'Indeed,' Abu said. 'His outrage wasn't feigned.'
Meren shook his head. 'Love. I never considered it.'
'That's what comes of being so jaded,' Kysen said with a grin.
Frowning at his son, Meren said, 'Nevertheless, Roma has interfered with a royal princess.' He thought for a few moments. 'However, one could view the liaison differently, as an opportunity to form an alliance with an old enemy.'
'Paranefer would hate it,' Kysen said with a bigger grin.
'All the more reason to approach pharaoh with the idea. I shall consider it.'
Abu cleared his throat. 'And what of the murder, lord?'
'Yes, I'm inclined to believe someone else killed Kar with that the dagger he got from the princess,' Meren said. 'It's the simplest explanation.'
Kysen looked at him inquiringly 'Who?'
Meren said nothing for a few moments, toying with Roma's dagger as he thought. 'By the mercy of Amun,' he breathed.
'What is it, Father?'
'Abu, my chariot, quickly. We may be too late.'
Meren paced back and forth. Kysen watched him anxiously while Paranefer and Roma argued, oblivious to their surroundings.
'What's wrong?' Kysen asked.
'I'm probably too late,' Meren muttered.
'Father!'
Meren rounded on his son. 'You stay here and watch our two guests, but don't keep them. They're not going to flee the city.'
'Where are you going?'
Heading for the door, Meren said, 'I'll take Abu with me.'
Running out of the house, he found Abu careening around the corner of the house driving his chariot. The vehicle swerved so that Meren could jump in, and they rumbled down the tree-lined avenue and out the gate in the wall that surrounded the estate. Scattering pedestrians, herds of sheep and donkeys, they clattered over the packed earth, down narrow streets and around precipitous corners. They skidded to a halt at a corner occupied by a stall selling fresh beer because the chariot wouldn't fit between it and the opposite house. Meren leaped to the ground with Abu close behind him and raced around the corner. He hurtled down the street and saw Wersu in his courtyard pulling on the tether of a donkey loaded with parcels. Meren stopped just beyond the courtyard wall, but the old man hadn't seen him. Wersu's front door was open, and he was shouting at someone inside.
'Hurry! Leave the rest! I have the valuables already.'
Qedet shouted back. 'I'm not leaving my linens!'
'Taking a trip, Wersu?' Meren asked softly.
The old man gasped and whirled around. Seeing Meren, he paled and opened his mouth. Nothing came out. Wersu's gaze jumped from Meren to the tall, imposing charioteer at his side.
Meren's fingers ran over the beads of electrum and lapis lazuli in the belt that cinched his robe over his kilt. 'How unlike Kar to be so generous as to give you that valuable royal linen. I find myself unable to believe your tale, Wersu. I think Kar kept all his loot to himself. I think you were furious at him for this last and greatest injury. Did Kar threaten to leave and take his wealth with him after all you'd put up with from him?'
Dropping the donkey's tether, Wersu sobbed and dropped to the ground at Meren's feet.
Unmoved, Meren continued. 'I think if I look in those carefully wrapped bundles on you donkey I'll find more of Princess Iaret's possessions. What do you think?'
Wersu raised himself, but he spoke to Meren's sandaled feet. 'I beg mercy, great lord. Kar wouldn't share anything, not a bead, not a scrap of linen, and Qedet-. My wife has always berated me for my lack of ambition and wealth. I thought to myself, at last, here is a chance to please her. She will love me as I've always wished now that I can give her the luxuries she craves. But Kar refused. After all I'd done for him, for years. I couldn't bear it, and Qedet kept complaining and criticizing.' Wersu was quivering. 'I so tired and unhappy. I just wanted her to stop telling me what a failure I was, and Kar wouldn't help me.'
'So you followed him to his hiding place and confronted him,' Meren said.
The old man nodded. 'He was in the cave admiring his newest treasure, that d-dagger. I didn't mean to kill him.' Wersu was crying now. 'He was my son, but he never listened, just never listened. Wouldn't listen to me. I didn't mean to hurt him, but he wouldn't listen.'
Meren winced at the way Wersu seemed to disintegrate in front of him. At that moment the front door to Wersu's house banged open, and Qedet backed outside with a long wicker box. She maneuvered her burden across the threshold, turned and saw Meren. Shrieking, she dropped the box, spilling royal linen into the dusty courtyard.
Glancing at a sheath dress with a hem embroidered in purple and gold, Meren said, 'Ah, Mistress Qedet. I think you'll find that those linens have come at a higher price than even you are willing to pay.'
