Read Online Allure of Deceit by Susan Froetschel - Free Book Online Page B

walking in her sleep.”
    Sofi asked about the struggle. “But why didn’t she wake up when you reached for her in the bedroom? Why did she rush to the stove?”
    Parsaa couldn’t answer. He agreed that it was strange.
    â€œThe girl is sneaky. You must take her away.”
    â€œSoon,” Parsaa promised.
    â€œThe village women are angry,” Sofi insisted. “Tomorrow.”

    After the disturbance, Parsaa and Sofi did not sleep well. Both awoke long before dawn, and Komal squirmed and whimpered soon after­­ward. The boys were still asleep, and Parsaa retrieved more wood for the fire, warming the kitchen, while his wife wrapped Komal snugly in a blanket and placed her near the stove.
    Cold weather was coming, and the village could not keep a young girl inside a storage shed. Once again, his wife warned him that everyone in the village would soon hear about the girl wandering about at night and entering another family’s bedroom. The village women would expect Parsaa to remove her quickly. If not, every misfortune would be blamed on Najwa.
    They would not give her another chance.
    The complaints were many. Since her arrival in Laashekoh, the girl had not spoken much, yet she exuded a boldness that was odd for a stranger. Neither the children nor the adults of Laashekoh trusted her or liked her. Most families refused to allow Najwa into their homes. The women prohibited letting her work alongside the older village children or caring for younger ones. They would not let her join them when cooking or washing clothes. Instead, they sent her to work in the fields for long hours alone during the day, and at night she cleaned the heavy cookware and beat rugs.
    The girl worked hard and did not complain, though her eyes narrowed with angry judgment. She often lingered behind walls and corners, listening to conversations not intended for her ears. Najwa frightened the other children.
    With her awkward ways, she truly seemed to be an orphan. Orphans were expected to work hard and save for the future, and for girls, that meant securing a good marriage, but Najwa lacked both a dowry and pleasant appearance. Slight in build, she was shorter than other girls her age, but she appeared older than her eleven or twelve years. Her hair was dry and uncombed, and her face was marked with blotches and a few old scars. Clenched teeth gave her mouth a stubborn edge, as if she anticipated disagreement. She could not see well and squinted even when directly facing others, as if she could not trust their words.
    The commotion in the middle of the night confirmed the village women’s worries. Najwa was trouble. It didn’t matter if she was locked away in the shed, out of sight. Parsaa couldn’t blame the women for wanting a return to normality. The village was burdened by caring for too many girls without parents. Najwa was one problem too many.
    Once the fire was blazing, Parsaa reached for his wife’s hand and pulled her to sit with him before she prepared the breakfast. Parsaa went over the options with Sofi, as Komal amused herself by chewing on a rag soaked in goat’s milk.
    Najwa was old enough for a marriage contract. The village could send her to live with the groom’s family and wait for marriage. But few families would allow their sons to enter such a partnership—not without knowing more about her family background. Parsaa could provide a suitable amount for a dowry, but planning marriages took time. Families were suspicious about hasty arrangements that involved excessive sums. He should travel alone to make initial arrangements and negotiate as carefully as he would for a daughter. If he brought Najwa along during the first trip, the negotiators would understand that he was desperate.
    Besides, her parents might have already promised her to a groom, and it was a crime to provide a girl already promised for marriage to another man. That could be a reason why Najwa was not