Free Flora's War by Pamela Rushby Page B

stretch.
    ‘That’s better!’ said Lydia. Her voice echoed. She looked up. ‘It feels … strange,’ she said, ‘with all that great weight of stone above us.’
    It was just the way I felt inside the pyramids. I was always happier when I was outside again. ‘We go up now,’ I said. ‘The king’s chamber is at the top of the gallery.’
    ‘Imagine!’ breathed one of the nurses. ‘The king’s chamber!’
    But when we were standing in the king’s chamber they were, as I’d expected, unimpressed. It was a small room, right in the middle of the massive stone structure, fifteen feet by thirty feet, and nothing in it but an empty stone sarcophagus.
    ‘Where’s the gold? Where’s the treasure?’ demanded one of the officers, not quite jokingly.
    I laughed. ‘In the museum,’ I said. ‘Haven’t you been there?’
    He shook his head. ‘I can’t say I’m very keen on museums,’ he said. ‘Old Jim is, though. He’s always there.’
    ‘You have a friend who’s interested in ancient history? Then he might like to see my father’s excavation,’ I said.
    ‘A real excavation?’ exclaimed Lydia. ‘We’d all like to see that, wouldn’t we?’
    Everyone agreed, whether through politeness or genuine interest I wasn’t sure. But if they wanted to see it, I was sure Fa wouldn’t mind.
    ‘I’ll arrange it when I can,’ I said. ‘Now, are we ready to go out? Remember, once we’re out of the Grand Gallery, heads down and elbows in.’
    We all made it out without cracking our heads on the low roof and rejoined Gwen, Emily and Lieutenant Callendar. The sun was setting as we found a spot near the Sphinx for our picnic.
    ‘When it’s dark,’ I said, ‘do you want to see the Sphinx smile?’
    ‘ What! Really smile?’
    It was a trick performed by the Egyptians to amuse tourists. When the sun had set, I beckoned a guide over and spoke to him, handing over a few coins. He climbed nimbly up under the Sphinx’s head, produced some matches and lit a small object he’d taken from his pocket. In seconds a bright white flame burned, throwing a shadow upwards under the Sphinx’s head. The Sphinx did, indeed, seem to smile in the wavering light. The group gave the man a round of applause – and more coins.
    ‘He burnt a piece of magnesium wire,’ I explained when they asked. ‘The shadow it throws gives the illusion of a smile.’
    Gwen and I were a total success with the officers and nurses. We were invited on more picnics, camel rides and outings than we would be able to manage. A few days later, we went with some nurses to Luna Park and screamed with them as we rode the rollercoaster and scurried through the skeleton house. The following week we took an evening felucca ride on the Nile. In the evenings we danced at Shepheard’s, and at my own hotel. Gwen and I watched, fascinated, as nurses and officers formed friendships, flirted and fell in – and out – of love.
    We flirted with more than a few of the young officers ourselves. ‘After all,’ said Gwen, ‘a girl needs to practise.’
    Frank joined in some of our social activities when he had free time. ‘Just be careful,’ he said after watching us chatting with some officers. ‘It’s all a bit of fun, but these fellows know they could be going off to fight before long, and some of them mightn’t come back. Some of them could be thinking that this is their last chance to have a good time. Everything’s a bit … accelerated.’
    Gwen and I nodded knowingly. Frank was being elder-brotherly again.
    ‘There’ve been a couple of engagements between people who’ve only known each other a short time,’ Frank went on. ‘You don’t want to be letting these boys expect too much.’
    ‘Oh come on, Frank!’ said Gwen. ‘You’ve been doing some serious flirting with the nurses yourself. I could mention Sarah Turnbull? You haven’t got a leg to stand on!’
    Frank grinned. ‘Guilty,’ he said. ‘That Sarah’s quite a girl, isn’t