Ghosts of Karnak Read Online Free PDF Page A

with the heat, apologizing to everyone as he brushed past their chairs.
    Amaury threw up his hand in greeting. “Landsworth! Come and meet my new friend.”
    The Englishman, huffing a little with the exertion, arrived by their table a moment later. He peered at Ginny inquisitively, and then, remembering his manners, extended his hand, and smiled.
    “This is Miss Ginny Gray,” said Amaury. “All the way from America. I hope you have no objection, but I’ve invited her to visit the dig with us tomorrow morning.”
    She took Landsworth’s hand and shook it briskly.
    “A pleasure,” he said. “And no, of course not. No objection whatsoever. Provided you’re not with the press.” He frowned. “You’re not, are you?”
    “No, just a tourist,” said Ginny. “I’m not about to spill all of your secrets.”
    “Good, good,” muttered Landsworth. He glanced at Amaury. “Getting a drink, am I?”
    Amaury shrugged. “Why not?” A look of impatience flashed across his face. He clearly wasn’t as taken with his English companion as she might have expected. Ginny decided it was time to make her exit. She stood.
    “Well, thank you, gentlemen. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go and make arrangements for tomorrow. I’d hate to leave that poor tour guide stranded.”
    Amaury stood, offering her a slight bow. “Until tomorrow, then, Miss Gray.”
    As she left, she saw Landsworth take her seat at the table, and the two men lean in for what appeared to be a rather heated exchange. She would have to be on her guard tomorrow, she decided. She had a sense that there was more to this dig than Amaury had initially let on. All that stuff about the press—perhaps they really had found something special, and were keen to break the news properly, when they were ready.
    Whatever it was, she felt her mood had improved somewhat. She would order another bottle of that water, and then retire to her room for the rest of the day, ready for an early start in the morning.

FIVE
    “And finally, news this morning of a series of extraordinary sightings last night in and around central Manhattan. It seems the police have been flooded with reports of a bizarre apparition, seen floating above the rooftops of Fifth Avenue around midnight. Initial reports suggest that this is
not
the vigilante known as the Ghost, also known to frequent the skies in this area, but rather a ‘glowing figure in white, surrounded by a halo of fluttering ribbons’. The police have issued a statement announcing they are investigating the matter, and that any citizens who do encounter such a character should not make an approach, but direct their reports to their nearest station.”
    Gabriel turned the knob on the wireless, clicking it off. The room seemed suddenly silent, without even the ticking of a clock; it was early, and Henry had yet to wind it.
    “No appetite for the news this morning, sir?” said Henry, as he laid out the morning cutlery on the breakfast table.
    “No appetite for anything much,” said Gabriel. “Excepting, of course, your wonderful eggs Benedict,” he added hurriedly, when he saw the expression on Henry’s face. The valet smiled graciously, and continued setting Gabriel’s place.
    “I must say, that business with a ‘floating apparition’ sounds most outlandish,” said Henry. “Don’t you agree, sir?”
    “What? Oh, yes,” said Gabriel, “although I’ve come to believe there are stranger things in this world than wailing spirits and ghosts.”
    “Quite, sir,” said Henry, with a look that suggested he could think of a few things himself.
    News of the sightings was troubling, though. For the first time in weeks Gabriel had failed to go out on patrol the previous evening. After his beating at the hands of the Enforcer, and the disappointment of Ginny not arriving aboard the
Centurion
, he’d felt the need to come back here, to Long Island, to seek solitude and a chance to recuperate. He supposed, in truth, he was hiding,