Beloved Enemy, The (House of Winslow Book #30)

by Gilbert, Morris

  “Miss Diana she likes him too.”

  Kefira felt a blush heat her cheeks. “I suppose she does. They are very old friends.”

  “But he like you best.”

  Kefira burst into laughter. “You’re quite a psychologist, aren’t you, Lisimba!”

  “What is that?”

  “Someone who claims to know how people feel and why they act the way they do.”

  “Oh yes, Lisimba very good at things like that. It is very easy, for one look in your eyes and I see you have a heart for Mr. Joshua. And I see he looks at you in a way he does not at Miss Diana.”

  Kefira stared at the small dark face of Lisimba and then smiled. “You just cut up those potatoes and don’t take so much interest in me and Joshua.”

  “But you are so very interesting, missy!” Lisimba grinned. “I cannot help myself.”

  Kefira shushed him and then turned back to her work, but she thought of Lisimba’s words and wondered if they were true. Diana had monopolized Josh’s every free moment, making several trips into the village, and she had, without admitting it even to herself, resented it. Now she reflected on Lisimba’s words, and she wondered if there was anything to them.

  ****

  The desert sun of July was just as hot as that of June. Josh and Kefira took their turn out under the blistering sun digging away, and the trench had grown long now. There had been many finds, for obviously this had been an old, old city, or perhaps town would be a better word. They had discovered combs and mirrors and Egyptian gods but nothing of any earthshaking significance.

  At midday on the third of July, Josh was at the end of the tunnel digging away. They had reached a point where there was much rubble, and he had to use a shovel to break some of it loose. His mind was far back at his home in Georgia, but he came to himself with a start when his shovel struck a solid stone.

  “What can this be? Must be a wall of some kind,” he muttered. He began more carefully to clear away the rubble, and finally he knew that the professor would be interested. He called out, “Professor, I found something here!”

  The professor ambled over, got into the trench, and said, “What is it, my boy?”

  “It’s rock of some kind. Look, it’s not native.”

  “No, it’s not an outgrowth. It’s a building stone.” Excitement crept into the professor’s voice, and he said, “We may have found something here. This looks like it could be some sort of door.”

  Word spread throughout the camp, and soon everybody was there, staring. Josh and the professor cleared away the rock, and the crew carried it off in wheelbarrows. Finally Josh said, “Look, there’s some kind of an inscription down here. Let me clear away the rest of the rubble.”

  Amir was standing close behind Joshua. “Let me see! Let me do it!”

  Josh stepped back, for he was, after all, only a minor member of the crew. He watched as Amir quickly and efficiently cleared it away, and then he heard the man exclaim in Arabic something he could not understand.

  “Look at this,” the professor said. “It’s the governor’s seal.”

  Amir was cleaning frantically to clear the seal, and finally when he turned around and spoke to the professor, there was awe in his voice. “It is the seal of Mensah.”

  “I believe you’re right,” the professor said, and for once he was excited. “Mensah. Everyone has looked for his grave.”

  “Who is Mensah?” Joshua asked.

  Diana was standing beside him, touching his arm. “He was the right-hand man of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II of the eleventh dynasty. Many thought Mensah was more powerful than the pharaoh. There are plenty of records about his achievements, and many thought he would be the next pharaoh. But he disappeared, and his tomb has never been found, although plenty of people have looked for it.”

  “That is right, and if this is correct, we have the find of the century here!” Amir exclaimed.

  Great excitement prevailed then, and the professor declared a celebration. For the rest of the day they took turns working at the wall, until the door to the tomb was finally clear.

  Josh found himself standing beside Kefira and reached out and hugged her. “We’ll be telling our grandchildren about this someday, Kefira. It’s a great find.”

  Kefira was aware of his arm around her, but he seemed unconscious of it. She smiled up at him and said, “I’m so glad for you, Josh.”

  “We may be here for a long time. It’ll be a great opportunity for us.”

  Kefira looked around and said, “Did you notice that Amir left?”

  “No, I didn’t.” Josh glanced around and saw everyone except Amir there at the trench working excitedly. “Where could he have gone?”

  “I don’t know. I thought it was strange that he would leave in the midst of all this excitement.”

  Josh suddenly realized he had his arm around Kefira. “Hey, I didn’t mean to squeeze you to death. I’m just so excited.”

  “That’s all right.” Kefira turned, saying, “I’ve got to go fix supper.”

  ****

  The supper had been a victory celebration, but everyone noted Amir’s absence. Diana said, “I can’t imagine where Amir has gone. You’d think he would want to be here.”

  “Important finds like this have to be recorded, my dear,” Phineas said. “I’m sure he’s just gone to Cairo to make sure that our find has been recorded. Well, we had a lovely victory dinner,” Phineas went on. “It was delicious, Kefira.”

  “Thank you, Professor.”

  “Yes, it was very good,” Diana said. She had never complimented Kefira before, and now she raised her glass of wine and said, “Here’s to you, Kefira Reis.”

  Joshua and the professor raised their glasses and toasted Kefira, whose cheeks reddened. “It was only a dinner,” she said.

  Diana stared at her critically and then said something that Kefira did not soon forget. “You have won, Kefira.”

  “Won what?” the professor asked with surprise, looking at his niece.

  “It’s a woman thing. You wouldn’t understand.” Diana patted his arm and then changed the subject.

  After the meal the professor and Diana went to their tents. Kefira started to clean up, but Lisimba said, “No, missy, this is Lisimba’s job.”

  “Why, thank you, Lisimba.”

  “Let’s go out and look at that door one more time, Kefira,” Josh said.

  “All right. I’d like to.”

  The two left the dining tent and walked across the desert. “It seems almost cool tonight,” Josh said. “But that’s just in contrast with the heat of the day.”

  “I love the desert at night,” Kefira said. “It’s so quiet and peaceful.”

  They reached the ditch and stood looking down, and the silver moonlight illuminated the door. “I wonder what lies behind there. I want to tear it down and start looking. It could be anything.”

  “What sort of thing could it be?”

  “Well, the pharaohs buried themselves pretty ornately. Death was very important to them, and as you know, preserving their bodies was too. But they made one mistake about their burials.”

  “What was that?”

  “They were buried with precious things, gold and silver and jewelry, so sooner or later grave robbers were likely to come along. Most of the tombs were robbed and the mummies treated pretty roughly. As a matter of fact, there’s only been one pharaoh’s tomb found pretty much intact.”

  “Which one was that?”

  “You’ve heard me talk about it. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon found the tomb of Tutankhamen. Its contents were almost untouched. They found weapons, clothes, furniture, and jewelry, as well as the famous coffin and the mask.”

  “Oh yes, I’ve seen a picture of that!”

  “It made Carter famous as an archeologist.”

  “So, you’re hoping there will be an unrobbed tomb here.”

  “That’s what we’re all hoping for. It would be the find of the century. Well, not as important as the p
haraoh’s, but almost.”

  The two stood there talking, and from time to time Kefira would turn to look up at Josh, and he would watch the slight changes of her face, the quickening and loosening of small expressions. Her black hair rose back from her temples in its thick masses, and he thought how beautiful it was. Once he said something that amused her, and he saw some private joke dancing in her eyes.

  She seemed happy, and he knew this was unusual, for he had never ceased to marvel at the range of her spirit. He had seen hurt stain her eyes. And he had seen bitterness from time to time. But now a shade of loveliness seemed to come to her, and he listened to the cadence of her voice.

  Finally she noticed his silence. “Why are you so quiet, Josh?”

  He turned to face her and put his hands on her shoulders. She was wearing a khaki shirt and pants, and he could not ignore the clean-running physical lines, the lovely turning of her throat, and the strong, rounded shoulders. Her waist was small, her curves feminine. She was watching him with an innocence he had noticed in her from the very beginning. He knew she didn’t realize how beautiful she was, and since he was a man like other men with all the same impulses, he was drawn to her as a lonely man is always drawn to a woman. But he knew that no other woman had ever touched him as deeply as this one. All of his past history with women suddenly seemed cheap and tawdry, for Kefira had not only an outward beauty and grace, but she was rich in a way a woman should be. She was like music that stirred his soul.

  “What’s wrong, Josh?”

  Josh reached out and drew her close. He waited for her to protest, but she did not. She lifted her head and looked at him, and he knew then that he cared for her as he never had for another. He saw emotion leave a fugitive impression upon her face, and he thought, I know her better than I’ve ever known any woman. And then he lowered his lips and kissed her.

  Kefira knew he was going to kiss her, but she did not feel the fear that usually came. She waited, saying nothing, but when he put his arms around her, and she felt his lips on hers, she knew that this man was like no other man, at least for her. She put her hands behind his neck and held him, and as his lips pressed against hers she found herself thinking, So this is what love feels like…. She had already admitted to herself that she loved Josh. But she had never allowed herself to hope that Josh might love her too. But now as he held her gently and yet with a force that took her breath away, a flame of hope leaped up to take its place.

  When Josh lifted his head, Kefira let out a small sigh.

  “I have to tell you, Kefira,” he said quietly, “that I feel something for you that I’ve never felt for any other woman. You have a sweetness in you and a goodness, and everything you do is true and right.”

  “No, I’m not that way,” Kefira whispered. She kept her hands on his neck and wondered at herself. “I’ve been so afraid of men, Joshua, but I’m not afraid of you.” She stepped back then, and he released her. They stood there quietly, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. Finally she whispered, “Good night,” then turned and walked away.

  He stood there watching her go, and as she walked across the moonlit sand, he thought, This is like nothing ever was. I’ve never felt anything like this for a woman before.

  ****

  The next day Kefira felt uneasy around Josh. At breakfast she did not even look at him and knew that he noticed. There was a painful shyness in her, for she had lain awake for a long time thinking of his caress and knowing that she would remember it for months, maybe even longer. His kiss had been gentle, and his words had been like balm over her spirit. She had long known that he had been with other women, including Diana, but he had said that she was like no other woman. And the sweetness of this filled her.

  Finally, after breakfast was over, he came to stand beside her and said, “Good morning.”

  Rich color touched her cheeks, and she smiled. “I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’m a little embarrassed.”

  “There’s no need to be.” He wanted to reach out and touch her, and she read the impulse in his eyes. Flustered, she said, “I’d better help Lisimba.”

  Josh suddenly smiled, and then he said, “After supper tonight, let’s go out and look at the door of the tomb again.”

  Kefira knew he was teasing her, but she liked it. Her lips curled upward in a smile, and joy danced in her eyes. “I’ll have to think about that. I’m not sure it’s safe for a girl to be alone with you.”

  “You’re safe enough. I’m just a poor fellow with lots of inhibitions.”

  “I’m not sure I believe that,” Kefira said. “But we’ll see.”

  ———

  The sun was high in the sky, and Josh and the professor were carefully clearing away more of the wall that spanned each side of the door. It was Josh who looked up and said, “Someone’s coming.”

  “Probably Amir coming back with permission to do the opening,” the professor said.

  The two men climbed out of the trench, and Diana joined them, and then Kefira stepped outside of the tent.

  A vehicle pulled up with a symbol on the side that said Department of Antiquities. Three men got out, one of them Amir and the other two strangers.

  The professor greeted them. “Good morning, Amir.”

  The professor got no further, for one of the men, a short, fat, greasy man with small, piggish eyes said, “I am Amun Ibn Jabari. I am the Commissioner of Antiquities.”

  “I’m glad to know you, sir.”

  “I have come to inform you that you are not permitted to continue this work, Dr. Welles.”

  Phineas stared at the man and then at Amir. “What can that possibly mean, Commissioner?”

  “It means that the dig will be under the name of Amir Ben Kalil.”

  “We have been working together, of course.”

  “Your name is not on the papers that give permission. You are an intruder here, sir, and I inform you that you will vacate these premises at once.”

  “What are you talking about!” Josh exclaimed. “This is the professor’s dig.”

  “I do not know you, nor do I want to. As commissioner, I am giving you twenty-four hours to vacate this site.”

  Phineas Welles looked into Amir’s eyes and said, “You shouldn’t do this thing, Amir. It isn’t right.”

  Amir sneered. “You’ve heard the commissioner. You have twenty-four hours. I will expect you to be gone so that I may continue my work.” He wheeled and walked back to the car, and the commissioner said with a warning, “I trust I will not have to use force. You are a respected man, sir, but your papers are not in order. I would suggest you vacate immediately.”

  Diana turned to her uncle. “He can’t do that, Uncle Phineas!” Anger blazed in her eyes, and her voice was high with incredulity.

  Phineas looked at the paper the commissioner had given him. “I’m afraid we must leave,” he said, resigned.

  “But, Professor, this is your dig! There has to be some recourse!” Josh exclaimed.

  Professor Welles looked at the officials who were leaving, his eyes dwelling on the tall form of Amir. He turned to them and, with great sadness in his voice, said, “I have never learned not to trust people, and now I must pay for it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Miracle in the Desert

  “You can’t let this get to you, Kefira,” Josh said. He took her by the arm and turned her around and noted that her face was flushed. Her eyes flashed with anger, and Josh shook his head, adding, “You can only hurt yourself this way.”

  “But he had no right! He’s a thief!” Kefira’s face was contorted with rage. She had become very close to Phineas, and she knew how much this dig meant to Josh. For two days she had been furious, slamming pans around, speaking in short sentences, and had made herself so unapproachable that even Lisimba had grumbled at her ways.

  Josh shook his head sympathetically. “I know it’s easy to let yourself go, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

  “I’d like to shoot him
!”

  “No you wouldn’t. That’s just your anger talking.”

  Kefira brushed a lock of raven hair off of her forehead and squared her shoulders. Cold little points of light seemed to dance in her eyes, and a rocky expression had drawn her features into disagreeable lines. Temper flushed her face, and she said, “How can you be so—so easy about all this, Josh? It means your whole life, in a way. You’ve dreamed about this for years, and now it’s within your grasp. And that hoodlum has stolen it!”

  “I know it’s hard, and we’re all disappointed, but you only make matters worse by letting bitterness get to you.”

  “I can’t help it,” Kefira said. “It’s just the way I am.”

  “No, it’s not the way you are,” Josh said. He laid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. “You’ve got more sweetness and goodness and gentleness in you than any woman I’ve ever seen, and I don’t like to see you like this. It’s not what you are.”

  Josh’s words fell on Kefira like soothing oil. She bit her lip and looked down at the ground, conscious of the warm pressure of his hand on her shoulder. Finally she looked up, took a deep breath, and said, “All right, Josh, but I don’t forgive easily.”

  She turned and walked away, and Josh stared after her. He had not seen her like this, although he had known there was a hard streak intermingled with her gentle spirit. “She’s going to get into trouble if she doesn’t conquer her anger.” He turned and walked over to the professor’s tent. Phineas was sitting down staring off into space, and Josh said, “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “Oh no. Come in, Josh. Have a seat.” Phineas waved to an empty chair and then put his eyes on Josh. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to take a new run at this thing. I’ve let most of the workers go until I figure out what to do next. I’ve wired my brother what’s happened, and he’s ready to come over and strangle Amir. He has a great deal of anger in him, and he’s used to getting his own way.”

  “I’m afraid Kefira’s out of hand too. She’s running around like she wants to bite somebody, mostly Amir, I guess.”