didn’t reply. One look at the murder in Jackson’s eyes was enough to make him flee.
* * *
Janine came to Freya’s room early next morning as she was getting dressed.
‘Amos has already gone downstairs,’ she said. ‘He wants to look over the tourist shop again. I can tell that he’s got something fixed in his mind, but he won’t tell me what.’
‘He really enjoyed yesterday,’ Freya observed.
‘Yes, I haven’t seen him so cheerful for a long time. He was on the phone last night to England, I think. I didn’t hear everything, but what I did hear sounded businesslike.’
‘He’s not still doing business, surely? Isn’t he retired?’
‘He still has a lot of investments, and he likes to stick his nose in. I don’t know—I’ve just got a funny feeling.’ She looked curiously at her daughter. ‘Freya, are you listening?’
‘Yes—yes, of course.’
‘You look as if your mind was on another planet.’
‘Sorry, I just got distracted.’
‘Are you all right, darling?’
‘I’m fine,’ she said quickly. ‘It’s just that it’s going to be a busy day and there’s a lot to think of. Shall we go downstairs?’
Once downstairs she might escape her mother’s all-seeing eye. To say that she was distracted was putting it mildly. She been devastated ever since she’d left Jackson the night before.
It had all seemed to go so well. They had cracked jokes with each other, just as in the past. The resentment that had once smouldered in her had faded and it had seemed that their friendship was being restored.
Then he’d kissed her and everything had changed.
The touch of his lips had sent tremors through her, making her heart beat with a force that had taken her by surprise. She’d wanted to cry out in protest. Such things no longer had a place in her life. She was resolved on that and no man was to be allowed to change it.
But the pleasure that had surged through her body couldn’t be denied. It had prompted her to yearn towards him, returning the kiss, increasing her own desire and seeking to inspire it in him.
Yet he’d uttered those ominous words. ‘Act of friendship.’
She’d agreed—‘Yes—yes...’—but the words had been spoken mindlessly.
When he’d released her she’d somehow kept control of herself, walking and talking like an automaton until she was in her room and the door was safely closed between them. But inside she had been shattered by what had happened to her feelings. Jackson had acted as a kind friend. He’d been careful to make that clear. But her own reaction had been everything she didn’t want it to be—everything she didn’t want to admit.
Had he sensed her response? The thought made her cringe with humiliation. Whatever it cost her, he must never be allowed to suspect.
It won’t last, she told herself. Just a momentary reaction. It’ll pass and things will be all right. She was still repeating this assurance to herself as she went downstairs with Janine.
The route to the breakfast room lay past the tourist shop. Through the glass door they could see Amos, talking earnestly to an assistant. He saw them, waved, and came out empty-handed.
‘You didn’t buy anything, then?’ Janine said.
He grinned. ‘Let’s say I’m thinking about it. Shall we go?’
He went ahead to the breakfast room, walking with the lofty air of a man who had a victory to celebrate. Janine and Freya exchanged baffled glances before following him.
Jackson was there ahead of them, indicating for Freya to sit beside him.
‘My leg’s still hurting a bit,’ he murmured. ‘You couldn’t bear to give it another rub, could you?’
‘You don’t need me,’ she said. ‘I’m sure the hotel has a good doctor.’
‘Just a little rub?’ he pleaded.
Once she would have agreed without question. Now the thought of touching him like that made her inner self back off. She must not touch him. She didn’t dare.
‘Sorry, Jackson, I won’t have time. I’ve got to stay close to Amos.’
‘He seems fine to me.’
‘That’s when I have to be most careful. I think I’ll go and sit beside him.’
He clasped her hand, preventing her from leaving.
‘Have I offended you?’
‘Of course not. Don’t be silly.’
‘You’re acting like you’re cross with me. If it’s about—’
‘It’s not about anything. Stop being melodramatic.’ Her sense of humour came to her rescue. ‘Or I shall do something violent.’
‘I dare you.’
‘Don’t. You’ll regret it. Now, let me go. I have to go to my patient.’
‘But I’m your patient too.’
‘You’ll be a patient with singing in his ears in a minute. Let go.’
‘Oh, all right.’ He leaned a little closer to whisper, ‘Bully.’
‘Not a bully. Just a woman who can take very good care of herself and doesn’t need anyone else.’
She slipped away to the next table, where Amos was sitting. But she couldn’t resist glancing back at Jackson, and was both dismayed and enchanted to find him watching her with a look of confusion.
CHAPTER NINE
FOR THE REST of that day Amos’s behaviour was mysterious. When the others were ready to leave he delayed them while he paid another visit to the tourist shop. Once more he emerged smiling mysteriously, refusing to tell anyone what he was up to. Plainly he was enjoying himself.
At the temple he wandered off alone, insisting that now he knew the place well enough to cope. It seemed to be true, for when Freya and Janine went looking for him she found him before the carved wall picture that they had seen on the first day.
There was Horus, the man with a falcon’s head. There was his wife, Hathor. There was the King, respectfully offering them gifts. And there was Amos Falcon, regarding them all with a look of blissful self-satisfaction.
Even as they watched he burst into a laugh that was half a giggle, giving a thumbs-up sign to the wall. Something was making him almost dance with glee. Which wasn’t necessarily a good sign.
His
