Three Rivers (22 page)

“Do not move or make a fuss. It would be foolish,” he admonished. “Not ten feet away there are people, and we would not want a scandal.”

Isabel felt mildly indignant at this last remark, but relaxed. With his hand he gently pushed her forward to her original position. He removed his hands and she started to move, but he held her down by the waist. “Stay exactly as you are. Just keep looking ahead at the Pyramids.”

Isabel pleaded that he had her at a most unfair disadvantage. “Someone will come over; someone will see us.”

She felt his erect cock against her as he warned, “Don’t do anything to attract attention. That would be foolish and cause us a terrible scandal. No one need ever know.”

Isabel was outraged. She was about to push backward and away from him when one of the ladies in a group very close called out, “Isabel,
il est merveilleux, non?
”

In the dark she could not see who it was, but said, “Yes, wonderful, let’s enjoy the view together.” At last she was able to straighten up and turn around.

“Before you say anything,” Mahmud began, “I want to ask you please not to be angry.”

Mahmud took her by the elbow and introduced her to the other people who had been so close to them all the time. They watched a few more minutes of the
son et lumière
on the Pyramids and then they all started down to the party. The incident was over.

The party was still in full swing. It was some time later that Alexis finally found Isabel and asked if she had enjoyed the
son et lumière
. “Yes,” she told him, “I don’t think I will ever forget it as long as I live.”

The party went on for hours. Isabel saw Alexis only at
fleeting moments, but it hardly mattered since they could hardly have made any kind of intimate connection. She saw Anthony and the beautiful young boy leave together and Hamida kiss Alexis on the cheek. The affectionate couples among the crowd made her feel painfully alone.

Anoushka appeared. “What a wonderful party it is,” she trilled. “The women, Isabel, they want to know who you are. Where you bought your dress. Do you have a lover here?” Anoushka never told Isabel what she had told them, but what she did say was, “Please not to worry, Isabel. I told them you are a very good friend of mine and I know you bought your dress at Balmain.”

It was impossible not to laugh with her.

Finally Anoushka got around to Hamida, who at the moment was giving Alexis yet another kiss on the cheek. Isabel noticed that he was not too quick to pull away.

“Eh, poor Hamida. She has been trying to be Lady Hamida Hyatt for seven years now. He is too clever, you know; he has always made her share him with another mistress. Poor Hamida, I think she knows he will never marry her.”

At a few minutes to four in the morning there were still a few dozen guests left in the house. Hamida and Michael finally went off with half a dozen others to the houseboat — a nightclub on the Nile. They had asked Isabel to join them, but she saw Alexis give her a look that she was sure was asking her to say no. She begged off saying that she was exhausted and going to bed.

She was saying good-bye to a few people and making her way towards the stairs when Alexis came up to her and said, “You were an unqualified success, Isabel. At least a dozen men asked me if you were available. Two dozen have asked me if I have had you. How many have tried to seduce you tonight?”

“I plead the Fifth Amendment.”

“Very American, my dear, very American. The telephone will be ringing constantly. It will be very amusing.” He smiled, obviously very proud of her.

“Alexis, what did you tell them when they asked if you had had me?”

“I thought it best to tell them that you were a famous design consultant and that you had just arrived, that I found you a wonderful surprise but have not had time to
know you. I do not think they believed me. The prince from OPEC was the worst problem.”

“Why?”

“Well, because unfortunately he is very direct and almost impossible about taking no for an answer. He saw you and simply said, ‘Alexis, I must take her now. Will you be a good fellow and lend me a bedroom?’ ”

“Ah, now tell me, how did you get out of that?”

“Well, I did not; you cannot thank me, my dear. You must thank Anoushka. She came up to us at that moment and, wanting to make a joke out of it, I told her. She patted old Hakim on the cheek and said, ‘How unfortunate for you. She is a friend of mine and it is not the right time. You must wait for four days.’ So, my dear, you have a four-day reprieve.”

She looked at him, then asked, “Alexis, why aren’t you laughing?”

“Because, my dear, it is not so funny. He means it. He will only wait until he thinks you are clean, and then he will do everything to take you. But do not worry; I will find a discreet way to have him forget you. You see, even if I did not want you for myself, I would never deliver a woman to him. He is a dog with women. He does terrible things to them. He likes all the pleasure for himself and to give the woman pain. He bit one of his wife’s nipples completely off, and once had a lover’s clitoris removed because she had orgasms. No, no, never would I give you to him.”

Isabel went pale at the mere thought of such a beast. A little pain sometimes brings a great deal of pleasure, but pure pain for pain’s sake was horrifying. She wanted to say, ‘You sly devil, Alexis. All you had to do was tell him that I am yours,’ but she thought to herself:
He would not say that because that would be a commitment. Well, you learn from everything. Now I know where I stand
.

Alexis put his arm around her shoulder and played with her diamond bumblebee. “Isabel, it was a joy to see you at this party. I do not do this kind of thing very often and find it a great chore when I do. Tonight your being here made it easier for me.”

He was so happy with her, himself and the evening that it gave Isabel great pleasure. Wiped away were her insecurities and the humiliation of the Mahmud incident. Alexis saw something of it in her face but of course had
no idea what it was. To him, it was simply Isabel looking at him with overwhelming tenderness. He asked her if she were very tired and she replied that she wasn’t.

Alexis smiled. “Wonderful. Be very clever and discreet and wander up those stairs alone to your room. Take your dress off and slip into something. Trousers and a warm sweater, if you have them. In twenty minutes Gamal will come for you. I will go and change and we will meet outside.”

“What about all these people still here?”

“Never mind them. They will never know we have gone. If we are missed, they will think we have gone off with lovers somewhere.”

Isabel made her way upstairs as she was told and quickly washed. She climbed into a pair of fine wool, camel-colored trousers, wide in the leg but snug across her bottom. Over her head she pulled a cashmere turtleneck sweater of the same color, then slipped on a sleeveless, chocolate-brown calfskin leather jacket. She was pulling on a pair of flat, shiny brown shoes when Gamal knocked at the door. He waited while she repaired her makeup, and then she followed him.

When they were in the upstairs hall he indicated that she was to stay close to the wall. She realized it was so that the people below would not see her. They went through a door that she had not been through before, and down the servants’ staircase, through the kitchen and into the service courtyard.

The plum-colored Rolls was waiting at the kitchen door. Gamal opened the door to the front seat and there was Alexis at the wheel. Gamal got into the back seat and they drove away.

The streets were completely empty and silent. They took the road alongside the Nile and headed for the Pyramids, flying along at a reckless speed through the night. He called back something to Gamal, and a few minutes later two joints were passed over to Isabel. She lit them with the lighter from the dashboard and passed one to Alexis. It was Indonesian grass this time, her favorite.

The sky was just changing from black to that dark blue that softens the night before daylight comes. They passed the Sphinx, which looked like a magnificent, dark animal about to pounce out at them. When Isabel asked to stop, Alexis said there was no time. They picked up yet more
speed. She turned quickly to look through the rear window of the car and saw it again. Framed by the window, it sat there like a great, grand shadow.

They passed the Mena House and she felt yet another surge of speed. Finally, in a cloud of dust, Alexis swung the car off in a slightly different direction, to cut across the desert. It was still too dark to turn off the car’s headlights. It was weird and thrilling, like driving through a void.

After fifteen minutes the lights struck a small site. There were four camels and several men in front of a rambling, dark tent. When the lights shone on them, the men scrambled off the ground to light lanterns.

The sky was getting light now. Alexis told Isabel to get out of the car, and they went over to the camels. The men were all smiles, very pleased to see Alexis. The camels were magnificent, hung with kilims and saddlebags of old worn Bokharas. Dozens of wool tassels in faded colors hung everywhere, and Bedouin silver camel jewelry and bells were draped over the animals’ heads.

Isabel nearly clapped with joy, the animals were such a show. Alexis put his arm around her, loving the excitement and enthusiasm that he saw in her eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and hug and kiss her for it, but of course would never think of doing such a thing in front of all these simple desert men. Instead he asked, “Do you like them?”

“Yes, yes, I love them, I adore them, they are divine,” Isabel laughed.

“Well, this one is mine. He is called Liban because he is white,” Alexis explained. “And this one, do you like this one?” He pointed at a great tan beast.

“Oh, he is marvelous,” Isabel exclaimed. “He is wearing so much jewelry. What a beauty!”

“Well, you must name that one. He is a she, and because I have not given you a gift today, she is all yours: camel, jewelry, trimmings and Hosni, her keeper. My surprise for you.”

“Oh, Alexis, is it true? Are you teasing me? Mine? My God, you mean it! It is mine!”

“Yes, it is yours. I bought it for you ten minutes after we arrived from the airport. She is all yours and you must name her. We will look at her later, but now we must get up and ride if we are going to see the sun rise over the Pyramids and leave before the tourists get there.”

She was speechless — simply could not believe it. It was like the Arabian Nights — all the romantic stories and dreams she had ever known.

“Of course you have been on a camel?” Alexis asked.

Fortunately, she had, many times. She was helped into the saddle, and the reins were given to her. The camel was sitting calmly. When all were finally satisfied that she was seated well, the Arabs called, “Hep, hep,” pulled and pushed a little and with a few jerks forward and back, the camel rose, Isabel with her.

Alexis was saddled and ready, shouting instructions, and in a few seconds the other two riders were mounted and ready to go. They rode slowly away from the tent, leaving four men and Gamal. Alexis rode on one side of her, one of the men on the other, and one in front of her, towards Giza and the Pyramids. After about five minutes, Alexis said, “Isabel, Hosni thinks you are all right and that we should trot as fast as possible, for the light is coming up rapidly now. Is that all right for you? Do you think you can manage?”

“Yes,” Isabel said, “but not for long because the movement sometimes makes me quite sick.”

He laughed and told Hosni, who also laughed and let out a bloodcurdling scream and several commands. They were off at a fast trot.

Suddenly Isabel saw the shadow of the Pyramids looming up through the pale gray morning. It was becoming light now as quickly as if someone had pulled up a window blind.

Stoned and bewitched by the whole adventure, she called out loudly to her camel, “Ayah, hup, hup, hup, hup.” She took the switch from where it was tucked in the saddle and whacked the animal lightly into a fast canter.

Hosni fell in love with his new mistress and followed suit. Alexis was thrilled with her and did the same. The leader called out as they caught up with him and raced ahead.

They were a sight, all the camels and their decorations tinkling and waving in the warm wind, clouds of sand flying. There it was, a hot red sun coming up over the horizon just to the side of the three pyramids. The sky went pink and then turned bright blue; they raced for the red disc of the sun.

Once at the Pyramids they slowed down. Isabel had
some difficulty, which Hosni saw and closed in on her. So did. Alexis, and Isabel’s camel was brought to a halt. They moved slowly around the Pyramids in the daylight, but as soon as people started arriving, they rode off for the tent. Alexis was adamant that Isabel’s first visit to this wonder of the world would not be ruined by tourists.

When they arrived at the tent, Isabel’s camel gave her a great deal of trouble. The men were all off their animals, but Isabel still could not get hers to sit down. Alexis thought it amusing at first, but things quickly grew out of hand. It took the four camel drivers and Alexis finally to get her down. Isabel almost did a somersault over the camel’s head. It was Alexis who grabbed for her and, lifting her to him, held her tight.

For the first time she saw him anxious and angry. He shouted at the drivers. It was obvious that he was furious because the camel was not trained as it should have been.

Isabel, who was quite shaken from it all, quickly recovered and said, “Alexis, please, it’s all right, Alexis.”

“No, it is not all right,” he said firmly. “You will never ride that camel, never without Hosni. In one week’s time that camel will be trained perfectly, but I do not want you riding ever without Hosni. He is responsible.”

Isabel tried to calm him, telling him how much she loved her camel, and said, “I will never ride without Hosni, I promise. Alexis, it was the most glorious present and I am so happy. Please stop overreacting.”

He looked at her and started to laugh. “There it is, another Americanism
par excellence
. Overreacting. Sometimes I forget you are an American until you come out with something like ‘overreacting.’ I wasn’t really overreacting, was I?” He winked. “No, don’t answer that. You will probably plead your Fifth Amendment.”