Chapter Three

Saqqara, Egypt, October 1907

“Hurry up, Adam!”

As soon as he turned towards me, I felt my heart sink. It was going to happen again. I knew it. He came down the stairs of the hotel and walked over the caleche Papa had already ordered to take us to the pyramids.

“Kate, I’m sorry, but you’re going to have go without me. There’s a new sponsor I need to see, and he’s only available this afternoon.”

Papa grunted. “Oh well, never mind. Come along, Kate. We don’t want to miss—”

“Wait a moment, Papa,” I said. “Adam, surely you don’t have to go right away? We only made these arrangements a couple of hours ago.”

“I know, and I’m truly sorry.” He pushed his hair back from his forehead, trying not to frown. “But I just got the message from the museum, and it’s vital I see this chap before he goes back to New York. The potential revenue is—”

I stopped listening at this point. It was the bit about the message he’d just received from the museum that interested me. I was fairly certain I knew who’d sent it. I forced a pleasant smile on my face.

“Well, if you have to go, then you have to go,” I said lightly. “Will we see you at dinner?”

“Of course.” He smiled at me now, before turning to Papa. The smile, I noticed, became a little strained. “Professor, perhaps this evening we can discuss the texts you showed me last night?”

“Certainly,” said Papa. “I’d be interested to hear what your opinion is.”

I could tell from the expression on both their faces that this was not true at all, and suddenly the idea of Adam not accompanying us to the pyramids did not seem such a bad idea. “Until this evening then.”

I took Papa’s arm, and we climbed into the caleche, instructing the driver to set off. “Shame he couldn’t come,” said Papa after a few minutes, as we made our way slowly through the crowded, noisy streets of Saqqara.

“Papa, that is the most insincere thing I think I’ve ever heard you say.”

“Hmph.” He scratched his beard and fanned himself with his battered old panama. “I know you like him, Katie, but I’m beginning to wish Henry had never suggested he come back home with us. The boy’s a pest. He questions every document I show him in the minutest detail. One would think he believes I’m making it up.”

“Well, Papa,” I said carefully. “Perhaps that’s a good thing. If you can persuade Adam that Khaemwaset’s tomb really exists, then the museum will have no choice but to fund us.”

Papa grunted at this, and I knew he was disappointed. He had expected the Cavendish to grant him the money to search for Khaemwaset’s tomb before we left England, and the fact that Sir Henry had demanded further evidence hurt his pride more than he was prepared to admit. He had been quietly furious when the museum board foisted Adam on us to examine his research, but for the first time ever, I found I did not agree with him. I had been delighted that Adam was coming back to Egypt with us.

“Maybe,” Papa agreed reluctantly, “although he’s very obstructive. I don’t know what’s got into the boy. He was never this sceptical when he was out here with us the first time.”

I held my tongue. I knew Papa had no idea how irritating he had been in London when he had constantly harangued the board members to look at his evidence. I strongly suspected Adam had been given very specific instructions on how to deal with Papa.”And another thing,” Papa continued, waving away the small boys who kept jumping on the caleche to sell us dates and figs. “Why does he keep cancelling appointments like this? It’s damned irritating.”

This I could not disagree with. Several times during the voyage over we had made arrangements for various outings only to find at the last minute that Adam was unable to accompany us due to some task telegraphed over by the museum. I was beginning to hate Mr. Marconi and his marvellous invention.

“I mean to say,” Papa grumbled. “One understands that he’s fond of Alice, but does the gel constantly need jade necklaces and ivory fans and other knick-knacks sent from every blasted place we stop?”

And that was the crux of the matter. It was invariably Alice who sent these telegrams. They always seemed important at first glance, but after the third cancellation, I had begun to question just how official they really were. Adam seemed to buy a lot of jewellery, although I couldn’t complain, since I always got a present out of it too. At least I tried not to complain, but lately it was getting harder.

“Well,” I said, struggling to be loyal, although I was beginning to wonder just who I was being loyal to. “Alice and Adam have always been very close. And she is the wife of his employer. I suppose it’s only natural he should want to please her.”

Papa looked at me shrewdly. “I should have thought he’d want to please you, my dear. After all, you’re the one he dances attendance on every minute of the day. When he’s not questioning my research methods and arguing with my conclusions, that is.”

“Papa! He does not dance attendance on me,” I cried, feeling my cheeks blush with embarrassment. Then I saw him smile, and I could not stop myself smiling in return. “Does he really?”

“I may be old, but I’m not blind, my dear.” Papa leaned across and patted my arm. “The boy is besotted. And why should he not be? You’re beautiful, intelligent, charming—”

“Papa!” I laughed. “You’re only saying that because you’re my father.”

“Not at all, my dear. I say it because it’s true. So why he allows himself to be at Alice’s beck and call is a mystery to me.”

It was to me too. “Perhaps he doesn’t realise he’s doing it,” I said, but without much conviction.

Papa raised an eyebrow dryly. “Then it’s about time he did, my girl. A man can’t serve two mistresses. Ah, here we are, at last,” he continued as the caleche came to a shuddering halt. “And look, it’s old Jefferson. I wondered if we’d see him out here. And Andrews and Palmerston too. Jefferson! Hold up, old boy…”

Papa jumped down from the carriage and was immediately swallowed up by a crowd of friends. I climbed down more slowly, not at all reassured by Papa’s last comment. If Adam were forced to choose between me and Alice, I had a horrible feeling I would lose.

****

Luxor, Egypt, November 1907

I was seated at my desk, ostensibly typing a report, but in reality straining to hear the conversation going on downstairs. This was not hard as it was rapidly becoming more heated by the minute. Finally the door to Papa’s study opened, there was a curt goodbye from Adam, and the front door slammed. I leapt up and ran to the window of my bedroom just in time to see Adam marching down the road, clearly annoyed. Picking up my straw hat and jamming it onto my head, I ran down the stairs into the hallway.

“Kate—”

“In a moment, Papa,” I shouted, before running out onto the street. “Adam! Wait.” He turned, the angry expression still on his face, but softening as he realised it was me. “Kate. I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye.”

I walked up to him more slowly now. It was midafternoon, and the sun beat down mercilessly on the market square, making everyone stick firmly to the shaded areas. Old men sat in cafes with tiny cups of coffee and sheeshas in front of them, market traders called seductively for customers, and the smell of aysh and babaganoush hung in the air. I took his arm and drew him under the shade of a cafe awning.

“My dear, you didn’t even say hello.”

“I know.” He looked away briefly, unsure how to proceed. “It seemed inappropriate when I knew your father wasn’t going to be happy with my news.”

I looked down at the dirty pavement. “Oh dear. Does that mean you’re recommending the museum doesn’t fund any further research into the burial site?”

“I’m afraid so.” He sighed. “Kate, you know if there—”

I cut him off, unable to bear the look of desolation on his face. “I know, Adam. But Papa is so convinced. Have you looked at the—”

“Kate, I’ve reviewed all the evidence, over and over again. You know I have. I agree that some of the texts are intriguing and the mention of a gold statue is tantalising, but there’s no real proof that any of it exists. You know how unreliable these texts can be. And the museum can’t afford to go chasing rainbows. We’ve spent enough time and money on this as it is.”

“But—”

“I can’t justify the expense, Kate. I’m sorry.”

“What about if we—”

“No.” His tone was firm now. “I’m overlooking the transfer of funds from the Saqqara project as it is.”

“Ah.” I felt my face flush as I tried, and failed, not to look guilty. “You noticed that, then.”

He took my chin in his hands, one eyebrow raised dryly. “Your accounting is very creative, Kate, but I’m not a fool.” Then his expression softened again. “I’m sorry. I know James will be disappointed, but I really can’t justify any more money on this.”

I sighed, but I wasn’t really surprised. Ever since Papa had first found the texts describing Khaemwaset’s tomb and all its riches, he had seemed to become almost bewitched by the notion of its existence. I had been as intrigued as him initially, but after several abortive attempts to find the site, even I could see it was time to concentrate on other projects.”Never mind,” I said, putting my arm through his as we strolled along the bustling marketplace. “Ahmed came by a few days ago with some information about a burial chamber of a boy pharaoh somewhere in the Valley. I know he was interested. Perhaps when you come tomorrow you could discuss that with him. But be here before nine because I’ve booked the carriage for ten, and we need to get to the station in plenty of time for the train if we—”

“Ah. Yes. I was meaning to talk to you about that.” Now he was looking guilty, and I found myself frowning.

“What?” I snapped.

“I, er, I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to come with you to the Temple of Karnak tomorrow.”

“Why not?” I was still snapping, but I couldn’t help. I knew exactly what he was going to say.

“There’s a sarcophagus upriver I need to examine.”

“Well, go the next day. Or the next. We’ve been planning this trip for weeks. You know how difficult it was for me to get Mrs. Holt to come.”

“Yes, I know,” he said patiently. “And if I could put it off, I would. But the problem is—”

“It’s Alice, isn’t it?” My face was flushing even deeper, and I could feel myself begin to lose my temper. “What does she want now? A new necklace? A piece of jade that she’s discovered can only be bought at auction in Cairo? Oh no, that was last month, wasn’t it? It must be something different this time,” I added sarcastically.

Adam cleared his throat. “Kate, you’re being entirely un—”

“Tell me Alice had nothing to do with this,” I demanded. I could see him wondering if he might get away with a lie and deciding against it.

“Alice did send an additional telegram to the one I received from Henry, but—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Adam. Why must you always jump whenever Alice snaps her fingers?”

“I’m doing no such thing,” he said indignantly, his own face darkening with anger now. “I have to go where the museum sends me, and they need me in Qus to examine a new item for them. I can’t help it if it interferes with our plans. I am supposed to be working, you know.”

Both of us stared at each other for a moment whilst around us the market traders stopped their business for a moment to enjoy the sight of two Europeans arguing. The noise of the bazaar was often deafening, with traders in their white galabiyyas shouting entreaties to passersby to stop and examine their goods, arguing with other traders over prices or quality, and donkeys braying constantly in the background. Every so often the noise would be hushed by the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, and there would be a brief respite, but generally life on the streets of Luxor was noisy and colourful and exhilarating.

Adam sighed again and took my hands in his. “Katie, I’m sorry. Truly, I am. But I have to go.” He paused. “Listen. This should only take the morning. If I hurry, I can be back in Luxor by late afternoon. Why don’t I come to your house and meet with your father, then? We can talk about the pharaoh, and hopefully I might be able to persuade him to forget about Khaemwaset for a while. And then afterwards, we could go for dinner at the Winter Palace. How would you like that?”

I smiled, wanting to argue as little as he did. “Very much. Do you think we could stop off at the garden terrace first?”

Adam put an arm around my shoulders and drew me under the shade of a eucalyptus tree, so we were slightly out of sight of the old men in the cafe. The sharp, aromatic smell pricked at my nostrils.

“I don’t see why not. If you ask me very nicely.”

“And how would I do that, Dr. Ellis?” I said, looking up at him slightly breathlessly. My heart thumped madly in my chest as he gripped me by the elbows and drew me up close to him.

“Like this,” he said and he pressed his lips hard against mine. For a second I was startled by his intensity; our kisses up until now had been chaste and innocent, but this was something new. There was an urgency to his movements as he pushed himself against me, and although I knew it was wrong for me to be acting like this, I found I wanted the roughness of this embrace as much as he did.

Suddenly he pulled away. “You should go back home now,” he said ruefully, “before I ruin your reputation completely.”

I nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“As soon as I can manage it,” he said.

We walked back out into the baking heat and went our separate ways. I returned to the house feeling strangely light-headed and hot inside, my stomach tingling in the same way it had done that morning back in England when I had first realised how excited I was by Adam’s presence. If someone had told me that barely twenty-four hours later my entire life would be turned upside down, I would have laughed in their face.

****

The next day was a busy one for me. First I had to visit Emma Holt, the vicar’s wife and a great friend, who had agreed to chaperone Adam and me on the trip to the Temple. I explained that we had had to cancel our plans, but she was very understanding, and I rather got the impression that she was relieved not to have to waste a day in frivolous engagements when there was plenty to do in the parish. Then I spent the rest of the morning with Papa, trying to get him to see sense over Adam’s decision. He was as intractable as ever though, and I decided in the end that the best thing to do was persuade him to visit Sayyid Ahmed Mahmud Jamal el-Mansur to see if this parallel project might wean him off the subject of Khaemwaset and his treasures. Ahmed was a wealthy Egyptian antiques dealer and Papa’s oldest friend in Luxor.

So we travelled across to Ahmed’s town house and spent the afternoon there, Papa in the salamlik (the front of the house, where the men were) drinking cups of strong, sweet coffee and discussing the boy king Tutankhamen; and me in the haramlik (the women’s quarters), showing off my new clothes to Ahmed’s wives and daughters, drinking strong, sweet tea, and laughing over the foolishness of men. Afterwards, I couldn’t help thinking that should have given me some kind of warning of what was about to happen. Papa and I left the house in high spirits. He had had a long talk with Ahmed and seemed genuinely keen to take up the challenge of searching for the tomb of the boy pharaoh. As we were passing Adam’s hotel, I decided to stop off and leave a message for him, so he would have some idea of Papa’s newfound enthusiasm. Leaving Papa to browse through the bazaar for any interesting artefacts, I went quickly into the blessed coolness of the reception and wrote a quick note.”Could you give this to Dr. Ellis when he returns this afternoon, please,” I asked, handing the note to the receptionist, a young man immaculate in white uniform, a stiff red fez on his head.

“Certainly, ma’am,” he said, taking the note from me and placing it in the pigeon-hole reserved for Adam. But as he pushed it in, his cuff became entangled between two other letters there and not noticing this, he inadvertently pulled the whole pile out, causing them to flutter to the blue-tiled floor. As he stooped to pick them up, I noticed one was a brochure of a forthcoming exhibition in Cairo (we had received a copy that morning too), but the other was a letter handwritten with the distinctive mauve ink I recognised only too well. Oh Lord, I thought, not another letter from Alice. I walked back out into the sunshine, hoping this wasn’t more instructions on how to ruin my romance.

****

I knocked on Papa’s door. “Papa! Are you nearly ready?”

“Yes, my dear. Give me five minutes. Is Adam here yet?”

“No, but it’s ten to seven. We need to be able to leave as soon as he gets here.”

“Of course, my dear,” came the muffled reply from behind the door. “Have no fear. I shan’t let you down.”

Reassured, I turned and ran down the stairs, pausing to check my reflection in the hall mirror. Just as I was patting a final stray lock back in place, there was a knock at the door and I could see Adam through the screening.

“It’s all right, I’ll answer it,” I said as Sayeed, our solitary, ageing servant came out of the kitchen. I gave myself one last check, then opened the door.

“You’re just in time,” I said chirpily, leading us through to the parlour. “Papa will be joining us in a minute and—”

“Kate, I’ve got something to tell you.”

“What is it?” I asked, but already I had a terrible inkling that I knew what he was going to say.

“I can’t take you out tonight. I’ve had some rather bad news.”

“Bad news?” I sank down on the oak settle, feeling suddenly cold, despite the heat. “Why? What’s happened?”

He threw his hat on the sideboard and sat down next to me. “Kate, I’m really sorry. But—it’s my father. I had a telegram this afternoon from my mother saying he’s ill and I’m needed at home.”

“Your father—ill? What is it?”

“Mother didn’t say. The telegram was very brief. I suppose she was sending it in a hurry. But it’s been there all day, and she must be wondering why I haven’t replied already. I just stopped off here on my way to the telegraph office to let you know what was happening.” He stood up again. “After that I’ve got to go into the office tonight to cancel some appointments and leave instructions for the clerks, and then I have to make arrangements to get the first boat home. I’m sorry, Katie.”

“Of course,” I said, trying not to sound disappointed. “You must do whatever you think fit. Don’t worry about us.”

He smiled. “Thank you for being so understanding. I wish this hadn’t happened.” He paused, looking suddenly awkward. It was a state that didn’t naturally fit him, which made it all the more endearing. “Kate, you know how I feel about you, don’t you?”

I took his hands in mine. There was a sadness in his eyes that I had never seen before and I wanted very much to erase it. I leaned up and kissed him briefly on the cheek.

“I hope so,” I said lightly. “Otherwise this afternoon was a terrible mistake on my part.”

“It was no mistake,” he said. “When I come back, I hope to be able to talk to your father. But I really must go now, Kate.” He stood up as he said this and walked towards the door.

“Of course,” I said. His comment about talking to Papa made me feel suddenly very excited and then guilty because of the unfortunate circumstances, so to compose myself I changed the subject. “Oh, what did Alice’s letter say?”

There were many dark days to come when I asked myself endlessly why I had to choose that, of all subjects, to remark on. Out of all the things we could have discussed, why did I pick that one? As soon as I said it, I felt the atmosphere in the room turn cold. Adam had turned away to pick up his hat, a rather battered panama, and as I spoke, I saw his back stiffen and go still. There was a moment’s dreadful pause.

“A letter from Alice? What letter?”He turned round as he said this and in that instant we both knew he was lying. He knew exactly which letter I meant.

“The letter from Alice today. The one at the hotel.”

“How did you know I had a letter from Alice?” he asked in a tightly controlled voice. As he gripped his hat in his hands, his knuckles grew white.

“I—ah—I saw it when I left my message to you this afternoon,” I stuttered, confused by the anger I could see he was trying to conceal. “The receptionist dropped your mail on the floor.”

“Oh.” He shrugged. “Just her weekly letter. Nothing important.” But he suddenly couldn’t meet my eye.

“I see.” Suddenly I was no longer confused. I did see, far too clearly. “Adam, when did you say the telegram from your mother arrived?”

“Sometime this afternoon, I imagine.”

“No, you didn’t.” I walked up closer to him, mounting anger making my face flush with heat. “You said it had been there all day, just now.”

“All day, a couple of hours, what difference does it make?” he said dismissively. “The point is—”

“The point is, you said it had been there all day a few minutes ago, and now you’re changing your story.” I glared at him as I said this.

“My story?” He glared back at me now. “Kate, I don’t think I care—”

“Alice wants you to go home, doesn’t she?” I said. “There is no telegram from your mother. There’s only that letter from Alice, ordering you home for some reason, and you go running because that’s what you do whenever Alice beckons. Why is that, Adam?”

“Kate, I swear to you—”

“No!” I said. “Don’t lie to me, Adam. I know there was no telegram. I know Alice Faulkner is behind this as she has been right from the start. What’s the problem? Am I not grand enough to be related to the Faulkner family? Does courting the daughter of an employee who seems to be losing his faculties not meet with the approval of the great Sir Henry?”

“That is absolute rubbish, Kate, and you’ve no right to say it.”

“No? Then kindly explain to me what it is that makes Alice constantly sabotage every arrangement we make?”

“She isn’t trying to sabotage anything!” He slammed his hat down on the sideboard again. “You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking—”

Just then, Sayeed popped his head round the door, his wrinkled brown eyes wide with concern at our raised voices. “Is everything all right, Miss Katie?” he asked.

“Fine,” I snapped. “Please close the door on your way out.” He looked at me in surprise but nodded and pulled the door silently closed. I turned back to Adam.

“Stay,” I said. “If Alice isn’t trying to keep us apart, then prove it. Stay here with me.”He looked haunted. “I can’t stay, Kate. My mother needs me.”

“I need you.”

“Katie—” He took my hands in his and held them tight. “If I could, I would, believe me, but my father is ill—”

“So is mine.”

“Kate, don’t dramatise!” He dropped my hands suddenly. “I have more pressing problems on my mind at the moment than the nonsensical fantasies of a romantic eccentric.” I gasped. “Nonsensical fantasies! How dare you? My father is—”

“Your father is in danger of losing sight of his priorities, which is damaging to the museum and to his reputation, but he is not ill, Kate. Mine is, and I have to go home. I’m sorry you think so poorly of Alice. She doesn’t deserve your low opinion of her, and when you’re calmer you’ll probably see that too. Now I have to go. I’ve got a great deal to do before I leave, and I don’t have time to waste on petty jealousies or pointless causes.”

He grabbed his hat again and stormed out, leaving me still gasping with anger and indignation at all he had said. As I stood there, unable to really believe that we had just had the most spectacular of rows, Papa opened the door and came in. His tie was undone and trailing down the starched front of his shirt.

“Is everything all right, Katie? Sayeed just came upstairs in a state, and then I heard all that shouting. Where’s Adam? I thought I heard him arrive.”

I looked at Papa in anguish for a moment, then confused us both by bursting into tears. But even as Papa rushed over to me and began patting my shoulder awkwardly, I couldn’t help feeling that if Alice had seen me, she would have been pleased. She had won after all.