Orphan of the Sun by Gill Harvey

for Dedi. She looked up. ‘I’m the one who should be sorry,’ she said. ‘I was being foolish. I meant to come back, but somehow it was too late.’
    â€˜So there is nothing wrong?’ Kenna’s eyes searched her face.
    â€˜Nothing,’ said Meryt. She changed the subject hastily. ‘I saw your brother this morning, on your father’s donkey. He said he was going moonlighting.’
    â€˜Yes. There is work to be done in the Place of Beauty.’ Kenna shrugged. His brothers’ workload had never really interested him, for he could not share in it. He fell in alongside Meryt as she continued along the street. ‘How is Baki? Do you have to stay at home later on?’ he asked.
    Meryt thought of the oracle, and hesitated, unsure whether to mention it. ‘Baki’s fine,’ she said. ‘Why?’
    â€˜There is news,’ replied Kenna. ‘Userkaf is going to consult the oracle about Nebnufer.’
    Meryt was taken aback. ‘So it’s already common knowledge!’ she exclaimed.
    â€˜Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Someone mentioned it to Father this morning,’ said Kenna. ‘He’s on Nebnufer’s gang, so he was bound to hear about it. Will you come with me to see what happens?’
    â€˜I have agreed to go with Dedi,’ replied Meryt, and looked away, not wanting to see Kenna’s response. Perhaps his face would light up, just as it had done before.
    â€˜We could all go together,’ he suggested.
    Meryt said nothing, but something tightened inside her. She did not want to spend the evening witnessing Kenna’s admiration for her friend, but what could she do? She had told him that nothing was wrong.
    â€˜Couldn’t we?’ Kenna persisted. ‘It would be fun.’
    Meryt shrugged. ‘All right,’ she agreed grudgingly. She shot him a glance. ‘But I doubt Dedi will see it as fun.’
    Kenna looked instantly ashamed at his thoughtlessness. ‘No, of course not,’ he said. ‘Well, we are her friends. I shall be glad to offer her my support.’
    Despite her jealousy, Meryt had to agree. ‘I think she may need it,’ she said.
    The household was quiet when Meryt returned home. Senmut had gone out, and Baki was asleep. Tia and Nauna were sitting in the courtyard with the children, weaving – or pretending to weave, for it did not take Meryt long to work out that Tia was exhausted.
    â€˜Did you manage to get any sleep?’ she asked.
    Tia shook her head. ‘Baki was restless. I couldn’t leave him.’
    Nauna tutted. ‘You have more than one child to care for,’ she chided her daughter-in-law. ‘Remember the unborn one and take care you do not lose it.’
    For once, Meryt agreed with Nauna, and she squatted down next to her aunt and held her hand. ‘Do you think you could sleep now? I will take your place at the loom.’
    Tia looked at her gratefully, and as she hauled herself to her feet, Meryt saw that her belly was growing daily. There were not so many months left before she gave birth. Three, perhaps. Four at the most. She allowed Tia to lean on her arm and guided her inside to the middle room.
    Meryt spread out a reed mat and Tia flopped down on to it. ‘Heria came to visit,’ she murmured,looking up at Meryt with weary eyes.
    â€˜Heria!’ As far as Meryt was concerned, there was only one reason for Heria to visit, and that was to obtain an answer to her son’s proposal of marriage.
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ said Tia softly. ‘Senmut wasn’t here. I told her you hadn’t decided yet.’
    â€˜And what did she say?’
    Tia smiled. ‘She said they could wait a little longer,’ she said, and closed her eyes.
    Meryt heaved a sigh of relief, and left her aunt to sleep. So there was still time. She thought of her offering to Peshedu and silently repeated her prayer as she went back to the courtyard. As