Satipy too must have been up to the Tomb.
What a very odd way Satipy was walking, swaying from side to side, stumbling as though she could not see...
When Satipy saw Renisenb she stopped short, her hand went to her breast.
Renisenb, drawing close, was startled at the sight of Satipy's face.
"What's the matter, Satipy, are you ill?"
Satipy's voice in answer was a croak, her eyes were shifting from side to side. "No, no, of course not."
"You look ill.
You look frightened.
What has happened?"
"What should have happened?
Nothing, of course."
"Where have you been?"
"I went up to the Tomb - to find Yahmose.
He was not there.
No one was there."
Renisenb still stared.
This was a new Satipy - a Satipy with all the spirit and resolution drained out of her.
"Come, Renisenb - come back to the house."
Satipy put a slightly shaking hand on Renisenb's arm, urging her back the way she had come, and at that touch Renisenb felt a sudden revolt.
"No, I am going up to the Tomb."
"There is no one there, I tell you."
"I like to look out over the River. To sit there."
"But the sun is setting - it is too late."
Satipy's fingers closed vise-like over Renisenb's arm.
Renisenb wrenched herself loose.
"Don't! Let me go, Satipy."
"No.
Come back. Come back with me."
But Renisenb had already broken loose, pushed past her, and was on her way to the cliff.
There was something - instinct told her there was something... Her steps quickened to a run...
Then she saw it - the dark bundle lying under the shadow of the cliff... She hurried along until she stood close beside it.
There was no surprise in her at what she saw.
It was as though already she had expected it...
Nofret lay with her face upturned, her body broken and twisted.
Her eyes were open and sightless...
Renisenb bent and touched the cold stiff cheek, then stood up again looking down on her.
She hardly heard Satipy come up behind her.
"She must have fallen," Satipy was saying. "She has fallen.
She was walking along the cliff path and she fell..."
Yes, Renisenb thought, that was what had happened.
Nofret had fallen from the path above, her body bouncing off the limestone rocks.
"She may have seen a snake," said Satipy, "and been startled.
There are snakes asleep in the sun on that path sometimes."
Snakes.
Yes, snakes.
Sobek and the snake.
A snake, its back broken, lying dead in the sun.
Sobek, his eyes gleaming... She thought:
"Sobek... Nofret..."
Then sudden relief came to her as she heard Hori's voice. "What has happened?"