Seeing a Large Cat (27 page)

"I will mention to the Colonel that we visited the chapel this morning."

Pushing his hat to the back of his head, Ramses gave me a questioning look. "Mother, do you believe the Colonel will ask the rest of us to join him?"

"I don't see how he can do otherwise, Ramses. It would be ungentlemanly not to."

Ramses's lips compressed. "I would propose a little wager were it not for the fact that my winning it would cause David embarrassment."

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"It doesn't matter," David said quickly.

"It does," Ramses said. "Mother, are you not aware of the fact that the Colonel would not invite David to sit down at table with him?"

Nefret gasped. "You cannot be serious, Ramses."

"I assure you I am entirely serious. From the beginning he has ignored David as he would a servant; he has never addressed him directly, nor taken his hand. He has refrained from open discourtesy-though he would not consider it such-since he has met us thus far on our terms and on our territory, but he won't proffer an invitation." "I can't believe he would be so rude." "I may be mistaken. Do you want to take the chance?" "No," I said slowly, remembering the Colonel's history. "It would give me great pleasure to-er-set him straight, but not if it would mean hurting David."

"Why didn't you say something before?" Nefret demanded, her cheeks flaming. "Do you suppose I would go where David was not welcome?"

I thought for a moment David was going to cry. Egyptians see nothing unmanly about tears. His English upbringing won out, but his smile was a little tremulous. "Please don't distress yourselves. What do the opinions of men like that matter, when I have such friends as you?"

Nefret looked as if she were on the verge of tears too-tears of rage, in her case. "I shan't go."

"That would be foolish," David said earnestly. "You are condemning him without so much as a trial, and anyhow, it does not affect the reason you decided to accept in the first place. Here is your chance to get the better of him, eh?"

"David is right," I said. "Do not scruple to turn his erroneous assumptions against him, Nefret; I do not doubt he has a low opinion of women too. Gallantry is often a cloak for contempt. You can trick him into confidences a man could not win."

A calculating smile replaced Nefret's furious frown. "What do you want me to find out?"

We discussed the matter. When we got out of the carriage there was a little scuffle over which of us was to take David's arm. It amused him a great deal, so we were all smiles when we entered the hotel.

Colonel Bellingham was waiting in the lobby. Ramses was taking no chances on seeing his friend subjected to insult; ignoring the Colonel, he led David directly to the desk of the concierge, where they meant to leave the camera equipment they had carried with them. Bellingham advanced toward us and kissed my hand and Nefret's, while she simpered at him in a way that would have roused the direst suspicions in a more intelligent man.

The Colonel took no notice of the boys, though he must have seen them, nor did he invite me to join his party. He offered Nefret his arm, and I said, "We will meet you here in two hours' time, Nefret."

The Colonel gave me an approving nod. Well, of course, I thought; a proper young lady does not go about the streets unescorted. How he could cling to the delusion that Nefret was a proper young lady after seeing her in boots and trousers I could not imagine; but social conventions are so intrinsically silly that an inconsistency or two hardly matters.

The boys and I proceeded into the dining saloon, where Nefret and the Colonel had joined Dolly at a table near the long windows. Before the maitre d' could reach us, another individual hurried up.

"Mrs. Emerson!" Donald Fraser seized my hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Are you lunching? Will you do us the pleasure of joining us, or are you otherwise engaged?"

"Only to Ramses and David," I replied, observing that Enid had risen from her chair and was beckoning to me.

"I included them, of course," Donald said with a hearty laugh. "No way of telling in our mother tongue, is there? Deuced difficult language in some ways, but French and German..."

He continued to babble cheerfully and ignorantly about linguistics as he led us to join the others. It was flattering to be received with such universal appreciation. Enid's face shone, and even Mrs. Jones appeared pleased to see me. Though she was dressed with her usual modish neatness in a gray serge skirt and braid-trimmed Zouave jacket, her face was pink with sunburn, and one hand was bandaged.

Donald insisted we share their bottle of wine. He monopolized the conversation, teasing Ramses in a good-natured fashion about their earlier adventures. It was difficult to believe that this amiable, unimaginative man was in the grip of such a strange obsession. I tried to catch Enid's eye, but she was not looking at me. Leaning across David, who was between us, I addressed a carefully innocuous comment to Mrs. Jones.

"I hope you are not neglecting to wear your hat. The sun is very hard on fair skin such as yours."

The lady rolled her eyes expressively. "My dear Mrs. Emerson, I have taken to going about veiled like a Muslim female, but even that does not suffice. As for my poor hands...! I have ruined three pair of gloves and lost a good square foot of skin from my palms. Have you any suggestions?"

"One or two," I said in a meaningful manner.

Mrs. Jones smiled her feline smile. "Your advice, Mrs. Emerson, would be greatly appreciated."

We had gone as far as we could with meaningful glances and subtle hints. I was wondering how I could get the lady to myself for a less subtle, more meaningful chat when Donald cut loose.

It was Ramses who precipitated the explosion. He may have meant only to change the subject; a young man newly conscious of his dignity does not enjoy being reminded of childish escapades. However, knowing Ramses as I do, I believe he had another motive.The question sounded innocent enough; it was only a polite inquiry as to where they had been that morning.

"The Valley of the Queens," Donald said. "Mrs. Whitney-Jones insisted we explore the Kings' Valley first, and of course she is the expert, but I have felt all along that a princess's tomb would be in the Valley of the Queens. I mean, it does seem logical, don't it?"

"It does," Ramses agreed. He glanced at Enid, whose wide eyes were fixed imploringly on his face, and I thought he nodded, almost imperceptibly. "The terrain is difficult, though, especially for the ladies."

"So I told Enid," Donald said. "But she would come."

Again Mrs. Jones made an expressive face, unseen by anyone but me. I almost liked the woman at that moment, but my sympathy for her suffering was tempered by the recollection that she had brought it on herself.

Ramses continued the conversation as coolly as if it made sense. "Signer Schiaparelli and his crew have recently discovered several interesting tombs in the Valley of the Queens, but there are no roads, no paths, no useful maps. Locating a particular tomb in that wilderness-"

"Ah, but that is where we have the advantage, you see! To be sure, the princess's description of the location has been vague thus far. As she says, earthquakes, floods, and the passage of time itself have changed the landscape almost beyond recognition. I feel confident, however, that-" Donald broke off as the waiter, having served the ladies, placed a platter of rare roast beef in front of him. When he attacked it with knife and fork, blood puddled the plate. "I say!" he exclaimed as if the idea had just struck him. "You could be of great assistance to us, Ramses, you and your parents. You were a bookish little chap, always ranting oil about mummies and tombs and so on; I expect you know that area quite well, eh?"

"You can hardly expect him-them-to take time from their work in order to act as our guides, Donald," Enid said.

I was pleased to observe that she had taken my advice to heart. Instead of scolding him, she had uttered only a mild reproof, her features wreathed in a smile.

"No, no." Donald motioned the waiter to refill his wine glass. "Though of course I would be delighted if they would. What I was about to propose was that they join us this evening. Don't know why the idea never struck me before this. Not even you diehard diggers work at night; isn't that right, Mrs. Emerson? You could speak directly with the princess and ask her for directions!" Mrs. Jones choked on a morsel of fish.

After the Frasers had retired to their rooms for the afternoon rest that is customary in Egypt, the boys and I retreated to a corner of the lobby. We had left Nefret and the Bellinghams still at table. Nefret was smiling and dimpling as she listened to what appeared to be a monologue delivered by the Colonel; Dolly had apparently fallen asleep sitting up.

"I don't see what else I could have done but agree," I said defensively.

"Quite," said Ramses. The confounded mustache shadowed his mouth, but if he had hoped thereby to make it more difficult for me to read his expression, the attempt had failed. The ends of the mustache twitched when the muscles at the corners of his mouth moved. This expression was unquestionably smug.

"That was what you intended," I exclaimed. "Ramses, you are becoming very devious."

"More than I used to be? If we are going to carry out the scheme we discussed with Mr. Vandergelt the other evening, a preliminary reconnaissance is essential. That fact must have occurred to you."

"It had not occurred to me," David admitted. "But it makes good sense. I admit I am curious. I have never attended that sort of performance before. Do you think you can persuade the Professor to come?"

Ramses shook his head. "We ought rather persuade him not to come. You know Father; if his temper does not get the better of him, his sense of humor will. Mrs. Jones will have a hard enough time, even with the rest of us cooperating as best we can. Mr. Fraser will expect wonders and revelations."

I thought the same, and when I looked toward the lift I was not surprised to see Mrs. Jones come hurrying toward us. "I hoped you would still be here," she exclaimed. "For heaven's sake, give me some idea of what approach you mean to take so that I can prepare for it. Unless... unless after all you have determined to expose me?"

I hastened to explain. Her resolute expression did not change, but she let out a little sigh, and when I went on to tell her about the princess's epiphany (without specifiying the identity of the actress who would play the part), a smile of genuine amusement curled her lips. She looked more than ever like a complacent cat.

"I must say that is an ingenious idea. I think I can arrange a suitable stage setting. Give me a day or two to collect the props. I will drop a few hints tonight, to prepare him. Leave it to me; I can manage quite well, so long as you follow my cues." Glancing toward the lift, she added ironically, "You are much in demand today. There is Mrs. Fraser, bent, I do not doubt, on an errand similar to mine. I had better go."

Enid had seen her. She stopped, looking irresolutely at us. "Oh, good Gad," I said irritably. "We have not finished making the arrangements for this evening. Go to Enid, Ramses, and try to distract her for a few minutes."

"Yes, Mother," Ramses said.

David rose as well. I could never understand how the two of them communicated; they seemed to understand one another without the need for speech.

Mrs. Jones had a mind almost as well organized and logical as my own. It did not take us long to settle on a tentative scenario for the evening-subject, as we both knew, to unexpected developments.

"Improvisation," I remarked, "is a talent essential to people in your-er-profession. Never fear, I will keep pace with you."

"I don't doubt you will." Another of those catlike smiles I

curved her lips. "Should you ever tire of archaeology, Mrs. Emerson, you would succeed quite well in my-er- profession."

She took her leave of me, walking toward the front entrance and the gardens in order to avoid encountering Enid, who was still deep in conversation with Ramses. David was not with them; I looked round the lobby but saw no sign of him.

Two hours had passed since we entered the hotel. I decided that Nefret had suffered long enough and was about to go and fetch her when I saw her leaving the dining salon on Colonel Bellingham's arm. Dolly had fallen a step or two behind them; as Bellingham led Nefret toward me, the girl slipped away, as smoothly as a prowling cat. Bowing gracefully, the Colonel expressed his appreciation for the pleasure of my ward's company.

"I feel like a parcel that has just been delivered," Nefret said as the Colonel walked away. "Where are Ramses and David?"

"I don't know where David has got to, but Ramses has just been pounced upon," I replied. "Shall we rescue him or leave him to escape without assistance?"

"He has done nothing to deserve Dolly," Nefret said. "Avaunt and tallyho!"

Appearances are often deceiving. Had I not known better I would have supposed Ramses was the bone of contention between two foolish females. Standing close on either side of him, they were exchanging fixed smiles and frosty courtesies while Ramses looked straight ahead with a particularly petrified expression. Seeing us, he found the excuse he needed; he extricated himself with more celerity than good manners and came striding to meet us.

"Go on, run," Nefret urged. "We will be the rear guard."

"Very amusing," said Ramses. He did not slow his steps, however.

"Did you explain matters to Enid?" I asked, trotting to keep up with Ramses.

"Yes."

"Wait, we have forgotten the cameras," Nefret said, trying to catch his arm.

"David has them. He will meet us at the temple."

He hailed one of the waiting carriages and bundled us in. Not until the vehicle was in motion did he address Nefret. "What did you learn from Bellingham?"

"That he is the most pompous bore in creation." Nefret took off her hat and ran both hands through her hair. "He talks like an etiquette book. One can't help feeling sorry for him, though. I mentioned that we had stopped by the chapel this morning to pay our respects, and he was so pleased and grateful, I felt guilty."