No Woman So Fair by Gilbert Morris Read Free Book Online Page B

there’s no reason why you can’t keep that up, but the big fortune is to be made in trading. We’ll send ships up the river and down. We’ll charge freight for some,” Garai went on excitedly. He grew animated as he spoke of the profits to be made, and for the rest of the afternoon he entertained the prospective bridegroom royally.
    Finally he said, “Well, we’ll talk more of this later, but now it’s time to go home. I’m anxious for you to meet the rest of my family—especially Sarai!”
    ****
    â€œAnother suitor,” Zulda said, helping Sarai dress. Her nimble fingers quickly fastened the abundant black hair of her mistress with ivory pins. “Aren’t you excited?”
    â€œNo, I am not. He’s probably so old he’s toothless and has legs like sticks.”
    Sarai was in a bad mood. It had taken a great deal of effort to remove the stinking mud from the river the day before. She had insisted that Zulda give her three baths, and when she was satisfied, she was anointed with sweet-smelling oil yesterday and again today. In her imagination she could still smell the stench of the mud that had coated her from head to foot. It had been almost impossible to get out of her hair, and she had almost vomited because some of it had gotten into her mouth.
    She had slept poorly that night, going over and over in her mind the humiliation of the mishap on the bridge. She imagined that many who had seen her plight were aware of who she was and were laughing at her all over the city.
    Knowing her mistress well, Zulda flitted around, making adjustments to the silky dress Sarai had put on. “But it’s so exciting that this may be the husband you’ll have.”
    â€œI feel like a prize sheep that my brother’s auctioning off,” Sarai grunted. “He might as well say, ‘How much am I bid for this woman?’ Slaves are sold the same way.”
    â€œBut maybe this will be the one you want.”
    â€œAll Garai is interested in is how much money his family has,” Sarai sniffed. She stood up, looked down at herself, then drew her lips into a tight line. “Well, this will be a brief courtship, I can tell you that.” She moved toward the door, determination in every line of her body.
    ****
    Abram had brought only one formal robe, and he wore it now as he waited in the room where the family gathered for their meals. It was a fine room, large and airy, with the tables made of wood such as he had never seen. It was polished smooth and had a dark glow to it. He commented on it, and Garai nodded with pride. “I don’t know where that lumber came from. I’ve never seen anything like it. I only know I paid a pretty price for it!”
    â€œIt is indeed beautiful—worth the price you paid, I’m sure.”
    Abram looked around the room, which was lit with lamps burning with a sweet-smelling oil. He had met Garai’s mother, Zaroni, and his sister, Hanna, who was very curious. She had asked many questions, and Abram had answered them politely. He was surprised at her attractiveness. She was a small woman, dark-complected, and not at all unattractive as Captain Sargon had insisted. He found her even pretty, though her mouth was small and her eyes somehow seemed too close together. But she certainly was not the homely woman the captain had described. Hanna had informed him that she was engaged to be married and had gushed, “If you and my sister get married, it would be very nice. We’d probably be having children at the same time.”
    Abram had flushed, embarrassed that she should speak of such things when he had no intention of going through with the marriage plans.
    Zaroni had smiled at her older daughter’s carelessness and smoothed it over. She now sat beside Abram questioning him gently, and Abram found himself liking her very much. When she asked about his family, he gave her a quick overview of them,