Death Comes as End - Agatha Christie [47]
FIRST MONTH OF SUMMER 30TH DAY
The finding of the necklace frightened Renisenb badly.
On the impulse of the minute she replaced it quickly in the jewel box, slid home the lid and tied the string round the buttons again. Her instinct was to conceal her discovery. She even glanced fearfully behind her to make sure that no one had watched what she had been doing.
She passed a sleepless night, twisting to and fro uneasily and settling and resettling her head on the curved wooden headrest of her bed.
By the morning she had decided that she must confide in someone. She could not bear the weight of that disturbing discovery alone. Twice in the night she had started up, wondering if, perhaps, she might perceive Nofret’s figure standing menacingly by her side. But there was nothing to be seen.
Taking the lion necklace from the jewel box, Renisenb hid it in the folds of her linen dress. She had only just done so when Henet came bustling in. Her eyes were bright and sharp with the pleasure of having fresh news to impart.
‘Just imagine, Renisenb, isn’t it terrible? That boy–the herd boy, you know–fast asleep this morning out by the cornbins and everyone shaking him and yelling in his ear–and now it seems that he’ll never wake again. It’s as though he’d drunk the poppy juice–and maybe he did–but if so who gave it to him? Nobody here, that I’ll be bound. And it’s not likely he’d take it himself. Oh, we might have known how it would be yesterday.’ Henet’s hand went to one of the many amulets she wore. ‘Amūn protect us against the evil spirits of the dead! The boy told what he saw. He told how he saw Her. And so She came back and gave him poppy juice to close his eyes for ever. Oh, She’s very powerful, that Nofret! She’s been abroad, you know, out of Egypt. I dare swear she got to know all sorts of outlandish primitive magic. We’re not safe in this house–none of us are safe. Your father should give several bulls to Amūn–a whole herd if necessary–this isn’t a time for economy. We’ve got to protect ourselves. We must appeal to your mother–that’s what Imhotep is planning to do. The Priest Mersu says so. A solemn Letter to the Dead. Hori is busy now drawing up the terms of it. Your father was for addressing it to Nofret–appealing to her. You know: ‘Most excellent Nofret, what evil thing have I ever done to you–’ etc. But as the Divine Father Mersu pointed out, it needs stronger measures than that. Now your mother, Ashayet, was a great lady. Her mother’s brother was the Nomarch and her brother was Chief Butler to the Vizier of Thebes. If it’s once brought to her knowledge, she’ll see to it that a mere concubine isn’t allowed to destroy her own children! Oh yes, we’ll get justice done. As I say, Hori is drawing up the plea to her now.’
It had been Renisenb’s intention to seek out Hori and tell him about her finding of the lion necklace. But if Hori were busy with the priests at the Temple of Isis it was hopeless to think of trying to get hold of him alone.
Should she go to her father? Dissatisfied, Renisenb shook her head. Her old childish belief in her father’s omnipotence had quite passed away. She realized now how quickly in times of crisis he went to pieces–a fussy pomposity replacing any real strength. If Yahmose were not ill, she could have told him, though she doubted if he would have any very practical counsels to offer. He would probably insist on the matter being laid before Imhotep.
And that, Renisenb felt with increasing urgency, was at all costs to be avoided. The first thing Imhotep would do would be to blazon the whole thing abroad, and Renisenb had a strong instinct for keeping it secret–though for what reason she would have been hard put to it to say.
No, it was Hori’s advice she wanted. Hori would, as always, know the right thing to do. He would take the necklace from her and at the same time take her worry and perplexity away. He would look at her with those kind grave eyes and instantly she would feel that now all was well…
For a moment Renisenb was tempted to confide in Kait–but Kait was unsatisfactory, she