Death Comes as End - Agatha Christie [28]
Renisenb pushed past her and went out into the golden glow of the evening sun. Deep shadows were on the cliffs–the whole world looked fantastic at this hour of sunset.
Renisenb’s steps quickened as she took the way to the cliff path. She would go up to the Tomb–find Hori. Yes, find Hori. It was what she had done as a child when her toys had been broken–when she had been uncertain or afraid. Hori was like the cliffs themselves, steadfast, immovable, unchanging.
Renisenb thought confusedly: Everything will be all right when I get to Hori…
Her steps quickened–she was almost running.
Then suddenly she saw Satipy coming towards her. Satipy, too, must have been up to the Tomb.
What a very odd way Satipy was walking, swaying from side to side, stumbling as though she could not see…
When Satipy saw Renisenb she stopped short, her hand went to her breast. Renisenb, drawing close, was startled at the sight of Satipy’s face.
‘What’s the matter, Satipy, are you ill?’
Satipy’s voice in answer was a croak, her eyes were shifting from side to side.
‘No, no, of course not.’
‘You look ill. You look frightened. What has happened?’
‘What should have happened? Nothing, of course.’
‘Where have you been?’
‘I went up to the Tomb–to find Yahmose. He was not there. No one was there.’
Renisenb still stared. This was a new Satipy–a Satipy with all the spirit and resolution drained out of her.
‘Come, Renisenb–come back to the house.’
Satipy put a slightly shaking hand on Renisenb’s arm, urging her back the way she had come and at the touch Renisenb felt a sudden revolt.
‘No, I am going up to the Tomb.’
‘There is no one there, I tell you.’
‘I like to look over the River. To sit there.’
‘But the sun is setting–it is too late.’
Satipy’s fingers closed vice-like over Renisenb’s arm. Renisenb wrenched herself loose.
‘Let me go, Satipy.’
‘No. Come back. Come back with me.’
But Renisenb had already broken loose, pushed past her, and was on her way to the cliff.
There was something–instinct told her there was something…Her steps quickened to a run…
Then she saw it–the dark bundle lying under the shadow of the cliff…She hurried along until she stood close beside it.
There was no surprise in her at what she saw. It was as though already she had expected it…
Nofret lay with her face upturned, her body broken and twisted. Her eyes were open and sightless…
Renisenb bent and touched the cold stiff cheek then stood up again looking down at her. She hardly heard Satipy come up behind her.
‘She must have fallen,’ Satipy was saying. ‘She has fallen. She was walking along the cliff path and she fell…’
Yes, Renisenb thought, that was what had happened. Nofret had fallen from the path above, her body bouncing off the limestone rocks.
‘She may have seen a snake,’ said Satipy, ‘and been startled. There are snakes asleep in the sun on that path sometimes.’
Snakes. Yes, snakes. Sobek and the snake. A snake, its back broken, lying dead in the sun. Sobek, his eyes gleaming…
She thought: Sobek…Nofret…
Then sudden relief came to her as she heard Hori’s voice.
‘What has happened?’
She turned with relief. Hori and Yahmose had come up together. Satipy was explaining eagerly that Nofret must have fallen from the path above.
Yahmose said, ‘She must have come up to find us, but Hori and I have been out to look at the irrigation canals. We have been away at least an hour. As we came back we saw you standing here.’
Renisenb said, and her voice surprised her, it sounded so different: ‘Where is Sobek?’
She felt rather than saw Hori’s immediate sharp turn of the head at the question. Yahmose sounded merely puzzled as he said:
‘Sobek? I have not seen him all the afternoon. Not since he left us so angrily in the house.’
But Hori was looking at Renisenb. She raised her eyes and met his. She saw him turn from their gaze and look down thoughtfully at Nofret’s body and she