Chapter 5
Over an extremely late breakfast, Ardeth Bey detailed his plan to return the statue to the temple from which it had been stolen. Rick stated his intention to accompany his friend. Instead of an inscrutable desert warrior argument against the idea, Ardeth accepted the offer with only a nod of thanks. When Evelyn asked him to explain the logic of putting the statue back in a place already discovered by thieves, he deliberately did not mention his dream, stating only that the Medjai would safeguard the site in future.
As the meal progressed, the men discussed the finer points of the proposed trip, including what supplies to bring, how much ammunition to stock, how many Medjai warriors would travel with them, and what possible resistance they might find once they exchanged the relative security of the city for the sparsely populated expanse of the desert.
Throughout the entire meal, Evelyn alternated between ravenous hunger and an almost lethargic slump. One moment she heartily supported the venture, the next argued vehemently against it.
O'Connell swallowed an overlarge bite of eggs and washed it down with coffee strong enough to support a spoon. "How long do you think it'll take you to gather enough men?"
"Not long at all. There are Medjai scattered throughout the city, including seven hidden within sight of this very house. A dozen more await my order to gather. Acquiring additional mounts for you will be the only thing to prevent our leaving as early as tomorrow morning."
"Seven warriors within sight of this house, did you say?" Evelyn asked.
"After bringing the danger to your door, however reluctantly," Ardeth said, "I would be a poor friend indeed if I didn't take steps to minimize the threat."
Shaking her head, Evy tsked in false displeasure. "And you let us think you'd just get the statue and vanish."
Unable to take any more of her uncharacteristically uncertain behavior, Rick kissed her cheek and said, "Honey, could you maybe pack me a bag? You've been in the deep desert often enough to know what I'll need."
"Yes, of course." She brightened and bounced out of her chair. "I should have thought of that. I'll go do it right away."
Evelyn smiled and hurried out of the dining room. Free at last, the men finished their meal in peace.
Rick patted his overfull stomach and leaned back with a hearty sigh. The slats of his chair creaked under the shift in weight.
"I'm glad I enjoyed that," he said, "since it's probably going to be the last sand-free, hot meal I eat for the next few weeks."
As O'Connell stretched the kinks from his lower back, he spotted his companion's thoughtful, almost puzzled, expression.
"Something on your mind?"
Ardeth turned away but not before Rick spied a suspicious rise in color along the desert warrior's cheeks. Ardeth Bey, blushing? What could possibly embarrass the man who commands an army of the most feared warriors of the Egyptian desert?
"Ardeth?"
"It is nothing."
"Obviously not, or it wouldn't be sitting in your thoughts like a mossy log. Whatever's on your mind, spit it out."
Ardeth Bey debated a long moment more. He struggled to find the most diplomatic words possible.
"I mean no offense to either yourself or Evelyn but . . . I can't help but notice she seems . . . somewhat-"
"Scatterbrained? Befuddled?"
"Yes. She has always been the most logical and unshakable of women. If anything, age and experience have served only to strengthen those qualities. This 'scatterbrained' side is a one I've never seen."
Rick shrugged even as his eyes danced.
"It's not the first time she's been like this." At the Medjai's inquiring look, he expanded, "It happened once before. About, oooohhhhh, ten-eleven years ago now."
Ardeth mentally back-stepped the years. He blinked and calculated again.
"You mean-? You're certain?"
Rick puffed up, his smirk pompous to the point of overweening. "As certain as a husband can be about these things. I mean, it's been awhile since--certain things have, er, curtailed--certain other things." Rick shrugged away any further explanation, a wise decision since he'd already given his friend ample reason to laugh. "I'm just waiting for her to figure it out."
"Congratuations, sadiqi."
"Thanks."
"You realize, of course, she will want to accompany us on our journey. This might not be wise, especially if your suspicions are correct."
"No problem there. If I say she's staying, she's staying."
Ardeth answered with a raised eyebrow and enough skepticism to make his opinion quite clear.
"What?" Rick challenged the look. "You doubt I can control my wife?"
"Twice you have defeated Imhotep, as well as returned the Scorpion King to his place in the Underworld," Ardeth said, "but this, my friend, I say to you. No man born can honestly say he can control his wife. The ones who make that claim are fools."
"Then I guess I'm a fool. Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell will not be joining us on this adventure. Period. End of story."
TBC
Over an extremely late breakfast, Ardeth Bey detailed his plan to return the statue to the temple from which it had been stolen. Rick stated his intention to accompany his friend. Instead of an inscrutable desert warrior argument against the idea, Ardeth accepted the offer with only a nod of thanks. When Evelyn asked him to explain the logic of putting the statue back in a place already discovered by thieves, he deliberately did not mention his dream, stating only that the Medjai would safeguard the site in future.
As the meal progressed, the men discussed the finer points of the proposed trip, including what supplies to bring, how much ammunition to stock, how many Medjai warriors would travel with them, and what possible resistance they might find once they exchanged the relative security of the city for the sparsely populated expanse of the desert.
Throughout the entire meal, Evelyn alternated between ravenous hunger and an almost lethargic slump. One moment she heartily supported the venture, the next argued vehemently against it.
O'Connell swallowed an overlarge bite of eggs and washed it down with coffee strong enough to support a spoon. "How long do you think it'll take you to gather enough men?"
"Not long at all. There are Medjai scattered throughout the city, including seven hidden within sight of this very house. A dozen more await my order to gather. Acquiring additional mounts for you will be the only thing to prevent our leaving as early as tomorrow morning."
"Seven warriors within sight of this house, did you say?" Evelyn asked.
"After bringing the danger to your door, however reluctantly," Ardeth said, "I would be a poor friend indeed if I didn't take steps to minimize the threat."
Shaking her head, Evy tsked in false displeasure. "And you let us think you'd just get the statue and vanish."
Unable to take any more of her uncharacteristically uncertain behavior, Rick kissed her cheek and said, "Honey, could you maybe pack me a bag? You've been in the deep desert often enough to know what I'll need."
"Yes, of course." She brightened and bounced out of her chair. "I should have thought of that. I'll go do it right away."
Evelyn smiled and hurried out of the dining room. Free at last, the men finished their meal in peace.
Rick patted his overfull stomach and leaned back with a hearty sigh. The slats of his chair creaked under the shift in weight.
"I'm glad I enjoyed that," he said, "since it's probably going to be the last sand-free, hot meal I eat for the next few weeks."
As O'Connell stretched the kinks from his lower back, he spotted his companion's thoughtful, almost puzzled, expression.
"Something on your mind?"
Ardeth turned away but not before Rick spied a suspicious rise in color along the desert warrior's cheeks. Ardeth Bey, blushing? What could possibly embarrass the man who commands an army of the most feared warriors of the Egyptian desert?
"Ardeth?"
"It is nothing."
"Obviously not, or it wouldn't be sitting in your thoughts like a mossy log. Whatever's on your mind, spit it out."
Ardeth Bey debated a long moment more. He struggled to find the most diplomatic words possible.
"I mean no offense to either yourself or Evelyn but . . . I can't help but notice she seems . . . somewhat-"
"Scatterbrained? Befuddled?"
"Yes. She has always been the most logical and unshakable of women. If anything, age and experience have served only to strengthen those qualities. This 'scatterbrained' side is a one I've never seen."
Rick shrugged even as his eyes danced.
"It's not the first time she's been like this." At the Medjai's inquiring look, he expanded, "It happened once before. About, oooohhhhh, ten-eleven years ago now."
Ardeth mentally back-stepped the years. He blinked and calculated again.
"You mean-? You're certain?"
Rick puffed up, his smirk pompous to the point of overweening. "As certain as a husband can be about these things. I mean, it's been awhile since--certain things have, er, curtailed--certain other things." Rick shrugged away any further explanation, a wise decision since he'd already given his friend ample reason to laugh. "I'm just waiting for her to figure it out."
"Congratuations, sadiqi."
"Thanks."
"You realize, of course, she will want to accompany us on our journey. This might not be wise, especially if your suspicions are correct."
"No problem there. If I say she's staying, she's staying."
Ardeth answered with a raised eyebrow and enough skepticism to make his opinion quite clear.
"What?" Rick challenged the look. "You doubt I can control my wife?"
"Twice you have defeated Imhotep, as well as returned the Scorpion King to his place in the Underworld," Ardeth said, "but this, my friend, I say to you. No man born can honestly say he can control his wife. The ones who make that claim are fools."
"Then I guess I'm a fool. Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell will not be joining us on this adventure. Period. End of story."
TBC