The Hippopotamus Pool - Elizabeth Peters [63]
I did not repeat this exchange to Emerson. ‘What now?’ I inquired, after I had caught him up.
‘Luncheon,’ said Emerson. ‘Let me help you onto your donkey, Miss Marmaduke.’
Emboldened by his affability, Miss Marmaduke said, ‘I am fascinated but bewildered by your activities this morning, Professor. Won’t you explain to me why you went in such haste to that house in Luxor and what you said to that hideous old man?’
Emerson proceeded to explain. I have never heard such an unconvincing mélange of lies and half-truths, but then I knew Emerson better than she did. After rambling on at unnecessary length about tomb robbers and the royal cache at Deir el Bahri and other unrelated matters, he finished glibly, ‘I suspected it was Hamed who sent the killer after David. The boy knew too much – and now he has told me what he knew.’
‘So you will enter the tomb tomorrow morning? How thrilling! I can hardly wait.’ She raised shining eyes to Emerson.
Nefret, riding next to me, said something under her breath. I decided to take no notice.
It seemed to me that Emerson had overlooked one potential danger, but when I went to look at my patient I found that concern was, unhappily, unnecessary. When we all met at the luncheon table, I reported, truthfully, that David was too ill to be questioned.
‘I feared it might happen. Infection is in the air here, and that foot of his has been festering for weeks. He is feverish and semiconscious. I intend to keep him under sedation, rousing him only to take liquids.’
After lunch I went to sit with the boy, for I was genuinely concerned about his condition. It was not long before Emerson joined me.
‘Well done, Peabody. Marmaduke won’t bother him if she thinks he . . . Oh, curse it! You were speaking the truth. He is ill.’
Wringing out a cloth, I wiped the lad’s face and bony chest. ‘I believe he will pull through, Emerson. I have dealt successfully with more desperate cases.’
‘I know it well, Peabody.’ Emerson placed a hand on my shoulder. ‘Though I have always been of the opinion that your success is due not so much to your medical skill as your dogged determination. No one would have the audacity to die when you are doctoring them.’
I was about to respond with an equally tender speech when Ramses slipped into the room. ‘Now we can talk,’ he whispered. ‘Nefret is having a literature lesson with Miss Marmaduke.’
‘How clever of Nefret to think of it,’ I said.
‘It was my suggestion,’ said Ramses. ‘Couched in such a manner that neither could refuse. Father –’
‘Oh, dear,’ I exclaimed. ‘Now she will be planning how to get back at you. Ramses, I do wish you would try to get on better with Nefret. Sister and brother –’
‘She is not,’ said Ramses, ‘my sister.’ Without giving me time to reply, he turned to Emerson. ‘Father, you have not yet deigned to take me into your confidence, but I believe I have anticipated your intentions. You have not in fact located the tomb. You hope to do so tonight, by following the thieves who do know its location.’
‘I had intended to tell you,’ Emerson said resignedly. ‘Since I took it for granted you would find out anyhow. The plan is this –’
A low moan from my patient drew our attention to him. He was stirring feebly, his eyes half open, but when I spoke to him there was no response, and the water I held to his lips dribbled down his chin.
‘He must take water,’ I said. ‘Dehydration is the greatest danger. Emerson, do you hold –’
‘Let me try, Mother.’ Ramses took the cup from me.
He spoke softly into David’s ear. The response was astonishing. The dim eyes took on a spark of intelligence, and the swollen lips parted obediently. Supported by Emerson’s strong arm, he drank.
‘A little more laudanum now,’ I said, measuring the dose into the rest of the water. He took that too.
‘Well!’ I exclaimed, as Emerson lowered him onto the pillow. ‘How did you manage that, Ramses? And please don’t tell me you mesmerized or threatened him.’
‘I saved his life,’ Ramses said. ‘We are blood brothers. Or will be, as soon as he can spare enough of that fluid to go through the