Part 14 (1/2)
”We can't go yet,” Justin said comfortably. ”My donkey has run away.”
”I will get the motorcar,” Emerson announced, and went out after shooting a defiant glance at me. He was a trifle sensitive still about the car, which he had not been allowed to use as often as he would have liked. I was as anxious to be rid of the pair as he, and I didn't suppose he could kill them between here and the landing, so I raised no objection.
I had persuaded Emerson to put the machine in the stableyard, though I did not suppose for a moment that it would remain there. Its admirers were numerous, and some had got into the habit of paying it a daily visit-from a distance, since Emerson and Selim had made it clear that anyone who ventured close enough to touch it would be subject to dire punishment, and possibly a curse or two. When the vehicle appeared I was not surprised to see Selim seated beside Emerson. He spent a good deal of his spare time tinkering with the confounded thing.
The appearance of the motorcar distracted Justin and altered the tenor of his demands. ”A motorcar! Am I to ride in it? May I operate it?”
”Do you know how?” I asked.
”No, but I expect it is quite easy to learn. I would like it very much.”
”No one drives the motorcar except me and Selim,” said Emerson forcibly if somewhat inaccurately.
”Let Selim drive them, Emerson,” I ordered. ”There isn't room for all of you, and anyhow, I need you here.”
Emerson grumbled a bit, but I knew that he too was anxious to discuss the latest developments. Selim moved over to the driver's side, and Emerson caught Justin by the collar as he was climbing up into the seat.
”Let Miss-er-get in first,” he ordered.
The boy's slim frame stiffened. ”Let go of him at once, Emerson,” I said, remembering how he had reacted to being grasped.
”I'm not going to hurt him,” Emerson shouted furiously, but he complied. ”Do as I say, Justin. Do not attempt to touch the controls. You are to obey Selim as you would me. If you give him any trouble you will never be allowed to visit us again. Selim, go across with them and deliver the boy to the dahabeeyah.”
”That won't be necessary,” Maryam said. ”He won't run away from me, will you, Justin?”
”Of course not.” He smiled sweetly. ”Good afternoon, everyone. I will see you again soon.”
I watched somewhat apprehensively as the motorcar went off in a cloud of dust. It seemed to be operating correctly. I then asked Fatima to fetch the children's nurserymaids and get them off to bed. For once, the children's parents did not offer to a.s.sist; everyone sat unmoving and silent, waiting for me to speak first. I dropped rather heavily into a chair. ”It is somewhat early, but I do believe that if I were offered a whiskey and soda I might be inclined to accept.”
Emerson at once obliged, and poured a rather stiff one for himself. Observing Walter's bemused expression, he poured an even stiffer one and pressed it into his brother's hand.
”Cheer up, Walter. That is the last hitherto unknown relation you are likely to encounter.”
”I certainly hope so.” Walter took a long drink of whiskey. ”Don't we have any respectable missing relations?”
”To the best of my knowledge, Maryam is perfectly respectable,” I replied. I spoke, as I always endeavor to do, the literal truth. I might harbor suspicions, but I did not know for certain.
”But she is-”
I cut him off with an imperative gesture, for I thought I knew what word had been on the tip of his tongue. Sennia did not consider herself ”one of the children”; she had remained, and was paying close attention. Illegitimacy was not a topic I intended to discuss in her presence. She had heard the word-and worse-from horrid children at her Cairo school-who had got it from their parents; when she first came to me, tearful and bewildered, to ask what it meant, I had done my best to convince her that only ignorant, vulgar people cared about such things.
”What did you think of her, Sennia?” I asked.
Sennia primped up her mouth and rearranged the bracelets that encircled her slim brown wrists. ”I don't like her. I didn't like her before.”
”We must not be unkind, Sennia. She has had a hard time, and after all, she is kin.”
”What is she to me?”
”No more than Hecuba to Hamlet,” Ramses murmured. ”In actual fact . . . a cousin of some degree, I suppose, Sennia. Is that right, Mother?”
”Let me see. Sennia's father was my nephew, and Maryam is . . .” In some confusion, I finished my whiskey. ”Oh, good Gad, what does it matter?”
Sennia was not to be put off. ”What is she to Ramses?”
”Time for bed, Sennia,” I said, giving it up.
”You are going to talk about things you don't want me to hear.” Miss Sennia rose with great dignity, arranging her skirts. ”I understand. Good night, everyone. But I still don't like her.”
”It is somewhat overwhelming,” Evelyn said, shaking her head. ”Emerson told us of her background, Amelia, while you were with her. Did she explain what has brought her to this pa.s.s?”
”Briefly.” I sipped my whiskey. ”Her husband died suddenly-he was not a young man-and left her with nothing. He had speculated unwisely, it seems. She had to sell her engagement ring to bury him.”
”From the description we got of the diamond, it must have been an extravagant funeral,” Nefret murmured.
”Be that as it may, Nefret, she had to seek a situation. Lady's companion was the only occupation for which she was fitted, and she soon discovered that her youthful appearance was against her. Hence the gray hairs and the artificially aged countenance. She had, I expect, learned something of the art of disguise from her father. Still, she was unable to find work until she answered an advertis.e.m.e.nt from a lady who wanted someone familiar with Egypt, where she intended to spend the winter. No doubt,” I added, ”Mrs. Fitzroyce's age and poor eyesight made it easier for Maryam to carry out her masquerade.”
”All this is very interesting,” Ramses said in a tone that implied he did not find it so. ”What I want to know is why she was attacked today. I thought when I heard her scream that some nervous female tourist was being hara.s.sed by an importunate beggar, but the fellow was actually slas.h.i.+ng at her with his knife. That sort of thing is unheard of.”
”I asked her that, of course,” I replied.
”What did she say?”
”That she had no idea why anyone would want to injure her. There must be a reason, though,” I declared. ”Not a good reason-there is never an excuse for violence-but something she has done, or is believed to have done, that inspired a desire for revenge.”
”What nonsense!” Emerson burst out. ”That is just your melodramatic imagination, Peabody, always constructing mysteries. What could she have done, a child like that?”
”And that is just your masculine naivete, Emerson, always a.s.suming that youth and a pretty face guarantee innocence. Oh, I grant you that irrational persons may react violently to relatively harmless offenses, but mark my words, there is something behind all this, and for her own sake we must discover what it is. I allowed her to go today because I could hardly detain her by force, but I hope eventually to persuade her to come to us.”
”Here?” Nefret exclaimed.
”At least until her father can take charge of her. He said he would see us soon, but I will send a message anyhow. She still harbors a grudge against him, but I believe I can set her straight on that. Emerson, were you about to speak?”
”No,” said Emerson.
”You were rolling your eyes and moving your lips.”
”I may be allowed, I hope, to alter my expression without asking your permission.”
”Hmmm. As I was about to say, she will be more receptive to his explanations now. There is nothing so destructive to pride as poverty. It is our moral obligation to bring about the reconciliation of father and child, and a.s.sist a member of our family who is in need.”
”Curse it,” said Emerson hotly. ”When you start quoting pious axioms there is no use trying to change your mind.”
”What objection do you have to her being here?”
”None. None, d.a.m.n-er-confound it. I feel sorry for the girl, but-”
”A premonition!” I exclaimed. ”Are you having a premonition?”
”I never have premonitions! They are pure superst.i.tion. You are the only one who-”