Cherish Collection January 2014 (Books 1-12). Rebecca Winters

by two cats. You actually didn’t know you’re a goddess?’

      ‘No, and I don’t believe it. Mum—?’ Freya turned to Janine. ‘Surely not.’

      ‘It’s possible. Your father chose your name. He was fascinated by mythology, and he said he’d found it in a book, but that was all. It might be true.’

      ‘There’s another thing,’ Larry said, clearly enjoying every moment. ‘The great goddess Freya wears a cloak of falcon feathers, so in a way you’re a falcon too.’

      Amos gave a crack of laughter. ‘How about that? You’ve been a Falcon all the time.’

      ‘Hardly,’ Freya said. ‘I think it takes a bit more than wearing a cloak.’

      ‘You’d better watch out, Dad,’ Jackson said. ‘You’ve met your match.’ He raised his glass to Freya. ‘I salute you.’

      Amos immediately did the same, and everyone joined in.

      ‘You should do a programme about her,’ Amos asserted.

      ‘And perhaps Khentkaus as well,’ Larry agreed. ‘I remember once hearing somebody say that the most interesting crimes were committed by women.’

      More laughter—except from Freya, whose face grew suddenly darker. But nobody seemed to notice except perhaps Jackson, who became suddenly intent on clinking glasses with everyone near him. Except Freya.

      When it was time to retire Freya accompanied Amos and Janine to their room and made sure Amos was comfortable. Returning to her own room, she went outside onto the balcony to take a last look at the pyramids glowing against the night.

      ‘Are you all right?’

      Jackson’s voice, coming from a few feet away, startled her. She could just make him out on his own balcony, standing quietly in the darkness.

      ‘I—I didn’t know you were there,’ she stammered.

      ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you. I was just a little concerned in case you were upset. You went quiet very suddenly at dinner, and I think I knew why. It was what Larry said about women committing the most interesting crimes. I suddenly remembered Dan saying the same thing. It came out of a book he’d read.’

      ‘Yes, he talked to me about it. It just reminded me of him. But it’s nothing.’

      ‘Nothing? It was like he’d suddenly appeared in front of you and you were shattered.’

      ‘No, I wasn’t. Just a little surprised. But he doesn’t trouble me any more.’

      ‘I’d be glad to believe that, but I worry about you.’

      ‘Don’t. Dan isn’t part of my life any more.’ She assumed a dramatic air. ‘Freya the goddess waved her magic wand and he ceased to exist. That’s how powerful she is.’

      ‘If only life could be that simple. We all have things we’d like to wipe out as though they’d never happened, but the more we want to be rid of them the more they seem to haunt us.’

      Freya shook her head firmly. ‘I’m not haunted. I don’t let that happen.’

      ‘And Freya the goddess is in complete control, eh?’

      ‘Yes. You’d be surprised how powerful she is.’

      ‘I’m not sure that I really would be surprised. I think you keep a lot up your sleeve, Freya.’

      ‘I do these days—now that I’ve discovered how much other people keep up their sleeves.’

      ‘Was that aimed at me?’

      ‘Not really. No, it was more aimed at Dan.’

      ‘So he really is still there, isn’t he? I wonder—’

      ‘It’s late,’ she interrupted him. ‘I think I’ll go to bed. Goodnight, Jackson.’

      ‘Goodnight, Freya. Sleep peacefully.’

      But he knew that he himself would be denied peace that night.

      After trying without success to fall asleep, he rose from his bed and switched on his computer. A few clicks and he had what he sought.

      There she was, Freya the glorious goddess, a magnificent being who carried in her train not only fertility but also beauty, war and death. One artist’s impression had managed to catch all those hints.

      ‘You’d really have to be wary of her,’ Jackson murmured aloud. ‘Because there’s so much more in her than you’d ever dream at first. And you’d know only what she chose to reveal.’

      He stared intently at the face on the screen, wishing that it was another face and he could reach out to it.

      ‘A true woman of mystery...’ he said.

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      FROM GIZA TO Edfu it was nearly two hundred miles. Once the coaches had started their journey Freya spent much of the time studying a book on Horus that Amos had bought in the hotel.

      One of the greatest deities of ancient Egypt, whose influence stretched over three thousand years...

      He’d been born to the goddess Isis when she had rescued the dismembered body parts of her murdered husband, Osiris, and used her magical powers to conceive despite Osiris’ death.

      Horus was the god of the sky and incorporated both the sun and the moon in his own being: his right eye the sun and his left eye the moon. But that wasn’t the full extent of his power. He was known also as the god of war and hunting. Rumour even said that the pharaohs had been incarnations of Horus in human form.

      Amos was sitting beside her, glancing at the book over her shoulder.

      ‘And I’ll tell you something else,’ he said. ‘Horus had four sons.’

      ‘You’re kidding me!’

      ‘Fact! It’s true—isn’t it, Larry?’

      Larry, whose seat faced them, was enjoying this.

      ‘True,’ he said. ‘It makes you think Amos must be the real thing after all.’

      ‘But of course I’m the real thing,’ Amos declared. ‘How could you doubt it?’

      There was just enough of a twinkle in his eye to show that he was joking.

      Halfway through the journey they stopped for lunch. Jackson looked for Freya, meaning to sit beside her at the table, but Larry got there first, immediately engaging her in laughing conversation. To his dismay he noticed that Larry was showing signs of being a fervent admirer, which Freya seemed to enjoy. It worried him because he knew Larry was a man any sensible woman would refuse to take seriously.

      When it was time to get back into the coach for the last lap Debra parked herself very firmly next to Jackson, while Larry drew Freya to sit beside himself.

      ‘You’re Jackson’s sister, aren’t you?’ he said.

      ‘His stepsister. My mother is married to his father. There’s no blood relation between us.’

      ‘I was wondering of you knew the truth about the story that’s been whispered about him for the last few years.’

      ‘What story?’

      ‘Something about one of the early TV documentaries he did. It was right at the start of his career and he had an explosive row with the producer. Nobody seems to know the details, but he dug his heels in so hard that he never worked for that firm again.’

      ‘But how come people don’t know more about it?’

      ‘Because the firm won’t talk about it and Jackson won’t talk about it.’

      ‘You mean it’s a scandal?’