His robes swirling around him, he walked briskly forward and laid down the parcel on a crate. “His Grace asked me to deliver this to you, Miss Jones.” Bella had been sorting through a box of miscellany. Her eyes widening, she hurried to him. “For me? But what is it?” “I do not know. His Grace went out himself this morning to purchase it.” The Egyptian valet waved his olive-skinned hand at the parcel. “He said you were to open it at once.” Mystified, she untied the string and tore away the paper. Inside lay a generous length of white silk. With a sigh of pleasure, she stroked her hand over the soft fabric. “Oh, how lovely!” She glanced at Hasani to find him watching with polite curiosity. “Yesterday, I suggested to the duke that the scarabs should be displayed on a piece of cloth like this. How kind of him to remember.” “Kind” seemed too mild a word. Bella felt stunned and amazed that Miles had listened to her. It gratified her to think that he might truly support her proposal to exhibit his artifacts to their best advantage.
