Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw Read Free Book Online Page B

murmured.
    But he only shoved forward another counter without speaking. For a time the dogs progressed from square to square in silence, but Nekonkh’s ill humor wore off as they both became absorbed in the game. He played unimaginatively but well, and he knew the gambits thoroughly. Mara, having had little experience with any game in her slave’s life, was forced to use all her wits to counter his moves and at the same time strike out for the other side of the board. In the end it was by sheer audacity that she inveigled his three last dogs into a position where she could capture them all and jump her sole remaining one into the “royal” square.
    She sat back, laughing, as Nekonkh’s eyebrows soared. “By all that’s sacred!” he exploded. “Now how did you trick me into that?”
    “Trick? I used no trick! Could you think so harsh of me?”
    “I could and do!
Ai
, little one, you should have been a general!” Nekonkh chuckled as he swept the dogs into their drawer. “Or perhaps I’m getting old.”
    “Not so, friend captain,” said a dry voice behind them. “That maid’s a hard opponent. She plays to win.”
    They swung around. Sheftu was lounging in the doorway, his arms folded comfortably.
    “Aye—well, now, who doesn’t?” muttered Nekonkh. He busied himself putting away the game. Mara rose, on the defensive herself, though she could not have told why. “How long have you been standing there?” she demanded.
    “Long enough,” said Sheftu, “to make several interesting observations.”
    “Indeed! I suppose I’ve few secrets left now.”
    “Oh, none at all.”
    He grinned down at her. In spite of herself she felt an overpowering curiosity—which she had no intention of admitting—as to just what those observations had been. Brushing past him, out the cabin door, she strolled across the deck to the port rail. The sun, dropping into Libya, had set river and sky aflame, but she was less aware of it than of the fact that he had followed and was leaning on the gunwale beside her.
    “Ra dies by fire tonight,” she commented. “That’s a lovely sky.”
    “Aye, so it is.”
    His tone finished that subject. She groped hastily for another. “I vow it’s hard to believe another day is ending. Only two more and we’ll dock at Abydos. Is it not amazing how—”
    “Aye, aye, it’s amazing. Come, I’m convinced you’re quite indifferent to my opinion. Now go ahead and ask me what I was talking about in there.”
    She whirled to find his face alight with laughter. “The devil take you! Why do you plague me? What do you want of me?”
    “I haven’t decided yet,” he told her imperturbably.
    “Oh, haven’t you! Haven’t you indeed? By Set and all his demons, you’re a cool one! I’ll wager the captain was right—he said you were a rogue!”
    There was a tiny silence. “Now that’s interesting,” remarked Sheftu. He was still smiling, but all at once his eyes were dangerous. “And what else did the captain say?”
    Ast
, watch your tongue, my girl! thought Mara. There’s something here you don’t know about …
    “What else?” prodded Sheftu.
    “Why—naught else.”
    He waited. His smile had hardened into something so implacable that she felt a tremor of fear. Why should he probe so? Perhaps she’d better come out with the whole thing. “The captain did naught but caution me about stray young men on river boats. Aside from the fact that he fluttered like a hen with one chick, is there anything startling about that?”
    He subjected her to that cold scrutiny a moment longer, then slowly relaxed, easing one elbow against the rail. “Nay, I’m not startled, only interested in the captain’s opinion. So he said I was a rogue?”
    “He said you might be.”
    “Aye, and so I might. Or something even worse.”
    He seemed amused now, and Mara’s self-confidence rushed back, along with her usual impudence. “Doubtless! You’ve secrets you don’t tell, that’s certain.
Ai
, so