He left Samir abruptly, turning to his son and reaching out for Alex's helping hand.
"Come, take me upstairs," he said." I have to rest. I'm near fainting."
"Good Lord, Father, what is going on!"
"Ah, that you have to tell me now. What's happened since I left? Oh, and the desk. Tell the desk I will speak to no one. They are not to ring the room. No one is to be allowed up."
Only a few steps more, he thought as the elevator doors opened. If he could only make it to a clean bed. He was dizzy now; and close to nausea. He was grateful for his son, who held him firmly around the shoulders, and would not let him fall.
As soon as he reached his room, he lost his balance altogether. But Walter was there, and Walter and Alex together helped him onto the bed.
"I want to sit up," he said crankily like an old invalid.
"I'll run you a bath, my lord, a good hot restful bath."
"Do that, Walter, but you'll bring me a drink first. Scotch, and set the bottle beside the glass."
"Father, I've never seen you like this. I'm going to ring the house doctor."
"You are not!" Elliott said. His tone startled Alex, which was all well and good." Would Lady Macbeth have benefited from a doctor? I don't think a doctor would have helped her."
"Father, what is all this about?" Alex's voice had dropped to a whisper, as it always did when he was truly upset. He watched as Walter put the glass in Elliott's hand.
Elliott drank a swallow of the whisky." Ah, that's good," he sighed. In that horrid little house, that house of death and madness, there had been a dozen bottles of Henry's liquor, yet he could not bring himself to touch them; could not bring himself to drink from a glass that had been Henry's, or to eat a morsel of Henry's food. He had given it to her, but he could not himself touch it. And now he luxuriated in the sweet warmth of the Scotch, so utterly different from the burning in his chest.
"Now, Alex, you must listen," he said, taking another swallow." You are to leave Cairo immediately. You're to pack your bags now and be on the five o'clock train to Port Said. I 'm taking you to the train myself."
How utterly defenseless his son looked suddenly. Just a boy, a sweet young boy. And this is my dream of immortality, he
thought; and it has always been there. My Alex, who must go home now to England where he will be safe.
"That's out of the question, Father," Alex said with the same gentleness." I can't leave Julie here."
"I don't want you to leave Julie. You're taking Julie with you. You're to go to her now. Tell her to get ready! Do as I say."
"Father, you don't understand. She won't leave until Ramsey's been cleared. And no one can find Ramsey. And no one can find Henry, either. Father, until this matter's settled, I don't think the authorities would let any of us leave."
"Dear God."
Alex took out his handkerchief; he folded it carefully and blotted Elliott's forehead. He folded it again and offered it to Elliott. Elliott took it and wiped his mouth.
"Father, you don't think Ramsey really did these dreadful things, do you? I mean, I was rather fond of Ramsey!"
Walter came to the door." Your bath's ready, my lord."
"Poor Alex," Elliott whispered." Poor decent and honorable Alex."
"Father, tell me what's the matter. I've never seen you like this. You're not yourself."
"Oh, yes, I am myself. My true self. Desperate and cunning and full of mad dreams as always. Too much myself. You know, my son, when you inherit the title, you will probably be the only decent and honorable Earl of Rutherford in our whole history."
"You're being the philosopher again. And I'm not all that decent and honorable. I'm merely well bred, which I hope is a tolerable substitute. Now, get into the bath. You'll feel much better. And don't drink any more Scotch, please." He called out to Walter to come and give him a hand.
Miles Winthrop stared at the telegram placed in his hand by the man standing before him.
"Arrest her? Julie Stratford! For the theft of a priceless mummy in London? But this is madness, all of it. Alex Savarell and I went to school together! I'm contacting the British Museum myself."