I understand her hatred of me now - and I am sorry that she suffered - but it was not my fault.
And it was not Kameni's fault that he loved me and not her. These things happen."
Teti, who had been playing on the riverbank, came up and pulled at her mother's hand.
"Shall we go home now?
Mother - shall we go home?"
Renisenb gave a deep sigh.
"Yes," she said, "we will go home."
They walked towards the house, Teti running a little way in front of them.
Kameni gave a sigh of satisfaction. "You are generous, Renisenb, as well as lovely.
All is the same as it was between us?"
"Yes, Kameni. All is the same."
He lowered his voice. "Out there on the River - I was very happy.
Were you happy too, Renisenb?"
"Yes, I was happy."
"You looked happy. But you looked as though you were thinking of something very far away.
I want you to think of me."
"I was thinking of you."
He took her hand and she did not draw it away.
He sang very softly under his breath:
"My sister is like the persea tree..." He felt her hand tremble in his, and heard the quickened pace of her breathing, and was satisfied at last...
III
Renisenb called Henet to her room.
Henet, hurrying in, came to an abrupt stop as she saw Renisenb standing by the open jewel box with the broken amulet in her hand.
Renisenb's face was stern and angry.
"You put this jewel box in my room, didn't you, Henet?
You wanted me to find that amulet.
You wanted me one day -"
"To find out who had the other half?
I see you have found out.
Well, it's always as well to know, isn't it, Renisenb?"
Henet laughed spitefully.
"You wanted the knowledge to hurt me," said Renisenb, her anger still at white heat.
"You like hurting people, don't you, Henet!
You never say anything straight out.
You wait and wait - until the best moment comes.
You hate us all, don't you?
You always have."
"The things you're saying, Renisenb!
I'm sure you don't mean them!"
But there was no whine in Henet's voice now, only a sly triumph.
"You wanted to make trouble between me and Kameni.
Well, there is no trouble."
"That's very nice and forgiving of you, I'm sure, Renisenb.
You're quite different from Nofret, aren't you?"
"Do not let us talk of Nofret."
"No, better not, perhaps.
Kameni's lucky as well as being good-looking, isn't he?
It was lucky for him, I mean, that Nofret died when she did.
She could have made a lot of trouble for him - with your father.
She wouldn't have liked his marrying you - no, she wouldn't have liked it at all.