He Shall Thunder in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters [106]
“Not for one of Bastet’s descendants. She’s an odd one, though, I admit.”
We went on a way in silence. Then I said, “Are you going with your father when he delivers the money?”
“I think I had better. You know what he intends to do, don’t you?”
“Yes. I am a little surprised that Farouk did not set the meeting for tomorrow night.”
“He has another appointment tomorrow night,” Ramses said. “The same as mine.”
•
Eight
•
After our exertions and our triumph the previous day, even Emerson was in no hurry to return to work. He allowed us to eat breakfast without mentioning more than twice that we were delaying him. Nefret’s hair glittered and blew about as it always did after she had washed it. She had spent quite a long time in the bath chamber the night before, removing not only dust and perspiration but a more intangible stain. To a woman of her sensitive temperament the mere touch of such a man would be a contamination, and I had a feeling she had, for obvious reasons, minimized the unpleasantness of the encounter.
She looked none the worse for her most recent adventure, however, and as soon as Fatima left the room she returned to the subject that we had left undecided the previous night.
“I promised Sophia I would spend the afternoon at the clinic. There are several cases requiring surgery. I will stop by the banker’s before I go there and—”
“No, you will not,” said Emerson, spreading gooseberry jam on a piece of bread. “I will go to the bank this evening.”
“But sir—”
“The responsibility is mine,” Emerson said.
For once, Nefret did not continue the argument. Cupping her chin in her hands, elbows on the table, she studied Emerson intently. “What precisely are you paying for, then? It is a large sum, as you said.”
Emerson was ready for the question and was able to give an honest, if not entirely comprehensive, answer.
“You remember what Russell told us the night we dined with him? It appears that he was right. Wardani is collaborating with the enemy. Said, or whatever his name may be, must be one of Wardani’s lieutenants. What I hope to get for my money is the name of the German or Turkish agent with whom they have been dealing.”
Nefret nodded. “That’s what I thought. He would be a big fish, wouldn’t he?”
“Or she,” said Ramses. “I am surprised, Nefret, to find you so ready to dismiss your own sex from consideration.”
Nefret’s lip curled. “A woman wouldn’t hold such an important position. The Turks and the Germans, and all the rest of the male population of the world, think they’re only good for wheedling information out of the men they seduce.” After a moment she added, “Present company excepted.”
“Hmph,” said Emerson. “We’ve known a few women who were good for more than that. What’s the use of speculating? We will know tomorrow. Come and give me a hand, Ramses, I want to have a closer look at the statue before we leave for Giza.”
The statue stood where the men had left it, still swathed in its wrappings. After these were removed we all stood in admiring silence for a time. The statue was an idealized image of a man who was also a god, and it radiated dignity. The sure outlines of eyes and mouth, the perfectly proportioned torso and arms were in the best traditions of Old Kingdom sculpture. Some authorities believe that Egyptian art attained its highest perfection in this period. At that moment I would have agreed with them.
“It’s beautiful,” Nefret murmured. “I suppose it will go to the Museum?”
“Undoubtedly,” Ramses replied. “Unless we can come up with something even finer that Quibell might be persuaded to take instead.”
“No chance of that,” Emerson grunted. “If we had half a dozen of them he might let us have one. We won’t find any more, though.”
“Don’t you want me to take photographs?” Nefret asked.
“Later. Collect your arsenal, Peabody, and let’s go.”
I had to retrieve my sword parasol from Jamal, the gardener, who also acted as handyman. He was Selim’s second or third cousin once or twice removed, a slender stripling as handsome as Selim but without the latter’s ambition and