‘What?’ she managed finally, hoping that she kept the incredulity out of her voice.
‘With me.As my wife.’ The hand detached itself from its anchor on his forearm and made an impotent, deprecating gesture in the air. For a ghastly moment she thought she might laugh. She managed to control the hysterical impulse. Above all she had to play safe.
‘What about it? Will you be my wife?’ blurted Merinakhte awkwardly.
‘I need time – ’
‘I’ve had an eye on you for years. Ever since you came back here. I don’t mind if you’ve been used once.’
Her eyes widened in anger. ‘What?’
‘I know why your husband sent you back. But children never appealed to me.’
Her head spun. ‘I think you should leave.’
He folded his arms again, leaning insolently on the door frame. Now that he had embarked on his proposal, his assurance was growing. ‘Not without an answer.’
‘The answer is no.’
Merinakhte’s lips tightened, and the veins at his temples pulsed. Then he controlled his anger, and whined, ‘Please consider me, at least. Think, you could stay here. This would be your house. I’d let you do as you liked. You’d be mistress here. You could entertain my friends.’
‘No.’
His eyes almost vanished into his face, if you leave this house, no one will look after your garden. Who will there be? I have no time for such things. It will have to be burned out and paved over.’
She looked at him. ‘This is my house for another fifty days. You are trespassing in it. Leave now or I will have Hapu throw you out.’
He smiled nastily. ‘Now, that would be a mistake.’
‘Get out!’
He spread his hands. ‘Just a moment, please. There is something else you might like to consider before you do that.’
She made herself breathe evenly. ‘What is that?’
The unpleasant grin remained. ‘I saw you. Thrashing around, grabbing each other. He took you like a dog takes a bitch.’ The voice was quiet, but its edge was only just this side of insanity.
She looked at him, unable to speak.
‘You and Huy. Oh yes, I know his name. What’s your game with that little shit?’
‘What -?’
‘Or is he just servicing you? Must have built up, all those years without any.’
The fury broke over her like a wave, hollowing her stomach and making her head light. Immediately, cold calm followed. She knew without any doubt that as soon as it was possible she would kill this man, neatly and quickly.
He caught her thought and half laughed, half snarled. ‘I’d come over to talk to you and I heard a noise. Like pigs rutting. I watched through the window. I was quiet, but I needn’t have bothered. You two were so hard at it I could have walked through the room and you wouldn’t have noticed.’ He paused, letting the words sink in. ‘But it doesn’t matter. I’ll still have you. I enjoyed watching. Who knows? If you like it I might set you at it with some of the servants now and then. I’m sure that’d be the kind of entertainment my friends would appreciate.’
‘Why don’t you crawl back under your stone?’
‘I could have told Kenamun about you,’ continued Merinakhte. ‘It’s probably my duty, especially if humping each other isn’t all you are doing. But I love you, Senseneb, so I thought I’d be merciful. I’d do anything to keep you, my dear. And be sure of this. If I can’t have you, no one else will.’
Again she could not answer. Her throat was too try to admit speech. Her Ka seemed to float above her. She watched the scene from outside herself as if it were a dream. She tried to send a thought from her heart to Huy, but the way was blocked.
There was a noise from beyond the room. Hapu was returning from the garden.
Merinakhte eased himself away from the door jamb. ‘Think about what I have said. I am not a monster. But I will not wait long. I will be back for an answer soon.’ He smiled. ‘I am sure you will see sense. Despite the pleasures of the Fields of Aarru, we all prefer the short life we know to the eternity we do not.’
He left then, idly, not hurrying but not looking back. Senseneb’s heart stampeded over possibilities. One thing was certain: Merinakhte was wrong. If she could not destroy him, she would prefer to risk Osiris’s anger by killing herself than face a known hell on earth.
Huy had returned to his house to find Ineny waiting for him outside, idling among the handful of stallholders who set up a morning market twice a week in the little square. He greeted Huy brusquely, and hurried him towards the litter which was waiting to take them to Ay. For the second time that day, Huy set off for the palace compound. Huy noticed that Ineny was reserved once again. He was cordial, but no more than polite, and appeared disinclined to take the scribe into his confidence.
Huy did not have an opportunity to consider this return to reserve, as Ay was waiting for him in a greater state of agitation and impatience than Huy would have believed possible.
‘You must tell me what you know now. Now!’
‘I do not have the whole picture yet.’
‘Never mind that!’ Ay leant across the table between them, his arms trembling as they supported his body, his eyes showing white under the iris. ‘I want all that you have got. I was a fool to let you have so much time.’
‘What has happened?’
‘Never mind. It does not concern you. An avenue has closed. That is all you need to know.’
Huy was aware of Ineny standing behind him, but could not turn to see his expression. Had Ay told him that the queen had rejected his marriage offer? Or was the humiliation so great that he had kept it to himself?
In the interval between his interview with Ankhsenpaamun and his meeting with Ay, Huy’s heart, knowing that the last grains of sand were running through the clock with their usual and yet always unexpected rush, had constructed a plan which might cover all risks. It was a dirty plan, but it was no longer possible to fight in any other way and survive in the Black Land that was being created by this power struggle. Huy knew that the man to save the country was Horemheb; but the man to save the queen was still Ay, if he could be convinced that she was no threat to him. The way to achieve that was to ensure the throne for the old man. If, later, destiny decreed that Horemheb should succeed him, then destiny would be helped greatly by nature, for Ay was old and without a direct heir. Horemheb, too, was not the kind of man to be cast down by frustration and defeat; rather, they would make him roar the louder. For himself, he hoped for nothing more than to be far away from the city, soon, and, despite all the warnings and reservations that rose in his heart, with Senseneb.
‘Very well, if you wish it,’ he told Ay after a pause.
‘Good.’ Ay leant forward.
‘Before I begin, there are conditions.’
Ay pushed himself back off the table and paced to and fro three or four times. After controlling himself, he turned again to Huy.
‘Conditions?’ he asked. His tone was low, but his voice was strained.
‘Yes.’ Huy was also struggling to keep his voice soft, and diplomatically neutral. He did not want to betray the strain he was putting his own courage under. He wished that there were another way out, but he could see none.
‘What are they?’
Huy was still aware of Ineny at his back. His mouth was dry.
‘I want you to guarantee the safety of Queen Ankhsenpaamun.’
Ay involuntarily spread his hands, almost surprised, is that all?’
‘No, but it is important.’
‘I will assure her of my personal protection, without reservation.’ Ay looked at him, and Huy could tell from his eyes that he knew he was not believed.
‘You will also have to drop all thoughts of marrying her.’
Ay reddened. ‘What?’