Love Await By The Nile

Her arms safely tucked into her father's, Lady Catherine Taffington was amazed by her first view of Egypt, Alexandria. The streets were alive with bustling crowds of people: dark faces with white turbans or red fezzes, vibrant coloured galabiyas, tourists haggling with street traders, sailors, British soldiers, beggars, flute players and the occasional monkey stealing fruits.

The air was filled with the pleasant scents of sandalwood, mixed spices and jasmine. Life seemed so beautiful to her and full of dreams and hopes in this summer of 1887.

"Father, I cannot wait to ride a camel, go to the souks, stand at the foot of the Sphinx...and... the pyramids...and..."

And secretly her mind thought of Christian Wainwright.

"We'll do everything your heart desires my dear," said the retired politician turned amateur archeologist.

On Catherine's fourteen birthday, her mother had died in a tragic riding accident. Sir Taffigton had showered his only daughter with everything she wanted hoping to ease the void in her heart. Catherine grew up into a beautiful woman loving life and London society. She never missed a ball or a dinner party. She prided herself on wearing the most extravagant dresses and the latest French fashion.

As they struggled through the colourful mass of people, Sir Arthur sighted Christian, his six-foot frame waving at them across the crowds and hailing him.

The friendship between Sir Arthur Taffington and Sir Robert Wainwright, Christian's father, was longstanding and the families spent much leisure time together. There were often talks of uniting the two families through marriage. Yes, Christian would be a more than a suitable match for Catherine.

However Christian did not follow the path for which his birth and rank had destined him. He had a profound disdain for the ostentation that rich people would judge vital. He disliked London society. It was filled with gossips and intrigues. One's reputation could be destroyed so easily by a supposed scandal based on mere rumours. Christian used to feel like a fish trying to swim upstream. Against his father's wish, but not without his support, Christian pursued his dream of travelling and mixing with all sorts of people and tongues.

During the hot summer of 1884 Christian returned to England and asked Catherine to marry him. She confessed she loved him but did not understand his business venture in the West Indies and begged him to return in London and to a lifestyle more suited for someone of his class.

"You cannot ask me to leave my family, my friends, and a civilised country to live with savages. The life you have chosen for yourself cannot be mine. In time you would hate yourself for my unhappiness. We would both be miserable and hate each other. It breaks my heart to refuse your proposal. I want to be with you." She burst into tears."Oh, my dearest Christian, you are like a wild bird chasing the horizon, and as for me, I am just happy to stand still in a gilded cage."

After her refusal Christian left the country. Choosing Egypt as his destination, he buried himself in the fashionable hobby of archeology. He had become so knowledgeable that he was offered a permanent post at the Cairo Museum.

Little did he know that their paths would cross again.

At first Catherine didn't recognise Christian: unruly brown hair, unshaven, a loose cotton shirt over an oversized pair of linen trousers. His face darkened by the blazing African sun gave him the look of an Arab. "In London he would have been the subject of tittle-tattle at the tea salons for months." Thought Catherine, bewildered by his carefree, yet handsome appearance.

Seeing his daughter's blushing cheeks, Sir Arthur's concern for her health was swiftly put to rest:

"I am not used to this horrendous heat Father...

"Let's find a tea room and have something cold to drink.

"Please don't fuss..." she adjusted her tousled blonde hair and the ribbons of her hat. "I'm feeling perfectly well."

" Sir, at last!" Shouted Christian with relief. "Welcome to Egypt!" Then he shook hands. "You should have waited for me on the pier. Those streets are full of fake guides ready to fleece the naive tourist of his valuables."

With an unsmiling glance he briefly greeted Catherine. Her pulse quickened at the touch of his hand. She felt breathless and dizzy. Fearing that her legs would let her down, she grabbed her father's arm.

"Sweetheart, I think this heat doesn't agree with you."

Christian glanced at her frivolous dress. An overly tightened corset and flounces of heavy taffeta were suffocating her. He stared at her hat.

"Lady Catherine, I have no doubt that this fanciful dress is the latest fashion and quite a showstopper amongst your London's friends, but it's perfectly inappropriate for this climate. You might faint of heat exhaustion."

He was courteous, but she did not like the tone of mockery in his voice.

Then he continued: "Sir, I'll arrange for Lady Catherine to buy suitable outwear."

Christian turned and spoke in fluent Arabic to the liquorice skinned Nubian who accompanied him.

"Mahmoud will take care of your luggage. He will meet us at l'Hotel de l'Europe. There are refreshments awaiting. Tomorrow morning we'll take the train to Cairo. Stay close to me as we make our way to the carriage."

"When can I expect to meet professor Doyle?" Asked Sir taffington. "Ever since I received his letter I've been so thrilled that sleep's abandoned me."

Christian put his arm around Sir Arthur's shoulders.

"Let's say that since the last report sent to you by the Professor, the excavation have given up more of its secrets. If you cannot sleep now, I fear what will happen to you when I take you on the site!"

"Has Professor Doyle finally found the pharaoh's sarcophagus?" Asked Catherine in a desperate attempt to make him look at her. But Christian did not respond. She was so close to him, he could feel her taffeta dress brushing against his legs. He looked uneasy.

" Young man, I beg you to tell me more." Said Sir Arthur.

" My lips are sealed." Was the final answer.

Egypt was fashionable. Anyone who mattered visited the magical and mysterious land filled with its legends of treasure. Rich aristocrats would spice up lives of boredom by financing dig sites. Sir Arthur was one such person. As the benefactor of Professor Doyle, Sir Arthur wished for a great discovery that would leave his name in History.

Arriving in Cairo, Sir Arthur and Catherine spent the next few days enjoying the city. On the Sunday they took a camel ride to the Steps pyramid. On the Monday, they went on a guided tour of the Cairo Museum. Finally, on Tuesday, they made their way to Saqqarah. It was a pleasant route characterised by the Nile itself, with its banks lined with acacia, date palms, sycamore trees, white cotton blossoms, and fields of cucumbers, barley and broad beans. Little villages of mud and straw, the buffalo turning a water-wheel, the fellahin working the fields, the fisherman on its flat boat, all was so breathlessly beautiful and intriguing!

At the end of the afternoon they finally reached the archeological site. On one side there was the scorching desert, and on the other side the distant Nile twisting like a serpent in the grass. Sir Arthur was like a boy excited over a long awaited toy. "There is not much to be exhilarated about." Thought an exhausted and irritable Catherine staring at heaps of rocks and mounds of sand.

Days spent together, and still Christian hadn't shown the tiniest spark of interest towards her. He worked very hard to avoid eye contact and escape her conversation. But at times his stern face would light up with amusement at some sweet silliness she'd uttered. Yet, in the twinkling of an eye he was back to behaving aloof.

Professor Doyle rushed them straight off to the tomb. Thirteen steps down before a door led to a corridor. They were in awe with the wealth of beautiful paintings and hieroglyphs. And, at long last, le plat de resistance! Professor Doyle had discovered a narrow entrance leading to a secret chamber. In that chamber, all the clues led to the same conclusion. Sir Arthur was overwhelmed: "The sarcophagus must be hidden somewhere here...behind that wall?" Christian and the Professor nodded triumphantly.

Catherine hugged her father. "I am so happy for you. But I am so hot, I need fresh air."

Sitting at the edge of the Nile, Catherine stared at the whirlpool of mosquitoes annoying the ibis. In the distance, the sails of the feluccas looked like crescent of moon. The soft breeze caressed her face. She closed her eyes. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the horse approaching. She turned around with surprise as Christian sat by her. He handed her some clean drinking water.

"Catherine...

He took a deep breath.

"Catherine, it is unbearable for me to see you and to be in your company."

Her lower lip trembled. Her eyes were filling with tears and she didn't want him to see. She lowered her hat.

Christian's voice softened.

"I didn't want to allow myself to fall in love with you again. But the truth is, my feelings for you never left me."

He hit his heart with a clenched fist and looked into her eyes.

She shivered.

" What follow are not the words of an honourable man. You are an engaged woman, but," he took her hand "I implore you not to marry Baron Fidzwick. I was a fool. How dare I'd be so presumptuous as to believe my love was more than enough for you to leave behind the life you had always knew!"

She shook her head.

" I am engaged!" She suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs. "Engaged?" She was shaking with laughter.

Christian dropped her hand and stood up.

"Don't mock me." He said crossly.

" No... I am not laughing at you...but at me! It is true that Baron fidzwick is quite handsome and is insanely rich." She couldn't stop giggling. "He is also older than my father! Oh Christian..."

" You don't make sense. Are you suffering sunstroke?"

He knelt down and touched her forehead. She seized his hand and held it tightly.

"All this time, I thought you hated me!" She couldn't stop smiling. "I am not engaged!"

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"I love you." Her eyes glistened with joy. "And I am not engaged!"

"But the International newspaper announced your engagement?

"Since when do you believe London gossip?" She said gently.

Christian twined his fingers in hers.

"Catherine, I will ask you once again: will you marry me? I will follow you to London. I will not lose you again."

"No..."

He interrupted:

"But I will come to London..."

"Shhh..." She covered his mouth with her fingers. "No, you can't leave Cairo. And you won't follow me to London because I won't go back there. I am tired of pretension. Christian, you were right. I realise now that all my life I have been restrained by conventions. For the first time, I wasn't told what or how to think or to speak. I didn't feel pressured in behaving a certain way. I have never felt so free! I'm not even wearing a corset, and I can breathe! I mean, I can literally breathe Christian!"

Her laughter was childlike. He smiled amusedly and sweetly.

" Christian, I am not this little bird afraid to leave its cage anymore. I want to be like this wild bird over there," she pointed at the ibis. "And I want you to show me how to fly by myself! I want to soar high in the sky!"

Leaning her head on his shoulder she sighed with happiness. "I will marry you."

" Wonderful," he was overjoyed, but "What of your father?"

"Don't worry, he always does what makes me happy." She said with a mischievous grin.

Christian kissed her tenderly. The warmth of his lips: she had dreamt of that moment so often. Now it was real.

As an Egyptian poet wrote, "Hail, Oh Nile, glittering river which brings life to the whole Egypt and fulfill the wishes of all for ever and ever." The best of life lay ahead.