I hummed to myself as I chopped the vegetables. Uriyah would be home that night, and I wanted everything to be perfect for him. He would be weary from battle, and after he had eaten a hearty meal, he would no doubt wish to spend time with me.

"Can I make you more comfortable?" I asked aloud, batting my eyelashes.

I blushed, realizing I was talking to the bread. It would be several hours before my husband arrived.

As soon as I had realized I carried the king's child, I had sent a message to King Dawid. He had replied that he would send my husband home for a night. Everyone would believe the child was Uriyah's own offspring, and my disgrace would be hidden.

While I waited for my husband, I gathered handfuls of flower petals and put them in a large bowl of water I had heated. When it was ready, I made sure my doors and windows were securely fastened, and I soaked my hands and feet. I bathed my entire body in the remaining water.

Afterwards, I rubbed scented oil on my skin and put on a clean robe. I then painted my eyes and carefully pinned up my hair attractively. Uriyah must desire me. If anyone discovered the child I carried was not his baby, I would be stoned.

I had never watched a stoning, but I imagined it must be awful to be seized and dragged to the edge of town by an angry mob. The victim was then struck with rocks, suffering from internal bleeding and broken bones until one rock finally fractured the skull.

As the afternoon finally drew to evening, I eagerly awaited Uriyah's arrival. He should be home any moment. I set the table and took my place, ready to welcome my husband.

However, the food began to grow cold, and he still had not arrived. The colors of sunset gradually faded into the darkness of twilight, but I was still alone.

Just as I was beginning to worry, I heard a knock at the door, and I hurried to answer. To my surprise, the man before me was not Uriyah, but one of the king's messengers.

"Your husband refuses to leave the palace," he explained without so much as a greeting. "He sleeps at the door of the king's house."

"Does the king know?" I queried.

"I shall have to tell him tomorrow. Good evening."

Without another word, he turned and was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Of course Uriyah wouldn't be home. I shouldn't have expected him. First of all, a man was not supposed to lie with a woman, even his wife, while on military duty. Second, Uriyah was loyal to the other soldiers, refusing to rest comfortably while they slept in the field.

I wondered if he secretly knew King Dawid had defiled me. After all, it had to seem suspicious that the king summoned Uriyah from battle for the purpose of encouraging him to enjoy my company. Did my husband know the king had forced himself on me? Was he denying himself the pleasure of our marriage bed because he refused to be part of the king's cruel game?

I lay awake that night, wondering what would become of me. Everything would be so simple for King Dawid. All he had to do was deny ever being involved and allow me to be executed as an adulteress.

The following evening passed the same as the first. This time, the king had tried to make Uriyah drunk enough to lose his sense of loyalty, but my husband had still slept in front of the king's home.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"Uriyah has returned to battle," the messenger informed me, "but the king says not to worry, for he has found a way to solve the problem."

"He begged for forgiveness after confessing to Elohim and Uriyah what he had done?"

The messenger sighed. "The king has solved the problem. He has not explained how."

I frowned. There was something about King Dawid and his devious schemes that I didn't trust, but I knew better than to voice my treasonous thoughts aloud.

A few weeks later, I received a visit from one of my husband's dearest friends. They had fought together in many battles, and they trusted each other as brothers.

"Welcome, Nuwn," I greeted. "How fare the king's valiant soldiers?"

Nuwn sighed wearily as I placed a bowl of food before him. I could tell something weighed heavily on his mind.

"I have seen the bravest of men fall to the sword," he stated.

A chill began to slither down my spine like a serpent.

"And Uriyah?" I queried.

"None fought more bravely than he."

It took a few moments for me to realize what he meant. When I understood what he was trying to say, I gasped. What would happen to me, a widow without children? Would anyone in Uriyah's family take me as his wife so I would not suffer?

"His final thoughts were of you," Nuwn remarked.

"What did he say?"

My visitor sighed again. "'Tell Sheva I was just beginning to fall in love with her.'"