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Amunhotep Son of Hapu to meet you. Huy, this is the Vizier of Upper and Lower Egypt, the noble Ptahmose.”
    They exchanged a few light pleasantries. Huy endured the other’s polite scrutiny. These men knew nothing of him but rumour. The Osiris-King Amunhotep the Second, who had generously rescued Huy and Ishat from poverty, had sometimes sent court officials to Huy for Seeings, but his son Thothmes had not dared to do so. Thus a generation of nobles had never seen him.
    “As His Majesty’s Personal Scribe, you and I will be sharing many private matters,” Ptahmose told Huy. “I hope we may become friends in our service to the Horus Throne.”
    “So do I,” Huy agreed. He was sure he would enjoy this noble’s company. The eyes met his with quiet confidence. Although Ptahmose was obviously not a young man, his lean body and well-muscled arms spoke of a balanced life. Huy was surprised by how much the Vizier knew about Hut-herib and its environs.
    “Part of my work for the King lies in examining all land transactions from the Great Green in the north to our border with Wawat, where Nehemawi serves His Majesty as Viceroy of Wawat and Kush,” Ptahmose explained. “I have representatives with every Governor and I tour the sepats twice a year, once to assess the health of the fields and once to settle any major disputes between the noble landowners after the Inundation has destroyed the canals. I have met your uncle Ker.”
    Mutemwia held up a hand and immediately Ptahmose stopped speaking. “We must continue on our way,” she said. “Is there anything I need to hear, Vizier?”
    “No, Majesty. I shall not need to trouble you with any governmental matters until I return from Weset.”
    “Very well.” She turned towards the next cell and Ptahmose bowed and withdrew. “The Vizier is a very powerful man,” she remarked to Huy. “He reports only to the King and to me. His most difficult task lies in making sure that Thothmes’ lesser sons receive estates or trade revenues commensurate with their station. They can be a quarrelsome horde, always demanding more because their blood holds the tincture of royalty. Ptahmose handles them firmly and with tact. He refuses to give any of them government posts. He prefers to promote the young men under him who have worked hard to improve their station. This cell houses the Overseer of the Treasury, Nakht-sobek. The Sobek family comes from Sumenu, south of Weset. They are lovers of the desert, but live here because they are entirely trustworthy. Nakht-sobek reports to me on the state of the Treasury every day. Of course, I have a spy in the Treasury as well.”
    Of course , Huy thought with a flash of humour that rapidly became gratitude. She has obviously decided to confide in me completely. She must know the power over both herself and her son she’s giving me. Eventually I would be able to destroy them both . He was exchanging greetings with Nakht-sobek while these thoughts flitted through his mind.
    He and Mutemwia moved on, and soon Huy gave up any effort to remember the many faces that smiled at him. I simply must hire a scribe who will walk with me and remind me what titles each person holds and what positions they fill , he thought a trifle anxiously, and I urgently need a captain who will organize the few guards I brought with me, someone who will have my welfare and the care of my staff at heart. Who can I go to for advice? Heby? My nephew Amunhotep-Huy?
    “You look worried, Huy,” Mutemwia said, and Huy came to himself.
    “Not worried, Majesty,” he responded, “but I’ve already forgotten the names of half the men I’ve seen.”
    “That will change.” She had halted and turned to him, and with a curiously possessive gesture she lifted the golden sa amulet he always wore and, setting it against his naked chest, once more patted it lightly. “I must leave you here,” she went on. “I have my own office adjoining the hall you were in earlier, and ministers