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“I’m saying as much now.”
Helen pressed her lips in irritation. “My point,” she said with emphasis, “is that you might have consulted me regarding your plans. We are traveling together, after all.”
She felt him sigh behind her. “Miss Corbyn,” he said with exaggerated slowness, “would you like to accompany me to acquire another mount?”
After a brief consideration, she said, “Mr. Evelyn, your question merely serves to inform me of your intentions, which is not the same as discussing them so we might arrive at a plan together. However, as I’ve already conceded you make a good point, then yes, I would like to accompany you. Thank you for asking.”
“Excellent,” he bit out. “I’m glad we have that settled.”
His annoyance caused an unexpected grin to threaten her own irritation. They neared the largest of the buildings and a short round man emerged from within. His smile grew on seeing them.
“Masri,” Mr. Evelyn called to him. “My camel will be pleased to greet her sire again.”
Helen twisted on the saddle, catching him across the nose again with her hat. “This is where you acquired Fiona?”
He nodded. “It is.”
“And her tack?
He nodded again.
“Well, why didn’t you say so?” Fiona folded to the ground, and Helen hurried to dismount.
——
Masri’s round bellypreceded him as he approached them. “Mr. Evelyn!” he exclaimed in his thick accent. He motioned to a young boy, who led Fiona to the enclosed yard to be unsaddled. Masri turned back to Rhys and began speaking in rapid and enthusiastic Arabic. Rhys understood enough of the language to catch the essentials, then he haltingly introduced Helen.
She greeted the man in what Rhys assumed must have been flawless Arabic, as Masri’s smile widened. His wife emerged from the house with two children attached to her indigojalabiya. She soon whisked Helen away amidst a flurry of excited gesticulation.
Masri began to follow them, but Rhys held him back with a glance. Speaking in a low tone, he said, “When I was last here, I asked you about a man known as the Collector.”
Masri’s eyes slid away from Rhys before he replied. “And I told you then I do not know anything of this man.”
“And now? Have you still not heard anything?”
Masri remained silent for a long beat. “I have not.”
Rhys’s jaw tightened. “He still has my sister,” he said softly. “If you know anything, if you’veheardanything, no matter how insignificant, I beg you to tell me.”
Masri’s gaze shifted to take in his home and stables behind Rhys and the children playing in the yard. Finally, he said, “I’m sorry, my friend. I do not know anything of this man you seek.”
Rhys nodded, head bent, hands on his hips.
“But,” Masri said, swallowing, “I imagine a man as powerful as the one you describe must make his home in Cairo.”
Rhys’s head came up and he narrowed his eyes on the shorter man.
“Even if he travels the length of Wadi el-Nil,” Masri continued, “I imagine a man like that must return to his home now and then.” He looked at Rhys meaningfully. “Now, especially.”
Rhys’s breath stilled. It was the surest confirmation he’d received that the Collector was indeed in Cairo. He nodded. “I think you must be very astute, Mr. Masri, to imagine such things. Do you imagine anything else? The location of his residence, perhaps, or where he stables his horse?”
Masri’s gaze slid away again. “I do not.”
Rhys rubbed his jaw. Masri’s information wasn’t much, but it was more than he’d had an hour before. He nodded his appreciation to the trader. “Show me your cattle, my friend.”
Masri grinned and the heaviness of the moment lifted. “I have some fine camels for you today as well as some new horses. They are sturdy and will make your journey to Cairo a short one.”
“Hmm… we shall see,” Rhys said vaguely. He’d already determined to acquire a pair of horses for the remainder of their journey into Cairo, but it wouldn’t do to tip his hand too soon.
