Three Rivers (25 page)

She could not help but think of Ava and Kate. Whatever path she decided to take, she knew she could never resolve her relationship with them.

Anthony asked Isabel when she expected to go back to London.

“I don’t know, but I must wait for Alexis to arrive. He is coming in the early hours of this morning. I would like to be in London by eleven
A.M.
on Monday. That is what I will tell him when he returns. What about you, Anthony?”

“Well, let us see what the man has to say. I would, of course, happily travel back with you. The sooner that I get to my studio, the better. You see, Isabel, I am going to return here to Egypt as quickly as I can get my things in order. I have met a rich young man who was kind enough to offer me an extended stay and I want very much to live here for a while. I think it would do me a great deal of good.”

They kissed each other goodnight at the top of the stairs. Anthony went off in one direction and Isabel in the other.

Isabel was now extremely tired and could think of nothing but sleep. All those passion-filled nights were catching up with her. She slipped in between the soft sheets and then remembered Alexis’s cable.

There under the pillow was an antique green velvet case. She picked it up and opened it. Inside was a Cameron box of ivory inlaid with gold and black onyx. It was exquisite, a lady’s powder box, the most perfect compact.

It was five inches long, three inches wide and only half an inch high. The clasp was a crown in platinum with small diamonds, and inside was a beveled mirror and a powder puff of pure down feathers. The craftsmanship was Cameron at its best.

Lying on the sheet where the box had been was a note: “My darling, this box was made for Catherine the Great. Need I say more than I love you. Now, get out of bed and go to sleep in front of the water lilies. There is something under the pillow there waiting for you. I will be next to you as soon as I can. Love, Alexis.”

Isabel was ecstatic. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure that it was true. She did. It was. What was it
about that man? Was it the way that he did things, the way that he made love to her, the gifts, the romance of it all, the man himself? What was it that made her love him? He thought she was as good as Catherine the Great, and he could not wait to be with her! She flew around the room, picking up her bumblebee dress, which she would wear for breakfast. Wrapping herself in her dressing gown, her slippers in her hand, she took her ivory box and dashed through the sitting room into Alexis’s bedroom.

Faithful, dependable Gamal was becoming more a part of her life every day. He was standing there with a broad smile on his face. She could not help showing him the box. They both beamed. The bed had been turned down; there was a hot drink next to it. She thanked him and he left.

Isabel dashed for the bed and under the pillows there was a large flat package, wrapped in egg-yolk-yellow tissue paper, The wrappings were held together by an ancient Arab necklace of heavy silver and chunks of amber. Very barbaric, heavy, majestic. It was, as usual, splendid.

The necklace was finally removed, and she tore the paper away, gasping with pleasure. There, under the paper, was something unexpected and dazzling. A twelve-by-fourteen-inch color photograph of Alexis and Isabel in full gallop on their camels. The camels’ heads were pushed forward, their necks stretched high and pulled back by the reins. All their silver trimmings and tassels of a variety of colors were caught flapping in the wind. Behind them was Hosni and another rider. Alexis was looking directly into the camera so that it caught him full face. He looked glorious. He had one arm raised with his whip in his hand. And there was Isabel, sitting straight as a poker, riding hard and fast on Ishta. She was either screaming with laughter, or it must have been the moment when she let out a yell for Ishta to run for her life. All the excitement of that morning had been caught in the photograph.

Who in the world had taken it? There was just a corner of the Pyramid showing, and the sun was still hot red. She tried to recapture the very moment but could not. She looked at her face in the picture. Her facial expression was filled with excitement, joy, youth and passion. Isabel looked at it and knew it was the photograph of a lifetime. She would never ever look like that again.

It was the most wonderful photograph of the pair of them that she could ever hope to have. It was under glass
and framed in Fabergé ivory with a fine gold inlay of flowers all around it. In the center of each flower was a rose-cut diamond.

She slipped out of her dressing gown and under the covers with her gifts. Eventually she put the photograph next to her on the bedside table. The box sat next to it. She wanted to wait for Alexis. She put on her heavy silver necklace and sat up in bed waiting. A short time after she finished her hot drink, her eyes would simply not stay open. She slipped down on the pillows and fell sound asleep, not waking until morning.

The first thing that she saw when she opened her eyes was the Monet water lilies. The room was only in half-light because the draperies were still drawn. But the water lilies were there; she could feel them, not just see them. Isabel grasped why it was that she could see the water lilies so clearly in the dim light. Of course! It was because they were painted that way. Not in a dim light, but through the dim eyes of Claude Monet. He painted the great series of the water lilies in the very last years of his life, when he was almost totally blind. He constructed the lily garden over a period of years in his beloved garden. Monet rarely left his garden. He had no need, for he had created heaven in the earth of Giverny.

In the quiet of the room the lilies shimmered forth at her. They had been painted with energy that came from Monet’s soul and went out through his fingertips. It was a masterpiece painted through the depths of his being, out of love for the lilies he could no longer see.

Isabel, with her eyes still wrapped around the painting, and the painting wrapped around Isabel, softly caressed Alexis, fast asleep, beside her in the bed. Another time she could have cried out with gratitude for the privilege of being able to appreciate such a painting, but she did not have to now.

All her life she would be free to cultivate her senses, to appreciate without guilt and gratitude. Some dreadful wound in her was miraculously healed. The miracle of the disappearing Nile perhaps? She would not question; she would merely accept.

Now she remembered something of Dostoevski’s she had once read: “He has no more pressing need than the one to find somebody to whom he can surrender, as quickly
as possible, that gift of freedom which he, the unfortunate creature, was born with.”

She lay there for a long time looking at the painting; then, turning on her side, she leaned on her elbow and looked at Alexis. He continued to sleep deeply. Almost soundlessly Gamal opened the door and slipped into the room. He went to the window and opened the draperies. The light spilled forth. Alexis still didn’t move. Isabel, still in her same position, leaning on her elbow watching him, merely drew the covers over her to hide her nakedness. Gamal went to the window on Isabel’s side of the bed and more sunlight flooded the room. He padded out of the room leaving Isabel to look at Monet’s water lilies in the light of day. They would never be anyone else’s water lilies.

Gamal returned to put a cup of tea on the table next to Alexis and another next to Isabel. He pointed to his watch and left the room. She understood. She was to wake Alexis.

Very quietly she moved across the large bed to him. Their bodies nearly touching, she ever so gently kissed him on his lips. He did not move. She kissed him again a little harder, and still he did not move. She opened her mouth ever so slightly because the very touch of his skin thrilled her. She pressed her lips to his now with a light, passionate kiss, and he opened his mouth and kissed her deeply.

There were two hours before he had to be dressed and in his study with his secretary. In those two hours they made passionate love, talked about their two days apart, what they had done, her gifts, and then they made love again.

Their sex the second time was less gentle and loving. It was filled with wilder passion. His desire for her the second time was more overwhelming, and he fucked her long and hard, bit her and licked her.

Again when he came, he let out that same primeval scream. Although he was on top of her, he pulled her up and crushed her tight to him and rocked her back and forth. They stayed locked that way, all spent but together.

Then they lay in each other’s arms, saying nothing. There was, after all, nothing to say. They stroked each other’s hair and occasionally kissed and nibbled at one another with a touch almost as light as air. Eventually there
was a light tap at the bathroom door. It was Juju. Their bath was ready. Alexis told her that they would be in shortly.

Turning on his side he faced Isabel. He turned down the covers of the bed and ran his hand and mouth over her body. Her nipples were no longer tender, but sore. Just his wet tongue over them made her squirm with pleasure. He buried his face in her moist pubic hair, reached in between her legs and spread their wetness all over her body; then he said, “Come, darling, we will bathe together.”

They went to the bathroom, where he dismissed Juju and Maryka. He washed Isabel inside and out. Then, when it was her turn, she bathed him. They were two radiantly happy people as they dried and powdered one another. He stepped into his galabia, she put on her bumblebee dress and they went into the sitting room between the two bedrooms.

Breakfast had been laid for them. They were both ravenous and ate greedily. It was over breakfast, after he put his paper down, that Isabel said, “Alexis, I want to speak to you seriously.”

“Yes, darling?”

“Alexis, you really did not bring me here to work, did you?”

“No. I wanted to be with you. I wanted to know you. I used the work as an excuse when I sensed over the telephone that you mistrusted me. It was unfair, I admit. Just an excuse to get you here. I am not sorry. That is why I insisted that you be paid in advance before you arrived. I knew that you would not accept money, and not come. Are you angry?”

“No, Alexis, but I do want to tell you that I never did accept the job or the money you offered. My man, Endo, had an envelope with the check and a letter of regret that I had written in London before I left. He had instructions that if I did not call him by Tuesday morning, he was to deliver it to Alexander to hold for your arrival.”

“How extraordinary. Why?”

“Well, there was something in that phone call you made to me in London. I wanted to believe what you told me, that you really wanted me. Out of fear, anxiety and conflict, I had to turn it into a job to believe that you could want me. By Tuesday I thought I would know the truth and by Tuesday, I did.”

“You are wonderful and amazing, Isabel. How nice that we do not have a problem. I was a bit concerned because I knew that I was causing you confusion. You see, darling, I am a beast at times. I do what I have to do to get what I want, especially when I know it to be right. If a job had been offered, would you have taken it?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I would have taken it out of greed and to inflate my ego as well. I no longer get the pleasure that I once did out of being an art consultant. To work for money and one’s ego only is too humiliating. I only thought that way before I went to Upper Egypt. Now, of course, since my trip, it would be impossible to do. I need not even think about it.”

“Isabel, I respect what has happened to you as I know you do. A very long time ago I had a different experience, but no less effective on me than yours has been on you. For many years now I have been standing outside the affairs of the world. Although I am here, involved in the day-to-day living, I too became liberated from my ego. I have contemplated the laws of life and so realize that knowing how to become free of blame is the highest good. Having learned that, living it has brought me more joy, pleasure and the freedom to help others without bias. If other people involved with me do not understand this, it can be painful for them. It is, in fact, painful for anyone who does not live it, but so few know that.” Suddenly his face darkened. “Isabel, have you been happy? I wanted very much to make you happy …”

“Happy?” Isabel exclaimed. “I think I have waited all my life just for these few days!”

Alexis reached across the table and took both her hands in his. She saw that his eyes were filled with emotion, almost on the verge of tears. Her eyes did fill with tears. “What a sentimental pair we are!” Alexis said in a hoarse voice and gave her a light smack on the hand.

“Now listen, my darling, I do not know how much this week has meant for you, but having you here has meant a great deal to me. I am not going to let you go, but I am going to have to be away from you for a while. I have some important work to do, and I need some time because you have affected me very deeply. I won’t lose you, will I, Isabel?”

“I don’t know, Alexis, but I can’t imagine a life without you now.”

“Well, that is something anyway.” Alexis paused. “Darling, I am going to send you home tomorrow.”

Isabel went visibly pale but said nothing. Alexis saw it but thought it best not to draw attention to it and so went on, “We will have lunch with my mother today. She will want to say good-bye. You know she is very impressed with you. Tonight will be our last night together here in Cairo on this trip. Tomorrow we will fly to Damascus, and then, in the evening, the plane will fly you on to London. There will be many people on the plane. You will go directly to my cabin and I will join you as soon as possible. When the plane flies you to London, you will, of course, have the run of the plane. Anthony, who, by the way, I have grown to like very much, will travel with you and Gamal. Alexander will be in Damascus and see you home as well. Now, darling, what do you want to do about tonight?”

“Oh, Alexis, I simply can’t believe it is our last night together.”

“No, darling, it is not our last night together. It is our last night together for now. Now, what would you like?”