As Sure as the Dawn by Francine Rivers

Author:Francine Rivers
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: 2012-01-10T17:32:31+00:00

ing, she thanked him as she picked up her cloak from the floor. She shook it and draped it over the curled wooden end of the couch, hoping it would dry before morning.

Hugging the blanket around herself, she stood as close to the brazier as she could. Steam rose from the wool. Atretes came near, Caleb peering up out of the blanket bundle in his father's arms, spikes of dark hair sticking straight up on his head. She laughed and tapped his nose, thankful he was dry and warm.

"We'll rest here a day," Theophilus said. "No one will bother us."

"Perhaps the rains will let up," Rizpah said, almost hoping they wouldn't. She desperately needed a day of rest.

A servant brought a tray of delicious foods. Theophilus broke up the braised chicken cooked in honey and mead spiced with coriander and sliced onions. Cooked eggs were sliced and topped with roe on a bed of lettuce and sliced mushrooms. Meatballs in a spicy red sauce were also on the platter along with loaves of bread and ripe winter apples.

"Manna from heaven," Rizpah said, feeding bits of chicken to Caleb before eating any herself. He preferred the cooked eggs with roe.

While her attention was on Caleb, Atretes filled a goblet with strong wine and set it before her. Her tunic was still damp, her skin pale. The wine would warm her and give her a good night's sleep. He looked over her soiled tunic and the worn sandals. She'd freeze in the mountains.

"Wonderful food, a warm place to sleep," Rizpah said, looking around the beautifully furnished room. "All I need is a bath and I'd feel I was in heaven."

"The baths aren't far from here," Theophilus said. "There's no reason not to go."

"She's too tired," Atretes said, his mouth full of pheasant.

"I'd love to bathe."

He tossed the leg bone onto the floor. "You bathed in the stream last night."

"I washed my face."

Atretes glowered. "What about the baby?"

"I'll take him with me, of course."

"We'll go with her," Theophilus said, curious about Atretes' attitude.

"And the gold? Who'll watch it?"

240

"We'll take turns. I'll keepiton me while you bathe. Then you can do likewise."

"Perhaps we can wash our clothes as well," Rizpah said hopefully.

"There'll be a laundress on hand," Theophilus said. He rose from the couch and crossed the room, rummaging through his pack. He took a bathing set of strigils and an oil flask from his gear. "I'm afraid I left mine in Ephesus," Rizpah said. "We had no time. ..."

"We can purchase what you need there," Theophilus said.

Atretes looked between the two. Clearly any objections he might make would be overruled. He wasn't about to tell either one of them he had never been in the public baths before, but had heard plenty about them. He drained his goblet of wine and stood, resigned. "Let's get it done."

Theophilus showed them the way. The baths weren't far away from the inn, which was probably another reason the inn was so popular. There was a line of patrons at the door.

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