Rashi's Daughters, Book III: Rachel (12 page)

Anna took one look at Eliezer and burst into tears. “Thank Heaven. You’re finally home.” She blew her nose and wiped her hands on her apron.

“Where is everyone?” he asked.

“They’ve gone to Ramerupt.” She broke into fresh sobs. “Shiva for Joheved’s baby boy.”

Anna was crying too hard to answer, but he had to ask. “My wife and children?”

She looked at him with such pain that he knew the demon had not spared his family. “Please, you must tell me.”

She was still weeping when the gate opened to admit Baruch and Pesach, returning from the vineyard. Baruch took in the scene and hurried to embrace Eliezer. “May you be comforted among the mourners of Jerusalem.”

Eliezer could feel the tears welling in his eyes. “Who died? Please. Your wife can’t stop crying long enough to tell me.”

Baruch took a deep breath. “Your infant son died a few weeks ago. Shemiah and little Rivka, may the Holy One protect them, still live.”

“Rachel named him Asher,” Pesach added.

“And the others?” Eliezer was afraid of the answer.

“Shibeta only claimed the two babies, Meir’s and yours. Rabbenu Salomon’s other grandchildren were spared.” Baruch no sooner finished speaking than his expression abruptly hardened with anger.

“What’s wrong, Papa?” Pesach asked.

Baruch motioned for Anna to come closer. “Remember that drunk merchant—Adam I think his name was—who got into such a row at Asher’s brit milah?”

“
Oui
. He had the audacity to joke about Rabbenu Salomon having his own minyan of grandsons and sons-in-law,” Anna practically spat the words out.

“He doesn’t now,” Pesach whispered.

“Shh,” Anna hissed. No stranger to sorrow, her two daughters died of the pox during the last epidemic.

“Tomorrow is the seventh day of mourning, so everyone should be coming home soon,” Baruch said. “But I expect you’ll want to ride to Ramerupt while it’s still light.”

Eliezer, too overwhelmed to speak, could only nod.

Baruch headed toward the gate. “Anna, can get you something to eat while I fetch a fresh horse.”

Pondering his feelings, Eliezer followed Anna into the kitchen. A stab of remorse assailed him. His new baby was gone, a son he never met. But Rachel would have become attached to the babe: cuddling him, nursing him, and doing all that mothers do for a newborn. She had never experienced a close family death before. She would be heartbroken. And he hadn’t been there to console her. Eliezer took a deep breath and tried to appreciate that his two older children were spared.

By the time he had wolfed down his food and used the privy, Baruch was back with the horse. “I’m glad you returned to us safely,” the manservant said as he helped Eliezer into the stirrups. “Adam brought down the Evil Eye on you as well, but you didn’t know to take the precautions Meir and Judah did.”

Several times on the way to Ramerupt, Eliezer stopped his horse, put his right thumb in his left hand and his left thumb in his right hand, and recited, “I, Eliezer son of Shemiah, I am of the seed of Joseph, and the Evil Eye has no power over me.”

The death of Salomon’s grandsons may have dropped the number of male descendants to nine, but if the Evil Eye counted the patriarch himself, there would still be a minyan’s worth in the family.

As Eliezer approached Meir’s manor a new worry added to his troubles. Rachel was already unhappy over all the time he spent away from Troyes. His missing their son’s birth, circumcision, and funeral would have dealt her further blows.

 

He was met at the gate by a handsome, slender youth, tall enough to show that he was past puberty, yet lacking the beard to prove that he had reached manhood. Despite the fellow’s dexterity at helping him dismount, Eliezer sensed that he was no servant.

“Welcome to Ramerupt-sur-Aube, sire . . .” The youth paused.

Eliezer approved of the youth’s discretion, not calling him
lord
, but still suggesting that he was some sort of noble. Eliezer realized that his dark complexion—darker now that he’d been riding outdoors—revealed his foreign, southern origin. Often people weren’t sure what to make of him.

“I’m afraid you’ve arrived at a bad time,” the youth said somberly. “The lord and lady are in mourning,”

“I’m their brother-in-law, Eliezer ben Shemiah, just returned from Córdoba. And you are?”

“Excuse me for not recognizing you, Master Eliezer. I’m Milo de Plancy. Come with me.” Milo made a small gesture and a groom hurried to take custody of Eliezer’s horse.

“No offense, Milo. I didn’t recognize you either. It’s been over two years and you’re at least a head taller.”

“But I should have recognized you.” Milo looked like he was about to cry. “I should know all my lady’s relations.”

Eliezer followed Milo to the house. Joheved and Meir must be quite upset to make their squire so unhappy. “Is Étienne a good teacher? Joheved says he’s an excellent steward.”

“Étienne died of dropsy just before Candlemas,” Milo whispered. “Enter quietly. The family is saying their prayers.”

Eliezer waited at the doorway behind Milo. Salomon’s salon would have been crowded with all the students here, but Meir’s great hall could easily hold twice as many. Eliezer searched the room for Rachel but he couldn’t find her; she must be sitting against the wall near Salomon. Eliezer couldn’t see his father-in-law either, but he could hear him.

Salomon was teaching a Midrash on Proverbs 31, one particularly appropriate for a family mourning the death of two boys.

Joheved’s sobs echoed through the room, and Meir’s arms tightened around her. The couple stood flanked by their sons Isaac and Shmuel, along with daughters Hannah and Leah. But where was Rachel? Eliezer stepped into the salon, his anxious gaze sweeping the room.

He stopped short when Rachel came into view, and his heart broke. She had lost weight and her beautiful green eyes were rimmed with red. Silent tears streamed down her face as she leaned heavily against Salomon, his hand gently patting her shoulder. Eliezer’s throat tightened with grief and guilt. He’d delayed his return to enjoy life in Córdoba, and now his new son was struck down before he’d even held him.

He focused on Rachel until she lifted her head and their eyes met. He’d hoped that she would exhibit some pleasure, or at least relief, when she saw him. But Rachel stared at him with such a baleful expression that Eliezer knew it could be a long time before she was able to forgive him for returning so late.

After greeting her with an affectionate hug, which she returned with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, he thanked Heaven that at least she was not
niddah
. Eliezer expected to be baited by Rachel’s scowls and curt remarks that evening, even anticipated how he would reply, but she maintained her stony silence.

At
souper
Eliezer was as solicitous to her as possible, keeping her wine cup filled and serving her those dishes he knew she enjoyed. Filled with gratitude that their older children had survived, he showered them with affection, telling Shemiah all sorts of fanciful tales about Sepharad and bouncing little Rivka on his lap. Yet Rachel’s melancholy did not abate.

After the meal he played with little Rivka and helped Shemiah review his studies, and then offered to put their son to bed so Rachel could attend to their daughter. Apparently she’d begun nursing the girl again after the baby died.

 

When he finally entered their bedroom, he was not surprised to see that Rachel had put out the lamp. It didn’t matter; he was perfectly capable of doing what he intended in pitch dark. He took his time undressing and hanging his clothes on the pegs on the wall—let his wife wonder why he wasn’t more eager to join her in bed after their six-month separation.

Indeed her petulant voice called out from the darkness, “What’s taking you so long? Are you coming to bed or no?”

“Shush.” He climbed in and let the bed curtains fall behind him. “You’ll wake little Rivka.”

He didn’t expect her to reach for him, and she didn’t. He leaned on his side and caressed the curve of her bosom, gently pinching her nipple as his fingers passed over it.

Rachel had promised herself that she wasn’t going to let him seduce her so easily, but the resulting sensation between her legs caused her to gasp, and she couldn’t bring herself to stop him when he continued to toy with her hardening nipples.
It’s been such a long time.

Curse Eve, the first woman, who had eaten the forbidden fruit and doomed all of womankind so that:

Eliezer’s tongue was probing her mouth, and, despite the anger Rachel felt at her weakness, the fire below was growing stronger. She clung to her husband’s neck as her passion mounted, and though she willed them to be still, her hips pressed and ground against his. His lips began to move, first to her neck and then slowly down her body. When he reached her breast, his tongue teased her nipple so exquisitely that she couldn’t bear it if something didn’t address the need that assailed her in that hidden place below. Yet at the same time her mind screamed at her for not fighting her desire.

As if reading her thoughts, his hand began making its way down her belly. She tried to resist him and keep her legs closed, but her body betrayed her and spread them wide as his fingers approached. Her breath was coming fast now, and she moaned as he stroked the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, moving closer and closer to her
ervah
, yet never touching her there.
He wants me to beg him, damn him.

“Please,” she whispered, at the same time furious that she wanted him so badly.

Immediately he sucked hard on her breast, and his hand reached up to probe her secret opening. But his meticulous exploration only increased her torment, and she whimpered as his delicate caresses fueled her passion.

“Please,” she begged him again.

Eliezer withdrew his fingers, but instead of positioning his body above hers, he slid off the bed and pulled her legs toward him. Then, her thighs gaping open before him, he knelt on the floor in front on her.

“Eliezer.” She tried to sit up, but he pushed her back down on the bed.

“I want you to emit your seed first.” His voice was husky with desire. “So we will have another son.”

The next thing she knew, he was kissing her breasts again. Then his hands replaced his mouth and his lips began moving relentlessly down her belly.
Mon Dieu, he is going to kiss me there!

Suddenly his lips reached a spot that sent her mind reeling, and her entire being was instantly focused on the ecstasy his mouth was generating. She moaned and cried, and grasped the linens convulsively, but couldn’t pull her hips away. His fingers kept playing with her nipples and his tongue was a flame licking at her, turning her
ervah
into a furnace stoked ever higher.

She was transported to a world where the only thing that existed was the inferno between her legs, which continued to rage hotter and hotter until, suddenly, her
ervah
began to swell and pulse with paroxysms of such intense pleasure that she thought she would explode inside. When she couldn’t take any more, she pulled away and lay gasping on the bed, her loins and nipples throbbing as the spasms slowly dissipated.

Eliezer sat back for a few moments, and then gently stroked her inner thighs to rekindle her desire. He knew he should wait a little longer, but pleasuring Rachel this way was too stimulating. He had been keenly aware of her increasing excitement, and when he’d felt her climax, it had nearly sent him over the edge himself. Her breathing began to quicken again and he couldn’t wait. He flipped her legs back onto the bed and climbed on top of her, somehow compelling himself to enter gradually.

Her damp warmth gripped him, caressed him. Rachel groaned deeply and wrapped her legs around him, so he drew back and then penetrated fully. She moaned again and began to breathe faster as his movements became more vigorous.

Soon she was panting beneath him, her cries of delight growing louder with her increasing urgency. Eliezer had hoped to restrain his ardor and make her climax first this way too, before finally bringing them both to the zenith together. But then he felt her sheath begin to spasm around him, and he gave himself over to the passion that forced him to sink his entire length into her as rapidly and as forcefully as he could.