No such thing as time in Egypt. He grinned. But the sun disc is getting low in the west. Which means it will soon be time for another meal. He patted his stomach ruefully. I suspect our excursions ashore, strenuous though they are, are not going to be sufficiently energetic to make up for all the food we eat. He paused for a moment. Would this be a good time to let me see the diary?
The abrupt change of subject startled her. He was, she realised, looking down at her bag, which lay on the deck beside her chair.
Its in my cabin. Maybe later, Andy, if you dont mind.
Sure. No hurry. He leant back and closed his eyes. Have you shown it to anyone else?
On the boat, you mean? She glanced at him over the rim of her tumbler. It was impossible to read his expression behind his dark glasses.
He nodded.
No. Toby is the only one who has seen it. On the plane.
Toby Hayward? Andy chewed his lip for a moment. Ive been thinking, I know his name from somewhere. Hes a bit of a loner from what I gather.
As I am, she pointed out gently. At least on this cruise. He is a painter.
She did not miss the raised eyebrow. Indeed. Is he well known?
Anna smiled. Ive no idea. Perhaps thats why you know his name? I dont think Ive heard of him, but that doesnt really mean anything.
Andy drained his glass. Tell me to mind my own business, if you want to, but I do think you should take care of that diary, Anna. Apart from being worth a lot of money its a piece of real history.
Which is why I have left it locked up. She spoke perhaps more firmly than she had intended, but his tone was beginning to irritate her. There were shades of Felix in his manner. And it was patronising.
He laughed, which infuriated her even more. Putting his arms across his face he pretended to duck sideways. OK, OK, Im sorry. I surrender. I should have realised you are perfectly able to take care of it and of yourself. You are after all, Louisas great-great-granddaughter!
A fact she reminded herself about later when she met Serena in the bar and they settled into one of the comfortable sofas in the corner of the room. Outside it was dark. They had moored alongside a stretch of river bank which was, so they understood, within walking distance of the great temple of Kom Ombo. Around them the others were assembling a few at a time. She could see Andy perched on a stool at the bar. Charley stood near him and they were engaged in a noisy conversation with Joe and the barman.
So, tell me about these strange feelings of yours. Serena leant back against the cushions, her glass in her hand. She scanned Annas face intently for a moment then she glanced back at the bar where a particularly loud shout of laughter erupted from the group standing around Andy.
It sounds a bit silly talking about it in cold blood. Anna shrugged. But someone mentioned you were interested in sort of psychic stuff.
Serena smiled. Sort of? I suppose so. I gather this is to do with the man we saw at Edfu this morning?
Not him especially. He was real. But for some reason he made me feel nervous. He was watching us, and I keep getting this feeling that Im being watched by someone. Its nothing specific She broke off, not knowing quite how to go on.
Start at the beginning, Anna. I find things are much more clear that way. Serena was giving her her full attention now. There is clearly something worrying you and thats a shame on what should be a lovely carefree holiday.
You dont read Arabic, I suppose?
Serena shook her head and laughed. Im afraid not.
I have a diary in my cabin.
Belonging to Louisa Shelley, I know. She saw Annas face and laughed again. My dear, its a small boat and there arent very many of us. You dont surely expect it to stay a secret?
I suppose not. Anna was taken aback. She was thinking suddenly of Andys warning. Well, in this diary there is a description of how Louisa was given a little glass bottle by her dragoman as a gift. I have inherited the bottle. With it was a piece of paper, which I also have, written in Arabic, saying that the bottle, which it claims is pharaonic in date, has a sort of curse on it. The original owner, a high priest in Ancient Egypt, is following it and so is an evil spirit because a secret potion is sealed into the glass. I know it sounds ridiculous, like something out of a film, but its worrying me Her voice trailed away in embarrassment.
You have this bottle with you, on the boat? Serena asked quietly. In the general hubbub Anna could hardly hear her.
She nodded, relieved that Serena had not laughed. I brought it with me. I wish I hadnt now. I dont really know why except it seemed right to bring it back to Egypt. Ive had it for years. I always assumed it was a fake. An antique dealer friend of my husbands said it was a fake. Andy thinks it is a fake.
Andy Watson? Serenas voice was sharp. What does he know about it? Have you shown it to him?
He saw it yesterday. He says masses of fakes were sold in Victorian times to gullible tourists.
Hes right of course. But you dont strike me as being gullible, and I am sure Louisa wasnt either, nor her dragoman, if he had any integrity at all. Serena paused for a moment. And you are afraid of this curse?
It wasnt an accusation, merely a statement of fact.
Anna didnt reply for a moment, then slowly she shrugged. Ive only known about it since last night. She bit her lip with an embarrassed little laugh. But I suppose if Im honest it is beginning to get to me. Even before I knew the story I had the strangest feeling there was someone watching me. Ive been jumpy since I arrived in Egypt. Then once or twice I had the feeling that someone has been touching my things when the cabin door was locked and no one could have been there. Ive tried to persuade myself I was dreaming or hallucinating or imagining it. I was tired after the visit yesterday and everything, but Once again she tailed off into silence.
Lets take things one at a time. Tell me what the note says as far as you understand it. I take it you have a translation? Serenas voice remained quiet, but firm. It had an attractive deep quality which Anna found profoundly reassuring.
Serena thought for a while in silence after Anna had repeated it to her, staring down into the glass she had put down on the low table in front of them, while Anna anxiously watched her face.
If Louisa felt there was a spirit guarding the bottle then we must assume the bottle to be genuine, obviously, she said at last. And if its the same bottle that you have brought with you then the chances are that it does have some kind of resonance about it.
Resonance? Anna looked at her anxiously.
Serena laughed again. Anna was beginning to enjoy the deep throaty gurgle. That too was reassuring. Well, my dear, as I said, lets take this one step at a time. Presumably you know you are of sound mind. When you had this strange feeling, you werent asleep; at least you can be sure you werent asleep the first time, as you had just stepped out of the shower! You were sober. You knew where you had left your bag. You have probably had your eyes tested at some time in the not too distant past, so, why do you not believe them?
Thats easy. Because if the bag was moved and the bottle unwrapped, someone must have done it. I dont believe in ghosts. Im not psychic. After all, nothing has ever happened to it, or me, before. Oh no, Anna shook her head, I cant cope with that idea, I really cant.
Thats easy. Because if the bag was moved and the bottle unwrapped, someone must have done it. I dont believe in ghosts. Im not psychic. After all, nothing has ever happened to it, or me, before. Oh no, Anna shook her head, I cant cope with that idea, I really cant.
Serena watched her thoughtfully. Will you show me the bottle?
Of course. Come to my cabin after supper. Anna bit her lip. To tell you the truth, Im a bit nervous about going back in there now. I dont know what Im going to find!
If it worries you so much, why not ask them to put the bottle in the boats safe with our passports and valuables? Serena glanced up as outside the restaurant in the depths of the boat the gong began to ring.
They stood up and began to move towards the staircase which led down to the lower deck.
Anna shrugged. Thats a good idea. I might just do it. She shook her head. I cant believe all this! It must be my imagination. After all, nothing ever happened before I read about it. If its true, why has nothing ever shown itself in London?
Serena turned towards her. Isnt it obvious? Youve brought it back to Egypt, my dear. It has come home.
Unlocking the door later Anna reached in and turned on the light. The small room was empty. Beckoning Serena inside she closed the door behind them. They had lingered over supper with the others, but by an unspoken agreement had turned away from the lounge where the coffee was being served before Omar gave another talk to the assembled company. Tonights topic was Egyptian history since the days of the pharaohs.
It seemed crowded in the tiny cabin with two people in there. Serena sat down on the bed whilst Anna swung her suitcase down from the wardrobe. Setting it on the floor she squatted down, unlocked it and threw back the lid. Its here. She reached into the pocket and pulled out the small silk-wrapped bundle. Without removing the scarf she handed it to Serena.
The cabin was very quiet. All the other passengers were in the lounge watching as Omar set up a projector on the bar preparing to take them through Egypts more recent history. The two corridors on the boat, off which the ten cabins led, were empty. For the crew, it was their turn to eat. The river bank was dark and deserted. There was a gentle lap of water from outside the half-open window and a dry, quiet rustle from the reeds as the wind began to rise, stealing subtly in from the desert.
Very carefully Serena began to unwrap the bottle. Its smaller than I expected.
Anna sat down beside her. Its tiny. She gave a nervous giggle. So small, and its causing so much hassle.
Hush. Serena pulled away the scarlet silk and dropped it on the bedcover. She was gazing down at the bottle lying on the palm of her hand. She stroked it with her finger. It feels old. The glass is flawed. Bumpy. Closing her eyes she went on stroking with her fingertip, gently, scarcely touching it. Its old. Full of memories. Full of time. Her voice was very soft. Dreamy. This is real, Anna. Its old. Very old. She went on stroking. There is magic in this. Power. There was a long silence. I can see a figure with my minds eye. Hes tall. His eyes are piercing. They see through everything. Silver, like knife blades. She was still, caressing the bottle with slow, gentle movements. He has so much power, she went on slowly, but there is treachery there. He has enemies. He thinks himself invincible, but close to him there is hatred, greed. Someone, whom he thought a friend, is near him. Waiting. Drawing the darkness of secrecy around him. They serve different gods, but he has not realised it. Not yet Her voice trailed away into silence. Anna held her breath, watching mesmerised as the fingertip with its neat, oval, unpolished nail stroked gently on. There is blood here, Anna. Serena spoke again at last, her voice a whisper. So much blood and so much hate.
Youre making it up. Anna backed a step away from her. She leant against the door. Youre frightening me! Suddenly she was shivering uncontrollably. Was it this which had woken Louisa and frightened her in the darkness?
Slowly Serena looked up. Her eyes found Annas face but she wasnt seeing it. Her pupils were huge; unfocused.
Serena? Anna whispered. Serena, please!
There was another long silence then abruptly Serena rubbed her eyes. She smiled uncertainly. What did I say?
Dont you know? Anna didnt move from her position near the door.
Serena looked down at the little bottle still lying in her hand. With a shiver she let it fall onto the bed. It is old. Very old, she repeated, her voice completely flat.
You said. Anna swallowed. Her eyes were riveted to the bottle, lying on the bed. But what was all that other stuff? About the blood?
Serenas eyes opened wide. Blood? There was a moments silence then she looked away. Oh shit! She put her hands to her face. I didnt mean that to happen. Forget it, for goodness sake. Im sorry. Dont believe anything I said, Anna. She reached out towards the bottle, changed her mind and stood up, leaving it where it was. I have a tendency to be melodramatic. Take no notice. The last thing I meant to do was scare you.
But you did.
Did I? For a moment Serena stood gazing into her face as if trying to read her thoughts. Then she shrugged and looked away. They must have finished the talk by now. Why dont we go to the lounge and have a drink? She bent over the bed and reached out to the bottle. The hesitation was only momentary, then she picked it up and firmly rewrapped it in the silk square. She held it out to Anna. I should get Omar to put it in the safe for you. I think it probably is genuine. Her voice was still strangely flat.
Anna took it reluctantly. She held it for a moment then she stooped and tucked it back in the suitcase. Later. I will. When theres someone at the desk. She opened her mouth to ask another question, then she changed her mind. Grabbing her purse she reached for the door handle. Come on. Lets get out of here.
Drinks in hand they made their way through the lounge where the others had settled in groups round the low tables and they stepped out onto the open covered deck where the tables and chairs were deserted. Anna shivered. Theres a cold wind.
I dont mind. Its wonderful cleansing. Such a relief after the heat of the day. Serena shook her head. Lets climb up onto the sundeck.
She led the way up to the front of the boat, where Anna had been asleep earlier. All was in darkness up there as they looked down on the string of small coloured lights around the awning of the lower deck. Looking up they could see the velvety black of the sky and the intense brightness of the stars. They stood leaning on the rail looking out across the river. The night was somehow more silent for the sounds of talk and laughter wafting out of the doors below them.
Anna fixed her eyes on the wavy reflections in the dark water below them. How did you do it? She took a sip from her glass.
Serena didnt pretend not to know what she was talking about. She shrugged. They call it psychometry. Its a kind of clairvoyance, I suppose. Reading an object. Ive always been able to do it, since I was a child. It was what first drew me to the study of psychic phenomena. In children its called a vivid imagination. In adults she paused. Eccentricity. Lunacy. Schizophrenia. Take your pick. There was the slightest touch of bitterness in her voice for a second, then it was gone. Its not something to be cultivated lightly, as you can imagine, but it has its uses. Sometimes.