page70 (2/2)

‘Of course they are likely to have read thee, your books are as successful and anticipated as Scott’s and Byron’s poems’

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Sam There are no points of comparison They are novels These people are serious scholars’

‘All the more reason for them to read them, then Think of Cousin Huxley—he was fascinated with how accurate they were and convinced they must have been the work of a scholar and one well acquainted with Egypt and its culture But even if they weren’t, how many people can create a door into another world that people want to visit again and again judging by the number of editions? Your books are brilliant’

‘You are not an impartial party here, Sam’

‘I am far more impartial than you, Bunny I dare say you wouldn’t be as white as a bleached bone if you’d written soularities in the succession in the Middle Kingdom dynasties’

His ain

‘I only want to go in, find out e can, and leave I don’t want Danored you and forced hi his neck’

‘After the blistering lecture you heaped on that dolt’s head he won’t be speaking your naain in this century, but you know full well denial only feeds gossip But that is not the point The point is that despite being furious at you for hiding the truth from me I am so proud of you I would have the words “I am married to the author of the Desert Boy books” embroidered on my dress’

‘For God’s sake, Sam!’

‘Well, I aly proud I always knew you were brilliant, but this is in a class of its own I refuse to allow you to be ashaive his soul to the devil to create’

‘Hell, it feels like I have at the moment and he’s about to exact payment’

Sam fisted her hands in his coat and raised herself on tiptoe, brushing a butterfly-wing kiss to his tense mouth

‘Brilliant, Edge Magical You make people happy Revel in it’

He groaned and hauled her against hi hers in a kiss that coaxed out her soul all over again For a longslowing, his hands ently on her back The words in her heart hovered inside her, but she held back Edge had enough on his ht kiss to her lips and stepped back

‘So you won’t mind if I tell them you are the illustrator?’