My Fair Lily(102)

She turned to Ewan. “Do you think he used all of it up?”

His expression was grim. “No, lass. Two cases at most. The fire will destroy the rest of the building.”

“But it hasn’t spread to the original structure yet. That’s where all the important artifacts and documents are stored. We can still save them.” A brigade of men carrying buckets were forming a line from the building down to the Thames. She didn’t think their small buckets would defeat the fire, but they could delay its spread long enough to save the precious contents.

Ewan clamped his hand on her arm. “Lily, you’re not going into that building.”

At that moment, Evangeline, Meggie, and Desmond reached her side. “Of course not,” Desmond said, glancing from Ewan to his grandfather. “Not alone. We’re going in with you. Grandfather, do you have the key?”

Evangeline and Meggie grabbed a wheelbarrow that was sitting near a small side entrance beside an array of workmen’s tools. “Well? Are we Camerons going to just stand here and allow this building to burn?” Meggie demanded.

Ewan let out a strangled oath as Lily attempted to take a step toward that side entrance. “You’re coming with me. Remember your promise to stay close.”

She grinned at him and turned to his grandfather. “Your Grace, where’s that key?”

He withdrew it from the inner pocket of his jacket. Ewan gaped at him. His grandfather sniffed. “Always carry it with me. It’s an honor granted to the highest ranking member on the board. I take my responsibilities seriously.” He turned to Lily. “Unfortunately, I don’t always execute them properly. In truth, we old fossils seem to have lost our way these past few years. But things will change going forward. I do care deeply about the Royal Society and the great work it undertakes for the betterment of society.”

Lily shot him an indulgent smile. “I know, Your Grace. I never doubted your love for this place.”

“As I never should have doubted yours.”

Ewan took the key out of his grandfather’s hands. “Are we done with these mawkish displays of affection?”

“Quite,” Lily said with a soft laugh. “Let’s save some books.”

***

Within the hour, not only the ancient texts but masks, weaponry, utensils, maps, journals, and all manner of items displayed within the halls had been taken to safety. A regiment of soldiers housed in the Somerset Court barracks around the corner from the Royal Society had helped with the task. Half of those soldiers had worked with Ewan and Desmond to extinguish the fire, while the other half had assisted Lily, Evangeline, Meggie, and the duke in protecting and cataloguing the precious items that were then taken to their barracks for safekeeping.

As the night wore on, Lily realized that the Camerons, working together as a family, had saved almost everything precious. She felt a well of pride and satisfaction. As though reading her mind, Ewan came up beside her and drew her into his arms. She was covered in soot and smelled hideous, but he didn’t seem to care. He hadn’t come out of the past few hours unmarked either. He was sweating, and his crisp, white lawn shirt was badly stained, but Ewan—being Ewan—looked incredibly handsome, better than any man she’d ever set eyes upon. Ever. “Well done, lass.”

He’d rolled up his sleeves, and she felt the solid muscles of his forearms as he wrapped them about her. She snuggled against his chest. “An excellent night’s work. We work well together, don’t you think?”

“That we do.”

She smiled and gazed up at him. “You were spectacular in the way you organized all the men, those fighting the fire and the others who were helping us. It would have been chaos otherwise.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You have it backwards, lass. The Continental forces would have defeated Napoleon years earlier if they’d had you for a general. The Camerons can’t take credit for any of this. You’re the one who saved the Royal Society. You alone.”

She took comfort in the solid warmth of his chest. She had worked hard. Very hard. But she hadn’t managed the salvage operation on her own. Ewan and Desmond had meted out the tasks, had coordinated the fire brigade, and had made sure none of the men who’d gone into the dark, smoke-filled halls of the older building stole any valuables. The duke had been watching them as well, strutting back and forth, his aristocratic gaze sharp and assessing.

No one would dare cross the old duke.

Evangeline and Meggie had been just as busy assisting with the enormous task of cataloguing every saved artifact. They’d done a brilliant job of it.