Out of the Black Land - By Kerry Greenwood Page 0,112

well. What could be more pleasant than a little dinner, perhaps, in the Great Royal Scribe’s apartments? I cannot give orders about the army, now that my son has forbidden women to attend councils of state. I must do this by stealth, daughter— dear daughter. You are the daughter I would wish that I had borne, Mutnodjme. My Sitamen is an admirable woman but she is not here, and you are.’

Then she kissed me affectionately, as my own mother never had, and I went back to watch the children playing. I could not go to Ptah-hotep during the day, when he had work to do. And the task of women in the City of the Sun, it seemed, was to please their lords and mind their children; not to practice medicine or speak wise words, not to learn or advise or contrive. Just to be. It was very tedious.

Presently it grew hot. I do not know why my lord Akhnaten had decided to exclude women from all his councils. This had never been the case in the past. Wise Queens had advised their lords; Queen Tiye had always been with Amenhotep-Osiris, sitting beside him to receive ambassadors and discussing affairs of state with him every evening before he went to lie with one wife or another.

I was damp with sweat and there seemed to be no air in the room. I picked up the embroidery which Merope had half finished, threaded a needle and attached a few beads, then put it down again. I was restless. I wanted to do something, learn something, exercise my mind.

Though I was not allowed to attend councils, there was nothing wrong with the Lady Mutnodjme learning to read. Even the royal children were taught to read. Every woman was taught to read, I reasoned, and the fact that I was about to embark on learning to read cuneiform was not material. The principle, as Lady Duammerset had said, was sound.

I took the wrapped tablet and the translation from Widow-Queen Tiye and told them that I would be back before night. Then I walked quickly to the King’s side of the palace. Of course, my desire for learning had nothing to do with the fact that it must take place in the office of my lover.

I did not want to disturb him. I just wanted to be able to see him, if I raised my eyes.

The office door was open. The Nubian Tani sat inside, leaning on a long spear with a wickedly barbed head. He grinned a big melon-wide grin and let me pass, saying something in Nubian about the insatiable desires of women to which I lacked sufficient vocabulary to reply. I bowed to Ptah-hotep and asked, ‘Lord, I would learn to read the square writing. Can you spare either Menna or Harmose to instruct me?’

‘I have some leisure, Master Ptah-hotep may you live,’ said Menna, a split second ahead of Harmose, who subsided grumbling.

‘You can have her tomorrow,’ said Menna, giving his seat-mate a nudge with a bony elbow. ‘I saw her first,’ he added, and Harmose nodded solemnly.

Ptah-hotep rose and came to where I was sitting, ensuring that I had a piece of soft clay to practice on and showing me how to hold the stylus which imprinted the letters into it.

Into my ear he whispered, ‘Lady, I love you.’

And I said aloud, ‘Indeed, Lord, such is also my opinion. I hope to be able to prove it soon. Oh, by the way, I took the liberty of inviting the Mistress of Egypt the Great Royal Widow Queen Tiye to your dinner tomorrow night with your friend the scribe and his protector—I don’t recall his name.’

My tone was light and slightly bored. ‘I really know nothing of military matters and the Royal Lady was kind enough to offer to keep me company.’

No one could ever call the great Royal Scribe Ptah-hotep slow on the uptake. After a moment’s initial puzzlement when he tried to remember when he had invited me to meet Kheperren and the General Horemheb, he understood and replied easily.

‘Certainly, lady, my friend Kheperren expressed a desire to meet you, but surely you would not find reminiscences of our days at the school of scribes interesting. And I am honoured by the condescension of the Widow-Queen Tiye may she live and will endeavour to amuse you both. Tell the Royal Lady, if you would, that it is just a small dinner, humble fare, but I can offer her good