Out of the Black Land - By Kerry Greenwood Page 0,44
of the usual titles?’ asked my amused Master, alerting me to his presence.
‘Master, how good to see you!’ I exclaimed, getting up and laying aside a sheaf of reports on the maintenance of dykes and walls. I noticed, as I put them down, that I might have to levy some labour to repair the worst, and that would be costly. Levied labourers eat like donkeys, but not, alas, of the same food.
‘Master, a landlord tried something very similar in my own village, though in that case it was sowing weed seeds through the crops.’
‘There are advantages in being a commoner, lord,’ he commented. ‘I have brought your scribe, as we agreed.’
‘Welcome.’ I took the hand of the short stocky priest with pleasure. He smiled shyly and said, ‘I am honoured by the Lord Ptah-hotep’s condescension and will strive to repay his trust.’
‘I’m sure you will. Now, here are Khety and Hanufer, you will remember them, and here is Meryt, she is my housekeeper and ruler of all matters which do not involve my office.’
Meryt knelt and Bakhenmut patted her shoulder gingerly. Meryt’s subservience had a royal arrogance about it now which made nervous people more nervous. She rose and smiled at him and he smiled back in relief.
‘Lord Bakhenmut, will you take up your apartments today?’ she asked practically.
‘Yes, yes, my wife is moving our household there now, very beautiful rooms. She is pleased,’ he told her, beaming. ‘She is a woman of refinement, you know, my Henutmire, and of noble lineage, and she is delighted at our elevation.’
‘But you will have a room here for late work, lord, and if you will come with me now I will show you,’ said Meryt.
Did I notice a shade of more relief on the devoted husband-of-Henutmire’s face? It was gone too quickly for me to be sure.
I left Meryt to settle the new overseer of scribes into his room and took my Master into the inner office, to which only my household had access. One of the Nubian twins poured wine.
‘Tashery?’ asked the Master of Scribes, smiling at me.
‘Did you get them?’ I asked.
‘Certainly, Ptah-hotep, and they were a generous present. My ancient colleague Snefru is beside himself with joy at the cartload of old manuscripts you sent and he has plans for the purchase of so many more that he may have to be dug out of the pile. That was kind, lord. And I hear that you acquitted yourself so well with the High Priest that he declared you to be almost adequate and invited you to play senet with him.’
‘You are well informed, Master of Scribes,’ I smiled. It was very pleasant to revert to being a student again.
‘Many have had to alter their view of you, Chief Royal Scribe,’ he returned. ‘But I knew, of course, all along. Can you tell me of the interview, lord, before I perish of curiosity?’
I recounted the whole evening, including my silent, lonely walk along the avenue of sphinxes.
‘He would have liked that,’ chuckled Ammemmes. ‘No attempt to bolster your position with soldiers or guards, just the solitary young man and the terribly dangerous old man. A duel of more than wits, and you have impressed him. Very well done.
‘Now, Ptah-hotep, you seem to have ordered your work in the approved way—as I would have done myself. There is only one thing which I would venture to suggest and before I do that I think I will have some more wine.’
I gestured to the Nubian. He filled the master’s cup, and then left at my signal.
‘The Princess Sitamen visited you, did she not?’
‘Yes, she did.’
‘That has caused gossip. It would not be wise to have too close a friendship with that Great Royal Wife. You know how palaces are.’
‘I am beginning to learn,’ I said stiffly.
‘One you know of is well and has sent word; I bring this,’ he handed me a letter which I slipped into my cloth. ‘To preserve him, Ptah-hotep, it would be a good idea for you to marry. The followers of supplanted Nebamenet are restrained, but not muzzled. They speak against you and who knows what will incline the Pharaoh’s heart one way or another? Take a wife, my pupil.’
‘I do not want a wife,’ I said. ‘I do not want to take on the responsibility of a household and children when my own position lies on the edge of a knife. I will not take anyone into peril with me.’