Part 54 (1/2)
It was a dramatic moment. I believe my voice and my look carried conviction. I certainly meant them to.
Cyrus took his hands from my shoulders and turned away. I said gently, ”You mistake friends.h.i.+p for deeper feelings, Cyrus. One day you will find a woman worthy of your affection.” Still he sat in silence, his shoulders bowed. I always think a little touch of humor relieves difficult situations, I added cheerfully, ”And just think-it is most unlikely she will have a son like Ramses!”
Cyrus squared his broad shoulders. ”No one else could have a son like Ramses. If you mean that as consolation, however . Well, I will say no more. Shall I fetch Abdullah to you now? I guess if I don't you'll hoist yourself out of bed and go stumping off after him.”
He had taken it like a man. I had expected no less of him.
Abdullah looked even more out of place in my room than Cyrus had. He studied the frills and furbelows with a scowl of deep suspicion, and refused the chair I offered. It did not take me long to force him to confess that he too had deceived me.
”But, Sitt, you did not ask me,” was his feeble excuse.
”You ought not have waited till you were asked. Why did you not come to me at once? Oh, never mind,” I said impatiently, as Abdullah rolled his eyes and tried to think of another lie. ”Tell me now. Precisely what did you learn this afternoon?”
Before long Abdullah was squatting comfortably on the floor next to the bed, and we were deep in friendly consultation. Accompanied by Abdullah, Daoud and Ali (he had at least had sense enough to take them with him), Emerson had attempted to learn where the mysterious tourists had gone. No boatman admitted to having taken them across the river, and it was unlikely the former would have lied- for, as Abdullah innocently expressed it, ”the threats of the Father of Curses are stronger than any bribe.” That meant that the men we sought were still on the east bank. An itinerant camel driver had confirmed this a.s.sumption, he had seen a group of hors.e.m.e.n heading for the northern end of the plain, where the cliffs swung close to the river.
”We lost them then,” Abdullah said. ”But they must have a camp somewhere in the hills or on the high desert, Sitt. We did not look farther, it was growing late, and Emerson said we would turn back. He was looking very pleased.”
”Of course he is, curse him,” I muttered, clenching my fists. ”That explains his sudden interest in boundary stelae, it is only an excuse to search that area and, with any luck- as Emerson would probably put it- be violently attacked again. Furthermore, he believes I am out of commission and cannot interfere with his idiotic scheme. Well! Just wait till he sees- ”
An almost imperceptible twitch of Abdullah's beard made me break off. His is a particularly impa.s.sive countenance, or so he fondly believes. Since he also believes that I have occult powers, he finds it difficult to conceal his thoughts from me.
”Abdullah,” I said. ”My father. My honored friend. If Emerson tries to leave the boat tonight, stop him by any means necessary, including violence. And if you tell him of our conversation . . .”
I paused for effect, having found that unuttered threats are the most terrifying. Besides, I could not really think of one I was capable of carrying out.
”I hear and will obey.” Abdullah rose in a graceful flutter of skirts. The formal words of submission would have impressed me more if he had not been trying to repress a smile. He added, ”It is very difficult, Sitt, to walk the knife's edge between your commands and those of Emerson. He said the same thing to me not an hour ago.”
CHAPTER 15.
”Martyrdom is often the result of excessive gullibility.”
I was up and dressed at dawn, belt of tools strapped at my waist, parasol in my hand. My martial appearance was only a trifle marred by the pale-blue woolly slipper on my left foot. Leaning heavily on the parasol, I made my way to the dining saloon. (The stairs presented something of a difficulty until I thought of ascending them in a sitting position.)
There was less fuss and complaint than I had expected. Kevin greeted me with a knowing grin, and Cyrus's feeble, ”Amelia, I really don't think you ought . . .” was never completed. Emerson looked at the pale-blue woolly slipper, raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth, closed it, and reached for another piece of bread.
After we had finished eating, Cyrus went off to make sure the donkeys were ready. Bertha, followed by the three young men like ganders after a comely lady goose, had offered to collect my gear, an offer I was glad to accept.
”Just a moment, Emerson,” I said, as he pushed his chair away from the table. ”I want to speak to you for a moment about Charles.”
He had not expected that Pausing with his hand on the back of the chair, he studied me suspiciously, his head tilted. ”What about him?”
”He has not told you of his fear of heights? Oh, dear, I feared he would not. Men are so- ”
”He did tell me,” Emerson interrupted. His brows drew together in a scowl ”How he ever expects to qualify as an archaeologist I cannot imagine. What with tombs in the cliffs, and pyramids, and- ”
”That is all right, then,” I said, recognizing the start of one of Emerson's notorious lectures. ”It was cruel of you to tease him about it yesterday.”
”Don't push me too far, Peabody,” said Emerson between clenched teeth. ”I am holding on to my temper with both hands as it is. How dare you turn up this morning in that preposterous slipper wearing that expression of maddening self-confidence? I ought to lock you in your room and tie you to the bed! By heaven, I will!”
Though my parasol was fastened to my wrist by its little strap I made no attempt to prevent him from sweeping me up into his arms. I am a strong-minded woman, but even the best of us is not always able to resist temptation. When he started toward the stairs, I said firmly, ”Just carry me directly to a donkey, if you please. You may as well spare yourself time and trouble, Emerson, for no method you employ will suffice to keep me in that room if I choose to leave it.”