"But not perhaps for the same reason."
With the old familiar gesture, she pushed the wig on her head askew.
"But Yahmose will not die now," said Renisenb.
"He will live."
Esa nodded. "Yes, a master physician reached him in time.
On another occasion, though, he may not be so lucky."
"You think - there will be other happenings like this?"
"I think that Yahmose and you and Ipy - and perhaps Kait too had better be very careful indeed what you eat and drink.
See always that a slave tastes it first."
"And you, Grandmother?"
Esa smiled her sardonic smile.
"I, Renisenb, am an old woman, and I love life as only the old can, savoring every hour, every minute, that is left to them.
Of you all I have the best chance of life - because I shall be more careful than any of you."
"And my father?
Surely Nofret would wish no evil to my father?"
"Your father?
I do not know... No, I do not know.
I cannot as yet see clearly.
Tomorrow, when I have thought about it all, I must speak once more with that herd boy.
There was something about his story -"
She broke off, frowning.
Then, with a sigh, she rose to her feet, and helping herself with her stick, limped slowly back to her own quarters. Renisenb went into her brother's room.
He was sleeping and she crept out again softly.
After a moment's hesitation she went to Kait's quarters.
She stood in the doorway unnoticed, watching Kait sing one of the children to sleep.
Kait's face was calm and placid again - she looked so much as usual that for a moment Renisenb felt that the tragic occurrences of the last twenty-four hours were a dream.
She turned slowly away and went to her own apartment.
On a table, amongst her own cosmetic boxes and jars, was the little jewel case that had belonged to Nofret.
Renisenb picked it up and stood looking at it as it lay on the palm of her hand.
Nofret had touched it, had held it - it was her possession.
And again a wave of pity swept over Renisenb, allied to that queer sense of understanding.
Nofret had been unhappy.
As she had held this little box in her hand perhaps she had deliberately forced that unhappiness into malice and hatred... and even now that hatred was unabated... was still seeking revenge... Oh, no, surely not - surely not!
Almost mechanically, Renisenb twisted the two buttons and slid back the lid.
The camelian beads were there and the broken amulet and something else...
Her heart beating violently, Renisenb drew out a necklace of gold beads with gold lions in front...
Chapter 15 FIRST MONTH OF SUMMER, 30TH DAY
The finding of the necklace frightened Renisenb badly.
On the impulse of the minute she replaced it quickly in the jewel box, slid home the lid and tied the string round the buttons again.
Her instinct was to conceal her discovery. She even glanced fearfully behind her to make sure that no one had watched what she had been doing.
She passed a sleepless night, twisting to and fro uneasily and settling and resettling her head on the curved wooden headrest of her bed.
By the morning she had decided that she must confide in someone.
She could not bear the weight of that disturbing discovery alone.
Twice in the night she had started up, wondering if, perhaps, she might perceive Nofret's figure standing menacingly by her side.
But there was nothing to be seen.
Taking the lion necklace from the jewel box, Renisenb hid it in the folds of her linen dress.
She had only just done so when Henet came bustling in. Her eyes were bright and sharp with the pleasure of having fresh news to impart.
"Just imagine, Renisenb, isn't it terrible? That boy - the herd boy, you know - fast asleep this morning out by the cornbins and everyone shaking him and yelling in his ear - and now it seems that he'll never wake again.
It's as though he'd drunk the poppy juice - and maybe he did - but if so, who gave it to him?
Nobody here, that I'll be bound.