Part 37 (1/2)

She stood staring after him, feeling more lost and frightened than she had ever felt in her life. 'Toby, come back. Please. I need you!'

Her hand dropped to her side, then slowly she turned and walked back towards the house.

As she climbed the steps she could already hear the distant call of chanting across the sand, smell the kyphi, feel the heat of the sun G.o.d, Ra, as he lifted over the horizon.

At the traffic lights in Notting Hill Gate Toby frowned. He drummed his fingers on the wheel. His head was strangely full of odd sounds, sounds he had never heard before: the plaintive chanting of distant voices, echoed by a harp and what sounded like the low haunting notes of an oboe, floating over vast distances.

He shook his head, puzzled.

Toby!

The call came from far away.

Toby, come back! Please!

He frowned.

That was Anna's voice.

He jumped as the car behind him hooted angrily. The lights had changed and he had not seen them. He stared into the mirror, dazed, then suddenly he made up his mind. He spun the steering wheel full circle and swung the car round with an angry squeal of tyres. Seconds later he was speeding back towards her house. 'Anna! Anna?' He left the car in the middle of the road, the door open, the engine running.

'Anna! Open the door!' Running up the path he hammered on it with his fists. There was a slight click and the door swung open. She had not closed it properly when she walked back into the house.

'Anna?' Toby stared inside. 'Where are you?'

The hall was deserted, the door into the living room ajar. Pus.h.i.+ng it back, he threw himself into the room.

'Anna!' He skidded to a halt.

The room smelt of Egypt. Of heat and sand and of exotic incenses.

The shadow was all around her.

'Anna, fight it, sweetheart! I'm not going to let him have you. Anna, look at me! I love you!'

398.

He grabbed her hands and spun her to face him. 'Anna!'