The Last Camel Died at Noon - Elizabeth Peters [141]
“This is——,” said Pesaker, studying us with narrowed eyes and an expression that made the meaning of the word clear. “They are too willing. I have a better plan. They will stay. We will take the child.”
CHAPTER 14
Into the Bowels of the Earth
I BIT my lip to repress an exclamation of dismay. Things had been working so nicely up to that point! In considerable agitation of mind I looked about me in search of inspiration. Ramses was nowhere to be seen, but I did not think he had had a chance to leave the room, and the most cursory of searches would reveal his hiding place behind the wine jars. Then I saw a pale face peering out from the doorway to my sleeping chamber. Had Reggie been there all along, skulking behind the draperies—and a woman’s skirts? I felt a slight qualm about throwing him to the wolves but less than I would have felt had he played the man.
“Reggie!” I cried. “Save him! Save Ramses!”
He had no opportunity to withdraw; one of the soldiers saw him and dragged him out of hiding. Perhaps he hoped that presenting this little bird to his master would sweeten his failure, for, as he was forced to report, the eagle had escaped him.
“Shall we continue to search, great prince?” he asked.
“Yes,” snapped Nastasen. “You will search without food or drink until you find him. If you do not…”
“I have found this one, great prince,” the soldier said, swallowing nervously.
Nastasen turned to his advisers. “What shall we do with this vermin? Perhaps he would like to taste the pleasures of my cells.”
Neither of the reverend gentlemen appeared to have an opinion. Reggie drew himself up. There was mettle in the lad after all; perhaps it had been a paucity, not of courage but of intelligence that had made him hesitate before. “I will go,” he said. “Take me instead of the boy. Leave him with his mother.”
Nastasen nodded. “One hostage is as good as another,” he said, or words to that effect. He shot a malignant glance at me. “Later, I may bring this one back and take the boy. Or I may not. Amuse yourself, Lady, in trying to think what I will do.”
He turned on his heel and marched out. Pesaker made us a mocking bow. “Until we meet before the god, strangers.”
Held fast in the grip of his guards, Reggie smiled bravely. “I don’t blame you, Mrs. Amelia. Don’t give up hope. There is still a chance—” He was dragged away. Murtek followed; he did not speak or look at us.
Then we were alone—except for a dozen or so soldiers bumbling around and Amenit, who had followed Reggie out of my room and was now staring at the row of wine jars.
I ran to her and put my arm around her. “Poor girl! How well you conceal your anxiety for your lover! Is there nothing we can do to help him?”
Lithely as a snake she slithered out of my grasp. Her anger and frustration—which I had felt in the quivering tension of her body—were so great she could hardly bear for me to touch her. “What have you done? You let him go free.…”
Recollecting herself, she stopped speaking. I deemed it wiser to pretend I had misunderstood her meaning. “I am a mother,” I said in her own tongue. “Could I see my child taken from me? Your lover is a man, strong and brave. And you will hasten to his side and find how best to help him.”
Goodness, but the girl was slow! I had prevented her from betraying herself and practically spelled out what her next move should be, but it took her forever to think it through.
“Yes,” she said at last. “I must hasten to him and find out… Stay here. Do not try to escape. Do nothing until I bring you word.”
She glided from the room. I waited a moment and then looked behind the wine jars. “You can come out now, Ramses. It was clever of you to remain hidden; if they had been able to lay hands on you, they might not have accepted Reggie as your substitute.”
“It was clever of you, Mama, to distract Amenit,” said Ramses, emerging. “When she said she would consult ‘him,’ it was not Mr. Forthright she meant, was it?”
“What the devil did I do with my pipe?” Emerson demanded, rummaging through my notes