Imhotep spoke little.
Once or twice he sighed deeply.
Once he roused himself and asked for Henet.
But just at that time Henet had gone with linen to the embalmers.
Renisenb asked her father where Hori and Yahmose were.
"Hori has gone out to the far flax fields.
There is a tally to be taken there.
Yahmose is on the cultivation.
It all falls on him now... Alas for Sobek and Ipy.
My boys - my handsome boys..."
Renisenb tried quickly to distract him.
"Cannot Kameni oversee the workers?"
"Kameni?
Who is Kameni?
I have no son of that name."
"Kameni the scribe.
Kameni who is to be my husband."
He stared at her.
"You, Renisenb?
But you are to marry Khay."
She sighed, but said no more.
It seemed cruel to try to bring him back to the present.
After a little while, however, he roused himself and exclaimed suddenly:
"Of course, Kameni!
He has gone to give some instructions to the overseer at the brewery.
I must go and join him."
He strode away, muttering to himself, but with a resumption of his old manner, so that Renisenb felt a little cheered.
Perhaps this clouding of his brain was only temporary.
She looked round her.
There seemed something sinister about the silence of the house and court today.
The children were at the far side of the lake.
Kait was not with them, and Renisenb wondered where she was.
Then Henet came out onto the porch.
She looked round her and then came sidling up to Renisenb.
She had resumed her old wheedling, humble manner.
"I've been waiting till I could get you alone, Renisenb."
"Why, Henet?"
Henet lowered her voice.
"I've got a message for you - from Hori."
"What does he say?" Renisenb's voice was eager.
"He asks that you should go up to the Tomb."
"Now?"
"No.
Be there an hour before sunset.
That was the message. If he is not there then, he asks that you will wait until he comes.
It is important, he says."
Henet paused - and then added:
"I was to wait until I got you alone to say this - and no one was to overhear."
Henet glided away again.
Renisenb felt her spirits lightened.