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couldn’t. His stomach churned with shame and revulsion. How could he have been so naive all these years, blindly trusting everything Eliakim said and did? Had the entire kingdom known what a fool he had been? It was time for him to grow up and begin to run the nation on his own.
    When the night guards trooped into the throne room, Manasseh was immediately suspicious of them. Where did their loyalties lie? Were some of them part of this conspiracy, too? The only way he would ever know was to issue an order and see how they responded.
    “I’m sorry to say that I’ve uncovered an elaborate conspiracy tonight,” he told them. “Two men who I thought were my friends— Rabbi Isaiah and Lord Eliakim—have turned out to be my enemies.” He paused to let them digest this information before continuing. “I know it may seem hard to believe, but tonight they proved it with their actions. They will be given a fair trial, of course, but in the meantime I want half of you to search Rabbi Isaiah’s house for evidence. Bring me every document you find, and make sure you search for hiding places, as well. I want the rest of you to go to Eliakim’s house and do the same thing. Bring all the documents to me.”
    Manasseh had to pause to regain his composure. His stomach churned as he considered the final step. It was difficult enough to believe that Eliakim was involved—but surely not his son Joshua, not Manasseh’s trusted friend since childhood. For the second time that night he remembered the blind woman’s prophecy: “He’s not your friend . . . he’s your enemy.”
    “Eliakim has a son named Joshua. Arrest him and bring him to me. Remember, all of these men are traitors to the kingdom. Treat anyone who tries to help them as my enemy, as well.”

2
    “S O, MY CHILD, THEY LEFT YOU behind to baby-sit your old grandfather, eh?” Hilkiah’s round, wrinkled face beamed mischievously.
    “Oh, Grandpa, you know that’s not true.” Dinah plumped the pillows behind her grandfather’s head and tucked the blankets around him. Hilkiah’s bed had been moved to Eliakim’s old workroom on the main floor. Now that he was in his eighties, it had become too difficult for Hilkiah to climb the stairs.
    “No? Then why is such a pretty young girl like you staying home with an old man like me? Where are all your suitors?”
    “I don’t have any suitors yet, Grandpa.”
    He chuckled merrily. “Oh yes, you do. You have dozens of them, but they’re all afraid to approach your father—the king’s mighty palace administrator—and ask for your hand.” His voice was serious, but his eyes twinkled in the lamplight. Dinah sat on the bed beside him and hugged him.
    “You’re teasing me, Grandpa.”
    “No, I’m not. Your suitors troop in and out of my shop every day just to ask about you. They know I’m your grandfather, you see, and they think I’m less fearsome than Eliakim. Ask your brother Jerimoth. He’ll tell you the same thing. Your suitors have tried to talk to him about you, too, but he gets annoyed with them. He tells them they’re wasting his time. He’s there to sell cloth, after all, not serve as a matchmaker.”
    “I can’t ask Jerimoth because he’s not home. He went to Heshbon with your caravan, remember?”
    “That’s right. And where did everyone else disappear to tonight? I suppose your father is still at the palace.”
    “No, he went to see Rabbi Isaiah.”
    “And your mother is with your sister in Anathoth. Still no word about Tirza’s baby?”
    She shook her head. “They promised to send a messenger as soon as the baby is born. I hope they don’t forget.”
    “My little Tirza . . . a mother,” Hilkiah said with a sigh. “I can’t believe it. Only yesterday I was bouncing her on my knee out in the garden. Wouldn’t you much rather be with your sister when her first baby is born instead of sitting around here with your old grandfather?”
    “Mama wouldn’t let me go. She’s afraid if I see