Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,74

and passed round. Great loaves of bread were cut, and chunks passed along to each person. Wine was poured into goblets and then down throats. Spit-roasted meat followed the soup, then came the sweetmeats. The conversation grew louder and louder.

Aaron looked at Judith, seated on the other side of the rabbi. She was gazing down, chewing slowly, lost in thought. As if she felt his eyes on her, she looked up suddenly, straight at him. Their eyes held, and it seemed to him as if everyone else faded from the room, along with the noise and the heat of so many people in one place.

In the middle of it all, a servant came running to Benjamin’s side, and whispered urgently in his ear. He nodded and got up at once, leaving the room to talk to somebody outside. Judith, catching the sudden movement, glanced up. She was seated in such a way that she could see who was on the other side of the door. It was Gregory Rokesly. He had obviously arrived in a hurry, and was gesticulating and talking to Benjamin with an air of urgency. She saw Benjamin’s lips move as he asked one short question, then he nodded quickly, and Gregory left. Benjamin came back into the room, and banged on the table with his goblet for silence.

"My friends," he said. "I am sorry to bring the feasting to an end so abruptly, but I am told that there is a mob heading this way, intent on doing us all great harm. We must leave at once."

A murmur of alarm arose, and one of the women cried out. Benjamin held out his arms as though to calm them all.

"Come," he said. "It is not unusual, alas, for us to suffer at this time of the year. Next week is the Christian festival of Easter. Their day of mourning coincides exactly this year with our Passover. As before, someone is spreading false witness against us. The man who has just told me of this assures me that we will be safe in the Tower, if only we will go there immediately."

Judith looked across at Aaron. He shook his head at her, warning her to say nothing.

The rabbi, who had remained seated between them, decided it was time to stand up and take charge.

"Benjamin, you are right," he said, gravely. "We must gather our belongings and take our families to the Tower, as we have had to do before. We must move quickly, but as calmly as possible. There must be no panic. You all know what to do."

He turned to Aaron.

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Belaset’s Daughter

"Aaron, this is a strange way to end your wedding feast. Take care of your wife and her mother. A blessing on you all."

There was no time for anything more to be said. The food was abandoned on the tables, and people filed out silently. In the street outside the house, they dispersed quickly, anxious to get to their homes and collect whatever they could carry with them to the Tower. Benjamin took Aaron to help him collect whatever they could carry in the way of ledgers and documents.

He took him into a small room at the back of the house. There was nothing in it but a small table, a stool, and upright chair with arms, and a chest. Benjamin went swiftly to the chest, and unlocked it, using a key which was hanging round his neck. He took off the cloth which covered the contents, laid it on the table, and began piling the scrolls, single parchment leaves and small packets on to it. Aaron helped him, wordlessly.

"These are the very things that the mob will seek to destroy," said Benjamin. "Anyone who has borrowed from me will be eager to know that the record of our transaction no longer exists."

Aaron nodded, still piling the contents of the box on to the cloth. It was a sizeable mound, but, between them, they managed to tie the corners of the cloth across, so that everything was safely contained inside it.

"I will take it," said Benjamin, lifting the bundle from the table and swinging it across one shoulder. "Go and find Judith and Belaset, and take them to the Tower. Your mother and I will follow with the servants."

Aaron hesitated, then, gripping his father’s shoulder, he ran from the room. He could hear Dorcas calling to the servants to hurry. She had made sure that the fire was out in the kitchen, and then gathered