dampen their spirits.
I glanced back toward Joseph. He had already disappeared. I could only hope that somehow, he would be able to evade his snake of a mistress and return soon.
I pasted on a smile. "What are your names?" I asked the girls. "I already know you, Baktre."
"This is Ubastet, my best friend," Baktre said.
"What about Taboubu?" I asked. "Does she work with you as well?"
"Yes," Ubastet said. "Joseph rescued her from the slave market. Nobody wanted her because she is deaf and mute. But Joseph discovered she makes the best honey cakes."
"Joseph rescued us too," Baktre said
I smiled. He was indeed priceless.
The girls and I wandered around a bit. We watched a street performance that featured a monkey performing clever tricks. We looked at some of the food stalls. I bought sweets for the girls, amidst their polite protests. Every once in a while, we ran into people my family knew. I exchanged a few words with them and promised to pass on their regards to my parents.
Some time passed. Still, Joseph had not returned.
The warning whispers grew louder.
Baktre clapped a hand over her mouth. "My goodness!"
"What is it?" Ubastet asked.
"I forgot to give Joseph the change from the marketplace yesterday."
"Yesterday? You'd better give it now or he'll think you're stealing."
"I will. But you know I would never steal from Joseph." Baktre shot her friend an angry look.
Ubastet said, "But what about Lady Asenath?"
"I'm coming with you." The words were out of my mouth before I realised what I had said.
"But you might still want to explore around a bit more," Baktre said.
"No. It's all right. Let me come with you."
At the gate, Baktre said to the guard, "Lady Asenath is with us."
"Of course, of course," he said breezily and waved us in.
The girls led me to the female servants' quarters. Ubastet and I waited at the door while Baktre retrieved the money.
She returned clutching a pouch. "We will have to go to Lady Zalikha's quarters now, since that is where Joseph said he would be."
The girls looked worried.
I understood them completely. "I'll go with you there too."
Their faces relaxed.
The courtyards, as well as the main house, were completely deserted. Every single person, down to the lowliest slave, was out in the streets. I sensed evil vibes lurking about in the air.
I followed the girls down a wide corridor, which I surmised led to Potiphar and Zalikha's private chambers. We were about to round a corner when I heard some sounds.
I grabbed the girls' arms and pulled them back.
There seemed to be a lot of shuffling—cloth swishing, feet dragging across the floor.
"Mistress, please! I cannot do this."
" Joseeeeeeph. "
"Lady Asenath, what's happening?" Baktre asked. "What is Lady Zalikha doing?"
I did not want the children to see this. I searched my frenzied mind for something to say. "You two, go get help. I'll stay here."
I had to be there if Joseph needed me to save him.
"Will you be fine though?" Ubastet asked.
"Yes. Now hurry. Baktre, be careful with your money now."
The girls dashed off without making a sound. I tucked myself behind one of the columns.
"Joseph, come back," Zalikha purred. "I told you, no one will ever know."
"But my God will."
She sighed. "Joseph, Joseph, Joseph . How many times have we been through this before? I don't know anything about your God, but I am sure He would not want you to be alone. Come now. You were already so relaxed."
"I cannot do this great wickedness?"
"Joseph," Zalikha interrupted, "I know you are lonely. I am lonely too. I don't really have anyone to talk to. Potiphar is often away. Whenever he's around, he makes me feel like I don't exist. You are the only one who has been kind to me."
"Potiphar loves you."
"No, he does not. He cares only for his work and impressing Pharaoh. But you, Joseph, you are so selfless, so kind. Comfort me, please."
"I cannot, mistress." Those were his words, but his tone no longer sounded as convincing as it had
I glanced back toward Joseph. He had already disappeared. I could only hope that somehow, he would be able to evade his snake of a mistress and return soon.
I pasted on a smile. "What are your names?" I asked the girls. "I already know you, Baktre."
"This is Ubastet, my best friend," Baktre said.
"What about Taboubu?" I asked. "Does she work with you as well?"
"Yes," Ubastet said. "Joseph rescued her from the slave market. Nobody wanted her because she is deaf and mute. But Joseph discovered she makes the best honey cakes."
"Joseph rescued us too," Baktre said
I smiled. He was indeed priceless.
The girls and I wandered around a bit. We watched a street performance that featured a monkey performing clever tricks. We looked at some of the food stalls. I bought sweets for the girls, amidst their polite protests. Every once in a while, we ran into people my family knew. I exchanged a few words with them and promised to pass on their regards to my parents.
Some time passed. Still, Joseph had not returned.
The warning whispers grew louder.
Baktre clapped a hand over her mouth. "My goodness!"
"What is it?" Ubastet asked.
"I forgot to give Joseph the change from the marketplace yesterday."
"Yesterday? You'd better give it now or he'll think you're stealing."
"I will. But you know I would never steal from Joseph." Baktre shot her friend an angry look.
Ubastet said, "But what about Lady Asenath?"
"I'm coming with you." The words were out of my mouth before I realised what I had said.
"But you might still want to explore around a bit more," Baktre said.
"No. It's all right. Let me come with you."
At the gate, Baktre said to the guard, "Lady Asenath is with us."
"Of course, of course," he said breezily and waved us in.
The girls led me to the female servants' quarters. Ubastet and I waited at the door while Baktre retrieved the money.
She returned clutching a pouch. "We will have to go to Lady Zalikha's quarters now, since that is where Joseph said he would be."
The girls looked worried.
I understood them completely. "I'll go with you there too."
Their faces relaxed.
The courtyards, as well as the main house, were completely deserted. Every single person, down to the lowliest slave, was out in the streets. I sensed evil vibes lurking about in the air.
I followed the girls down a wide corridor, which I surmised led to Potiphar and Zalikha's private chambers. We were about to round a corner when I heard some sounds.
I grabbed the girls' arms and pulled them back.
There seemed to be a lot of shuffling—cloth swishing, feet dragging across the floor.
"Mistress, please! I cannot do this."
" Joseeeeeeph. "
"Lady Asenath, what's happening?" Baktre asked. "What is Lady Zalikha doing?"
I did not want the children to see this. I searched my frenzied mind for something to say. "You two, go get help. I'll stay here."
I had to be there if Joseph needed me to save him.
"Will you be fine though?" Ubastet asked.
"Yes. Now hurry. Baktre, be careful with your money now."
The girls dashed off without making a sound. I tucked myself behind one of the columns.
"Joseph, come back," Zalikha purred. "I told you, no one will ever know."
"But my God will."
She sighed. "Joseph, Joseph, Joseph . How many times have we been through this before? I don't know anything about your God, but I am sure He would not want you to be alone. Come now. You were already so relaxed."
"I cannot do this great wickedness?"
"Joseph," Zalikha interrupted, "I know you are lonely. I am lonely too. I don't really have anyone to talk to. Potiphar is often away. Whenever he's around, he makes me feel like I don't exist. You are the only one who has been kind to me."
"Potiphar loves you."
"No, he does not. He cares only for his work and impressing Pharaoh. But you, Joseph, you are so selfless, so kind. Comfort me, please."
"I cannot, mistress." Those were his words, but his tone no longer sounded as convincing as it had
Similar Books
