The Hippopotamus Pool - Elizabeth Peters [59]
‘Suspicious,’ I muttered, after she had taken her departure. ‘Very suspicious, Emerson.’
‘Everything strikes you as suspicious, Peabody.’
‘I don’t trust that woman,’ Nefret declared. ‘She was on deck before me last night. What was she doing there?’
Elbows on the table, Emerson said, ‘I don’t know. What was she doing?’
‘She didn’t have time to do anything, I was almost on her heels. As soon as she saw me she screamed and fell down. But if I had not come when I did, who knows what might have happened?’ Nefret’s eyes flashed. ‘Don’t leave her alone with David, Professor. Her offer to sit with him was extremely suspicious.’
Emerson looked from Nefret to me and back to Nefret. ‘It is like hearing an echo,’ he muttered. ‘I begin to wonder whether I am strong enough to manage two of them. Ah, well. “Man tut was man kann.” I suppose Ramses shares your doubts about Miss Marmaduke? Yes; he would. Well, don’t worry about David. One of our men will be on guard, and until I am certain about Miss Marmaduke’s motives I will watch her closely. Why do you suppose I am taking the confounded woman with us today?’
When I returned to Ramses’ room I found David back in bed, wearing one of Ramses’ galabeeyahs. He had the look of a person who has just undergone torture of the most agonizing kind and he made no objection when I examined him – with, of course, due consideration for his dignity. The bruises, cuts and scrapes required only minimal attention, but the festering toe looked even nastier now that it had been washed. The nail was missing and the infection was deep. By the time I had cleaned and bandaged it Emerson was banging on the door demanding that I hurry up.
I bade him enter. ‘I am almost ready, Emerson. David, I want you to take this medicine.’
‘Laudanum?’ Hands on his hips, Emerson eyed me askance. ‘Are you certain that is wise, Peabody?’
‘He is in considerable pain, though he will not admit it,’ I replied. ‘He needs to rest.’
‘No! I must not –’ David stopped, perforce, since I had pinched his nose with my fingers and tipped the liquid neatly down his throat.
‘Don’t worry,’ Emerson said. ‘One of your uncles, or cousins, or whatever the devil they are, will be on guard. You are safe here. Is there anything more you want to tell me?’
‘No, Father of Curses. I do not know –’
‘We will talk again later,’ Emerson said. ‘Come along, Peabody – Ramses.’
‘I trust,’ said Ramses, as soon as I had closed the door, ‘that you did not drug him because you suspect he would attempt to run away, Mother. He will not.’
‘He gave you his word, I suppose,’ I said sarcastically.
‘Yes. And,’ said Ramses, ‘I have promised that if he remains with us, I will teach him how to read the hieroglyphs.’
There was not time to continue the conversation. Gertrude and Nefret were waiting, and Emerson bustled us all into the dinghy.
Ramses began lecturing on the temples of Luxor and talked without a break during the voyage. This gave me a chance to collect my own thoughts, which were in need of organization. How busy we were become, and how many things required to be done! Identifying the would-be assassin of David was of prime importance, not only to prevent further assaults but to learn why someone was so intent on silencing him. That information might be got from the boy himself, if he was willing to talk – and if he knew.
First, though, were the telegrams to Evelyn and Walter. Reading over Emerson’s shoulder as he wrote, I was moved to murmur, ‘Emerson, do you really believe it is wise to say we have found an unknown royal tomb? I don’t doubt that the contents of that message will be all over Luxor by nightfall and in Cairo almost as soon. Every thief in Gurneh will be on our track, and M. Maspero will be very annoyed with us for not reporting to him immediately, and furthermore –’
‘Write your own message, Peabody, and leave this to me,’ Emerson said, frowning masterfully.
So I did. An explanation for his behaviour