And it's not likely he'd take it himself.
Oh, we might have known how it would be yesterday."
Henet's hand went to one of the many amulets she wore.
"Amun protect us against the evil spirits of the dead!
The boy told what he saw.
He told how he saw Her.
And so She came back and gave him poppy juice to close his eyes for ever.
Oh, She's very powerful, that Nofret!
She'd been abroad, you know, out of Egypt.
I dare swear She got to know all sorts of outlandish primitive magic.
We're not safe in this house - none of us are safe.
Your father should give several bulls to Amun - a whole herd if necessary - this isn't a time for economy.
We've got to protect ourselves.
We must appeal to your mother - that's what Imhotep is planning to do.
The priest Mersu says so.
A solemn Letter to the Dead.
Hori is busy now drawing up the terms of it.
Your father was for addressing it to Nofret - appealing to her. You know:
'Most excellent Nofret, what evil thing have I ever done to you-' etc.
But as the Divine Father Mersu pointed out, it needs stronger measures than that.
Now your mother, Ashayet, was a great lady.
Her mother's brother was the Nomarch and her brother was Chief Butler to the Vizier at Thebes.
If it's once brought to her knowledge, she'll see to it that a mere concubine isn't allowed to destroy her own children!
Oh, yes, we'll get justice done.
As I say, Hori is drawing up the plea to her now."
It had been Renisenb's intention to seek out Hori and tell him about her finding of the lion necklace.
But if Hori were busy with the priests at the Temple of Isis it was hopeless to think of trying to get hold of him alone.
Should she go to her father?
Dissatisfied, Renisenb shook her head.
Her old childish belief in her father's omnipotence had quite passed away.
She realized now how quickly in times of crisis he went to pieces - a fussy pomposity replacing any real strength.
If Yahmose were not ill, she could have told him, though she doubted if he would have any very practical counsels to offer.
He would probably insist on the matter being laid before Imhotep.
And that, Renisenb felt with increasing urgency, was at all costs to be avoided.
The first thing Imhotep would do would be to blazon the whole thing abroad, and Renisenb had a strong instinct for keeping it secret - though for what exact reason she would have been hard put to it to say.
No, it was Hori's advice she wanted.
Hori would, as always, know the right thing to do.
He would take the necklace from her and at the same time take her worry and perplexity away.
He would look at her with those kind grave eyes and instantly she would feel that now all was well...
For a moment Renisenb was tempted to confide in Kait - but Kait was unsatisfactory; she never listened properly.
Perhaps if one got her away from the children - no, it wouldn't do. Kait was nice but stupid.
Renisenb thought: "There is Kameni... and there is my grandmother."
Kameni...?
There was something pleasurable in the thought of telling Kameni.
She could see his face quite clearly in her thoughts - its expression changing from a merry challenge to interest - to apprehension on her behalf... Or would it not be on her behalf?
Why this insidious lurking suspicion that Nofret and Kameni had been closer friends than had appeared on the surface?
Because Kameni had helped Nofret in her campaign of detaching Imhotep from his family?
He had protested that he could not help himself - but was that true?
It was an easy thing to say.
Everything Kameni said sounded easy and natural and right.