The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers Read Free Book Online

courage, I asked the healer about all this, but she shook her head and would not say more. Even as young as I was, I understood that she was afeared of something and talking about it made that fear grow. For my sake, she tried not to let it show, but I sensed it all the same. Death has a smell that permeates. She was not frightened by what she knew but by what she didn’t understand.
    Why was it so? And did it have to stay that way, ever being afraid of what was beyond our understanding?
    In my heart I knew that Lilybet was opening a door for me.
    She was giving me a glimpse inside. But inside what?
    I didn’t know. All I had in response to my questions were more questions.

    Elda Kendric was in sore spirits and sorry condition when we reached her place. She hollered from inside her house for us to come in. Gervase said right off she could see the old woman’s joints were swollen. In fact, Miz Elda was aching so fierce she couldn’t even rise to greet us. She tried, but her grimace turned to a growl. “I was wishing for ye to come two days ago.”
    Gervase Odara made no explanations, but went to Elda Ken-dric’s cabinet and took out a jug of whiskey. She poured a goodly amount into a mug and stirred in honey and vinegar. “Thar’s a small pouch in my basket, Cadi. Bring it o’er here if ye please.” I did so and watched her open it and add two pinches of powder to the drink. “A bit of rhubarb’ll help the poor dear.” She pulled the drawstring and handed the small pouch back to me, then offered the drink to the old woman. Elda Kendric downed it right quickly, clearly craving ease. Then the healer took a jar from the shelf and went outside.
    “She’ll be back soon as she’s caught some bees,” the old woman said. “Why don’t ye sit awhile and keep me company?” She smiled through her pain. “I don’t bite too hard, especially since I lost my teeth. Pull up that stool.”
    Here was my opportunity if I had the courage for it. I sat close to Elda Kendric and tried to think of a way to ask about the sin eater without being found out. She looked at me, a small smile playing on her lips. Granny used to get that look sometimes, as though she knew very well what I was thinking. Or thought she did.
    “Those are pretty flowers ye’re holding thar. Did ye pick them for your mama?”
    “No, ma’am. I thought ye might like them.”
    “I do indeed. Yer granny was partial to blue beauties, but I’ve always liked daisies best.”
    I placed them in her lap and watched her finger the blossoms. “They come from the meadow below your woods, ma’am.”
    “Thought so. Last time I walked through that meadow was on the way to yer granny’s funeral.” She looked up from the flowers. “Lyda Hume came to visit yesterday and said her young’uns had seen ye.”
    “Fagan was spearing fish.”
    “Jest like his daddy. Ain’t happy unless he’s killing something.”
    “Ma’am, I was wondering . . .”
    “Wondering about what?”
    “Well, about who ye’ll want to come to your funeral.”
    She cackled. “Land sakes, chile, what a thing to ask a poor old woman. I ain’t dead yet.”
    “Yes, ma’am, but what good’ll it do to wait?”
    The healer returned. Two bees buzzed angrily in the bottle she carried.
    I moved back as Gervase Odara knelt. Forsaking modesty, the old woman pulled her skirt up past her knees. Angering the bees by tapping the jar, the healer removed the first one with wood tweezers. Elda Kendric drew in her breath sharply as she received the first sting.
    “Time was I could have gone out and caught these bees myself without waiting on yer convenience,” Miz Elda said, brushing away the dying honeybee that had just dispensed the poison that eased her pain. She sucked in her breath sharply as the healer put a second bee on her other leg. When the treatment was done, Miz Elda laboriously pushed her skirt down again. “The chile was just asking who’ll be invited to my funeral.”
    Gervase Odara