Contrary to what Rebekah had been led to expect, Keturah was flawlessly gracious. She embraced Rebekah at once and seemed genuinely dismayed that the wedding had already taken place, and insisted that there would still be a feast as if the wedding still lay in the future.

“Isaac was beginning to be like an aging uncle,” said Keturah. “He was just pottering about mumbling things from the holy books and looking confused when anybody talked to him. But now—it’s as if you took twenty years off his age!”

“I hope he doesn’t do the same to me,” said Rebekah.

Keturah looked puzzled for a moment, and then laughed. “Of course! You’re not twenty years old yourself, are you! I am, though. Barely!”

“Still, that’s not such a great difference in our ages.”

“It’s our husbands who are old men!”  Keturah laughed aloud at her own joke. Then she leaned close to Rebekah. “I notice you had the self-control not to look around and see whether Isaac heard me. That’s good—some women think their husbands are babies and have to be protected from everything.”

Rebekah wanted to say, Even a grown man might wish to be safe from insult in his father’s house, but in truth Keturah had said nothing wrong, and perhaps the only reason Rebekah felt snippy about it was because of what Isaac and Eliezer had said just before they arrived at Isaac’s camp. All Keturah was doing was trying to make friends with her.

Or . . . perhaps she was asserting seniority because of her age, so Rebekah would not challenge her leadership of the women.

“I think,” said Rebekah, “that Isaac is planning for us to live at Lahai-roi. I hope we visit here often enough for us to become friends.”

Keturah’s expression changed to one of mock dismay. “Oh no, it’s going to be awkward for a few days.”

“Why would it be?” said Rebekah.

“Because Abraham is absolutely determined that his grandchild—the birthright grandson, to be exact—is going to grow up right here where he can keep an eye on him.”

“Well, perhaps that’s a decision that can be made when I’ve actually given birth to such a child,” said Rebekah.

“I don’t know. When Abraham gets an idea in his head . . .” She leaned close to Rebekah, as if confiding a secret. “He’s a very old man, you know, and he gets impatient when people don’t see things his way immediately.”

“I’m sure everything will work out,” said Rebekah. “No need to think about that now.”

“I hope you do end up living here,” said Keturah. “Even though it does mean you’ll be ruler of the women.”

Rebekah at once protested, though in fact she was relieved that Keturah had brought up the subject and declared her own disadvantage so cheerfully.