He Shall Thunder in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters Page A

I), but a litter of puppies brought her to her knees, and as the little creatures crawled over her she raised a face shining with pleasure. “They’re so sweet. I do wish I could have one.”
         “We’ll ask your uncle, shall we?” Nefret suggested. “I’m always looking for good homes for my strays.”
         “He’ll say it’s up to Nordie, and she’ll say no. She thinks animals are dirty and make too much trouble.”
         She was still playing with the puppies when Ramses joined us. “Enjoying yourself?” he asked, smiling down at her. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Miss Nordstrom sent me to fetch you. She is anxious to get you home.”
         “That dreary hotel isn’t home.” But she removed the puppies from her lap and held out her arms to Ramses. “It still hurts. Will you carry me?”
         “There’s no swelling,” said Nefret, running experienced fingers round the small foot. “I think it would be better for you to walk it off. Here, let me help you up.”
         She left Miss Molly little choice, lifting her to her feet and taking firm hold of her arm.
         “Are you really a doctor?” the girl asked.
         “Yes.”
         “Is it very hard, to be a doctor?”
         “Very,” Nefret said rather grimly.
         Miss Nordstrom was pacing impatiently up and down the room, so we saw them to their waiting cab and parted with mutual expressions of goodwill.
         “Why did you leave me alone with that dreadful woman?” Emerson demanded.
         “Sssh! Wait until they are farther away before you begin insulting her,” I said.
         “Well, I don’t care if she hears. She’s awfully hard on the child, you know. By her own admission she never takes her anywhere. Can you believe it, Peabody — this was their first visit to Giza, and they haven’t even been to Sakkara or Abu Roash!”
         “A cruel deprivation indeed,” I said, laughing. “Not everyone is interested in ancient sites, Emerson.”
         “She would be if she had the chance,” Emerson declared. “She asked me all sorts of questions when I was bringing her here. Why don’t you write to her uncle, Peabody, and ask if she can visit us from time to time.”
         “You’ll have to have Miss Nordstrom too.”
         “Damnation. I suppose that’s so.” Emerson brooded. “Ah, well. We might ask her and her uncle for Christmas dinner, eh? She’s a bright, cheerful little thing, and she seemed to enjoy our company, don’t you think?”
         “Oh, yes,” Nefret said. “No question about that.”

    From Letter Collection B
    Dearest Lia,
You have every right to reproach me for being a poor correspondent. Life is so dull and quiet here, there is very little to write about. Not that I wouldn’t talk for hours if you were here! We can always find things to talk about, can’t we? Never mind, the war can’t last much longer, and then we will all be together again, with a little newcomer to train up in archaeology! The Professor is moping a bit; he would never admit it, since he hates to be thought sentimental, but I think he is lonesome for Sennia. You know how he loves children. Something rather amusing happened yesterday; he came home from the dig with a new pet — a young English girl who had got herself marooned halfway up the Great Pyramid. She had panicked, as people sometimes do, and wouldn’t let her guides help her, so someone sent for Ramses. He brought her down safely, but she claimed she had hurt her foot and the Professor insisted she come to the house to have it looked after. She was accompanied by an extremely formidable governess, who snatched her away as soon as was decently possible. But I’m afraid we haven’t seen the last of her.
Why do I say “afraid?” Well, my dear, you know the effect Ramses has on females of all ages, especially when he lets his guard down, as he does with children, and gives