it. You may curse us for opening your tomb, but thousands will come to see you; thousands will eventually speak your name. You will live forever. ..."
So strange that she was on the verge of tears. Father dead. And this which had meant so much to him. Father in an unmarked grave in Cairo as he had wanted it to be; and Ramses the Damned the toast of London.
Suddenly she was startled by Henry's voice.
"You're talking to that damned thing, just the way your father did."
"Good Lord, I didn't know you were here! Where did you come from?"
He stood in the archway between the two drawing rooms, his long serge cape hanging loosely from one shoulder. Unshaven, very likely drunk. And that smile of his. It was chilling.
"I'm supposed to be looking out for you," he said," remember?"
"Yes, of course. I'm sure you are absolutely delighted."
"Where's the key to the drinks cupboard? It's locked, you know. Why the devil does Oscar do that?"
"Oscar's gone till tomorrow. Perhaps you should have coffee, besides. That would do you the most good."
"Would it now, my dear?" He removed the cape as he walked arrogantly towards her, his eyes sweeping the Egyptian room as if he did not entirely approve of it." You never let me down, do you?" he asked, and flashed that bitter smile again." My childhood playmate, my cousin, my little sister! I loathe coffee. I want some port or sherry."
"Well, I have none," she said." Go on upstairs and sleep it off, why don't you?"
Rita had come to the door, was waiting as if for instructions.
"Coffee for Mr. Stratford, too, please, Rita," Julie said, because he hadn't moved. It was perfectly clear he wasn't going anywhere. He was staring at the mummy, in fact, as if it had startled him." Did Father really speak to him like that?" she asked." The way I was doing?"
He didn't immediately answer. He turned away, and moved to inspect the alabaster jars, even his posture slouching and arrogant.
"Yes, talked to it as if it could talk back. And Latin of all things. If you ask me, your father had been sick for some time.
Too many years in the desert heat squandering money on corpses and statues and trinkets and trash."
How his words stung her. So careless, yet so hateful. He paused before one of the jars, with his back to her. In the mirror she saw him scowling down at it.
"It was his money, wasn't it?" she asked." He made enough for all of us, or so he thought."
He turned around sharply.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, you haven't managed yours very well, have you?"
"I've done the best I can. Who are you to judge me?" he asked. Suddenly, with the sunlight harshly illuminating his face, he looked frighteningly vicious.
"And what about the shareholders of Stratford Shipping? Have you done your best for them? Or is that quite beyond my judgment also?"
"Be careful, my girl," he said. He drew close to her. He gave one arrogant glance to the mummy on his left almost as if it were another presence, another full person, and then he turned his shoulder to it a little, and narrowed his eyes as he looked at her." Father and I are the only family you have left now. You need us more than you think, perhaps. After all, what do you really know about trade or shipping?"
How curious. He had made a good point and then ruined it. She needed them both, but it had nothing to do with trade and shipping. She needed them because they were her blood, and to hell with trade and shipping.
She didn't want him to see the hurt in her. She turned away and looked down the length of the double drawing rooms, towards the pale northern windows on the front of the house, where the morning seemed scarcely to be happening.
"I know how to add two and two, my dear cousin," she said." And that has put me in a very awkward and painful position."
With relief, she watched Rita enter from the hall, her back bent uncomfortably as she carried the heavy silver coffee service. On the center table of the rear drawing room she set it down, only a few feet from where Julie stood.
"Thank you, dear. That's all for now."
With a pointed glance at the thing in the coffin, Rita was gone. And once again Julie was alone with this exquisitely