Daughter of Jerusalem Read Online Free PDF

arms and put me away from him. His grip was so hard it hurt me. “I should not have kissed you like that.”
    “It felt right to me.” I lifted my chin, daring him to disagree.
    A flash of amusement flitted across his tense face. “I love it when you raise your chin like that.” He drew a deep, steadying breath. “I love all of you, my beloved.”
    “I love you too, Daniel. I have always loved you.”
    His face took on the dangerous aspect it had worn in the courtyard. He looked out the cracked door and said, “I would like to murder Samuel.”
    “You can’t hurt Samuel! That would make everything worse.”
    It never occurred to me that, if it came to blows, Samuel was much heavier than Daniel and would undoubtedly be the victor. The way Daniel looked . . . it never occurred to me at all.
    He straightened to his full height. “I’ll speak to my father about us. I’ll tell him how we feel, that we wish to be married someday. I won’t allow you to be married to Samuel.”
    From the courtyard Leah’s voice sounded, calling my name.
    Daniel said, “Go out first. I’ll wait for a bit. We don’t want anyone to see us come out of here together.”
    I bit my lip, gave him another fearful look, and slipped out the door.

    Neither Samuel nor Daniel appeared at supper that night, but as Ruth and I were walking toward the kitchen to help with the dishes, she hissed in my ear and pushed me into the closet where the Passover supper pots and plates were kept. All the precious dishes were lovingly wrapped in linen and carefully stacked.
    Esther kept a ritually clean kitchen at all times, but for Passover she had special, treasured dinnerware. Unlike the stories I had heard in Judea about Galileans, she was very strict about following the dietary laws.
    Ruth and I stood close together in the small closet, whispering so as not to be heard by anyone passing by. “My mother told me that this afternoon Samuel asked Lord Benjamin if he could marry you!”
    My heart began to race. “What did Lord Benjamin answer?”
    “He said no.”
    My relief was so intense that my knees almost gave way. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,” I said fervently.
    Ruth was looking bewildered. “How ever did Samuel come to do such a thing, Mary? You always complained he didn’t like you.”
    I told her about what had occurred that afternoon in the courtyard.“I was terrified. Samuel was so close to me, and his eyes were glittering in a horrible way. He looked as if he wanted to eat me up.” I shuddered. “Then he touched my hair.”
    “No . . .” Ruth breathed in shocked sympathy. “That’s disgusting. How did you get away?”
    “Daniel came into the courtyard.”
    Ruth’s mouth opened in a big O. She seemed torn between fascination and terror. “What happened then?”
    I swallowed. “They had a big argument. Oh, Ruth, I thought they were going to punch each other! Then Daniel told me to take the children inside, and I did.”
    Even to Ruth, I didn’t think I should mention my later meeting with Daniel in the storeroom.
    Ruth patted my arm. “Well, you can consider yourself safe from Samuel. Lord Benjamin has already made plans for him. He’s been negotiating for Samuel to marry Naomi, the daughter of Saul bar Levi.”
    Saul bar Levi had one of the biggest fishing fleets in Magdala; his daughter would be a good match for Lord Benjamin’s heir.
    “Was Lord Benjamin angry with Samuel?”
    “If he was, he’ll get over it. It wasn’t your fault that Samuel made a fool of himself.”
    I prayed she was right.
    “There is one more thing, though . . .”
    The expression on her face alarmed me. “What?”
    “My mother also told me that Lord Benjamin expects to collect a big bride price for you. She said that two well-placed men from the town have already inquired about getting you for their sons.”
    I had never seriously thought that I might be the object of marriageoffers. I knew that the young men in town admired my