Seeing a Large Cat (22 page)

"Emerson!"

Emerson jumped. "You needn't shout, Peabody, I can hear you quite well. The angle of descent appears to be the same. It will take-"

"I am going back to the house, Emerson."

Emerson stared blankly at me. "Why?"

"Drink your tea, Emerson." I took his hand and brought it, and the cup it held, to his lips. While he drank I continued, "Nefret and David may as well come with me, you don't need photographs of bare walls, and since you are not making rapid progress David's plan of the tomb can wait."

"Are you bored, Peabody?"

"Yes, my dear. Very."

Emerson's bronzed brow furrowed in a frown, not of annoyance but of puzzlement I have said that most excavators yearn for treasure and artifacts. Emerson is one of the few exceptions. Not that he minds discovering a tomb like that of Tetisheri, but excavation for its own sake is his passion. He was genuinely enthralled by his boring tunnel packed with fill as hard as cement. Seeing his scraped hands, I realized he had been wielding a pickax along with the men.

"Well, my dear, do as you like," he said absently, rising from the rock.

"Please don't work any longer, Emerson. It is hot and dusty in there, and the air must be getting close."

"Yes, yes, Peabody." He was already halfway down the stairs. "I will follow you home shortly. I only want to see..."

I heard no more.

Under ordinary circumstances I would never have abandoned my dear bullheaded spouse, but since I expected Enid at four, it was necessary to leave at once. I explained the situation to Nefret and David as we crossed the gebel on our homeward path.

"Do you want us there?" David asked.

"You needn't be present if you prefer not to, but I see no reason why you should not both join in the discussion. And Ramses, if he has the common courtesy to be on time for tea. You may have a useful suggestion."

"I appreciate your confidence, Aunt Amelia," David said seriously.

Nefret, who had taken it for granted that she would be allowed to participate, only nodded.

I had time to bathe and change before Enid arrived. She was on horseback, and she looked considerably better than she had the day before. Though I consider riding sidesaddle both awkward and dangerous, I must confess that the costume is extremely becoming to a lady of trim figure and elegant posture. Enid was an excellent horsewoman; her dark green riding habit became her well and her cheeks were flushed with fresh air and healthful exercise.

I directed her attendant-an old acquaintance, like most of the guides and, like at least half of them, named Mohammed- to take the horses round to the stable and led Enid to a chair on the verandah. Cyrus was the next to appear. He had scarcely finished greeting us when David and Nefret joined us.

"Now then," I said, "we can get down to business. Cyrus, you might begin by telling Enid and the children about our interview with Mrs. Jones."

"Should we not wait for Ramses?" Enid asked. "And the Professor?"

"Emerson's suggestions are not likely to be helpful," I said. "He is too-er-forthright to comprehend the complexities of the matter. As for Ramses, he went off to Deir el Bahri this morning, and I suppose he has lost track of the time, as he is inclined to do. We will not wait for them. Proceed, Cyrus."

Cyrus cleared his throat. Before he could utter the first word, Enid, whose gaze had wandered to the desert path, exclaimed, "There he is! He is coming."

It was Ramses, mounted on Risha and looking remarkably neat and clean. I realized he must have taken the time to freshen himself, for a long day perched on a ladder propped against a sun-flooded temple wall does not leave an individual looking his best. After dismounting without the flamboyance to which he was prone, he handed the reins to the stableboy and joined us on the verandah.

"We will take the courtesies for granted this time, Ramses," I said before he could begin bis formal litany of "good afternoon's." "Mr. Vandergelt was about to open the meeting."

But Enid had offered him her hand, and good manners compelled him to take it. He was still holding it-or the other way round-when I motioned Cyrus to begin.

His picturesque American vocabulary gave the narrative a quaint charm, but it was as succinct and accurate as I could have produced myself. Nevertheless Enid's face showed signs of increasing impatience, and when Cyrus described Mrs. Jones's offer to assist us in restoring Donald to his senses, she burst out.

"Lies! She lured him into this; does a spider free the fly caught in its web?"

Hugging her raised knees, Nefret said, "I think you believed her, though, Mr. Vandergelt. Why?"

Ramses anticipated him. "Pure self-interest would explain her offer. She may have been in trouble with the law before, but if she is as clever as she sounds, she has doubtless managed to avoid any serious charge. Should Mr. Fraser suffer grievous mental or physical harm, she might be liable to arrest. At the very least, adverse publicity would have a destructive effect on her career."

"Just what I was about to say, my young friend," remarked Cyrus with a decidedly unfriendly glance at Ramses. "Now see here, folks, I'm a practical man and what we want here is a practical solution, not a lot of fancy theories. We could go after Mrs. Jones and maybe find grounds for an arrest warrant. But that might not do Mr. Fraser any good. What is more important, helping him back to his right mind or putting the lady in a cell?"

Enid stiffened. "I cannot believe I understand your meaning, Mr. Vandergelt. I want that woman punished for what she has done! It is all her doing; Donald would never have believed in this fantasy if she had not poisoned his mind."

Cyrus was not the man to contradict a lady, though I saw the muscles around his mouth tighten. In his soft American drawl he said soothingly, "I reckon it's your decision, Mrs. Fraser."

Enid's hand came to rest on the furry object that had insinuated itself onto her lap. Not until Sekhmet began to purr did she observe the creature; with a faint smile, she went on stroking the cat and when she replied her voice was once more calm and well-bred.

"Perhaps, Mr. Vandergelt; but since I consulted you-all of you"-her eyes moved round the circle of attentive faces- "and since you have been good enough to give up your time to my affairs, I ought at the very least heed your advice. What do you propose?"

Except for David, who preserved his customary modest silence, everyone had a suggestion. "Compel Mrs. Jones to confess to Mr. Fraser," was Nefret's idea.

"With all of us present," I added. "Surely our combined, rational arguments must bring him round to a correct way of thinking."

Ramses pursed his lips and shook his head. "It would surely be futile, if not actually dangerous, to mount a direct attack against Mr. Fraser. I fear that not even Father could convince him he is mistaken."

Enid looked as if she would have objected to this, but she said nothing; and Ramses went on in his most pedantic manner, "If you are correct in your assessment of the lady, Mr. Vandergelt, which I have no reason to doubt, the key to the problem lies with her. She is now the only individual to whom he will listen. She is an expert at inventing implausible fantasies; she ought to be able to think of a story that would destroy this one. Would it be possible for you, sir, to spend some time with Mrs. Jones, exploring various possibilities?"

Cyrus's lined face broke into a broad smile. "Now that is a smart idea, young fella. I guess maybe I could do that."

Time was getting on, and I did not want my dear Emerson to find Enid there. In the voice hostesses use to indicate it is time for their guests to leave, I said, "In the meantime, Enid, you must behave civilly to Mrs. Jones and treat Donald with greater understanding. I know it won't be easy, but force yourself, my dear. Above all, don't challenge Donald's beliefs. Ramses is correct; he is far beyond reason now, and cannot be helped in that way."

Enid took the hint. Rising, she handed Sekhmet to me and said with a smile, "You are right as always, Amelia. I will do my best. Thank you-all of you."

"I will ride to the ferry with Mrs. Fraser, Mother." Ramses got to his feet. "I am on my way to the dahabeeyah in any case; I want to go over the corrections I made this afternoon while they are still fresh in my mind, so I won't be back for dinner."

After they had gone Cyrus took out one of his cheroots, and after asking permission to smoke, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "That boy of yours is getting to be as sly and cunning as you, Mrs. Amelia," he said with a smile that turned the words into a compliment. "I'd have felt obliged to escort the lady myself if he hadn't offered, and he saw we wanted more time to talk."

Privately I doubted that had been Ramses's real motive for behaving in a gentlemanly manner. What his true motive might have been I could not imagine, but Nefret was frowning and David had an even guiltier look than usual.

"What did you think of Enid's behavior?" I asked.

"The same thing you thought, I reckon. The lady protested too much. But why?"

In fact I was beginning to think I knew why, but even if I had been certain, the subject was not one I could properly discuss with Cyrus. "Women are overly conscientious creatures," I said. "They-I do not include myself, of course-they have been trained to accept the blame for everything that goes wrong in a marriage."

"I will leave Mrs. Fraser to you, then," said Cyrus, extinguishing his cigar. "If anyone can convince a lady she is not at fault, it is you, Mrs. Amelia. Young Ramses has the right of it, though. Mrs. Jones is the most likely person to find a way out of this. I believe I will give myself the pleasure of a conference with that lady."

"How are you going to manage it?" I asked.

"Why, I will just go on over to Luxor this evening and ask her to have dinner with me," Cyrus said blandly. "No sense in sneaking around behind Fraser's back; what's the harm in a well-behaved bachelor asking a widow lady to dine with him in a public place?"

"That is clever, Cyrus," I said. "How kind of you to spend so much time on this affair."

"Not at all." Cyrus rose and picked up his hat. "I will let you know what transpires. You haven't forgotten about my little soiree tomorrow, I hope."

I had forgot, though his invitation had been among the messages awaiting us. Foreign residents and visitors to Egypt observed the Christian Sabbath as their day of rest and religious observance, but it was not kept as strictly as it had been in my youth; there was no objection to respectable social engagements, and Cyrus's were always respectable. I assured him we would be there. Emerson would roar, of course, but I did not doubt I could persuade him.

We had finished tea before Emerson appeared. I let out an exclamation of dismay.

"Good heavens, my dear, how dirty you are!"

"The place gets hotter and dirtier the farther we go," Emerson said happily.

"Any artifacts as yet?"

"A few bits of miscellaneous mummies and their wrappings." He began unbuttoning his shirt as he headed for the house. "I will be with you in a short while, my dears; never mind tea, Peabody, I will join you in a whiskey and soda as soon as I have bathed."

He was so excited about his tedious tomb, he would talk of nothing else for a time. "The passage is not completely choked up in all sections. Selim was able to crawl along on top of the fill for another ten meters; he was unable to proceed farther, but the passage continues...."

Not until he had wound down did he notice Ramses was not there. In response to his question, I explained that Ramses meant to spend the evening working on his texts. Emerson nodded approvingly.

"That was a wise decision of his, to stay on the dahabeeyah, where there are fewer distractions. The task he has undertaken will be a major contribution to the field, and I am glad to see him taking his work so seriously. I told you he would settle down, Peabody."

"Did you?"

A reminiscent smile curved Emerson's well-shaped lips. 'Well, there were times when I never expected I would live to see it. Do you remember the night he stole the lion? And the time in London when he disguised himself as a beggar lad and bit the constable who told him to move on?"

"I would rather not remember, Emerson."

"He led you a merry dance, my dear," Emerson said affectionately. "But you can be proud of the results of your tireless efforts. He has become a responsible, serious young man and a first-rate Egyptologist."

David jumped up. "Excuse me. I promised Ramses I would come-"

"No, no, my boy," Emerson said, pleasantly but firmly. "Ramses will accomplish more if he is left alone. I want you to help Nefret develop those plates this evening."

"Yes, sir."

David glanced at Nefret. She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Tell me about the lion."

It is said that the passage of time heals all wounds and renders painful memories endurable. Such proved to be the case with my memories of Ramses's boyhood. Nefret had heard about a few of his adventures, but not all; Emerson's stories, which he narrated with considerable gusto, kept her laughing all through dinner. Some of them struck me now as rather funny, though they certainly had not had that effect at the time.

After the young people had gone to the darkroom we settled down in the sitting room and Emerson took out his pipe.

"Now we can talk freely," I said.

"What about?"

"Oh, Emerson, don't be so aggravating. You said last night we were duty-bound to investigate Mrs. Bellingham's death."

"And you," said Emerson, giving me a severe look, "promised you would keep the children out of it. What is this I hear about Enid Fraser being here today?"

"That is another matter altogether."

"Is it?" Emerson struck a match.

Pipes appear to be very difficult to operate. It always takes him some time to get his started. By the time he had it lit I had rapidly considered the implications of his enigmatic question and determined on a reply.

"So that occurred to you, did it?"

"I would claim," said Emerson, puffing, "that it had not occurred to you until this moment were I not well acquainted with the fertility of your imagination. It is a farfetched, fantastic idea, Peabody."