which would fit on the shelf in her bathroom at home. She didnât bargain too much because she knew she was wasting precious time if she was to rejoin the group at the end of the session. Achmed would be very concerned if she didnât turn up.
The crowds had started to thin as she made her way once more up the path towards the temple. She couldnât see the others at that moment but she knew they couldnât be far away. She went through into the crowded inner courtyard and could easily have joined any group to listen to the guide, as every single party seemed to be English this evening. It had become quite dark, and the lights on the walls shone down onto the ancient stone path in such a way that it was difficult to see where to walk to avoid the cracks and crevices. But the night was clear, and the remnants of the stone pillars towering above were still very impressive, and sometimes intimidating, making her feel very insignificant. She could imagine how people had felt coming to worship there in the cool of the evening, maybe holding the hand of a loved one, surrounded perhaps by family and friends, content in the knowledge someone was looking after them from the great beyond.
She felt a great surge of happiness, and sat for a while on one of the stone walls, using one of the lights to help her see to scribble her thoughts down. Notebook one or notebook two? Surely the two could merge together. The facts linked with a tinge of the romantic. Peter had put ideas into her head. She knew she was writing some of the best work sheâd produced and the magazine would be pleased with the finished result. At least she hoped so.
She breathed in the air. It seemed so pure and so fresh. She dangled her feet, as if she was a little girl sitting over a river. She listened to the present-day chatter and laughter which went over and around her. She was a part of all this. Life was good. That must have been the teaching of the temple from the beginning of time. The ânowâ was important. She must live this life given to her, and not waste a moment.
After some time she began to rejoin the world. She had enjoyed the freedom of being alone, albeit with hundreds of other people in the building. It was nice to be unknown, with no one hailing her. But now it was time to find the others. They couldnât have gone far.
She soon spotted them. Gerald stood with the light on her strange ears. Cheng appeared to be thinking deeply, with his eyes half closed. Peter was listening intently to something Achmed was saying, and for once wasnât puffing at his cigar. Mary was a little way from him, staring up at one of the carvings. Jan had somehow managed to intertwine her ten silk scarves round her neck, arms and waist, and looked as if she could at any moment do the dance of the seven veils. The others seemed mesmerised by the mini-lecture.
And then Aline stiffened. She was being enveloped by a strong pungent perfume. Of course it had to be her, that woman! And it was! She stood a little way distant from the main group. Her red silk trousers and top contrasted with all the cottons and cropped trousers of the others. Her long, gold armlet-type bracelets closely covered each arm from wrist to elbow. Her black hair glittered in the dim light.
Nephthys had rejoined the tour.
*
Aline felt devastated. It had been so peaceful without her. And now, she was sure, Nephthys would somehow disrupt the party.
She didnât go to join the others immediately. It was obvious Nephthys would start talking to her and try to intimidate her in her usual fashion. She walked off slowly into the darkness going down a sandy path; she followed it towards the back of the temple. It was becoming quite cold as the evening descended, and a cool breeze had started. She pulled her shawl round her shoulders and wound the scarf Jan had given her round her hand, hiding the gold ring. The little pyramid she dropped into a pocket of her jeans.
She
The crowds had started to thin as she made her way once more up the path towards the temple. She couldnât see the others at that moment but she knew they couldnât be far away. She went through into the crowded inner courtyard and could easily have joined any group to listen to the guide, as every single party seemed to be English this evening. It had become quite dark, and the lights on the walls shone down onto the ancient stone path in such a way that it was difficult to see where to walk to avoid the cracks and crevices. But the night was clear, and the remnants of the stone pillars towering above were still very impressive, and sometimes intimidating, making her feel very insignificant. She could imagine how people had felt coming to worship there in the cool of the evening, maybe holding the hand of a loved one, surrounded perhaps by family and friends, content in the knowledge someone was looking after them from the great beyond.
She felt a great surge of happiness, and sat for a while on one of the stone walls, using one of the lights to help her see to scribble her thoughts down. Notebook one or notebook two? Surely the two could merge together. The facts linked with a tinge of the romantic. Peter had put ideas into her head. She knew she was writing some of the best work sheâd produced and the magazine would be pleased with the finished result. At least she hoped so.
She breathed in the air. It seemed so pure and so fresh. She dangled her feet, as if she was a little girl sitting over a river. She listened to the present-day chatter and laughter which went over and around her. She was a part of all this. Life was good. That must have been the teaching of the temple from the beginning of time. The ânowâ was important. She must live this life given to her, and not waste a moment.
After some time she began to rejoin the world. She had enjoyed the freedom of being alone, albeit with hundreds of other people in the building. It was nice to be unknown, with no one hailing her. But now it was time to find the others. They couldnât have gone far.
She soon spotted them. Gerald stood with the light on her strange ears. Cheng appeared to be thinking deeply, with his eyes half closed. Peter was listening intently to something Achmed was saying, and for once wasnât puffing at his cigar. Mary was a little way from him, staring up at one of the carvings. Jan had somehow managed to intertwine her ten silk scarves round her neck, arms and waist, and looked as if she could at any moment do the dance of the seven veils. The others seemed mesmerised by the mini-lecture.
And then Aline stiffened. She was being enveloped by a strong pungent perfume. Of course it had to be her, that woman! And it was! She stood a little way distant from the main group. Her red silk trousers and top contrasted with all the cottons and cropped trousers of the others. Her long, gold armlet-type bracelets closely covered each arm from wrist to elbow. Her black hair glittered in the dim light.
Nephthys had rejoined the tour.
*
Aline felt devastated. It had been so peaceful without her. And now, she was sure, Nephthys would somehow disrupt the party.
She didnât go to join the others immediately. It was obvious Nephthys would start talking to her and try to intimidate her in her usual fashion. She walked off slowly into the darkness going down a sandy path; she followed it towards the back of the temple. It was becoming quite cold as the evening descended, and a cool breeze had started. She pulled her shawl round her shoulders and wound the scarf Jan had given her round her hand, hiding the gold ring. The little pyramid she dropped into a pocket of her jeans.
She
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