Daughter of Deliverance by Gilbert Morris Read Free Book Online Page A

dead. She came over and put her arm around the girl and said, “You’ll just have to do the best you can, Rahab. Don’t cross him. I’ll protect you as much as I can.”
    She waited for the girl to speak, but when she got no answer, she said, “He’ll want to see you right now. Time to get it over with.”
    Numbly Rahab followed Lamile down the hall and into the chamber of Shalmanezer. As she had known he would be, he was waiting for her. He did not rise this time, nor ask her to be seated. “I’m here to ask you for mercy,” Rahab pleaded.
    â€œWell, of course you are, and I’m prepared to give it.”
    A shock ran through Rahab. “The gods would bless you, master, if you would show mercy to my family.”
    â€œI myself need all the mercy I can get. A man in my trade can’t expect much,” Shalmanezer said. He got up and came over to her and ran his hands across her face and down her body in the manner of a man inspecting a new horse he had just bought. “I’m prepared to be merciful. Of course I would expect something in return. After all, I must have a little consideration.”
    Rahab stood motionless, although she inwardly recoiled at the touch of his hands. “What do you want, master?”
    â€œYou work here, Rahab, in my house, and all the rest of your family will go free.”
    At that instant Rahab knew she had absolutely no choice. She had thought about her poor crippled brother-in-law being enslaved to a cruel master. She thought of her beautiful sister Zayna, only twelve, being sold to a brutal man who would abuse her. And Oman—what would happen to him and to her sister Romar? Strangely enough she did not think about what would happen to her father.
    â€œI will have to do it, sir,” she said. She held her head high, and although her face was colorless, there was a pride in her that even this could not extinguish.
    â€œFine, fine. You may not like this, Rahab, but your family won’t suffer.” He hesitated, then said, “In the event you had decided not to give in, I had already planned to take your younger sister into my house. A lot of men like young girls like that.”
    Shalmanezer waited for Rahab to reply, but she did not speak. He lifted his voice and called out, “Lamile.” When the woman entered, he said, “Show Rahab the ropes.” He thought for a moment and added, “You’ll be in my bed tonight. I’ll see what you have to offer our customers.”
    Lamile led the young woman outside and did not speak. She showed her to the quarters where the other harlots slept and introduced her. One of them, a woman with dyed red hair, winked at her. “Shalmanezer will try you out tonight. He always does. Do the best you can—that way you can make a better deal.”
    â€œThat’s enough,” Lamile said. “Let’s see about your clothes now.”
    â€œI have to go home and tell my family what’s happened.”
    â€œOf course. When you come back, I’ll have everything ready for you.”
    Lamile watched the young woman leave, and once again the strange sense of pity she had thought dead long ago stirred within her. “I can’t be feeling sorry for her. We’ve all got our problems,” she muttered, then turned to her affairs.
    ****
    The family was waiting when Rahab walked in. “What did he say?” Makon cried out. He had felt hopeful when Rahab had agreed to go plead for mercy, but now as he saw her pale face, his heart sank. “He’s not going to have any mercy, is he?”
    Rahab gazed into their faces, then slowly scanned the room that had been her home as long as she could remember. When she spoke, her voice was as steady as she could make it. She had wept all the way home but had paused outside to clean her face and pull herself together. “You will all be free. You won’t be slaves,” she said.
    Cries