Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry

Author:Lynne Gentry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books
Published: 2015-10-10T16:00:00+00:00

27

BAREK SEARCHED THE HALL, the steaming pot of hot water he was lugging burning against his hands. “Eggie, can you . . . Eggie?” The man had been right behind him a moment ago. “Eggie!” Barek headed down the hall, past the open door to the courtyard. Laughter wafted to his ears. He stopped and surveyed the shadows. Movement caught his eye.

Eggie. And he was with someone. A woman. No. Maggie. And she was planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Maggie!” Barek dropped his jug of boiling water, unconcerned by the sizzle of his flesh, and stormed to the secluded corner of the garden. “What are you doing?” He unwrapped Maggie from Eggie’s arms and dragged her clear of his reach.

“Barek.” Maggie pounded on his arm. “Let me go.”

“If he tried anything, I’ll—”

“Stop acting like an older brother.”

He didn’t know why he should be surprised by her flippant attitude, but he was. “Somebody’s got to watch out for you.”

“I can take care of myself.” Maggie jerked her arm free. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was thanking a friend.”

“Thanking him for what?”

“Helping her empty chamber pots,” Eggie said, grinning.

Barek wheeled and poked Eggie in the chest. “I’ve had enough of you and your starry-eyed advances toward this girl.”

“Advances?” Maggie shouted. “Are you trying to be my dad too?”

Barek’s forehead creased and he studied her more carefully. “Have you been crying?”

“What’s it to you?” Maggie defended.

“Did he make you cry?”

“No.”

“Someone made you cry!”

Maggie held up her palms in surrender. “Okay. Mom and Dad said I can’t go to my Jaddah’s trial tomorrow and I was crying about it.” Her lifted chin dared him to keep on with this line of questioning.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes. Go ahead. Call me a baby.”

“I didn’t say you were a baby.”

“You’re treating me like one.”

“A mature person would probably understand your parents’ concern and agree there’s no point of putting you in danger.”

“I can keep her safe.” Eggie dropped his playfulness, and Barek could see he wasn’t going to be easily bullied.

“You know nothing of keeping her safe and even less about politics.” This fellow hadn’t been in Carthage a week and he was acting as if he was an expert on everything, including Maggie. “No one knows what to expect from the new proconsul.”

Eggie squared off nose to nose with Barek. “The man Valerian sends will be obligated to follow his orders and—”

Maggie stepped between him and Eggie. “I didn’t come all this way to nurse a bunch of sick people. I came here for my Jaddah and father. I’m going to that trial.” She wheeled and snatched Eggie’s hand. “And lucky for me, I have a real friend who’s not afraid to help me.”

Barek snagged her arm. “You’re not going anywhere with him.”

“What are you going to do, chain me in some dungeon and tell my mom?”

What was it about this girl that made his blood boil? “No. I’m taking you.”

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