Death Comes as End - Agatha Christie [68]
Teti, who had been playing on the River bank, came up and pulled her mother’s hand.
‘Shall we go home now? Mother–shall we go home?’
Renisenb gave a deep sigh.
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘we will go home.’
They walked towards the house, Teti running a little way in front of them. Kameni gave a sigh of satisfaction.
‘You are generous, Renisenb, as well as lovely. All is the same as it was between us?’
‘Yes, Kameni. All the same.’
He lowered his voice. ‘Out there on the River–I was very happy. Were you happy too, Renisenb?’
‘Yes, I was happy.’
‘You looked happy. But you looked as though you were thinking of something very far away. I want you to think of me.’
‘I was thinking of you.’
He took her hand and she did not draw it away. He sang very softly under his breath:
‘My sister is like the persea tree…’
He felt her hand tremble in his and heard the quickened pace of her breathing and was satisfied at last…
III
Renisenb called Henet to her room.
Henet, hurrying in, came to an abrupt stop as she saw Renisenb standing by the open jewel box with the broken amulet in her hand. Renisenb’s face was stern and angry.
‘You put this jewel box in my room, didn’t you, Henet? You wanted me to find that amulet. You wanted me one day–’
‘To find out who had the other half? I see you have found out. Well, it’s always as well to know, isn’t it, Renisenb?’
Henet laughed spitefully.
‘You wanted the knowledge to hurt me,’ said Renisenb, her anger still at white heat. ‘You like hurting people, don’t you, Henet? You never say anything straight out. You wait and wait–until the best moment comes. You hate us all, don’t you? You always have.’
‘The things you’re saying, Renisenb! I’m sure you don’t mean them!’
But there was no whine in Henet’s voice now, only a sly triumph.
‘You wanted to make trouble between me and Kameni. Well, there is no trouble.’
‘That’s very nice and forgiving of you, I’m sure, Renisenb. You’re quite different from Nofret, aren’t you?’
‘Do not let us talk of Nofret.’
‘No, better not perhaps. Kameni’s lucky as well as being good-looking, isn’t he? It was lucky for him, I mean, that Nofret died when she did. She could have made a lot of trouble for him. With your father. She wouldn’t have liked his marrying you–no, she wouldn’t have liked it at all. In fact, I think she would have found some way of stopping it. I’m quite sure she would.’
Renisenb looked at her with cold dislike.
‘There is always poison in your tongue, Henet. It stings like a scorpion. But you cannot make me unhappy.’
‘Well, that’s splendid, isn’t it? You must be very much in love. Oh, he’s a handsome young man is Kameni–and he knows how to sing a very pretty love song. He’ll always get what he wants, never fear. I admire him, I really do. He always seems so simple and straightforward.’
‘What are you trying to say, Henet?’
‘I’m just telling you that I admire Kameni. And I’m quite sure that he is simple and straightforward. It’s not put on. The whole thing is quite like one of those tales the storytellers in the Bazaars recite. The poor young scribe marrying the master’s daughter and sharing the inheritance with her and living happily ever afterwards. Wonderful what good luck a handsome young man always has.’
‘I am right,’ said Renisenb. ‘You do hate us.’
‘Now how can you say that, Renisenb, when you know how I’ve slaved for you all ever since your mother died?’
But there was still the evil triumph in Henet’s voice rather than the customary whine.
Renisenb looked down again at the jewel box and suddenly another certainty came into her mind.
‘It was you who put the gold lion necklace in this box. Don’t deny it, Henet. I know, I tell you.’
Henet’s sly triumph died. She looked suddenly frightened.
‘I couldn’t help it, Renisenb. I was afraid…’
‘What do you mean–afraid?’
Henet came a step nearer and lowered her voice.
‘She gave it to me–Nofret, I mean. Oh, some time before she died. She gave me one or two–presents. Nofret was generous, you know. Oh yes, she was always generous.’
‘I daresay she paid you well.’
‘That’s not a nice