Ali was lounging by the pool, a tall drink in hand. “Home is the explorer!” he said cheerfully. “Go put on your suit. Take a dip with me.”

It was an easy order to obey. When she came down in her suit, he was splashing happily, a fresh drink on the pool’s edge.

“You’re not going into the city tonight, dear heart?”

“Hmm? I don’t know. Maybe give the old town a rest. Make an early night of it.”

A pleasant surprise. After a swim, they sat by the pool, stars coming out in the delightful evening. Ali mixed another drink and poured a soda for Amira. “So tell me about your day,” he smiled. “Did you discover the remains of Cleopatra?”

She told him about the palaces, the soubia, the ultra-Britishness of the consulate. He laughed, asked little questions, made jokes. He was drinking too much, but what did that matter? He was here; at least that was a start.

The change came without warning. Amira was relating what Margaret had said about the Mina. Ali’s face had darkened. He stood up unsteadily. “I don’t want you to see that woman again.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I forbid it. Sitting in a public place talking about whore- houses!”

“But, Ali, dearest—”

“Don’t argue with me. Maybe your family has no reputation to worry about, but mine does.”

“But it was only—”

“Will you sit there and dispute your husband? I tell you I forbid it!” He stalked into the house. She sat in the growing darkness, too shocked to cry. When, much later, she went inside, he was gone.

Margaret called in the morning. She was devastated, blaming herself when Amira told her what had happened. They talked for a long time, Amira trying to explain that it was no one’s fault. God’s will. Nothing to be done about it. What choice did she have but to obey her husband? “I understand,” said Margaret, but Amira could tell that she didn’t, not really.

“Good luck, my dear. Good-bye.” Those were the last words Amira heard from her new friend.

“God’s peace,” she said, but the line was already dead.

O

Again she had the pool, her books, and nothing else. “Ali, I want to go home.”

“Home? But why? It’s beautiful here. Aren’t you happy?” “No. I came here to be with you, but you are never here.” “I’m here right now.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t know what you mean. I know that my business in this city is not your business. I know that this trip was your idea. I know that I spent a for- tune to buy this place that you don’t enjoy. But I don’t know what you mean.”

A little later, she heard the car leaving.