XII by Robin Bennett

Author:Robin Bennett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: religious books, religious books for teens, bible stories, Christianity, Catholic, Bible studies
ISBN: 9781916375192
Publisher: Andrews UK
Published: 2022-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

7: The Prodigal Son, Part 2

So Daniel left the next day with just the clothes he had got up in that morning. Plus the troupe of tethered Howler Monkeys.

When Jacob found out he was going, he had insisted on him taking the simians. That said, even he’d looked surprised by Daniel’s resolve to cash in his inheritance and leave just like that – although, to be fair, his twin brother making hasty, ill-thought decisions was hardly new. Jacob’s reaction was nothing compared to his mother’s and what she had said about Kaleb’s fathering skills, but she had to accept that the idea had been Daniel’s and now he had turned sixteen there was little they could do to stop him.

With the monkeys attached by ropes to his waist, Daniel sauntered along the road through the morning mist and checked, for about the hundredth time, the bag of gold in one pocket and the bag of rubies in the other.

‘The gold is more than enough to buy land with property – and some good livestock, I daresay – if you know what you’re doing,’ said his father’s steward, a grim man called Ezekiel Daniel had always been more than a little nervous of. He glared at Daniel as if waiting for him to disagree before going on, ‘the rubies were your mother’s dowry and will bring luck. You should not need to spend these but they will act as security and show the world you are a man of means. But, remember, real wealth is in hard work that yields enough to live and a little over to put aside.’

Daniel nodded wisely, although he wasn’t really listening.

***

By midday, the noise from his travelling companions had become too much and Daniel let the monkeys off their leashes near some eucalyptus trees, where they ran off, shrieking, without so much as a backward glance. He reckoned they were far enough from his father’s land by now that the monkeys would not return to torment Jacob.

From the shade underneath the low branches a merchant watched Daniel. He noted his good clothes, his age and, most of all, the tell-tale bulges in his pockets.

‘What is a fine gentleman such as yourself doing on foot in this heat?’ the merchant drawled.

Daniel, who thought he had been alone, started. He peered at the man in grubby silks. The man stared back with jade eyes on a weathered face, like old wood. ‘I have a donkey,’ the merchant said conversationally.

‘Good for you,’ Daniel said. Then he put two and two together. ‘Is it for sale?’ The merchant looked saddened, as if Daniel was his dearest friend, yet he had just asked him for the one thing in the world he was unable to provide.

‘Regretfully, not – I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.’

‘Oh,’ said Daniel, a bit taken aback, but not much bothered. ‘Think nothing of it!’ It really wasn’t that hot, and he was quite sure he’d enjoy the walk without the bloody monkeys.

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