Shadows of the Nile (5 page)

Was it powerful? And where did it come from? What was its purpose? To protect her? If so, from what?

‘Should I talk to someone?' she wondered. ‘Or keep it to myself for the moment?'

*

She went back to join the others. Jan waved to her.

“Come and sit here,” she called. “You do look pale. You're working far too hard. You need to relax a bit and enjoy yourself. We're going to have tea and we're about to dock at Esna. There's another temple tonight.” She gave a little laugh. “Do you know, I'm already beginning to feel all ‘tombed out'. I could do with a gin and tonic rather than a cup of tea. All that's safe to drink at the moment is water, water, water, water. It's everywhere, under us, around us, bottles of it.” She laughed again. “Oh take no notice of me. I am enjoying my holiday. I love being here. My family think I'm very adventurous, you know.”

“And, Aline, what does your family think of you coming out here all on your own?” Peter asked, still wearing his panama hat and white suit.

Aline decided to relax and not worry too much about the ring.

“Well, it's my work, and my parents know I'm pretty independent.”

“I'm sure you are. So where was it you said you came from? Surrey. Or was it Hampstead?”

“My parents live in Kent.”

“Very nice. Kent? I expect they're very wealthy.”

“They're well off, yes. My dad is a solicitor, and still practises, and my mother acts as his secretary sometimes, when she isn't organising various local clubs. They're always busy.”

“Mm,” Peter got out one of his cigars. “So where do you yourself live?”

“I have a flat in Richmond, near where I work.”

“You said you'd really have liked to paint as a career,” Gerald murmured. Why didn't you do that?”

“I was good at languages. My parents had, and still have, a villa in Minorca and we used to spend holidays there. I played with the Spanish children of our neighbours and learnt their language. So then because I was already proficient at two languages I went on to university to do languages, Spanish and French. I also speak German quite well… and,” she laughed, “just a few words of Egyptian.” She held up her hand. “But not enough to hold a conversation.”

“Well, we are impressed,” Peter twinkled. “What about you, young Cheng? What have you got to say for yourself?”

“Me!” Cheng said, slightly taken aback that the attention had suddenly focused on him.

“Yes, you. You look as if you've led a very widely travelled existence.”

Cheng giggled. “Do you mean because I look like an oriental. Well, I'm second-generation Chinese. I speak Chinese and English fluently, English being my first language and England my home country. I have never been to China. My parents run a shop, and I don't suppose any of you can guess what sort of shop?” He gave an infectious grin.

“Selling Chinese gifts,” Jan ventured politely.

“I know what it is,” Peter puffed hard at his cigar. “It's a Chinese takeaway.”

“Got it in one,” Cheng smiled. “I did work in it for a while but then I went to the local college to study art. And I made a career of it. I do sometimes help out if they're short-staffed but I have brothers who are much better at making oriental dishes than I am.”

“We met at the college,” Gerald ventured. “It was love at first sight, and we married when we were both only eighteen, which wasn't so long ago.”

“People say we're very good at our artistic work,” Cheng confided. “It's also something we really enjoy.”

“I saw you earlier with your eyes closed,” Peter ventured. “But I don't think you were asleep. Were you thinking?”

“I was meditating. I like to go deep within myself at times. My mind draws me pictures, sometimes of things gone by. It helps me with my creating techniques.”

“Mm,” Peter murmured. “Have you been doing it long?”

“Since childhood. And when I come to somewhere like this old country I find my meditation very rewarding.”

“So you can link to the past?”

“Oh, I wouldn't say that. I just think deeply. That's all.”

There was a thoughtful silence.

Then Jan suddenly spotted Aline's ring.

“Oh, I do love your ring,” she enthused. “Did you get it at the market this morning? They did have some nice things there. I got lots of bangles for my granddaughters, and they were so cheap.” She took Aline's hand and looked closely at the ring. “It's very pretty. And it does look nice on your finger. You obviously like those wide-banded rings. I think they're lovely. I'll look out for them at the next market.” She paused for breath. “Will you come shopping with me before we go to the temple? There's a market on the way.”

“I'd love to.”

“Great. Let's meet up an hour before the others go, and then we can catch up with them. I'll see you in reception about five o'clock. I'm off for a rest now. Not as young as I used to be.”

She leapt to her feet, all her jewellery tinkling like little bells.

Peter leant back in his seat and lit his cigar. He grinned at Aline.

“Be very careful what else you buy in the bazaar,” he said. “Rings and things have passed your way. What about a fine fellow with a fine chest.”

Mary hit him with her book.

*

“This is a fantastic market,” Jan said. “It's big, isn't it, and they sell so much stuff. It's all so colourful.”

“Hey, lady, you buy a scarf,” a young lad called, rushing up to them, carrying an armful of thin scarves, all decorated with gold tassels.

“Here, lady,” he thrust one at Jan. “I make you into a beautiful, mysterious lady with my beautiful scarf. No one will be able to resist you. Going very cheap, Asda cheap.”

Aline laughed. “How do you know about Asda?”

“Me? I go to England and I stay with my cousin and he take me to Asda. Asda best shop in the country. Here my shop best shop in the country. You buy two, buy four. I give you big discount. Take them home for your friends, for your family.”

“Well, that's a thought. Do you know, Aline, I think I have the most granddaughters in the world, eight in all. And I won't mention my great-granddaughters. Okay, young man, you sell me six for five and give one to my friend here.”

His eyes lit up. He began to bargain with the skill of an experienced entrepreneur, although he couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen years old.

“I give your beautiful daughter here a sexy scarf with gold tassels,” he said enthusiastically, “if you buy ten.”

“Ten! Oh, go on then. It's only because I'm feeling generous tonight, and it's my holiday. But don't come bothering me again.”

Jan was rewarded with a great white toothy grin as he took the notes, thrust the scarves into her hand and one into Aline's, and then rushed off to find another customer.

“They have such a charm about them,” Aline murmured.

They had no sooner said farewell to the lad when another seller accosted them.

“You must buy sandals,” he said confidently. “You can't wear silken scarves and not have diamonds and rubies twinkling in-between your toes. Come this way. I will take you to my shop. Also I have jewels to put round your ankles and on your arms. Come, come. My shop is here, just across the way. Here, here.” He took Aline's arm, becoming very persuasive.

“I don't think we should,” murmured Jan. “We haven't really got time before we go on to meet the others.”

“We'll come back, when we've looked round the temple,” Aline said to the man, with a smile.

“Ah, is that a promise?”

He walked with them down the street, still holding Aline's arm, and then he spotted more tourists and quickly went over to them.

Relieved, they hurried on to the temple. They could see Achmed standing with their group just at the entrance. He was looking round for them. As they arrived, he gave them their tickets and started to lead the party away.

“Jan,” Aline said suddenly. “I did see a little ornament, a pyramid I wanted to buy on the last market stall. I'll catch up with you all later.” And without waiting for her reply she slipped quietly into the shadows, before Achmed could spot her.

She hurried back towards the market stalls. She knew it was an excuse. She'd seen something she'd like to buy, but she could have got it any time. She didn't want to go with the group. She wanted to explore the temple on her own in the twilight. Peter would have been proud of her, calling her a romantic or something similar.

She got to the stall she wanted. It sold bits and pieces of every size and description. She'd seen a small pyramid which would fit on the shelf in her bathroom at home. She didn't bargain too much because she knew she was wasting precious time if she was to rejoin the group at the end of the session. Achmed would be very concerned if she didn't turn up.

The crowds had started to thin as she made her way once more up the path towards the temple. She couldn't see the others at that moment but she knew they couldn't be far away. She went through into the crowded inner courtyard and could easily have joined any group to listen to the guide, as every single party seemed to be English this evening. It had become quite dark, and the lights on the walls shone down onto the ancient stone path in such a way that it was difficult to see where to walk to avoid the cracks and crevices. But the night was clear, and the remnants of the stone pillars towering above were still very impressive, and sometimes intimidating, making her feel very insignificant. She could imagine how people had felt coming to worship there in the cool of the evening, maybe holding the hand of a loved one, surrounded perhaps by family and friends, content in the knowledge someone was looking after them from the great beyond.

She felt a great surge of happiness, and sat for a while on one of the stone walls, using one of the lights to help her see to scribble her thoughts down. Notebook one or notebook two? Surely the two could merge together. The facts linked with a tinge of the romantic. Peter had put ideas into her head. She knew she was writing some of the best work she'd produced and the magazine would be pleased with the finished result. At least she hoped so.

She breathed in the air. It seemed so pure and so fresh. She dangled her feet, as if she was a little girl sitting over a river. She listened to the present-day chatter and laughter which went over and around her. She was a part of all this. Life was good. That must have been the teaching of the temple from the beginning of time. The ‘now' was important. She must live this life given to her, and not waste a moment.

After some time she began to rejoin the world. She had enjoyed the freedom of being alone, albeit with hundreds of other people in the building. It was nice to be unknown, with no one hailing her. But now it was time to find the others. They couldn't have gone far.

She soon spotted them. Gerald stood with the light on her strange ears. Cheng appeared to be thinking deeply, with his eyes half closed. Peter was listening intently to something Achmed was saying, and for once wasn't puffing at his cigar. Mary was a little way from him, staring up at one of the carvings. Jan had somehow managed to intertwine her ten silk scarves round her neck, arms and waist, and looked as if she could at any moment do the dance of the seven veils. The others seemed mesmerised by the mini-lecture.

And then Aline stiffened. She was being enveloped by a strong pungent perfume. Of course it had to be her, that woman! And it was! She stood a little way distant from the main group. Her red silk trousers and top contrasted with all the cottons and cropped trousers of the others. Her long, gold armlet-type bracelets closely covered each arm from wrist to elbow. Her black hair glittered in the dim light.

Nephthys had rejoined the tour.

*

Aline felt devastated. It had been so peaceful without her. And now, she was sure, Nephthys would somehow disrupt the party.

She didn't go to join the others immediately. It was obvious Nephthys would start talking to her and try to intimidate her in her usual fashion. She walked off slowly into the darkness going down a sandy path; she followed it towards the back of the temple. It was becoming quite cold as the evening descended, and a cool breeze had started. She pulled her shawl round her shoulders and wound the scarf Jan had given her round her hand, hiding the gold ring. The little pyramid she dropped into a pocket of her jeans.

She retraced her steps along one of the corridors into the section of small rooms which still had their walls. She'd listened earlier to one of the guides saying that until recently those rooms had been used by nomadic people, and she could even see the holes in the walls where they tied their animals at night to stop them from roaming.

She wandered into one such room. She tried to imagine what it would have been like living in it. She'd have found it small, perhaps unbearable, to sleep there, with humans and animals all in close proximity, with only a small hole in a very high ceiling for all odours, including smoke from the fire, to exit. She sat on a stone seat, waiting.

She didn't hear the door close and didn't see who'd come in, as she was facing away from it, but she knew immediately who it was.

“You mustn't be afraid of me,” Nephthys said gently. “I followed you to make sure you've come to no harm. It isn't safe to wander round the ruins on your own so late at night. Even this room is becoming dark with its one light. They might switch them off soon and then you'd be completely in the dark.”

“I was just going.”

“Not yet. Do stay. I have some perfume for you.” She drew a small phial from her pocket and before Aline had time to move she thrust it under her nose. “Do smell this, my dear. It'll make you feel very beautiful. It'll make you a bit sleepy and it'll make you forget now and remember back. It's very special.”