“But he could tell us who is to blame,” sheinsisted. “We must find him.”
Senemut sighed and shook his head. “I fear ifwe do find him, it will be at the bottom of the Nile.”
Of course. A fiend who wouldn’t hesitate tomurder a small boy would have no qualms about getting rid of aservant who could point the finger of blame at him. “What shall wedo then, Senemut? How can we protect Tuthmosis? Surely, they willtry again.”
“I fear you are right, Hattie. And the boymay not be so lucky the next time. We must find a way to protecthim. It is difficult when we know not whom to trust.” Senemutpursed his lips in thought.
Hattie, too, puzzled over the situation. Shestruggled to recall what little she knew of the life of the realHatshepsut. Perhaps something in that history could help her now.But, try as she might, she couldn’t remember any mention of anassassination attempt on Prince Tuthmosis. Most of what she knewconcerned the coronation ceremony when Hatshepsut was crownedpharaoh, although she did remember that Tuthmosis finally came tothe throne after Hatshepsut had ruled for a number of years. Fromthat, it appeared Tuthmosis was not the target of any assassinationattempts. Or, at least, he survived them to rule afterHatshepsut.
Pharaoh…wait a minute. Hattie was simplyserving as regent for Tuthmosis. No coronation had taken place.Yet, history told her that Hatshepsut had ruled alone, as Pharaohof all Egypt. What would happen if Hattie were to be crowned now?Would it change the situation? Would it protect the prince?
One thing was certain: if she werepharaoh, there would be no sense in assassinating Tuthmosis. Hattieherself would be the only one in danger. And though the traitor wasobviously bold, he might not dare lift his hand against pharaohhimself. Herself, Hattieamended. It was a bold plan, but it was worth a try.
“Senemut, I think I have the answer, but youmay not like it. Will you hear me out?”
He looked up at her. “I would be glad tolisten to any idea of how we can protect the prince.”
“In order to protect Tuthmosis, we must finda way…” She paused to gather her thoughts. “We must find some wayto have me proclaimed pharaoh. Then there would be no point infurther attempts on Tuthmosis’s life and he would be spared. Isthat not so?” She clenched her hands in tense fists, waiting tohear his reaction to her startling proposal.
Senemut’s jaw dropped. “Pharaoh? But…but…youare a woman!”
She smiled. “I am glad you have noticed.”
“Nay, nay, that is not what I mean,” hestammered. “Pharaoh must be a man! He is the living incarnation ofHorus, and he rules over all Egypt. He isruler…judge…warrior…defender. He must be male.”
Hattie realized she was asking a lot ofSenemut. There were many men in the twenty-first century who haddifficulty with the concept of women’s equality, and Senemut hadn’thad the benefit of nearly thirty-five hundred years of gradualemancipation to get used to the idea.
“Have I not been ruler of all Egypt thesepast months?” she asked gently. “Did I not lead my troops intobattle? Have I not built a peaceful relationship with Nubia? Do youthink a man would have done better?”
Senemut swallowed. He might not be a modernman, but Hattie knew he was honest. “Nay, Hattie. A man might havehandled the situation differently, but I do not believe he couldhave produced a better outcome. And I confess, I find your judgmentsound.”
“This is the only way we can safeguard theboy,” she continued. “If I were pharaoh, his life would no longerbe in danger. There would be no point in killing him because itwould have no effect on me. I would still rule Egypt.”
“But you would still be in danger with this plan of yours. Fargreater danger, mayhap,” he protested, his facestricken.
She shrugged. “I am in danger now. But Ithink this traitor is a coward. He chooses to work through poisonand intrigue, instead of open confrontation. He surely will notdare try to murder pharaoh.”
“Possibly, but mayhap he would.” Scowling,Senemut paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind hisback.
Hattie could tell he was torn between thelogic of her arguments, and the centuries of Egyptian tradition. Itwas a tribute to his great intelligence and open-mindedness that hewould even consider her proposal.
At last, he turned to her with a strangeexpression on his face. She watched him carefully, waiting to hearhis answer. Two lives depended on it—the young prince’s, andhers.
Dropping down on one knee, he placed hisright hand over his heart. He locked his gaze with hers and saidsolemnly, “I pledge my loyalty and my life to you, Hatshepsut,incarnation of the living Horus, Pharaoh of all Egypt.”
CHAPTER 15
Hattie swallowed hard, trying to force backthe tears that sprang to her eyes. “Thank you, Senemut. I cannotaccomplish this without your help.” She grasped his hands andpulled him to his feet. “What must we do now?”
Senemut resumed pacing, his hands claspedbehind his back. “First, all work on your mortuary temple in theValley of the Queens must cease.”
Mortuary temple? Hattie was not aware such astructure was under construction in her name, although she knew itwas common practice among royalty to build for themselvesmagnificent tombs and temples, known as “houses for eternity”. “Whymust the construction on my mortuary temple cease? What does thishave to do with having me named pharaoh?”
“You will no longer be a queen. You will bepharaoh…you will be king. Therefore, we will begin construction ofa new tomb for you in the Valley of the Kings, as befits your newrank, and a magnificent mortuary temple. Mayhap your temple shouldbe…” He paused a moment. “I have it! We shall build your temple onthe west bank of the Nile. There is a perfect spot next to theancient temple of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II. That spot is sacred toHathor, goddess of love and music.”
Hattie nodded enthusiastically. “I like it!”Closing her eyes, she pictured Hatshepsut’s temple from photosshe’d seen in the books Tom had pressed on her. “Can we haveterraces and white-pillared colonnades?”
Senemut’s eyes widened. “Little one, you havethe soul of an artist. Aye, I can see it
