessed with Egypt, Vi.” Isaac’s statement broke through her thoughts.

“I am not obsessed .” She drank her tea. “Just fascinated.”

“Those are not mutually exclusive,” David said with a knowing smile. “It’s quite easy to progress from one to the other without realizing it.”

A gentle caress brushed her mind, allaying her fear. The grandfather clock chimed the quarter hour. Violet inhaled deeply and finished her tea.

David and Isaac fell into discussion about something they’d overheard at the club, and Violet allowed her mind to drift to the delights awaiting her in Egypt. Finally, she would have a true adventure.

Violet had plans, and no one—not her father, not her brother and his best friend—would interfere with them. There was much to see, and she would experience it all to the fullest. The pyramids, the Sphinx, the sights and sounds of a city encased in both the new and the ancient. There were museums to visit and streets to explore. A river to sail and a thousand fresh delights to uncover. None of which required a chaperone or husband.

After gathering her things, Violet hesitated a moment in the doorway of her room, her gaze lingering on the nightstand. With a sigh, she retrieved a small derringer hidden there and tucked it into the bottom of her suitcase. She would go prepared.

When she reached the drive, her father waited patiently beside the Packard. She grinned as she climbed into the car. Isaac and David chose to take the Ford Model A. As they rumbled down the drive, Violet took one final look at the stone building she’d called home her entire life.

Something inside her shifted, gently tugged her away from the only home she’d ever known. With every passing mile, the longing increased, a strange desire to be in Egypt. One she could not explain, not even to herself.

As they traveled to the station, Violet asked for details of the daughter of her father’s business associate. Meeting this new companion could be the perfect opportunity to learn more about Egypt and the secrets she held.

Violet’s unbridled excitement grew as they boarded the train to London—so much so, she could barely sit still. It would take several flights to reach Cairo, and in a few days, she would uncover the truth of its beauty for herself, along with the meaning of her persistent dreams.

What drew her to this fascinating place? Was it truly only the lingering tie to her mother’s memory? Or was there something more waiting for her?

Once settled on the train, Violet cradled the locket in her fist as they pulled away from the station. A comforting caress of calm soothed her overwrought mind. Her father sat with his spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose as he read the paper while her brother conversed with David at the bar.

She relaxed into her seat and accepted a glass of brandy from the server. Sipping the warming liquid, she watched scenery pass in a blur, seeing nothing but exciting possibilities before her.

Whatever awaited her in Egypt, she would welcome it with open arms.