Death Comes as End - Agatha Christie [25]
There was a paralysed silence, then Sobek rose up in a violent rage.
‘How has this come about? What has my father heard? Who has been bearing false tales to him? Shall we endure this? My father cannot disinherit us so and give all his goods to his concubine!’
Hori said mildly:
‘It will cause unfavourable comment–and it will not be accepted as a right action–but legally it is in his power. He can make a deed of settlement in any way he wishes.’
‘She has bewitched him–that black, jeering serpent has put a spell upon him!’
Yahmose murmured as though dumbfounded:
‘It is unbelievable–it cannot be true.’
‘My father is mad–mad!’ cried Ipy. ‘He turns even against me at this woman’s bidding!’
Hori said gravely:
‘Imhotep will return shortly–that he says. By then his anger may have abated; he may not really mean to do as he says.’
There was a short, unpleasant laugh. It was Satipy who had laughed. She stood looking at them from the doorway into the women’s quarters.
‘So that is what we are to do, is it, most excellent Hori? Wait and see!’
Yahmose said slowly:
‘What else can we do?’
‘What else?’ Satipy’s voice rose. She screamed out:
‘What have you got in your veins, all of you? Milk? Yahmose, I know, is not a man! But you, Sobek–have you no remedy for these ills? A knife in the heart and the girl could do us no more harm.’
‘Satipy,’ cried Yahmose. ‘My father would never forgive us!’
‘So you say. But I tell you a dead concubine is not the same as a live concubine! Once she was dead, his heart would return to his sons and their children. And besides, how should he know how she died? We could say a scorpion stung her! We are together in this, are we not?’
Yahmose said slowly:
‘My father would know. Henet would tell him.’
Satipy gave a hysterical laugh.
‘Most prudent Yahmose! Most gentle, cautious Yahmose! It is you who should look after the children and do woman’s work in the back of the house. Sakhmet help me! Married to a man who is not a man. And you, Sobek, for all your bluster, what courage have you, what determination? I swear by Ra, I am a better man than either of you.’
She swung round and went out.
Kait, who had been standing behind her, came a step forward.
She said, her voice deep and shaken:
‘It is true what Satipy says! She is a better man than any of you. Yahmose, Sobek, Ipy–will you all sit here doing nothing? What of our children, Sobek? Cast out to starve! Very well, if you will do nothing, I will. You are none of you men!’
As she in turn went out, Sobek sprang to his feet.
‘By the Nine Gods of the Ennead, Kait is right! There is a man’s work to be done–and we sit here talking and shaking our heads.’
He strode towards the door. Hori called after him:
‘Sobek, Sobek, where are you going? What are you going to do?’
Sobek, handsome and fierce, shouted from the doorway:
‘I shall do something–that is clear. And what I do I shall enjoy doing!’
III
Renisenb came out on to the porch and stood there for a moment, shielding her eyes against the sudden glare.
She felt sick and shaken and full of a nameless fear. She said to herself, repeating the words over and over again mechanically:
‘I must warn Nofret…I must warn her…’
Behind her, in the house, she could hear men’s voices, those of Hori and Yahmose blending into each other, and above them, shrill and clear, the boyish tones of Ipy.
‘Satipy and Kait are right. There are no men in this family! But I am a man. Yes, I am a man in heart if not in years. Nofret has jeered at me, laughed at me; treated me as a child. I will show her that I am not a child. I am not afraid of my father’s anger. I know my father. He is bewitched–the woman has put a spell on him. If she were destroyed his heart would come back to me–to me! I am the son he loves best. You all treat me as a child–but you shall see. Yes, you shall see!’
Rushing out of the house he collided with Renisenb and almost knocked her down. She clutched at