Rivers of Time by Jean Hudson

Author:Jean Hudson [Hudson, Jean & Hudson, Rexford]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

She awoke to hear a strong masculine voice asking, “Is anyone at home?”

Sylvia jumped up and went through the beads to the door of the veranda. Dr. Jeremy stood in the shadows of the yard. He was wearing a blue shirt, open at the neck, and white trousers and sandals. He carried a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. He bowed to Sylvia a little awkwardly.

“Doctor Jeremy,” she said. “Come in. Don’t stand out there in the yard.”

“The good Sisters said you would still be here,” he said, looking around the cottage. “How nicely you’ve fixed it.”

“With Emma’s help,” she said. “Come, this is the other room.”

“Yes,” he said, “very comfortable and simple and cheerful.”

Sylvia smiled at his praise. “C’est intime.”

She wanted to tell him about the feeling there, yet it remained too gossamer.

Self-consciously, the doctor held out his parcel to her. “A housewarming gift. An old custom, I believe.”

Pleased, Sylvia opened the brown paper. A small, spread-eagled, man-figure carved out of bone and hung on a narrow plaited-leather thong looked back at her.

“What is it?” she asked, puzzled.

“It’s a juju—a good-luck charm. This one comes from a powerful marabout here in Guinea, so I am told.”

“Good heavens! And what is a marabout?”

“Good question! You haven’t been here long enough to know that he is the wise man of the tribe and a holy man of Islam. I suppose he blesses the juju. You hang the thing up over your doorway to bring you and everyone who lives here good luck.”

“Ah!” said Sylvia. “Emma wears something like this around her neck, a tiny horn. You don’t think I should wear this—to get the most benefit from it?”

“No, when you have a home, you should hang it over the doorway. I believe that is the custom.”

“Well, then,” Sylvia said. “Let’s put it up at once so the luck will start.”

They inspected the top of her door frame and, sure enough, there was a nail there.

“See,” said Dr. Jeremy. “Someone had hung one here before.”

“I wonder if their luck was good,” said Sylvia.

Now the small figurine protected her house. “We drank all the juice Emma and I made,” she said. “I haven’t anything left to offer you, not a lemon nor an orange.”

“Never mind. I came to get you. That murderous sun is about to set. We could walk a while, if you feel up to it, and then stop at a little place I know on the quay where the fish is superb.”

She looked at him, remembering how Alfoldi Santillana had mentioned the same thing. “I’d like that,” she said, feeling the juju was already working. “Let’s go.”

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