The figure rose and came toward her. “Aye,Hattie.” He put his arms around her and embraced her. “Did you missme?”
“Of course,” she murmured against hisshoulder. “I always miss you when you are not with me.” She liftedher face to his and smiled. “What a lovely idea, to walk in thegarden at night, away from prying eyes. I am so happy you thoughtof it!”
“I thought of it? Hai, you and your jokes,” Senemut muttered as heclaimed her lips with his.
Hattie pushed on his chest and leaned back inhis arms. “What do you mean, jokes? Did you not send me a messageasking me to meet you here?”
Senemut frowned. “Nay, I sent you no suchmessage.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I received a message fromyou, asking thatI meet you here. I believe the message said you wanted to discussan important matter of state. Did you not send thismessage?”
“Nay, I did not.” A duck quacked nearby andHattie’s heart jumped to her throat. “What is happening? Someone ismanipulating us, and I fear it is for an evil purpose.”
“I am afraid you may be right. Who broughtyou this message that you were told was from me?”
“A servant. I did not recognize him and hekept his face averted from me.” She grimaced. “I should have beensuspicious of his behavior. Most servants fear me, yet he appearedunafraid to answer my questions.”
“It is not your fault,” Senemut murmured.“Why should you be suspicious? You say he was a servant. What didhe look like?”
“I did not see his face,” she repeated. “Hewore a common, coarsely-woven kilt. He had no wig, and his head wasshaved. He was of medium height and build.” She spread her handshelplessly. “I fear I can tell you nothing more. I paid him scantattention.”
“Hmm. That sounds like the messenger whobrought me the request to join you here. Tell me, did he give you awritten message, or was it spoken?”
“The message was spoken,” Hattie said, thensighed. “It seemed strange you would contact me thus, but I thoughtmayhap you were busy.”
“And I thought the same,” Senemutconfessed. Suddenly, he whirled around. “Ast! Did you hear that?”
“Aye,” she whispered, her heart lurchingagain. “I think it came from over there in the corner under theacacia tree…”
At that moment, a dark figure burst out fromunder the tree she had pointed to, heading straight for Senemut andHattie.
“Run, Hattie!” Senemut yelled over hisshoulder as he turned to meet the threat.
Hattie, however, had no intention ofabandoning him. She stood frozen, not sure what was happening orhow to react. Then she saw something that turned her blood to ice.The intruder racing toward Senemut had raised his hand and the palemoonlight glinted on the blade of a wicked-looking knife clenchedin his fist. “Watch out! He has a knife!” she shouted.
Senemut grasped the intruder’s arms and theystruggled fiercely, silently. Hattie moved around the two, tryingto get behind the assailant so she could trip him.
“Run!” Senemut repeated, turning his gaze toher for an instant.
That instant was all the attacker needed.Jerking free the hand that gripped the knife, he plunged it downinto Senemut’s chest, then turned and, climbing the acacia treewith the agility of a monkey, jumped over the wall andvanished.
Senemut groaned and slumped to theground.
“Senemut!” Hattie rushed to him and liftedhis head onto her lap. “Are you all right? Speak to me, please!”She felt warm blood flowing from the wound in his chest. Tearingoff her cloak, she wadded it up and pressed it against the wound,holding it in place with both hands.
His eyelids fluttered open. “I…I am sorry,Hattie…” he whispered. “Sorry I could not…could not protect you.”He raised his hand to her face, then he closed his eyes and hishand dropped onto her lap.
“Nay, Senemut,” she cried, tears flowing downher cheeks. “You cannot leave me! I need you. You must notdie!”
Senemut didn’t respond. He was unconscious…ordead?
“Guards!” she screamed. “Guards! Come to meat once!”
Almost immediately, the sound of clatteringfootsteps converged on her position. Cradling Senemut’s head on herlap, she allowed her tears to rain down and mix with his blood,which oozed slowly through her cloak and between her outspreadfingers. She prayed, as she had never prayed before, that Senemutcould be saved. If he couldn’t, she would be left to rule Egyptfriendless and alone, without the man she trusted—and without theman she loved.
* * *
“It is done, my friend.” Hapuseneb smiledbroadly at the surprise evident on Snefru’s face, quickly replacedby triumph. “Senemut is finished. The assassin has already beensent to meet the gods, so none will be the wiser to ourinvolvement.”
Snefru rubbed his hands together with glee.“Amun be praised! And she will be next, will she not?”
“Aye. But you must have patience,” Hapusenebcautioned. “We must not draw any undue attention to ourselves.Return to your post with the army and say nothing. Do not indicateyou have any knowledge of Senemut’s death. We must wait for thenews to spread in a natural fashion.” He needed to keep Snefrucalm. Amun forbid, Snefru should blunder and give them awaynow.
“I know how to handle myself,” Snefrugrumbled, glaring at him. “You have little faith in me,priest.”
“And with good reason,” Hapuseneb retorted.Great Amun, who did this…this soldier think he was, treating him with such disrespect? “What wedo is punishable by death—the most hideous, painful kind of death.I, for one, do not wish to die in such a fashion.”
“Nor do I wish this,” Snefru said, holding uphis hands. “Fear not, I shall remain as silent as the dead. But Iwish to know when you will make your move against Hatshepsut. Mypatience grows weary.”
“Do not worry,” Hapuseneb said, smilingthinly. Once again, he had brought Snefru into line, but the soonerthis was over, the better. He had no intention of letting thisblundering fool ruin him. “Without Senemut whispering in her ear,our little pharaoh will soon allow the governing of Egypt toflounder. She is not fit for such work.
“And once the people see her for what sheis—a weak, silly woman—they will do our work for us. Hatshepsutwill be no more, our hands will be clean,
