An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers

Author:Francine Rivers
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Inspirational, Spirituality, Fiction, Romance, Religion, Adult, Historical
ISBN: 9780842313070
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: 1994-01-01T22:00:00+00:00

quality? She slipped the chain around her neck and held the crystal tightly in her hand.

Asklepios, let it be so.

"See what you can do with the beads," she said, and Didymas undid her hair. She braided it again, weaving the glass beads into the strands this time. Julia studied the finished effect and sighed. "That will have to do."

"Yes, my lady," Didymas said.

"You may go."

"Yes, my lady." Didymas bowed low and hurried from the room.

Julia picked up a pot of white lead and smoothed some of it beneath her eyes to erase the dark shadows. How much would it take to erase the darkness beneath her eyes now? She worked expertly and set it down again, taking up a pot of red ocher. She added a final touch of kohl to her eyelids and then stared at her reflection.

She looked presentable. But only presentable. Once she had been beautiful. Everywhere she had gone, men had stared at her in admiration. Women had envied her dark brown eyes and creamy skin, her full red mouth, high cheekbones, and sleekly curved body. Now her eyes were glassy, her skin sallow, her mouth red, but painted so. The high aristocratic cheekbones jutted with the prominence of ill health.

Forcing her lips into a smile, she tried to instill some life into her face, but the image in the mirror became a caricature. She looked what she was: a woman who had lost all innocence.

Turning away from her reflection, Julia rose. Unwinding her toga, she dropped it on the floor and took up the blue palus. Didymas had put the silver belt out for her, and Julia hooked it. It hung loosely about her waist. How much weight had she lost since the last time she wore it?

"Didymas!"

The girl came quickly at her summons. "Fix this belt and put on my sandals." Didymas adjusted the silver belt and put it on Julia again. Then she knelt and put the silver sandals on Julia's feet. "The pale blue shawl," Julia said coldly and held her arms out. Didymas brought it to her and arranged it expertly over her shoulders.

Julia took a coin from her money box and held it out to Didymas. "Tell Tropas to rent a litter for me."

219

"He will need more money than this, my lady."

Julia felt the heat rise into her face and slapped the girl. "Give me the coin!" She snatched it back, shaking with anger and resentment. "I'll walk," she said with a jerk of her chin. "It's a beautiful day and it's not that far to my mother's villa." She put the coin in the box and slammed the lid, putting her hands on top of it. "I know exactly how many coins are in this box, Didymas. If even one is missing when I return, I'll hold you to account. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lady." The girl stood placid, her face reddened with the print of Julia's hand.

"While I'm gone, air out this room and find some flowers for the vase by my bed.

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.