The Master's Wall by Sandi Rog

Author:Sandi Rog [Rog, Sandi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781936341023
Publisher: DeWard Publishing Company
Published: 2010-10-25T23:00:00+00:00

fourteen

Alethea wiped her brow as the sun beat overhead. She sat on the couch in the large courtyard while she embroidered the blue and gold borders of her new mantle. It looked just like the silk square she’d given to Demetri, only this was far more beautiful. She’d been sitting there, by grandmother’s order, from the time the sun shone on the other side of the garden until it cast a shadow to her couch. Thoughts of Demetri plagued her mind, and she wanted to get away from her grandmother’s scrutinizing gaze.

The best place to get away from everything was over the wall. She’d managed to escape several times without incident. Still, she hadn’t mustered up courage to get close enough to her old house to peer inside, but the few trips she’d already made were well worth the experience of freedom. She longed to go there now.

She glanced over at Grandmother who busied herself with another sewing project. Vibia looked lovelier than ever perched on her own couch under a palm.

“Grandmother, may I go to the hill and see if they’re coming?” Alethea pushed up from the couch.

“If I let you out of my sight, I probably won’t see you for the rest of the day.” Grandmother pulled a long thread through her fabric.

Alethea’s fingers and shoulders were too tense to do any more work on her embroidery, and her legs were falling asleep. “You have my word, when I see them, I’ll return immediately.”

Grandmother frowned. “Don’t get dirty.” She shook her head and mumbled, “Not one smudge of dirt when you return.”

“I promise.” Alethea meant it too. She didn’t want to go through any more pains of looking her best for the expected guests.

“Very well then, you may go.”

Alethea bounced from her couch. Tingles pricked her feet and up her legs. She tried to shake the sleep out of them as she limped toward the porch.

“If I find one speck of dirt, you’ll be confined to the house for a week.” Irritation filled Grandmother’s voice. All the more reason for Alethea to escape.

“I’ll be careful, Grandmother,” she called over her shoulder as she swung around one of the pillars of the portico. Her legs felt like their old selves again, and she wished she could run out to the field, but she was a good girl and walked, keeping herself neat and clean.

When she finally rounded the top of the hill, holding her stola high so as not to get it dirty, she spotted Demetri and his caravan of slaves nearing the villa. Why did they have to arrive so soon? She turned back down the hill and shuffled toward the house. She had hoped that he wouldn’t actually show up or that his visit would be canceled. Disappointment weighed down her limbs. She couldn’t imagine living under the same roof as Demetri for an unlimited time. Now his stay was certain. Demetri and Grandmother would watch her every move. Unbearable.

When she entered the atrium, Grandfather was ranting and raving, which was nothing unusual these last several weeks.

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