Chapter 1: In The Shadow of the Pyramids

"This way," said Hassan. The words hissing through the gap in the Egyptian's yellowed teeth. "The professor is waiting."

"One moment," answered Lady Jane. Her eyes moved from the sphinx down to the sketchbook in her left hand. Her right hand moved swiftly running the charcoal over the paper.

Patty looked down from the back of her camel. "Well drawn, Lady Jane," she said. Patricia O'Toole was Jane's Lady's Maid and had been in her employ for five years now, her constant companion and confidant. The lovely red head was pale and sweaty. The young Irish woman did not do well in the heat and sun of the Egyptian desert.

Jane Stalwart nodded her head satisfied at her sketch of the sphinx. She'd already added a sketch of the pyramids of Giza to her book and one of the crowded marketplace of Cairo.

"Please Lady, the professor was most urgent," hissed Hassan again.

Lady Jane glanced with distaste at their ugly little guide. The brown skinned Egyptian stared back at her with his beady black eyes, eyes that lingered hungrily on the swell of her white bosom. Patty leaned down and offered her hand to her employer. The two women were doubled up on the camel and Jane took her place at the reins as Patty adjusted the umbrella to cover both women in it's shade. Hassan's eyes flickered back and forth between the two white woman, licking his lips with lust. Jane smiled at him, but her eyes were cold as they glanced down at the pistol holstered on the camel's side making sure his eyes followed hers. She almost wished the hideous little man would try something. Jane nodded at him and Hassan urged his camel forwards.

Professor Al Arash stood in the entryway of the white stone building he'd been excavating. He wore a loose flowing white robe and a red fez. Egyptian workers carried baskets of stone past him, dumping them nearby. He took off his hat and wiped his sweaty head with the back of his hand as he waved at the approaching camels. "I don't believe it," yelled the famous Egyptologist.

"Professor Arash," greeted Jane, skillfully sliding off her camel.

"What happened to the skinny little girl I used to tickle in her father's office at Cambridge?" He grasped her shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks.

"She grew up, Professor," replied Jane, staring fondly at her father's former colleague.

"I can see that," he said, glancing at her breasts before quickly removing his eyes in embarrassment. "And please, call me Omar."

Jane Stalwart smiled and nodded. Her girdle tended to squeeze her breasts together making her already ample cleavage even larger. Men, even older men, like Omar Al Arash, couldn't resist a glance. She'd often wondered why women's fashion favored a thin tree-like appearance when men clearly seemed to prefer a more buxom woman. Lady Jane was dressed for traveling in the heat in riding trousers that even she admitted hugged her rather full rear end a little too tightly. Her blouse was cut low and did reveal the tops of her breasts. The girdle hugging her trim athletic waist showed off her near perfect hour glass figure. Her long raven dark hair was pulled back in a pony tail. "It is good to see you, Omar," she told him, her blue eyes sparkling at the white haired Egyptian.

Professor Al Arash stepped back, his eyes taking in the entirety of her face and figure. There was no lust in his eyes, only appreciation for her beauty. "You're the spitting image of your mother you know. A fine woman."

"So I'm told," replied Lady Jane. Her mother, Giselle, had been a rather famous French singer that had fallen madly in love with the dashing British Major John Stalwart during the great war. Sadly, she had died when Jane was quite young.

Hassan tried to help Patty off the camel, but she shrugged him off, falling on her rear end as she stumbled. She did allow Hassan to help her to her feet after that. Patty actually appeared more of a Lady then Jane did. The Irish Lady Maid wore a white dress and a broad brimmed white hat to keep the sun from burning her porcelain freckled skin. Her long luscious red hair was pulled up on her head concealed under her lacy cocked hat.

Jane introduced Patty and Professor Omar led them away from the excavation and towards his large tent. Hassan held the camels, watching them with his beady eyes as they walked away.