Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Author:Mesu Andrews [Andrews, Mesu]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9780800734077
Publisher: Revell
Published: 2011-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Job watched Sitis walk out of the canyon, away from Dinah, and disappointment stabbed him. He watched Nogahla pass his wife and crane her neck, probably wondering, like him, why she was leaving so soon. Walking toward his dung heap, Dinah looked worried and drawn. El Shaddai, if Your plan was to humble me, You’ve done it. He’d brought this beautiful young woman to Uz to redeem her future, to give her a life after she’d experienced nothing but death and tragedy. Instead, she had saved both him and Sitis, offering friendship and a keen knowledge of herbal medicine after Sayyid had banned everyone in the city from helping them.

“Good morning!” Dinah called from beyond Sayyid’s guards, four men posted at the perimeter of Job’s canopied courtyard. She nodded curtly in their direction but walked past them as if she wore Philistine armor.

How I wish I could shout back my answer, Job thought, his throat raw with sores. He studied her features, the painted-on smile, the sad eyes, the quaking cheeks. She’d been crying. What had she and Sitis discussed?

“How are you this morning? Any change?” Dinah slipped off her sandals at the edge of the ash heap and climbed to the peak where Job was seated. He noticed Aban approach quickly and little Nogahla offer a tentative smile. Dinah must have noticed as well, and she stood like a sentinel between them until Nogahla’s sandals were removed and the girl was halfway up the ash heap.

Job silently applauded Dinah’s maternal protection. Aban seemed too good to be true, apparently a compassionate mountain of a man, yet subservient to Sayyid’s wickedness. The captain slowed at Dinah’s challenge, pretending some issue with one of his guards but maintaining his boyish gander at Nogahla.

“No change,” Job croaked to Dinah, his voice rougher than usual with its first use of the day. The women sat on his right and left, no sign of disgust on their features, no revulsion or recoiling, though the worms in Job’s wounds still nauseated him.

“The worms aren’t all bad,” Dinah had said after using the last of the frankincense and myrrh several moons ago. “The worms will eat away the infection.” But Job appreciated their unplanned benefit. Before the grotesque infestation, Sayyid’s children by his concubines often crossed the canyon and braved the ash piles to throw dust or spit on him. Though not Sayyid’s legal heirs, they had certainly inherited his wicked character. The worms may not have eaten away all the infection, but they certainly scared away the heartless little children and even gave the taunting Nameless Ones pause.

“Good morning, Master Job.” Nogahla’s brilliant smile lifted his heart. He winked at her, their secret greeting.

“All right,” Dinah said, reaching for the bandage on his left hand. “It’s time for you to tell me about Bildad and Eliphaz while Nogahla and I change your bandages.”

“It hurts to speak,” he croaked, hoping the excuse would save him the emotional pain.

“I know, and I’m sorry we didn’t bring the mint tea to soothe your throat.

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