Agatha Christie - Death Comes as the End

"The time has come," said Nofret. "Sit and take ink and write as I tell you." Then as Kameni still hesitated, she said impatiently, "What you write shall be what you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears - and Henet shall confirm all I say. The letter must be dispatched with all secrecy and speed."

Kameni said slowly: "I do not like -"

Nofret flashed out at him:

"I have no complaint against Renisenb. Renisenb is soft, weak and a fool, but she has not tried to harm me. Does that content you?"

The color of Kameni's bronze face deepened.

"I was not thinking of that -"

Nofret said smoothly:

"I think you were... Come now - fulfill your instructions - write."

"Yes, write," said Henet. "I'm so distressed by all this - so terribly distressed. Certainly Imhotep must know about it. It's only right that he should. However unpleasant a thing is, one has to do one's duty. I've always felt that."

Nofret laughed softly.

"I'm sure you have, Henet. You shall do your duty! And Kameni shall do his office. And I - I shall do what it is my pleasure to do..."

But still Kameni hesitated. His face was sullen - almost angry.

"I do not like this," he said. "Nofret, you had better take a little time to think."

"You say that to me!" Kameni flushed at her tone. His eyes avoided hers, but his sullen expression remained.

"Be careful, Kameni," said Nofret smoothly. "I have great influence with Imhotep. He listens to what I say - so far he has been pleased with you -" She paused significantly.

"Are you threatening me, Nofret?" asked Kameni angrily.

"Perhaps."

He looked angrily at her for a moment or two - then he bent his head.

"I will do as you say, Nofret, but I think - yes, I think - that you will be sorry."

"Are you threatening me, Kameni?"

"I am warning you..."

SECOND MONTH OF WINTER, 10TH DAY

Day followed day; and Renisenb sometimes felt that she was living in a dream.

She had made no more timid overtures to Nofret. She was, now, afraid of Nofret. There was something about Nofret she did not understand.

After the scene in the courtyard that day, Nofret had changed. There was a complacency about her, an exultation that Renisenb could not fathom. Sometimes she thought that her own vision of Nofret as profoundly unhappy must have been ridiculously wrong. Nofret seemed pleased with life and herself and her surroundings.

And yet, actually, her surroundings had very definitely changed for the worse. In the days following Imhotep's departure, Nofret had quite deliberately, Renisenb thought, set out to sow dissension between the various members of Imhotep's family.

Now that family had closed its ranks solidly against the invader. There were no more dissensions between Satipy and Kait - no railing of Satipy against the unfortunate Yahmose. Sobek seemed quieter and boasted less. Ipy was less impudent and offhand with his elder brothers. There seemed a new harmony between the family - yet this harmony did not bring peace of mind to Renisenb - for with it went a curious, persistent undercurrent of ill-will to Nofret.

The two women, Satipy and Kait, no longer quarreled with her - they avoided her. They never spoke to her and wherever she came, they immediately gathered the children together and went elsewhere. At the same time, queer, annoying little accidents began to happen. A linen dress of Nofret's was spoilt with an over-hot iron - some dyestuff was spilt over another. Sometimes sharp thorns found their way into her clothing - a scorpion was discovered by her bed. The food that was served to her was over-seasoned - or lacking in any seasoning. There was a dead mouse one day in her portion of bread.

It was a quiet, relentless, petty persecution - nothing open, nothing to lay hold of - it was essentially a woman's campaign.

Then, one day, old Esa sent for Satipy, Kait and Renisenb. Henet was already there, shaking her head and rubbing her hands in the background.

"Ha!" said Esa, peering at them with her usual ironical expression. "So here are my clever granddaughters. What do you think you are doing, all of you? What is this I hear about Nofret's dress being ruined - and her food uneatable?"

Satipy and Kait both smiled. They were not nice smiles.

Satipy said: "Has Nofret complained?"

"No," said Esa. She pushed the wig she always wore even in the house a little awry with one hand. "No, Nofret has not complained. That is what worries me."

"It does not worry me," said Satipy, tossing her handsome head.

"Because you are a fool," snapped Esa. "Nofret has twice the brains of any of you three."

"That remains to be seen," said Satipy. She looked good-humored and pleased with herself.

"What do you think you are all doing?" inquired Esa.

Satipy's face hardened.

"You are an old woman, Esa. I do not speak with any lack of respect - but things no longer matter to you in the way they matter to us who have husbands and young children. We have decided to take matters into our own hands - we have ways of dealing with a woman whom we do not like and will not accept."

"Fine words," said Esa. "Fine words." She cackled. "But a good discourse can be found with slave girls over the millstone."

"A true and wise saying," sighed Henet from the background.

Esa turned on her.

"Come, Henet, what does Nofret say to all this that is going on? You should know - you are always waiting on her."

"As Imhotep told me to do. It is repugnant to me, of course - but I must do what the master ordered. You do not think, I hope -"

Esa cut into the whining voice:

"We know all about you, Henet. Always devoted - and seldom thanked as you should be. What does Nofret say to all this? That is what I asked you."

Henet shook her head.

"She says nothing. She just - smiles."

"Exactly." Esa picked up a jujube from a dish at her elbow, examined it and put it in her mouth. Then she said with sudden, malevolent acerbity:

"You are fools, all of you. The power is with Nofret, not with you. All you are doing is to play into her hands. I dare swear it even pleases her what you are doing."

Satipy said sharply:

"Nonsense. Nofret is alone amongst many. What power has she?"

Esa said grimly:

"The power of a young, beautiful woman married to an ageing man. I know what I am talking about." With a quick turn of her head she said: "Henet knows what I am talking about!"

Henet started. She sighed and began to twist her hands.

"The master thinks a great deal of her - naturally - yes, quite naturally."

"Go to the kitchen," said Esa. "Bring me some dates and some Syrian wine - yes, and honey too."

When Henet had gone, the old woman said:

"There is mischief brewing - I can smell it. Satipy, you are the leader in all this. Be careful that while you are thinking yourself clever, you do not play into Nofret's hands."

She leaned back and closed her eyes.

"I have warned you - now go."

"We in Nofret's power, indeed!" said Satipy with a toss of her head as they went out to the lake. "Esa is so old she gets the most extraordinary ideas into her head. It is we who have got Nofret in our power! We will do nothing against her that can be reported - but I think, yes, I think that she will soon be sorry she ever came here."

"You are cruel - cruel -" cried Renisenb.

Satipy looked amused.

"Do not pretend you love Nofret, Renisenb!"

"I do not. But you sound so - so vindictive."

"I think of my children - and Yahmose! I am not a meek woman or one who brooks insult - and I have ambition. I would wring that woman's neck with the greatest of pleasure. Unfortunately it is not so simple as that. Imhotep's anger must not be aroused. But I think - in the end - something may be managed."