The Ape Who Guards the Balance - Elizabeth Peters [103]
“Someone had to,” Emerson insisted. “Layla might have sought temporary refuge with her—er—sisters in misfortune. Don’t be such a bloo—blooming hypocrite, Peabody, you know perfectly well you would have gone yourself if I had given you the chance.”
“None of them admitted knowing anything,” said Ramses. “But one would not expect them to, in front of the others. I mentioned a reward. We may yet receive information from one of the—er—ladies.”
“Girls, you mean,” Nefret muttered. “Some of them no older than—”
Ramses broke into a fit of coughing, and Nefret said hastily, “I’m sure you would like more tea, Sir Edward. Do bring me your cup.”
He rose obediently, smiling a little, and approached her.
“And how,” I inquired, “do you know their ages?”
“Curse it!” said Nefret.
“Damnation!” said Sir Edward, dropping his cup. Tepid tea and bright red blood dripped onto Nefret’s skirt. Growling, Horus withdrew the paw that had raked Sir Edward’s hand.
I administered first aid and apologies, which Sir Edward accepted with the comment that he was pleased to know Miss Forth had such a faithful guardian. Nefret made good her escape, with the excuse—which had a certain validity—that she must change and rinse the blood out before it set. Emerson declared he had work to do before dinner. Sir Edward said he believed he would take a stroll. How the boys eluded me I do not know, but when I looked round I realized I was alone.
I went after Ramses first, but could not locate him or David anywhere in the house. Nefret had barred her door. She pretended not to hear my knock, so I went round to the window and banged on the shutters until she opened them.
We had a little chat.
When I left her I looked for Emerson and found he had gone to earth in a quiet corner of the courtyard. He was smoking his pipe and talking with Ramses. Ramses got to his feet when he saw me. He may have been exhibiting the good manners I had taught him, but his pose strongly suggested that he was about to bolt.
“Don’t scold the lad, Peabody,” Emerson said, making room for me on the bench. “He came to me, in a very manly fashion, and attempted to take full responsibility for Nefret’s behavior. I do not hold him accountable.” He sighed. “I do not hold anyone accountable for Nefret.”
“I have just talked with her,” I said.
“Ah,” said Emerson hopefully. “Did she promise she would never do it again?”
“No. She said she would do it again as soon as she could, and as often as possible.” I smiled somewhat ruefully at my son. “Sit down, Ramses, and don’t look so wary. I do not blame you. Nefret is . . . In a nutshell, she is precisely the daughter I would have chosen! She is determined to help those unfortunate women, and I believe she can and will.”
“She wants to help the whole bloody suffering world,” Ramses said. He appeared to be watching a beetle that was heading purposefully for a bit of bread crust. “She’ll break her heart, Mother.”
“Broken hearts can be mended,” I said. “A heart that is impervious to pain is also impervious to joy.”
Emerson snorted, and Ramses looked up. “No doubt that is true, Mother. However, we must also consider the risk to Nefret’s—er—body. Aside from the other dangers involved in attacking a business enterprise of that sort, there is the strong possibility that some of the women in the House of the Doves are in the pay of our unknown enemy.”
“Damned right,” said Emerson. “None of you is to go to that quarter again, do you hear?”
“I doubt additional visits would produce useful results,” Ramses replied. “We have done what we could.”
“Agreed,” I said. “Now go and find David, Ramses, and tell him it is safe to come out of hiding. Dinner will be ready shortly.”
After he had taken a cup of postprandial coffee with us, Sir Edward begged to be excused. “I have letters to write,” he explained with a smile. “My dear mother is quite frail; I try to write at least three times a week.”
“If she is that confounded frail, why doesn’t he stay with her?” Emerson inquired after the young man had left the room.
“That was only a courteous