Seeing a Large Cat Read Online Free PDF Page B

demanded.
    "Have another whiskey, Peabody," Emerson said loudly.
    I took the hint, and the whiskey, and looked through my own messages. Several were invitations. I reported these to Emerson, who told me to decline all of them, including the last, which was from Colonel Bellingham.
    "I've no intention of wasting an entire evening with him and his silly daughter," Emerson grumbled.
    "This note is from her," Ramses said. "Repeating her father's invitation."
    Instead of handing me the paper, he folded it and tucked it into his pocket. Sekhmet, making the rounds of various laps, had moved from Emerson's to David's; now she settled herself onto Ramses's knee. He ignored her and opened his second letter.
    "Nothing of interest," Nefret announced, tossing her messages aside. "Invitations I shan't accept and a particularly silly effusion from Monsieur le Comte de la Roche which I shan't answer."
    "Another of the victims?" David inquired-for so he and Ramses called Nefret's admirers.
    "He has been sending her flowers and gifts since they met at a party last week," I said with a frown. "You haven't encouraged him, have you, Nefret?"
    "Good heavens, no, Aunt Amelia. His chin is positively concave."
    "Perhaps you had better write him a stiff note, Emerson. Tell him his attentions are unwanted."
    "Mmmm," said Emerson, who was reading the letter from Evelyn that David had passed on to him.
    "I am going to the museum tomorrow," Nefret announced. "Ramses, you said you would . . . Ramses? What is wrong?"
    "Nothing is wrong," Ramses said slowly. His eyes were fixed on the letter. "Only unexpected. Mother, do you remember Mrs. Fraser-Miss Debenham, as she was before she married?"
    "Certainly, though it has been years since we were in communication with her. Is that-"
    "From her, yes. She is in Egypt-in Cairo, to be precise."
    "Why would she write to you instead of to me?"
    "I don't know. She says ... But perhaps you had better see for yourself."
    "Who is Mrs. Fraser?" Nefret demanded.
    Ramses handed me the letter and answered his sister. "A young lady we-Mother, that is-saved from an accusation of murder some years ago.* She married one of the other suspects, a fellow named Donald Fraser."
    "And lived happily ever after?"
    "Apparently not," I said. Emerson was watching me curiously, for the name had, of course, aroused his interest. "What an odd letter! It is very rambling-almost incoherent. She says she saw us yesterday, on the terrace at Shepheard's, but does not explain why she did not greet us at that time, or why she requests a meeting with us in terms of some urgency."
    Ramses said softly, "Us?"
    "Why, yes. She says..." I read the relevant sentences aloud. "'Seeing you again recalled memories of bygone days, and a promise you once made. I wonder if you also remember it? Please, may I see you and speak with you? My husband and I are at the Hotel Continental...' Hmph."
    *Lion in the Valley
    "Quite," said Ramses. "The pronoun 'you' can be singular or plural, but does not the context suggest that it is I she means?"
    "It does," Emerson agreed. "Did you make her a promise, Ramses?"
    Ramses let out an exclamation and pulled his hand away from me cat. She had wrapped her front paws around his wrist and was enthusiastically licking his fingers.
    "Disgusting," he muttered, wiping his hand on his trousers.
    "It is a sign of affection," Nefret said. "Bastet often-"
    "This creature is slobbering, not licking." Sekhmet rolled over and gazed with idiotic admiration at Ramses, who went on irritably, "Whatever prompted you to name her after the goddess of war? She is hopelessly affectionate and completely without discrimination."
    He scooped up the cat and put her on the floor. "Is it time for dinner? I am hungry."
    We took our places at the table, for dinner was indeed ready, and Mahmud had been waiting to serve. I caught Nefret's eye; she shrugged and shook her head. Our little scheme for finding a new feline companion for Ramses had obviously been