Sylvie Sommerfield - Noah's Woman by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

what it was, nor

    did she care. Her mouth watered and a wave of dizziness washed over her so strongly that she nearly fell. A huge strong hand gripped her arm, and she looked up into the unreadable face of the larger of the two men.
    She shivered. Hunger and weariness had clouded her mind, and her reactions were slow.
    "Minnow," Amiee said softly, "go and tell Jemima to bring some food before our two strays fall down. I'm in no mood to dispose of bodies."
    Minnow! Had she called this huge person Minnow? Of all the inappropriate names, this was the worst. Charity was too giddy to suppress a giggle. Minnow cast her a withering glance, but she could see Amiee's face struggle for immobility. She turned to speak to the second man after Minnow had gone.
    "Tiny, I think you'd better go and see if we can scare up some clothes from the others. A few more ounces of dirt and these clothes are going to fall off of them."
    Tiny! That was even more ludicrous. But this time Charity contained her amusement. The scent of food had sent her stomach into cramps, and the room seemed to waver about her.
    "Sit down before you fall." Amiee snapped the order, but Charity needed no encouragement. Her legs were so weak she would have sagged to the floor had not a chair been close by. Beth fared no better. Her face was as white as a sheet, partly from hunger and partly from fear.
    The room was silent as Amiee assessed her two guests. She decided at once that she had made the right choice in protecting them. But she was curious

    about how two helpless lambs had gotten into this fix.
    Before Charity could master herself, a small form appeared in one of the doorways. It was a child of perhaps eight. She limped inside on a twisted foot, and when the lamplight fell on her face, Charity saw that although her body was young, her eyes were old. Old and wary and distrusting. Charity smiled at her, but the smile was not returned. Instead the girl set the basket between Charity and Beth and quietly left the room.
    "That was Emma. She can't talk, but she's not as helpless as she looks. I don't know what's in the basket," Amiee said, "but you'd best eat. There won't be more until tomorrow."
    Charity slid from the chair to her knees by the basket and tore it open. She was so hungry that her hands shook and tears came to her eyes. Inside the basket was a half loaf of bread, some cheese, and several pieces of fruit. Charity tore pieces from the bread and cheese and handed them to Beth, who uttered an inarticulate sound. Charity fought to keep from wolfing the food down, but still, when the first poorly chewed bite hit her stomach, she bent forward, clutching her stomach as it convulsed.
    "Eat slowly and chew well," Amiee commanded. Her voice was firm and cold, and neither girl saw the combined anger and sympathy that momentarily touched her eyes.
    Both girls, trembling, tried to obey. After a while they won the battle and the food remained in their stomachs.

    When Amiee was satisfied that they were fed, they were led to a room where a large wooden tub was filled with warm water. They had no way of knowing that this was Amiee's tub or that she had never allowed its use by anyone else before.
    Charity almost groaned aloud as she sank into the water and washed the layers of dirt from her hair and skin. Beth, too, was intoxicated by the pleasure.
    Their clothes were taken away and clean ones brought. The clothing was an assortment so odd that Charity realized they were odds and ends. But they were clean, and for now that was all that mattered.
    Both girls were exhausted and afraid of getting lost in this unique structure. So they sat quietly and waited. But the wait was long, and soon they dropped off into much-needed sleep.
    Charity drifted up from sleep and stirred. In her dream she was again curled in the warmth of a soft bed. She snuggled beneath the blankets and drew the pillow over her head. Pillow? Bed?
    She sat up abruptly. Sometime during the night she had been