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e felt his lips graze her forehead； and then his embrace tightened。 He kissed her hard； yet tenderly； on the mouth。
She heard Samir's urgent whisper。〃 Sire； you are in danger。 They are searching for you everywhere。〃
But she couldn't release him。 In the graceful robes； he looked more than ever otherworldly。 The pure precious love she felt for him was sharpened to the point of pain。
〃Do you know what's happened？〃 she whispered。〃 A woman in the museum was murdered and they are accusing you of the crime。〃
〃I know； my dearest；〃 he said softly。〃 The death is on my head。 And worse horrors than that。〃
She stared at him； trying to accept his words。 Then the tears rose once again； and she covered her face with her hands。
She sat on the bed； staring stupidly at him。 Did she understand when he told her the dress was a very fine dress？ She mimicked the words of the gramophone in perfect English。〃 I should like a little sugar in my coffee。 I should like a bit of lemon in my tea。〃 Then she fell silent again。
She let him button the pearl buttons； she stared down in amazement as he tied the sash of the pink skirt。 She gave an evil little laugh and lifted her leg against the heavy gores of the skirt。
〃Pretty； pretty；〃 she said。 He had taught her that much hi English。〃 Pretty dress。〃
She brushed past him suddenly and picked up a magazine from the dressing table and looked at the pictures of the women。 Then in Latin； she asked again； What is this place？
〃Egypt；〃 he told her。 He had told her over and over。 Then would e the blank look； then the look of pain。
Timidly he lifted the brush； and brought it down through her hair。 Lovely； fine hair。 Hair so black there were feint glints of blue in it。 She sighed； lifted her shoulders； she loved him brushing it。 A low laugh came from her lips。
〃Very good； Lord Rutherford；〃 she said in English。 She arched her back and moved her limbs languidly； a cat stretching； her hands exquisitely graceful as she held them poised in the air。
〃Bella Regina Cleopatra；〃 he sighed。 Was it safe now to leave her？ Could he make her understand？ Perhaps if Malenka stood outside in the street before the bolted door until he came back。
〃I must go now； Your Majesty。 I must get more of the medicine if I can。〃
She turned； stared at him blankly。 She didn't know what he was talking about！ Was it possible she could not even remember what had happened moments before？ She was trying to remember。
〃From Ramses；〃 he said。
There was a spark in her eye； then a deep shadow over her face。 She whispered something； but he didn't hear it。〃 Kind Lord Rutherford；〃 she said。
He pulled firmly； on the hairbrush。 Her hair was now a great soft drift of rippling waves。
The strangest light had e into her expression； her mouth was stack； her cheeks flushed。
She turned and stroked his face。 She said something quickly in Latin that meant he possessed an older man's knowledge and a young man's mouth。
He puzzled over it； trying to think as she looked into his eyes。 It seemed his own awareness of things drifted in and out； one moment she was this deeply afflicted creature he must care for；
the next the great Cleopatra； and the full shock of it struck him again。
Luscious； this woman； the seducer of Caesar。 She drew closer to him。 It seemed the shrewdness had returned。 Then her arm went up around his neck。 Her fingers stroked his hair。
Warm her flesh。 Dear God； the same flesh that had lain rotted and black beneath that dirty glass； thick and impenetrable as tar； that mass。
But these eyes； these deep hazel eyes with the tiny flecks of yellow in the pupils； impossible that they had sprung alive again from the dark filth。 The filth of death。。。 Her lips touched his suddenly。 Her mouth opened against his and he felt her tongue sliding between his teeth。
Instantly； his sex stirred。 But this was madness。 He was incapable。 His heart； the pain in his bones； he could not possibly 。。。 She pushed her breasts against him。 Through the cloth he felt their throbbing heat。 The lace； the pearl buttons； they only made her seem all the more deliciously savage。
His vision blurred； he saw the naked bones of her fingers as she reached to force his hair back oft〃 his forehead； as her kiss became more insistent and her tongue plunged deep into his mouth。
Cleopatra； the lover of Caesar； of Antony； and of Ramses the Damned。 He closed his arms around her waist。 She went back on the lace pillows； pulling him down on top of her。
He groaned aloud； his mouth gnawing at her。 God； to take her。 His hand gathered up the silk skirts and plunged between her legs。 Moist； hot hair mere； moist lips。
〃Good； Lord Rutherford；〃 she said in Latin。 Her hips knocked against him； against his sex bulging and ready to be free。
He opened the few buttons quickly。 How many years had it been since the thing was done in such haste？ But there was no question now of what was meant to happen。
〃Ah； take me； Lord Rutherford！〃 came her hissing whisper。〃 Plunge your dagger into my soul！〃
And this is how I die。 Not from the horrors I've beheld。 But from this； this which is beyond my strength yet irresistible。 He kissed her almost cruelly； his sex pumping between her damp thighs。 The sweet evil laughter was bubbling out of her。
He shut his eyes as he thrust against the tight little fount。
〃You cannot stay here； sire；〃 Samir said。〃 The risk is too great。 They're watching the entrance。 Surely we are being followed wherever we go。 And sire； they searched your room； they found the ancient coins。 They may have found 。。。 more than that。〃
〃No。 There was nothing else for them to find。 But I must speak with you； both of you。〃
〃Some sort of hiding place；〃 Julie said。〃 Where we can meet。〃
〃I can arrange this；〃 Samir said。〃 But I need a couple of hours。 Can you e to me outside the Great Mosque at three o'clock？ I shall dress as you are dressed。〃
〃I'm ing with you！〃 Julie insisted。〃 Nothing is going to keep me away。〃
〃Julie； you don't know what I've done；〃 Ramses whispered。
〃Ah； then you must tell me；〃 she said。〃 These robes； Samir can get them for me as well as for himself。〃
〃Oh； how I love you；〃 Ramses whispered very low under his breath。〃 And I need you。 But for your own sake； Julie； do not…〃
〃Whatever it is； I stand with you。〃
〃Sire； leave now。 There are policemen everywhere in this hotel。 They will e back to question us。 At the mosque。 Three o'clock。〃
The pain in his chest was bad； but he wasn't dying。 He sat slumped in a small wooden chair near the bed。 He needed a drink from the bottle in the other room； but he had no stamina to get it。 It was all he could manage to slowly button his shirt。
He turned to look at her again； her smooth waxen face in sleep。 But now her eyes were open。 She sat up and held out the glass vial to him。
〃Medicine；〃 she said。
〃Yes； I shall get it。 But you must stay here。 You understand？〃 In Latin first he explained it。〃 You are safe here。 You must remain in this house。〃
It seemed she did not want to do this。
〃Where will you go？〃 she asked。 She looked around her； she looked at the window beside the bed； open onto the slanting afternoon sun and a barren whitewashed wall。〃 Egypt。 I do not believe this is Egypt。〃
〃Yes； yes； my dear。 And I must try to find Ramses。〃
That spark again； and then the confusion； and suddenly the panic。
But he rose； he could delay this no longer。 He could only hope and pray that Ramses had somehow gotten free of his captors。 Surely Julie and Alex had marshalled the appropriate lawyers。 Whatever the case； he must try to reach the hotel。
〃Not very long； Your Majesty；〃 he said to her。〃 I shall return with the medicine as soon as I can。〃
She did not appear to trust him。 She watched suspiciously as he went out of the room。
Malenka sat crouched still in die corner of the sitting room。 She was shivering and she stared at him with empty； stupid eyes。
〃My dear； listen to me；〃 he said。 He found his cane by the drinks cupboard and took it in hand。〃 I want you to go out with me； lock the door and stand guard。〃
Did the girl understand？ She was staring past him； he turned around and saw Cleopatra in the door…barefoot； her hair streaming； so that again she looked utterly savage in the proper pink silk English dress。 She stared at Malenka。
The girl recoiled； whimpering。 Her loathing and fear were plain。
〃No； no； dearest。 e with me；〃 Elliott said。〃 Don't be afraid； she won't hurt you。〃
Malenka was too terrified to listen or obey。 Her piteous cries grew louder。 Cleopatra's blank face had changed to a mask of rage。
She came towards the helpless woman； who stared at the naked bones in her hand and in her foot。
〃She's only a servant girl；〃 said the Earl； reaching out for Cleopatra's arm。 She pivoted and slapped him； knocking him backwards so that he fell against the parrot's cage。 As Malenka screamed in pure hysteria； the bird began to screech frantically； beating hi