by Ruth Hay
“That would be most suitable, Philip. I trust you can find us?”
“The house is well known. Be ready when I arrive. The weather is threatening.”
“Yes, quite right, Philip! And thank you so very much. Please hurry!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next half hour was one of the most excruciating that Anna could ever remember.
Nefer al-Sayyid (Anna could not think of her as merely Mrs. Mason), had given up her pursuit of information and thrown up her hands in disgust at the pair. She flounced out of the bedroom and soon the women could hear raised voices in another part of the house.
“I think that’s Richard trying to distract her, Alina. He’s turning out to be a hero today.”
She saw Alina’s expression of surprise at this statement and shook her head to signify there was more to tell later when they were out of this mess.
“Now which way do we turn here?”
After what seemed like a lifetime, they found their way back to the central courtyard and followed the path to the interior gates where they found the wooden doors open and the driver waiting.
“The mistress says I am to return you to your hotel, ladies.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” said Alina with a confident air she did not really feel.
“My friend’s brother is coming for us. He should be here any moment now.”
The driver appeared confused at these conflicting orders. He stood beside his car in the rising wind and turned his chauffeur’s cap round and round in his hands.
Anna was determined not to enter the car. She feared where they might be taken, so great was the anxiety the Madame’s strange behaviour had caused her.
With each passing minute, Anna worried about Philip’s ability to find the isolated house in the desert and also what might be happening to Richard in the house behind these high walls.
Her tension was mirrored in Alina’s face. They alternated between continually glancing down the road hoping to see the dust from an approaching car, and smiling reassuringly at the driver so as to keep him outside and not reporting to his mistress inside the house.
At long last they spied Philip’s hefty four-wheel drive vehicle bumping along the road in a swirl of sand and dust. There was now no mistaking the bad weather that threatened to turn the sky from grey to earth-coloured as the wind whipped the loose sand up into the air.
Anna reached into her purse and found a scarf that she wound around her head and mouth. Alina did the same. They ran forward to the end of the driveway so as not to waste another moment in this place that had appeared as an oasis at first and now seemed more like a prison.
Philip saw them settled into the rear bucket seats and immediately set off back to Luxor.
He did not enquire about the urgent summons, but gave all his attention to the road which vanished from time to time in clouds of sand and dust. Clearly, he did not want to slide off the unlit road into drifts of sand of uncertain depth.
Darkness was coming early. Anna and Alina clung to each other in the back seats and prayed they would make it safely to their hotel.
Not a word was spoken even after the lights of Luxor could be seen. Philip knew the back roads and bypassed the Corniche traffic, turning into the arched entrance of the Sheraton with a quick nod to the guard on duty who recognized the logo on the side of the large car.
Anna’s relief as they stepped out and ran into the foyer was so immense that she slipped on the sand that had drifted inside onto the marble floor and she would have fallen heavily had Philip not managed to catch her arm at the last second.
Alina turned to Philip and took over the support of a limp Anna while she asked him to please send some hot food up to their room and wait here for her return. She felt it was only fair to supply him with some explanations for their strange behaviour.
Surprisingly, Philip agreed to this and quickly pushed his way through a cluster of hotel guests who were demanding answers to why the weather had turned so nasty all of a sudden.
Anna saw him talking to the receptionist as the elevator doors closed. She took a deep breath to still her shaking nerves and looked at Alina. Neither of them could think of a word to say other than “Thank God!”
Hot food arrived at their room within minutes. Alina was still in the washroom sluicing her face and neck to remove the clinging sand. Anna had a tip ready. She could only imagine what Philip had said to cause this unaccustomed speedy service but she was grateful for the hot drinks and plates full of sandwiches and crispy fries.
Alina emerged from the washroom towelling her face and announced that she was returning to the foyer right away, to talk to Philip.
“No, Alina! Have some food first. You must be as famished as I am. It’s my responsibility to talk to Philip. I will explain things to him.”
“You have had enough for one day! Let me do this and you can fill in the details tomorrow.”
“I will admit I am exhausted! But before you go, I must tell you what I found out about Richard when we talked in the garden.”
The sad news was quickly conveyed and Alina’s face showed the effect of the added shock when she reached Philip again. She would never have believed she could feel so much pity for the man who had once hurt her friend so badly, but what Richard had done today for them had wiped away any debt.
“Philip! I am glad you stayed. I won’t keep you long. Anna is worn out. It’s been quite a day for us, but I need to thank you for coming to our rescue and to warn you about what happened as well as tell you how much we appreciated your quick response with the meal just now.”
She was thinking that it was useful to have a man around sometimes, and even although she had not been particularly impressed by Philip before this point, it looked as if he, too, had redeemed himself by his recent responsive actions.
Unexpectedly, Philip accepted her thanks graciously and insisted on leading her through to the little cafe near the Reception desks where live music was sometimes played in the evenings and dim lighting created a relaxed atmosphere. It did not seem to be the kind of place Philip would enjoy, but Alina was glad to see it was empty tonight.
Philip took charge again and ordered from the menu for both of them. He did not wait for the drinks and food to arrive but began the inquisition right away.
“I am not normally a curious man, but there have been some strange things happening lately and I am concerned about my sister’s well being. I feel responsible for encouraging both of you to come here.”
“Philip, you are not to blame. We have had the trip of a lifetime. The things that have gone wrong here were nothing at all to do with you.”
She sipped the strong gin and tonic a waiter had place before her and began to tell Philip about Richard.
“Are you serious? Anna’s ex-husband is married to an Egyptian official from Canada? How in God’s name did this happen? Why didn’t I know?”
“Believe me, it was as much a shock to us as it is to you. Anna had lost touch with Richard Mason after the divorce. With no children or property issues involved, there was no need to communicate. She heard a rumour that he had moved to Ottawa and was working with the government, but it was never confirmed.”
Philip rubbed the short hair at the back of his neck and pursed his mouth.
“So, that explains the odd vibes around the table at The Winter Palace. Nigel seemed convinced there was something going on with you three. He wittered on about it all day today.
I suppose I’ll have to admit he was right after all.”
“That’s not all of the news, I’m afraid!”
“What now?”
“It’s a long story for another time, Philip, but the bare bones of it are; Richard has cancer, his wife is crazy and you plucked us out of a very bad situation tonight.”
There was a long pause while Philip looked right into Alina’s green eyes for the first time, hoping to find that she was joking, but finding instead the calm expression of someone who
was a genuine friend of his sister and a person whose word could be trusted.
“Alina, I extricated myself from family squabbles many years ago. I have had a comparatively peaceful life since then. I am not sure I can deal with all this but one thing I do need to know; is Anna all right?”
“I’m sorry to dump all this onto you, Philip. Anna is tired out emotionally. It was a shock to see Richard that way. She’ll be fine tomorrow once she gets some rest and I am sure she will want to talk to you herself.”
Philip downed the small glass of whisky he had ordered and swallowed uncomfortably.
“Look! You can tell I am not used to this kind of drama, Alina, but I am glad Anna has you to rely on. She is important to me as a link to a father I never knew and she has brought me a connection with my family in England that I had long neglected. Please tell her I am concerned about her and take a whisky upstairs for her. It should help her get off to sleep.”
“I will tell her what you have said, Philip, and thank you for this food as well as the whisky idea. We’ll be in touch tomorrow for sure.”
Alina watched as Philip slowly unfolded his long legs from the cafe chair and crammed his hat onto his windblown white hair. There was something lost and lonely in the way he straightened up to face the drive back to his hotel and Alina felt a wave of sympathy sweep through her.
This man had saved two women he scarcely knew from a dangerous situation without even asking why. He might well be taciturn and lacking in social graces but he shared Anna’s blood line and that was enough of a recommendation as far as she was concerned.
On an impulse, she stood and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned toward her in surprise, she reached up and gave him a big hug, whispering in his ear, “Thank you for everything, Philip. I really mean it.”
Alina fled from the cafe without looking back. She would order that whisky on room service and perhaps get one for herself too. It had been quite a day.
If she had stopped to watch Philip Purdy, partner in the firm of Ogilvy, Purdy and Torrance, long-established architects located in Manchester, England, and a man known to be all about business without an empathetic bone in his body, she would have seen him standing stock still with a hand to his cheek and a tear rolling down toward his quivering lips.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Overnight the clouds blew away and the day dawned clear and bright.
Drifts of sand lay in every corner and Anna awoke to the sound of brooms sweeping the paths and terraces of the hotel.
She stretched and yawned and dismissed the first memory of yesterday’s traumatic events before it could take hold and spoil what she was determined would be a lovely day in all respects.
A good night’s sleep had settled her mind and somehow knowing Richard’s dire circumstances had made her more aware of the blessings of her own contented life with Alina. It had also signalled an end to their holiday. Serious issues and consequences meant a return to real life: the lives they had left behind in Canada. Anna was now free to focus on other unresolved matters such as what was to be done with Helen Dunlop’s memoir pages, which she had secreted in a bedside table drawer.
She reached down to open the drawer and found her trip itinerary sitting on top. She glanced at the dates and was astounded to see that their trip was almost over. Their departure date was there in black and white. December 23. Just one more day in the hotel, and then a flight from Luxor to Gatwick, and connections to Toronto and finally to London.
It would be a very long day of travelling but they would be waking up in their own beds on Christmas Eve. Looking around the sunny hotel room, it hardly seemed possible that a wintry Canada existed on the same planet.
There were matters to settle before then, however. She must talk to Philip about Nigel and the secrets she had read in Helen’s memoir. Perhaps that was the place to start. She would read the remaining pages before Alina woke up.
A moment or two of shuffling pages and she found the place where she had finished reading before. There was not much more to read. She pulled pillows behind her back and turned to the next page.
* * *
I was stupid to think a good God would release me by killing off my husband. It was entirely the result of Harold’s own dependence on alcohol. The accident was horrific and reported in every newspaper. There is always glee when the rich and mighty are fallen, it seems.
Rachel was deputised to come to me and bargain for my cooperation. I could easily have told the police everything I knew about the dire state Harold was in when he left home that day. Rachel knew that if I did so it would be the end of the family’s reputation in society, and in business.
I held the upper hand for once in my life and I took full advantage of the situation.
It required a very large sum of money to buy my silence but in the end the Frasers were glad to be rid of me. The feeling was mutual. I left with cash and nothing else.
I took a train to Edinburgh and bought a case and a complete wardrobe of stylish new clothes. It took some time for me to become comfortable in my new role as a lady of means and probably I made a few glaring errors before I captured the right combination of hauteur and nonchalance to match my elegant wardrobe.
I soon discovered it was a lonely existence once again moving from hotel to hotel whenever too many questions were asked. Sad but true.
When I found the McCaig Estate House all that was behind me. A brand new life opened up for me. I lived in secret most of the time with a trusted few friends who shared only pieces of my past life and its indiscretions.
In the happiness I knew in my home, I gained the confidence to investigate my true family for the first time. I am determined to share my ill-gotten wealth with someone who would not know the real source. Money may be the root of all evil but surely it does not carry the taint of that evil to another generation.
Sadly, it was too late to make the connection to my sister.
Like much in my life, I learned my lessons about families, not easily, and not soon enough to do some good for me.
There was one other way to go and I chose it without hesitation. Time was short, I knew. Another woman could take the place of the sister I mourned from afar.
I will never meet the woman, Anna Mason. I can only trust she will have a better and happier life than I had before I found this dear sanctuary.
Old age is creeping up on me now. My fingers cramp when I write too long and my back creaks when I bend to tend the fires.
It is imperative that this account remains secret so I have hidden it far from prying eyes. One day soon I will destroy this record completely, although it gives me a measure of comfort to read my confessions here. I have come so far.
My plans are made. Fate takes over now and I have never figured out how to bend fate to my will.
I have to trust that what will be, will be.
* * *
Anna put down the pages and looked up through a veil of tears. It took a moment to adjust to her present location and to wipe out the pictures in her mind’s eye of an elderly woman writing, painfully, in the stone house far away in Scotland.
Helen Dunlop’s decisions had changed Anna’s life completely. There was something Anna could do to honour that lady’s wishes and she suddenly knew how she could accomplish that.
She stuffed the papers back in the bottom of the drawer. She would share the contents with Alina when they were on their way home and when the die had been cast.
For now, she needed a hot shower. It felt like a bucket of fine sand had buried itself in her hair and it was high time to wash away every vestige of the horrible events of the sandstorm.
Philip arrived around lunch time and phoned their room from the foyer, inviting them to lunch with him at the pizza restaurant on the mini island.
Alina and Anna had had a leisurely morning discussing how they would pack their many purchases. Philip’s invitation was timely and most welcome.
They met at the restaurant and enjoyed a
pleasant meal untainted by dark thoughts. Around them the hotel grounds staff were efficiently sifting sand out of the pond where the ducks, doves and a white heron had taken up residence. One pair of workers was even dusting off the fronds of the palm trees and catching the sand in a bucket.
“So, what was the storm all about, Philip?” asked Alina, when they had eaten. “The weather has been superlative ever since we arrived in Egypt.”
“It was just the khamsin. The word means fifty in Arabic. It describes the fifty days in the year when the sand blows on the wind as you saw it yesterday. It can be annoying but this is a desert land and it is something that has to be tolerated.”
“I am just glad it only lasts a short time,” said Anna sadly. “This is our last full day here.”
“What? Already?”
“The time flies when you’re having fun!” chorused the women together and the trio laughed loud enough to set the birds squawking in alarm.
Anna was delighted to see Philip so relaxed in their company. Even Alina was smiling in his direction more than once and that seemed to be a contributing factor to his ease of manner.
She really would have preferred to delay the topic she now had to introduce, but there was no way of telling how long it would be before she met up with her brother again.
She hesitated to spoil the happy atmosphere but it was imperative that she get Philip’s input before she made her final decision.
“I have something I need to ask you Philip.” Anna’s tone of voice indicated at once that the topic was serious. Alina immediately offered to leave them alone in case it was about family matters but Anna shook her head and insisted that she stay put.
“What is it you want to know?”
“It’s about Nigel.”
Both her listeners were surprised by this announcement. Alina wondered what on earth was coming next while Philip struggled to imagine what Anna could possibly want to know about Nigel.