Captive Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions) by Darlene Mindrup Read Free Book Online Page B

stall. The fish emblem had been hidden by the cluster of grapes, but now was very evident.
    Sucking in a breath, she stood quickly. Jonah’s look followed hers, and he jerked his gaze back to hers, his face going deathly white. Samah was thankful that there were no customers.
    “You’re a Christian!”
    If anything, Jonah’s face paled further at Samah’s breathless declaration. His eyes were wide with fear, his lips opening and closing silently.
    Samah’s joyous eyes met Jonah’s frightened ones. “Praise Jehovah! You’re a Christian!”
    Jonah’s shoulders slumped with relief. He glanced about him and moved closer to where Samah sat. Leaning over the counter, he lowered his voice.
    “I thought you were a Christian! Somehow I just knew.”
    “But why didn’t you say something?”
    Jonah’s face colored hotly, and he quickly looked away. “The Roman you were with. . .”
    Samah understood his confusion. Placing her hand on his where it rested on the counter, she told him, “I am his slave. We have just arrived from Jerusalem.”
    He stared at her in shock. “Jerusalem?” he whispered in horror. “You were there for the destruction of Jerusalem?”
    Thoughts of the horrors she had witnessed were reflected in her eyes. Samah nodded solemnly.
    His eyes clouded with pity. “We have heard rumors. Is it true that the Temple was destroyed?”
    Samah nodded again. “Just as the Lord foretold.”
    Another customer briefly took Jonah’s attention. Samah watched him, marveling that he was a brother in Christ. Hadn’t she known her Lord wouldn’t forsake her? She had heard of fellow believers in this city but thought they had all been eliminated by Nero years ago, and others since.
    She saw Jonah hand the customer her purchase, smiling in return. It suddenly occurred to her that Jonah was without a beard. He wore instead the mark of the Romans with their clean-shaven faces and short hair.
    Seeing his handsome face, she wondered why her people chose to hide their features behind a face full of hair. What would her brother and father look like without their beards? Would they be as handsome? She thought probably so, for both were fine of form. Jonah’s strong chin was visible, even when he was smiling.
    He came back to her now. “Would you like to meet with the others?”
    Samah smiled with delight. “There are more believers here?”
    Jonah returned her smile. “Oh, yes. Not as many as there were before.” His face darkened briefly. “But there are still quite a few of us.”
    “I would love to!” The bright hope slowly ebbed from her eyes. “But I don’t know where you meet, and I don’t know what my life will entail. I don’t know if I will be allowed that freedom.”
    He nodded in sympathy. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Sentinel let out a loud woof. Cassius was striding in their direction, closely followed by a small litter being carried by four slaves.
    He pulled up in front of them, his look going briefly from one to the other. Narrowing his eyes at the sudden tense atmosphere, Cassius took Samah by the hand.
    “Come.”
    He helped her into the litter, then turned his gaze back to Jonah. They studied each other a moment before Jonah finally turned away. Cassius clicked his fingers to Sentinel, and they once again started on their way. Neither one noticed when Jonah nodded to a young boy across the street. The boy lifted himself from the wall where he had been reclining and slowly ambled in their wake.
    Samah felt foolish being carried along like some rich ruler. She hunkered down behind the drapes, embarrassed to be in such a position. It had been this way for the past several days.
    On the ship she had tried to assume her role as slave, only to be blocked at every opportunity by Cassius. He never allowed her to be anything important, but he was equally unwilling to allow her to be a slave. His attitude confused her.
    One moment he would be kindness itself, gentle and protecting;