From Lambs to Lions by O'Neill C.M

Author:O'Neill, C.M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2024-01-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Governor Van Riebeeck swept the sheet and blanket in a smooth, silent motion from him and tucked it snugly against his wife’s warm body. She groaned and rolled toward the comfort of the soft blanket cradle he’d created. Gathering his clothes, he entered the small sitting room. He dressed in silent efficiency before softly closing the door to their apartment as he stepped into the black hallway.

Reaching his chamber, he went to the window and stared out into the darkness. The moon hadn’t lost her milkiness and the stars still shone with reckless abandon, but he felt, more than saw, the weight of the night lifting.

After lighting the wall sconces and a couple more candles, the room was sufficiently illuminated for him to settle in his chair behind his desk. Enjoying the quiet of the predawn, he closed his eyes in prayer.

“Heavenly Father,” he released a breath that imploded his chest. “Guide my feet. Steady my hand and open my eyes to the opportunities that You provide.”

A nervous rapping sounded on the windowpane behind him.

“Father, grant me wisdom.”

More knocking and, by some stretch of incredulity, fiercer than before.

“And patience. Amen.”

He rose from his seat and rammed the window outward, meaning to obliterate the offending disturbance.

“What?” he hissed into the darkness. The unexpected interruption of his prayers had left him in a supremely undiplomatic temper.

“Oh! Governor, you’re up. Good. Can I come in?”

“Mattheys …” But the sack of bones that was his hallowed carpenter was already scurrying up the stairs that led to the large double front doors. Not a minute had passed since the unsullying of his soul, and here he was with the most colorful of curses dancing on his lips like stage actors in an Italian theater production, as he walked toward the garrison hall’s door.

When the door opened scarcely enough to let a cat in, the old man slipped through like a mouse with a collapsible ribcage. Mattheys’ mouth rounded as he primed himself to blurt out the reason for his visit, but the governor cut him short.

“In there,” Van Riebeeck’s hushed words followed his outstretched hand and the old carpenter scurried toward the governor’s chambers.

Once inside, he stared at the governor with wide-eyed intensity.

“There are Saldanhars in the forest,” Mattheys spoke in a low voice.

“Are you drunk?” Van Riebeeck asked as he closed the door behind them.

“What? No!” Mattheys then paused to consider the suggestion.

“Although, had I been drunk and lost to oblivion, my night would have been a hell of a lot more restful. As it was, I’d been running about in the godforsaken forest chasing a wastrel of a thief when I came across the warriors. I nearly shat my pants when I found them crouching in the underbrush. And I am an old man, Your Grace. The control I exhibited over my bowels at that moment will serve as an immortal source of pride for me.”

Van Riebeeck’s eyebrows plummeted over the bridge of his nose as he listened to the ceaseless torrent of words.

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.