Hadassah dipped the bread in the wine Phoebe poured for her. She held the veils out slightly so she could eat without revealing her face.
They dined in companionable silence.
“Marcus would join us, but he’s decided to make all the arrangements for Julia’s burial himself,” Phoebe said.
“I will prepare her body, my lady.”
“No need, my dear. It’s already being done. Iulius and Lavinnia are seeing to it,” Phoebe said. “You must rest. Your work is done, Hadassah. Julia is with the Lord.” She held her hand out slightly. “Please, be at ease here with me. Stretch out upon the couch as you would if you were visiting a friend. I consider you one.” And even more so, Phoebe’s heart said. I consider you my daughter. “It would please me if you stayed awhile.” O Lord, let her remain forever.
Hadassah obeyed and reclined, releasing her breath in relief as the strain left her bad leg. Replete, she fought sleep and tried to listen to Phoebe speak of Julia as a child. Her eyes felt heavy.
“It has been a long, hard time,” Phoebe said. She rose and pinched off pieces of bread to put on the wall for the turtledoves. A small bird lighted a few feet away and hopped closer. It had the plain plumage of a female sparrow. Charmed, Phoebe held out her hand, but the bird took flight, perching on the flowering vine some distance away.
Phoebe wondered if Hadassah would do the same thing—take flight. She glanced back at the young woman lying on the couch. She was so still and relaxed, Phoebe knew she was asleep. She smiled and came to her, bending down to kiss her brow through the veils. I have given up one daughter to you, Father. I pray you will let this one remain.
Hearing Marcus’ footsteps, she straightened. As he entered the room, she saw his face and intent and raised her hand quickly to her lips for silence, then joined him beneath the arch. She took his arm, turning him back into the bedchamber.
“I want to speak with her.”
“Let her sleep for now, Marcus.”
“I can’t wait!”
“She is past endurance. Lavinnia said she’s fasted since Julia fell into a coma, and you know very well how many hours she has sat at Julia’s side.”
“I will speak to her.”
“Later. Not now when you’re tired and angry.”
He let out his breath, seeing sense in what she said. “Why didn’t she tell me, Mother?” he said, deeply hurt. “She’s been here for months. I’ve sat with her in the alcove. She had every opportunity to tell me who she was. Why did she keep silent?”
“She must’ve felt the need to hide herself from you or she wouldn’t have done so.”
“Did she think I was a threat?”
“How could she?”
“That Arab servant of hers thought I was. She must think I had some part in sending her to the lions. The plain truth is she didn’t trust me.”
“Had she reason?”
“I asked her to marry me!”
“And left her in anger when she refused,” Phoebe reminded him gently.
“I’m not the shallow boy I once was.”
“Then cease acting like one, Marcus,” Phoebe said more firmly. “Put her needs before your own.”
Marcus raked his hand back through his hair and turned away in frustration. He thought of the look of cold contempt on Rashid’s face. He remembered Alexander’s every word about the months she had suffered because of wounds caused by her master. Both had been convinced that he was part of what had happened to her. Where else would they have gotten such an impression but from Hadassah? “She must think I wanted her dead as much as Julia did.”
“Perhaps it’s something less complicated than that. Something far too human.”
“What?”
“I don’t know, Marcus. It was just a thought.” She saw the strain of emotion he was under. “Do you remember when Hadassah first came to us? She was a pathetic, skinny little thing with eyes too big for her face and her hair growing back in tatters. You said she was ugly, and your father and Julia shared the same opinion. I didn’t know what it was about her then that made me so sure she was right for Julia. I just knew. Now I know God works in our lives even before we believe. He sets his plan in motion and fulfills it in his time.”
She approached her son and put a comforting hand on his arm. “I believed her about Jesus, Marcus. Your father believed at the end. You went to curse God for taking her life and returned praising him. And Julia, our rebellious, beloved Julia, stubborn to the last moment, is now with the Lord. Each one of us has come to know Christ because we saw him at work in Hadassah’s life. She was God’s gift to us.”