The Guild

As the evening wore on, Soetste gained the companionship of the beautiful house servant, whom he began to call Jasmine. He allowed her to talk of her life and he of his. They shared stories. Their paths were similar, as were the height and build of their bodies. She was his female equivalent. He enjoyed her dark skin and dark eyes. Soetste made love to her in a way he never had with Rachel. Yes, he'd succeeded in releasing Rachel's femininity, but between being a good Jewish wife and the rigid rules of the Dutch Reformed Church, Rachel was a confused woman. She was a fine wife and mother, but she never cried out from deep within her soul, as Jasmine did.