The Mirror Behind The Mask (Jasper Lewingdon Book 2) by Paul Beattie

Author:Paul Beattie [Beattie, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paul Beattie
Published: 2016-03-06T00:00:00+00:00

Lule was still as the stonework of the Palas Hotel, just another urchin hanging about. As she waited a well-dressed couple walked past, a tinkle of change marking their passing. Lule's hand shot out covering the coins, her eyes never leaving the terrace at the front of the hotel. Was the Englishman late? Her eyes scanned the shadows on the square; no there was still time, the shadow of the Mosque's minaret still hadn't reached the far side of the square. Time always ran slow when you were waiting. She slipped the two coins into the deep pocket of her skirt.

Finally the Englishman took his usual table on the terrace, a white coated steward already placing his accustomed glass of tea on the table. Now that he was here it was time to move. Lule headed across the square jinking between the carts and a couple of lorries. It didn't matter if he saw her, after all who pays any attention to a beggar in a place like this? She skirted the side of the hotel heading into the street that ran behind it. She scampered up the narrow lane, time was tight now. The street dog-legged, just past this point it was quiet; few came along here.

Lule settled herself down in a doorway, sweeping some of the refuse away first. She listened, straining to hear. He usually kept to this route, with any luck he would today. How long would she stay here? She couldn't leave Clirim on his own for too long otherwise he would wander out in search of her. Without Besim to bring in things to sell money was getting very tight, she could only steal so much before she would be caught and then what would happen to Clirim?

A scuttle of sound caught her attention. On edge she pushed herself back into the doorway. The footsteps were clearer now, the source of them out of sight round the twists of this back alley. Lule's hand slipped into the pocket of her skirt finding the handle of her knife. She had worked a fine edge onto it before she came, it was keen enough to shave with and would serve its purpose perfectly. Another crunch of boot on pavement. He was almost there, she had to be ready for the moment, but he would have to be close.

Head down and hands in pockets a lad, a bit older than Lule, trotted round the corner, at the sight of her he stopped. Lule cringed backwards, her shoulders finding the rigid door behind her. A thin smile crawled onto the lad's face but it didn't reach his eyes. His hands left their pockets balling into fists. He took another step forward, Lule cowered in response.

“I've seen you begging round here the last few days, you must have made some good money with all those rich soft-touch foreigners to feel sorry for a pretty girl like you.” Lule stifled a whimper. “You didn't ask me if you could work on my streets, that's going to cost you.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.