Rebecca of Salerno by Esther Erman

Author:Esther Erman [Erman, Esther]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: She Writes Press

“Strange about Moshe ben Shlomo. And now we cannot question him,” I said as we arrived at my home. Rafael came in with me.

“I agree. Losing the chance to talk to him is not good. His departure puzzles me especially because he and I had made plans to work together, so it appears to me that it came about suddenly.”

Exactly my thoughts. “I wonder if there is any way to contact him in Egypt?”

“We can try, though I expect that we will not be able to make any such contact in a timely fashion. We would do better first to see if there is any way to come up with other suspects.” He sighed and pursed his lips.

Just then Nina summoned us to partake of a meal. From the look on her face, it appeared she had more to provide us with than the meal. “First, you eat. Then I shall tell you what I have learned.”

“Nina, if you know something that will help, tell me now. That will be best for my appetite.”

She shook her head. “This talk will keep. My soup will not. And, believe me, what I have to say would ruin anyone’s appetite. Better you should eat for strength first.”

There was no sense arguing with Nina, who could teach mules a thing or two about stubbornness.

As usual, her soup was wonderful—based on a vegetable broth, no doubt because the meal would include dairy. This, as did all our meals, conformed to our traditions and commandments of not partaking of meat and dairy in one sitting. A hearty concoction of carrots, onions, mushrooms, and garlic, the soup was paired superbly with delicious warm rolls and fragrant cheese. A lemon cake afterward. Concerned as I was by our efforts to save the rabbi, I still savored what I ate.

Only after the meal—with all the appropriate blessings and graces—did Nina report what she had heard. “Everyone was shopping and talking. People are afraid there is going to be even more trouble, and they want to make sure they have supplies. What the Mendozas’ servants said was especially interesting, along with the da Costas’.”

I gripped her arm. “What about the da Costas?” Because of patient confidentiality, I had not told her about Shoshana.

Nina’s eyes filled with angry tears. “Everyone was talking of the crusaders’ cruel attack on their girl.”

I gasped. Her secret had been so widely exposed. “What else?”

“Other girls have also been attacked. The men talk of confronting the crusaders, to get them out of Salerno.”

I did not think it was possible to be even more worried, but Nina’s words had that effect. Our men were not fighters, and certainly not of the caliber of the crusaders. If there were any sort of confrontation between the two groups, our men would be injured—or killed—far more than the enemy. And if any of our men could stand against the crusaders, the duke and his guard would surely punish the Jews.

I groaned. “I hope someone can talk sense into our men before they commit such an act of … of suicidal folly.

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