He rose reluctantly. “I will try,” he said. “But do not ask me to face Father. I might be tempted to kill him.”
She almost laughed, but seeing his face the urge quickly died. “Hori …” she whispered, but he impatiently indicated the path and she obeyed. He followed, and they walked back to the house in silence.
FOUR DAYS LATER, having already sent a message warning Khaemwaset that she was coming, Tbubui alighted at the watersteps and was met and escorted to the Prince’s quarters by a deferential Ib. Word of his Highness’s impending second marriage had spread rapidly among the staff, and as Tbubui paced the gardens and made her way through the house she was greeted with bows and murmured words of respect.
She looked every inch a royal Second Wife. Her white sheath was shot through with glimmering silver thread, her sandals laced with silver thongs. Silver and electrum bracelets, heavy with jasper and carnelian ornaments, tinkled as she moved. Her gleaming, straight black hair was imprisoned to her head by a triple-banded silver circlet, with one jasper droplet trembling on her forehead. Her eyelids glittered with silver dust above the thick kohl that rimmed her eyes, and her firm, pouting mouth shone with red henna like her large palms. An electrum pectoral of intertwining ankhs and half-moons covered her upper breasts like an exotic mat, and its pendant, resting between her naked shoulder-blades to repel any supernatural attack from behind, was a large, golden, squatting baboon. Ib announced her and withdrew, and Khaemwaset advanced with a smile.
“Tbubui, welcome to what will be your home,” he said heartily. She reverenced him, then raised her cheek for his kiss. “You look wonderful, dear sister.”
“Thank you, Khaemwaset.” She waved away the two servants who had immediately appeared at her elbow with trays of assorted sweetmeats and wine. “I am really here to spend some time with Nubnofret. I told you I would do that, didn’t I? The last thing I want is for her to feel slighted, and I know we are going to become great friends.”
Khaemwaset was suffused with a protective affection. “You are tactful and kind as well as beautiful,” he complimented her. “How strange life is, Tbubui! Who would have thought, the first time I saw you threading your way through the city crowd with such regal hauteur, that one day you would be my wife?”
She laughed sweetly. “Life is indeed remarkable, or rather, it is fate that makes one hold one’s breath, wondering what is to come next,” she answered. “You have made me very happy, Highness.”
They smiled at one another for a moment. It was Tbubui who broke their gaze. “Khaemwaset, I have a favour to ask of you before I visit Nubnofret,” she said. “I must dictate a very detailed set of instructions to my steward in Koptos to do with the disposition of the coming harvest and the arrangements to be made for Pharaoh’s tax assessors. The scribe Sisenet hired is a good and simple man but just out of the temple school. I do not think he would be able to understand and make a faithful rendering of my words. It will take me no more than an hour.” She faltered. “I do not like to trespass on your good nature …”
He held up a hand. “But you would like to use the services of one of my scribes,” he finished for her. “Say no more.”
“The responsibility to hear and transcribe my words will be great,” she went on. “They must be exactly recorded …”
“You want my best,” Khaemwaset beamed, pleased that he could do something, anything for her “Penbuy’s son Ptah-Seankh has taken up residence here. Oddly enough he came this morning. Will he do?”
“Thank you, Khaemwaset,” she said again, gravely. “He will be excellent”
“Good.” He clapped his hands and Ib approached. “Tell Ptah-Seankh to wait upon me immediately,” he ordered, then he waved the other servants out. “Ptah-Seankh is the soul of discretion,” he said to Tbubui. “The transaction of business should be a private matter between a woman and her scribe. We do not want servants, even those as highly trained as our own, to hear and disseminate the details of your holdings, my love. I have my own business to attend to, but send for me if you need anything more.”
She kissed him softly on the mouth. “You are a good man,” she told him quietly. He nodded, pleased, and went away.
Presently Ptah-Seankh was announced and came swiftly across the room, bowing, palette under one arm. Tbubui waved him up.
“Scribe, do you know who I am?” she asked. He regarded her impassively.
“Indeed I do, Noble One,” he replied. “You are the lady Tbubui, soon to be my master’s Second Wife. How may I serve you?”