Read Online Angeline by Karleen Bradford - Free Book Online Page B

she had not allowed herself to weep in all the time since Marithe had died.
    She was saying farewell. Farewell to her mother, farewell to all of her old life. And farewell to Stephen’s magnificent dream of rescuing Jerusalem.
    Did he weep, too, in these long hours?

Chapter Seven
    Over the next few days Angeline realized that Zahra was keeping a close watch on her. She allowed Angeline out of her sight only to go to the cooking place to fetch her food. Angeline chafed at this and, even though she knew full well she was being unreasonable, she took offense at Zahra’s distrust. She was wild with impatience to see Stephen, to speak with him. Several times she had tried to make Zahra understand what she wanted, but Zahra either would not or could not do so. Then one morning Zahra sent her again to the market—the “suq,” Angeline had learned it was called—with Samah. Angeline did not allow herself to hope that Samah would let her anywhere near that balcony again, nor did she.
    When they reached the suq, Samah led Angeline to the alley where spices were sold. Here were stalls with shelves upon shelves of baskets containing all manner of spices, none of which Angeline had ever seen before coming to Egypt. She was beginning to recognize some of them by now, however. The long reddish-yellow threads were saffron. The cooking women used them in rice, turning it to the same golden hue. She knew not the names of the others, but could recognize some of them by their scents. Spicy cloves, ground powders, seeds in every colour. The mingled smells were wonderful, yet almost overpowering. Samah made her selection carefully. She chose, also, a whole basket of the dried flowers that were used to make the sweet, crimson juice that Angeline had already become fond of.
    After being shut up for so long, Angeline allowed herself to relax and soak up the sunlight and the bustle. She even found herself enjoying the crowds of shouting, boisterous people. It was so alive! While Samah bargained with the spice seller, Angeline began to tempt a small cat toward her by dangling a string in front of itsnose. The kitten watched her warily for a time, then could resist no longer and lunged forward. It batted the string with a lightning stroke of one paw, then whisked itself back behind a basket where it peeked out, eyes bright, ears alert. Angeline giggled. Then she caught herself. She had laughed! She could not remember the last time she had laughed out of sheer merriment!
    Samah finally came to terms with the spice seller, then began to load Angeline up with the basket and various packets of spices. At that moment, Angeline heard an even greater shouting than usual, accompanied by the clamour of bells. She looked up to see a crowd of jeering, guffawing people pushing down the street toward them. Two men were leading a donkey with another man riding backwards on it. This unfortunate man wore a tall, red hat, festooned with bells. As Samah pulled Angeline aside to let them pass, Angeline saw the man try to cover his face with his hands, only to have them knocked down so that all could see who he was.
    “The walk of shame,” a voice said behind Angeline. In French!
    She whipped around to see Zeid standing behind her. Stephen was with him. Stephen seemed as astounded to see her as she was to see him.
    “Punishment meted out by the muhtasib to a thief who has tried to cheat the people. Our muhtasib enforces the laws well here,” Zeid said.
    Angeline barely heard him. Samah made an exclamation of annoyance, but Zeid barked out a few short words and she was silenced. Samah’s whole body went rigid with anger.
    “Stephen!” Angeline cried, ignoring both Samah and Zeid. “I have been wanting to see you so much! How fare you?” To her delight, Stephen’s face lit up, if only briefly, in a smile.
    “I, too, am glad to see you!” he answered. “I am well … as well as can be expected,” he corrected himself. The smile died and his eyes grew dull