Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie Page A

Renisenb stood in the doorway staring at the little wood pillow, at a jewel box, at a heap of bead bracelets and a ring set with a blue glazed scarab. Perfumes, unguents, clothes, linens, sandals - all speaking of their owner, of Nofret who lived in their midst and who was a stranger and an enemy.
    Where, Renisenb wondered, could Nofret herself be?
    She went slowly towards the back entrance of the house and met Henet coming in.
    “Where is everybody, Henet? The house is empty except for my grandmother.”
    “How should I know, Renisenb? I have been working - helping with the weaving, seeing to a thousand and one things. I have no time for going for walks.”
    That meant, thought Renisenb, that somebody had gone for a walk. Perhaps Satipy had followed Yahmose up to the Tomb to harangue him further? But where was Kait? Unlike Kait to be away from her children for so long.
    And again, a strange disturbing undercurrent, there ran the thought:
    “Where is Nofret?”
    As though Henet had read the thought in her mind, she supplied the answer.
    “As for Nofret, she went off a long time ago up to the Tomb. Oh, well, Hori is a match for her.” Henet laughed spitefully. “Hori has brains too.” She sidled a little closer to Renisenb. “I wish you knew, Renisenb, how unhappy I've been over all this. She came to me, you know, that day - with the mark of Kait's fingers on her cheek and the blood streaming down. And she got Kameni to write and me to say what I'd seen - and of course I couldn't say I hadn't seen it! Oh, she's a clever one. And I, thinking all the time of your dear mother -”
    Renisenb pushed past her and went out into the golden glow of the evening sun. Deep shadows were on the cliffs - the whole world looked fantastic at this hour of sunset.
    Renisenb's steps quickened as she took the way to the cliff path. She would go up to the Tomb - find Hori. Yes, find Hori. It was what she had done as a child when her toys had been broken - when she had been uncertain or afraid. Hori was like the cliffs themselves - steadfast, immovable, unchanging.
    Renisenb thought confusedly: “Everything will be all right when I get to Hori...”
    Her steps quickened - she was almost running.
    Then suddenly she saw Satipy coming towards her. Satipy too must have been up to the Tomb.
    What a very odd way Satipy was walking, swaying from side to side, stumbling as though she could not see...
    When Satipy saw Renisenb she stopped short, her hand went to her breast. Renisenb, drawing close, was startled at the sight of Satipy's face.
    “What's the matter, Satipy, are you ill?”
    Satipy's voice in answer was a croak, her eyes were shifting from side to side.
    “No, no, of course not.”
    “You look ill. You look frightened. What has happened?”
    “What should have happened? Nothing, of course.”
    “Where have you been?”
    “I went up to the Tomb - to find Yahmose. He was not there. No one was there.”
    Renisenb still stared. This was a new Satipy - a Satipy with all the spirit and resolution drained out of her.
    “Come, Renisenb - come back to the house.”
    Satipy put a slightly shaking hand on Renisenb's arm, urging her back the way she had come, and at that touch Renisenb felt a sudden revolt.
    “No, I am going up to the Tomb.”
    “There is no one there, I tell you.”
    “I like to look out over the River. To sit there.”
    “But the sun is setting - it is too late.”
    Satipy's fingers closed vise-like over Renisenb's arm. Renisenb wrenched herself loose.
    “Don't! Let me go, Satipy.”
    “No. Come back. Come back with me.”
    But Renisenb had already broken loose, pushed past her, and was on her way to the cliff.
    There was something - instinct told her there was something... Her steps quickened to a run...
    Then she saw it - the dark bundle lying under the shadow of the cliff... She hurried along until she stood close beside it.
    There was no surprise in her at what she saw. It was as though already she had expected