“Oh, I suppose so. You aren’t going to insist on going through it, I hope.”

“I am going to insist on a whiskey and soda and a comfortable bed,” I said, smiling. “But the door is now useless as a barrier, so I shall ask Selim, as a special favor, to send a few of his people to guard the place.”

Our friends reported no disturbance during the night, and Mohammed, our carpenter, repaired the door. Fatima sent one of her girls to the house, and under my direction we soon had the place in fairly good order—the bed linens laundered, dust and sand removed, dishes washed and put away. I did a thorough examination and discovered no indication that Herr Morgenstern had shared his accommodations with von Raubritter or Buddle, which I found peculiar, since it was customary to do so. By late in the afternoon we completed the task and returned to the dahabeeyah. I was delighted to find David sitting with Nefret and Ramses on the upper deck.

“How are you?” I said as I gave him an enthusiastic hug. “Is everything well with your family?”

“They send their kindest regards, Aunt Amelia,” he replied, his thin brown face split by a warm smile. “As does Lia, who is so very fond of you and the Professor. I miss her so much that I can scarcely sleep at night.”

“But when you do,” Nefret said, giggling, “I’m sure you dream of her. Her letters have become quite boring, since her only topic is how much she misses you.”

“May I read them?” he asked eagerly.

“Of course not. They would make you blush.”

Ramses gave her an odd look as he handed me a whiskey and soda. I gave him an equally odd look, but he failed to notice it.

By the following morning we were ready to take the early train. Ramses announced his intention of accompanying us, and David did the same; Nefret decided to go to Luxor to visit the clinic and purchase supplies as needed. Daoud beamed all over his large amiable face when I asked if he would like to go. After expressing his pleasure in being able to visit the city, he added vehemently, “And, Sitt, I will watch every passerby and seize them if they approach too closely.”

We discussed various ramifications of this proposal, and Daoud agreed not to seize people unless they appeared menacing, though I was not certain he understood what I meant by that word, or would accept my definition if he did.

“With you on one side of me and Emerson on the other, and Ramses and David following behind, no one can get near enough to harm me,” I pointed out.

“Camels,” muttered Daoud. “A rider on a camel—”

“You will, of course, watch out for them, too,” I said, wondering how many innocuous camel riders would be demanding exorbitant baksheesh after being dragged from their saddles.