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poisonous
games of the court. His wife was older than he, as wiry thin as he was roundly
plump, with all the sweetness and gentility of a hungry crocodile. Astonishing
to think of that man, married to that woman, as a beloved preceptor to his
wife’s young maids.
    “He . . . taught you to give men pleasure?”
Hatshepsut asked.
    “Oh, yes,” said Isis. “His own predilections are for maids
whose breasts have barely budded; but he takes great pleasure in preparing them
for the service of men who prefer their women less youthfully tender. It’s a
gift he gives, and with great pleasure, too.”
    “And you,” said the queen, “have grown a little old for
him.”
    Isis looked sad. “Yes. Yes, when my breasts grew—it was so
sudden, lady; it was distressing—he lost his passion for me. He was very good
to me, lady. He saw me placed in your majesty’s service. He does that for all
his ladies: not here, not before this, lady, but in good service and with fine
expectations.”
    The queen’s eyes narrowed. “Yes? Did he say why he chose to
send you here?”
    “Why,” said Isis with all appearance of innocence, “yes, he
did. He said that I deserved better than to disappear among some lordling’s concubines.
I could please the king, he said, but he thought that you, lady, might need me
more.”
    “What need would I have of you?” Hatshepsut demanded.
    Isis blinked at her vehemence, but did not flinch. “Lady, a
queen needs many things. How may I serve you?”
    “You could,” said Hatshepsut, “be a trap. Still . . .
Lord Hapi? What has he to gain?”
    “Your favor, one would suppose,” Nehsi answered, though she
had not directed the question at him, “and perhaps a useful degree of
gratitude.”
    “No,” said Hatshepsut. “It’s too subtle. If he had meant to
throw her across my path, he would have placed her higher than attendant of an
attendant in my bath. He was disposing of her as he best might.”
    “With maybe some small hope that she would come to your
attention,” Nehsi said. “Why not? Forcing her on you would dispose you against
him. In this he lost nothing and stood the chance of gaining much.”
    She frowned. “Are you telling me that I should choose this
one?”
    “I think,” said Nehsi carefully, “that you will choose as
you are best pleased to do.”
    “Don’t be politic with me,” she said sharply. “It makes me
feel a fool.”
    He set his lips together and bowed.
    She rose from her throne, moving with slow grace under the
crown. The Hathors clung together all the more tightly. Meritre lifted her chin
a fraction higher. Isis watched calmly. Was that a gleam of avarice as her eyes
rested on the queen’s adornments? Or was it only the glitter of gold, dazzling
her?
    The queen walked down the line of them. She paused before
each, searching the face turned up to hers. The Hathors tried to flinch away.
She caught each, and held her till she would look up.
    She shook her head. “Too shy,” she said. “Too much in fear
of royalty. Nehsi, was this meant for a mockery?”
    “Hardly, lady,” he said. “They were bold enough in front of
me.”
    Meritre sniffed loudly. “They didn’t think. The palace lured
them—it never occurred to them to recall who lives there.”
    “Did it occur to you?” the queen inquired.
    “Immediately,” said Meritre. “What do you want of us? You
can’t have need of our particular skills, surely.”
    “I admire a sweet singer,” Hatshepsut said.
    “None of them sings more sweetly than I,” said Meritre. “But
there are singers among your attendants who put me to shame. What we all have
in common, which is the pleasing of men—what is your need of that, great lady
and queen? Is it true what they say, that no man has yet touched you? Are you
looking for a teacher?”
    “You are more clever than I thought,” Hatshepsut said. “No,
not I. The one I would have you teach . . . he likes his women
sweet-spoken and biddable. Or so I’m