Sacrifice by Christine Jordan

Author:Christine Jordan [Jordan, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

Arlette and Zev were finally alone.

‘Arlette,’ he said. ‘You know how I feel about you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Will you marry me?’

Arlette was shocked at Zev’s outburst. She took hold of the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. Zev pressed on.

‘I know you don’t love me.’

‘But why would you want to marry me if you know I don’t love you and after what has happened…’

‘None of that matters to me, Arlette. Don’t you understand? I love you. I’ve always loved you. I tried to tell you at Purim, but I made a complete hatchet of it.’

Arlette noted his use of the word ‘hatchet’. Was he trying to speak French or was it an unintentional butchery joke? Her usual reaction would have been to chide him for it, to tease him, to gently point out his shortfalls. This time it didn’t matter. Her heart was melting towards this kind man who stood before her, pouring out his feelings. She was seeing him in a different light, looking at him with fresh eyes. He was strong, manly, protective. His dark eyes, deep pools of liquid black, stared back at her honest and true.

‘You still love me and want to marry me after all that has happened.’

It was not a question, more of a statement of astonishment that someone would still want her after she had been so defiled. ‘I do,’ was the only reply Zev gave. She had to make sure he knew what he was taking on. He was naïve, ingenuous.

‘You must know I am no longer a virgin, Zev, no longer clean. Don’t you understand? Surely you cannot want to marry such a woman?’

‘Didn’t you hear what I said, Arlette? I don’t care. None of that matters.’

Arlette pressed on. He probably hadn’t thought of the one thing that could ruin it all. She must tell him. ‘It’s too early to tell but I may be having another man’s child. I cannot bring that shame upon you.’

‘But the child will be part of you, Arlette, and I will love it as my own. And besides,’ he added, in his characteristically flippant manner, ‘no one will know it’s not mine. Sheol! If you marry me tomorrow, even I won’t know.’

Arlette’s heart felt like it could break in two. She didn’t deserve such devotion from the man she had spurned. She remembered their conversation at Purim. He said he had ‘other qualities’. He was right. She could see that now. He did. She felt an unexpected surge of love for him. For the butcher’s boy. His kindness was too much to bear. She broke down. Zev put his arm around her and comforted her. She did not stiffen but allowed her body to relax into his.

‘The time has come to stop crying, Arlette. We’ll be happy together. Just you see. We’ll have plenty of children and our children will have children and they will look after us in our old age.’

Arlette laughed through her tears. He could always make her laugh. For the first time since the rape, she felt a flickering of hope.

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