An Echo in the Darkness(116)

“I thought you called for a physician,” Alexander said with forced humor. He stepped into the gap between Julia and Hadassah. Taking Julia gently by the arm, he turned her toward her bed. “Let me examine you and see what the trouble is. You may have your servant present if you so wish.”

“I don’t care,” Julia said dismally, having long ago lost all sense of modesty.

Hadassah limped toward the bed. “You may go, Prometheus.”

Prometheus glanced at her sharply.

Julia’s face paled. “How did she know his name?”

“Rapha knows many things,” Rashid said. “She can look into the soul.”

Hadassah turned sharply. “You may go also, Rashid.”

He lifted his head slightly, eyes dark and steady on Julia Valerian.

“Why does he look at me like that?” Julia said, her voice trembling slightly. “As though he’d like to kill me.”

“Go!” Hadassah said.

Rashid’s expression did not change. “I will go, but I will not go far.”

Julia trembled as she watched the Arab turn and leave her room. “I’ve never laid eyes upon him before tonight, and he stares at me with such hatred I can almost feel it!”

“It’s your imagination, my lady,” Prometheus said soothingly, but he, too, wondered at what was happening.

“Just keep him out of here,” she said nervously, then gave her full attention to Alexander and Hadassah. “Do you want me to remove my clothing?”

“Not yet.” Alexander gestured for her to sit on her bed. He set a stool close and sat down. He began by asking questions about her illness, listening with such acute attention that she relaxed and let all her troubles spill forth, from Calabah’s defection to Primus’ perfidy. She took his silence for understanding and his nods for empathy.

Alexander felt neither.

“And after all that, he stripped me of all my money before he deserted me.” She sniffed and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand.

She talked for a long time. Alexander allowed her to go on and on, though he already suspected what was wrong with her. A brief examination would confirm the matter in his mind. He sat and listened, wondering what the relationship had been between this incredibly self-centered young woman and Hadassah. Lady Julia’s bitterness grew as she talked, but along with it came a clear picture of the extent of her own immorality.

Finally, she had exhausted herself. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

“I think you’ve told me enough,” he said quietly. “Remove your robe.”

Julia did so without the least compunction. She drew the faded red garment back off her shoulders. With a faint smile, she watched Alexander’s face to see if there was the least glimmer of admiration. There wasn’t.

Alexander studied her from head to foot, but nothing more showed on his face than intense clinical interest. “Lie down please.”

Julia’s self-confidence waned. She did as he told her, seeming ill at ease. “I used to have a beautiful body.”

Hadassah moved closer to the bed.

The examination took a long time and reduced Julia to tears of pain and mortification. Alexander was methodical and thorough. He had a strong stomach, but once the extent of Julia’s disease was revealed, he struggled to hide his repugnance. “You may cover yourself again.”

She did so quickly, unable to look at him.

Leaving the bedside, Alexander crossed to a basin. He washed his hands carefully. Pouring the water into a potted plant, he filled the basin and washed again.

Hadassah limped closer and touched Julia on the shoulder. She jerked slightly and glanced up. “Oh,” she said, sighing in relief. “I’ll be healed now, won’t I?”

“Only God heals, my lady.”

“God?” A glimmer of fear crossed her face. “Which god?”

Alexander spoke before Hadassah could. “Which god do you worship?” he said, drying his hands quickly as he walked back to the bed.

“Any one you say I should. I’ve been faithful to Artemis and Asklepios. I’ve given offerings to a dozen others.”

Alexander put his hand beneath Hadassah’s elbow and applied enough pressure to move her aside.

Julia looked between them, fear shining in her eyes. “Do you know what’s wrong with me?”

Alexander dropped the damp cloth onto a small table. “You have a venereal disease,” he said bluntly. “A very virulent variety that I’ve never seen before.” He shook his head. “Perhaps if I’d seen you sooner . . .”

“Sooner? Are you saying nothing can be done?”

He glanced at Hadassah. “Other than prescribe salves to soothe the eruptions as they occur, no. There isn’t anything I can do.”