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‘I know.’
‘You will come home if things don’t work out, won’t you? They’reyourparents. Just because I’m there—’
Freya put a finger to his lips. ‘Shush. It’s fine. I’m sure you don’t want me to say this, but you feel like a brother to me.’
Theo smiled. ‘Actually, I feel the same way – I mean about you being like a sister to me. I’ve felt like that for a while.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’
‘I’d proposed. I felt things had carried us along and there was the expectation from our friends, from your parents …’ He trailed off. He didn’t have to say any more. They both understood.
Theo followed her parents out of the room. She could hear them trooping upstairs to collect her mum’s luggage and her pets to take home.
‘Well, we’d better get on,’ said Wendy. ‘We’ve got guests to see to.’
Wendy and Gerald stood up and both hugged Freya before leaving the room.
Emily lingered. She stared at her cousin. ‘I wish we’d grown up together. I do. It would have been such fun having someone my own age. You would have been like a sister.’
‘I know. I grew up an only child, but you’ve got two older half-siblings.’
‘Yes, they’re your cousins too. Next time you visit you must meet them.’
‘I’ll be sure to do that,’ said Freya, smiling.
Tarek took Freya’s hand. They walked towards the door. Tarek turned around to his father. ‘Will you return with us to Cambridge today? We have to be back at the museum for the opening of the exhibition tomorrow.’
Omar shook his head. ‘I think I’ll stay on a couple of days.’
But what about the opening, and the press conference in Cambridge? You already missed the one in London.’
Omar smiled. ‘I think it’s time I handed over the reins to the next generation of talented archaeologists.’
Tarek frowned. ‘I don’t understand …’
Freya stared at Omar and turned to look at Tarek.
Tarek said, ‘You want me to officially open the exhibition and speak at the press conference?’ He looked taken aback.
‘Of course. I notice it is my name that is in all the papers and on social media, but I wasn’t the only one on the dig. In fact, if I recall, it was you, Tarek, that was instrumental in locating the new tomb.’
‘You were?’ said Freya in surprise. ‘You never told me that.’
Omar shook his head. ‘Tarek has diligently worked hard in my shadow, refusing to take any credit away from the great, eminent archaeologist and Egyptologist, Omar Youssef. But it is high time the world discovered your talent. I think it’s time you stepped up and took credit where credit is due, Tarek. Besides, I want to retire.’
‘Retire? You said you’d never do that!’
‘Well, from the limelight at least.’
Tarek cast a gaze around the guest house. ‘I don’t think Alice will be back.’
Omar surprised him by smiling. ‘I know. I don’t think I will be either. It was never meant to be – Alice and me. I realise that now. That’s why I had such a wonderful marriage to your mother. And I had you, my dear son. It was meant to be.’
Freya saw tears in Tarek’s eyes.
Omar walked up to them. ‘But you and Freya. Youaremeant to be. You won’t change your mind. You will you return with us to Alexandria, Freya?’
She smiled. ‘Oh, yes.’
