her, his mouth opening over hers. The heat was immediate and utterly consuming. She reached up to push him away, and found her fingers slipping up through his hair. She cradled his head gently. And then drew back, thoughtlessly, astonished.
For a moment she couldn't speak. Her face was flushed, and she felt soft all over, and utterly exposed. She closed her eyes. She knew that if he touched her again, the game was up. She would end up making love to him in this cab, if she didn't do something...
"What did you think I was, Julie?" he asked." A spirit? I'm an immortal man."
He moved to kiss her again; she moved away, her hand up.
"Shall we speak again of Henry?" he asked. He took her hand and clasped it and kissed her fingers." Henry knows what I am. He saw, because I moved to save your life, Julie. He saw. And there is no reason to let him live with this knowledge, since he is evil and deserves to die."
He knew she could hardly concentrate on the words he was speaking. It made her angry suddenly, his lips grazing her fingers, his blue eyes flashing like lights in the dim cab.
"Henry made a fool of himself with that story," she said." And he won't try to hurt me again." She withdrew her hand and looked out the window. They were leaving this sad, miserable slum. Thank God.
He gave a little thoughtful shrug.
"Henry's a coward," she said. Her body was under control again." A terrible coward. The way he did it to Father, such a coward."
"Cowards can be more dangerous than brave men, Julie," he said, "Don't hurt him!" she whispered. She turned again to face Ramses." For my sake, leave it to God. I can't be his judge and jury!"
"So like a Queen," he said." And wiser than most Queens."
He bent slowly to kiss her again. She knew she ought to turn away, but she didn't. And the heat flooded her again, weakening her completely. When she pulled away, he tried to hold her; but her immediate resistance won out.
When she looked at him again, he was smiling.
"A guest in your court," he said with a little gesture of acceptance," my Queen."
Elliott had not the slightest difficulty overwhelming Rita. Even as she begged him to understand that her mistress was not at home, and surely he must come back another time, he moved past her, directly into the Egyptian room.
"Ah, these lovely treasures. Not enough time in the world to examine them. Do get me a glass of sherry, Rita. I find I'm tired. I'll rest for a moment before going home."
"Yes, sir, but - "
"Sherry, Rita."
"Yes, sir."
How anxious and pale she looked, poor girl. And what a mess this library was. There were books scattered everywhere. He looked at the table in the conservatory. He could see from where he stood that there were dictionaries stacked on the wicker table; papers and magazines in neat little piles all about the chairs.
But Lawrence's diary was here on the desk, just as he hoped. He opened it, confirmed that there was no mistake, then slipped it under his coat.
He was staring at the mummy case when Rita came to him, with the glass of sherry on a small silver tray.
Leaning heavily on his cane, he lifted the glass and took only a taste of it." You wouldn't let me have a look at the mummy, now would you?" he asked.
"Good Lord, no, sir! Please don't touch it!" Rita said. Pure panic as she stared at the mummy case." It's very heavy, sir! We mustn't try to lift it."
"There, there. You know as well as I do that it's a thin wooden shell, and not very heavy at all."
The girl was terrified.
He smiled. He took out a sovereign and gave it to her. She was astonished. She shook her head.
"No, take it, dearest. Buy yourself something pretty."
And before she could think what to say, he moved past her and towards the front door. She hurried to open it for him.
He paused only when he had reached the bottom of the steps. Now, why hadn't he forced the issue? Why hadn't he looked in that case?
His man Walter came forward to assist him. Good old Walter, who had been with him since he was a boy. He let Walter help him up into the idling car now, and he sat back, the