Read Online Theodosia and the Last Pharoah by R. L. Lafevers - Free Book Online
Authors: R. L. Lafevers
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the Cairo station. Nor was there a Nationalist demonstration going on just outside. Even better, Mother's dragoman, Nabir, was waiting for us, his dark face creased in smiles as he greeted Mother with a bow. "Welcome back, madams."
"It's wonderful to be back, Nabir," Mother said. "And you remember my daughter, Theodosia?"
His smile dimmed ever so slightly. "But of course." He bowed to me and I thought I detected a flicker of panic cross his face. I could not imagine why. Nabir and I had gotten on quite well last time, although I'd had to strong-arm him a time or two in order to carry on with my business. Surely he didn't hold that against me.
"Have you assembled all the workmen?" Mother asked.
"Most all, madams." He and Mother began walking toward the baggage car, discussing archaeological business. I hung back a bit, hoping to find Gadji. Score after score of dusty Arabs disembarked the train, but they were all adult size. Finally, a small figure appeared in the doorway, a monkey clinging to his shoulder.
As Gadji stepped onto the platform, I cast one more glance in Mother's direction, but she was still occupied with the luggage. Good.
"You made it," I said.
He gave me an odd look. "Of course Gadji makes it. Why would I not?"
"No reason. Do you have someplace to stay here in Luxor?"
Gadji shrugged. "Not yet."
"I thought you had family here?"
"Gadji used to have familys here," he corrected. "I am not knowing if they are still here until I look for them."
"Where will you spend the night?"
"I will find someplace. A barn, a doorway. If all else fails, I will sleep under the stars and let Nut watch over me."
I couldn't decide whether to be impressed by his trust in Nut, the Egyptian goddess of the sky, or horrified by his casual disregard for his circumstance. Horrified won. "But that's not safe, is it? How will you eat?"
Gadji shrugged again. "I will beg." He nudged Sefu and the little imp scampered under the collar of Gadji's robe and settled onto his back, making him appear misshapen.
"I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe you should come with us?" I suggested.
Gadji flicked a glance over in Mother's direction with a look of scorn. "You think she is being pleased with that?"
"I'll come up with some excuse," I explained, but before I could elaborate, Nabir spotted us and hurried over. He erupted into a quick spate of Arabic and tried to shoo Gadji away. Honestly, he wasn't a fly! Why did everyone insist on treating him so? Gadji flashed me a look as if to say, See, I told you so.
"It's okay, Nabir. He's with me."
Nabir's words stumbled to a halt, a look of wariness on his face. "What is he doing with you, miss?"
He had me there. I grabbed the first explanation I could think of. "I had promised that I would hire him to carry my things once we arrived in Luxor. Here." I shoved my satchel at Gadji.
Thinking quickly, he reached out and took it. Then he held out his other hand for Isis's basket. I hesitated. Conscious of Nabir's suspicious stare, I had no choice but to hand it over. "Do be careful not to jostle the basket," I told Gadji. "It contains very precious cargo."
He gave a surprisingly regal little bow. "I am carrying it most carefully, effendi miss," he said just as Mother joined our little group.
"What is going on, Theo?" she asked with a small frown. "Is he one of yours, Nabir?"
I jumped in before the dragoman could say anything. "No, Mother. He's the boy on the train. Remember? I'd promised to give him baksheesh, but you said that wasn't a good idea since it only encouraged poor behavior. So I took your suggestion and offered him a job carrying my luggage instead." I smiled brightly, as if this was the most brilliant idea she'd ever had.
"That was my idea?" she asked faintly.
"Yes, and it is much better than begging, Mother. You said so yourself."
"I suppose I did," she muttered. "Very well. Come along, then. Do we have everything, Nabir?"
"More than enough, madams." He threw an annoyed
"It's wonderful to be back, Nabir," Mother said. "And you remember my daughter, Theodosia?"
His smile dimmed ever so slightly. "But of course." He bowed to me and I thought I detected a flicker of panic cross his face. I could not imagine why. Nabir and I had gotten on quite well last time, although I'd had to strong-arm him a time or two in order to carry on with my business. Surely he didn't hold that against me.
"Have you assembled all the workmen?" Mother asked.
"Most all, madams." He and Mother began walking toward the baggage car, discussing archaeological business. I hung back a bit, hoping to find Gadji. Score after score of dusty Arabs disembarked the train, but they were all adult size. Finally, a small figure appeared in the doorway, a monkey clinging to his shoulder.
As Gadji stepped onto the platform, I cast one more glance in Mother's direction, but she was still occupied with the luggage. Good.
"You made it," I said.
He gave me an odd look. "Of course Gadji makes it. Why would I not?"
"No reason. Do you have someplace to stay here in Luxor?"
Gadji shrugged. "Not yet."
"I thought you had family here?"
"Gadji used to have familys here," he corrected. "I am not knowing if they are still here until I look for them."
"Where will you spend the night?"
"I will find someplace. A barn, a doorway. If all else fails, I will sleep under the stars and let Nut watch over me."
I couldn't decide whether to be impressed by his trust in Nut, the Egyptian goddess of the sky, or horrified by his casual disregard for his circumstance. Horrified won. "But that's not safe, is it? How will you eat?"
Gadji shrugged again. "I will beg." He nudged Sefu and the little imp scampered under the collar of Gadji's robe and settled onto his back, making him appear misshapen.
"I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe you should come with us?" I suggested.
Gadji flicked a glance over in Mother's direction with a look of scorn. "You think she is being pleased with that?"
"I'll come up with some excuse," I explained, but before I could elaborate, Nabir spotted us and hurried over. He erupted into a quick spate of Arabic and tried to shoo Gadji away. Honestly, he wasn't a fly! Why did everyone insist on treating him so? Gadji flashed me a look as if to say, See, I told you so.
"It's okay, Nabir. He's with me."
Nabir's words stumbled to a halt, a look of wariness on his face. "What is he doing with you, miss?"
He had me there. I grabbed the first explanation I could think of. "I had promised that I would hire him to carry my things once we arrived in Luxor. Here." I shoved my satchel at Gadji.
Thinking quickly, he reached out and took it. Then he held out his other hand for Isis's basket. I hesitated. Conscious of Nabir's suspicious stare, I had no choice but to hand it over. "Do be careful not to jostle the basket," I told Gadji. "It contains very precious cargo."
He gave a surprisingly regal little bow. "I am carrying it most carefully, effendi miss," he said just as Mother joined our little group.
"What is going on, Theo?" she asked with a small frown. "Is he one of yours, Nabir?"
I jumped in before the dragoman could say anything. "No, Mother. He's the boy on the train. Remember? I'd promised to give him baksheesh, but you said that wasn't a good idea since it only encouraged poor behavior. So I took your suggestion and offered him a job carrying my luggage instead." I smiled brightly, as if this was the most brilliant idea she'd ever had.
"That was my idea?" she asked faintly.
"Yes, and it is much better than begging, Mother. You said so yourself."
"I suppose I did," she muttered. "Very well. Come along, then. Do we have everything, Nabir?"
"More than enough, madams." He threw an annoyed
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