Suddenly Renisenb felt a flood of revolt overwhelm her.
Neither Kait, nor Satipy, nor anyone should dictate to her what she should or should not remember.
She returned Kait's look steadily with a distinct hint of defiance.
"The women of a household," said Kait, "must stand together."
Renisenb found her voice.
She said clearly and defiantly: "Why?"
"Because their interests are the same."
Renisenb shook her head violently.
She thought, confusedly,
"I am a person as well as a woman.
I am Renisenb."
Aloud she said:
"It is not so simple as that."
"Do you want to make trouble, Renisenb?"
"No.
And anyway, what do you mean by trouble?"
"Everything that was said that day in the big hall had best be forgotten."
Renisenb laughed.
"You are stupid, Kait.
The servants, the slaves, my grandmother - everyone must have overheard!
Why pretend that things did not happen that did happen?"
"We were angry," said Satipy in a dull voice.
"We did not mean what we said."
She added with a feverish irritability:
"Stop talking about it, Kait.
If Renisenb wants to make trouble, let her."
"I don't want to make trouble," said Renisenb indignantly.
"But it is stupid to pretend."
"No," said Kait. "It is wisdom.
You have Teti to consider."
"Teti is all right."
"Everything is all right - now that Nofret is dead." Kait smiled.
It was a serene, quiet, satisfied smile - and again Renisenb felt a tide of revolt rise in her.
Yet what Kait said was quite true.
Now that Nofret was dead everything was all right.
Satipy, Kait, herself, the children - all secure - all at peace - with no apprehensions for the future.
The intruder, the disturbing, menacing stranger, had departed - for ever.
Then why this stirring of an emotion that she did not understand on Nofret's behalf?
Why this feeling of championship for the dead girl whom she had not liked?
Nofret was wicked and Nofret was dead.
Could she not leave it at that?
Why this sudden stab of pity - of something more than pity - something that was almost comprehension?
Renisenb shook her head perplexedly.
She sat on there by the water after the others had gone in, trying vainly to understand the confusion in her mind.
The sun was low when Hori, crossing the courtyard, saw her and came to sit beside her.
"It is late, Renisenb.
The sun is setting.
You should go in," His grave, quiet voice soothed her, as always.
She turned to him with a question.
"Must the women of a household stick together?"