Ahmose stared at her, his mouth hanging open.The priest sputtered indignantly, “But, Majesty, surely—”
“And,” she continued, narrowing her eyes, hervoice soft and steely, “you will count yourself lucky, Ahmose, thatI do not punish you further for your unjustifiable assault uponthis man and his child. See that it does not happen again. That isall.”
Several gasps sounded in the room, and werejust as quickly stifled. Ahmose blanched, his tanned skin turningsickly pale. Bowing deeply, he hastened from the room. After afinal hostile glance, the priest, too, left without a word.
Merisu cleared his throat. “Thank you, MostRadiant One. You are truly the voice of Maat, goddess of justice.”He turned and fled the room as if demons pursued him.
Hattie glanced at Tuthmosis. He had paid butscant attention to the proceedings, instead toying with theprotective amulet fastened to his left wrist and staring around theroom. Suddenly, he noticed that the hearing was over, rose from histhrone and withdrew hastily, without a parting word or backwardglance.
Sighing, she turned from the sight of hisstiff retreating back and found Senemut’s gaze upon her. He noddedat her, approval written in every line of his straight,well-muscled body. Relieved that someone agreed with her course ofaction, she smiled in return. The audience was over.
Hattie had met the young crown prince, givena potter justice, made mortal enemies of a soldier and a priest,and pleased little Neferure’s tutor. Not bad, she reflected, forher first official duty as regent and co-ruler of Egypt.
* * *
“By the sacred eye of Horus!” Hapuseneb pacedback and forth in his small, secluded chamber in the temple of Amunat Karnak. “That woman is impossible! I cannot tolerate herinterference any longer. Did you see the way she upbraided Ahmosein front of the entire court?” He turned to glare at Great ArmyGeneral Snefru, who slumped on a low stool, his long legs stretchedout before him.
“Aye,” Snefru muttered. “He is one of my bestsoldiers. It was unforgivable.”
Hapuseneb tapped his upper lip thoughtfully.“We must do something now, before she gets any further out of hand.Who knows what she will take it into her head to do next?”
“I agree.” Snefru rose. “Command me, and Ishall obey. We must rid Egypt of her swiftly, like routing an enemyin battle. What do you have in mind?”
“You must be patient.” Hapuseneb smiledthinly, coldly.
Trained as a soldier, Snefru chafed atinactivity like a bored child. But in his long years of service asa priest, Hapuseneb had learned the advantages of outward composureand waiting for the auspicious moment to act.
“We shall be rid of her before long, I vow.Then, with no other member of the royal family to serve as Regentfor the boy, I, High Priest of Amun, shall be appointed Regent andthe rule of Egypt will be mine.”
CHAPTER 7
“Blast!”
Hattie searched again through the glitteringjewels spread across the bed, but it wasn’t there. Scores ofnecklaces, earrings, bracelets, circlets, anklets, and rings laytangled together, all so beautiful they took her breath away. Notone remotely resembled the pectoral necklace she had been copyingwhen she was somehow thrust into Hatshepsut’s body and life.
Though she had no proof, Hattie believed thatthe necklace—or the hieroglyphics on it—was responsible for hersudden, inexplicable trip to ancient Egypt. She knew she wasincapable of remembering and faithfully reproducing all thehieroglyphics, since they were no more meaningful to her thanSanskrit. She was equally certain that, without the necklace, shewould be unable to return to her own time. That necklace was asclose as she’d ever get to a time machine, and she had to find it.One more cold bath and she would have to throttle someone.
Impatiently, she scooped the jewels back intothe basket and clapped her hands. Nesi popped into the room. “Nesi,send His Lordship Senemut to me at once,” Hattie requested, wavingher away.
In a moment, Senemut strode in. “Majesty,” hesaid, bowing deeply.
“Hattie,” she corrected.
He grinned. “Hattie.”
Her heart leapt in her chest at the sight ofhis smile. God, he was the most beautiful man she’d everseen—sun-bronzed, muscled, with the grace of a panther and thesmooth manners of a courtier. What could it hurt if she…but no. Sheshook herself out of her rosy haze. She needed to keep her mind onher goal of getting home again.
“Senemut, is there another place whereHatshep…I mean, where I keep my jewelry?”
Senemut frowned. “I do not believe so.” Hesearched her face. “Is something missing? Shall I alert theguards?”
“That will not be necessary.” She waved awaythe idea. “But I could have sworn there was another necklace…”
“Mayhap if you would describe it to me?” hesuggested.
Hattie pursed her lips, trying to recall thedetails. “It was a pectoral collar with a golden figure of Horusthe falcon. His wings were made of turquoise, lapis lazuli, goldand colored glass beads.” She sighed. “It was the most lovely thingI have ever seen.” A sudden thought occurred to her. She clappedher hands and sent Nesi to fetch some papyrus, an inkpot andbrush.
Nesi returned shortly with the requesteditems. Hattie seized the brush and dipped it into the inkpot. Itfelt so good to hold a brush in her hand again! For the first timesince this whole affair had begun, she felt like herself. Shequickly sketched the outline of the necklace, minus thehieroglyphs, and held it up for Senemut’s examination. “There werehieroglyphs here,” she said, pointing to the empty spot on thefalcon’s body.
Senemut opened his eyes wider. “I did notknow you possessed such skills with a brush!”
“Ah well…” Hattie shrugged nonchalantly. “Itis just a pastime, nothing more. So, do you recognize it?”
He frowned. “I do not recall such a necklace.However, if you wish, I will send for the royal jeweler. He cansurely fashion for you a necklace just as you picture. Or mayhap itwas a necklace belonging to the Great God, or the Great God’sfather? Horus is the protector of pharaoh.”
“Nay, I do not think it
