A Stray Drop of Blood (44 page)

Titus watched the little one’s chest rise and fall. “I thought you a fool for not welcoming what would secure his affections. And I thought him a fool for caring.”

She rolled her head along the wall to face him again. “And I despised you for once convincing him to go to another woman. For making him feel guilty for staying at home with me instead of going into the town with you.”

Regret filled his veins. “And for all that, he loved you anyway, and remained my friend.”

She nodded. “He was a good man.”

Titus mirrored her in agreement, but then just studied her for a long moment. “On your wedding day, I accused you of not loving him.”

A sheen of tears glistened in her eyes. “You were right. I did not love him. I had come to be fond of him by that time, but I could not let him past the pain he had caused me. Even at the last, I had not given him my heart as he wished it. I suppose I loved him in a way.” She dashed at the tears before they could fall. Drew in a quivering breath. “Not as I should have.”

He could manage no accusation. “You made him happy, whatever your emotions. I am glad of that.”

“
Now,” Abigail tacked on with a hint of a grin.

“
Yes, now.” He smiled too, but it soon faded. “I see, now, what I could not before. That you are a person, not just a slave. A human, not just a woman. You have intelligence and conviction and wisdom. And that the Hebrew way is not so incomprehensible.”

Abigail reached out and patted his hand where it lay on the floor between them. “You have proven yourself to be much more than I ever gave you credit for. I thought you the worst of all Jason’s friends. But of all Jason’s friends, you are the only one who let himself be changed by all that happened.”

He took his hand from hers so that he could put the arm around her and draw her close in companionship. “It surprises me, too.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “But it has at least gotten your mind off the storm.”

She elbowed him in the ribs, undoubtedly instantly aware of it again.

Titus grunted, then laughed. “Sweet as honey, that Abigail. All humility and gentle modesty.” She grinned in response as Samuel was wont to do, and Titus sighed at the sight. “How old are you, Abigail?”

Abigail paused for a moment, as if she had to calculate. “My birthday passed this year without any attention. Fifteen. And you?”

He let his lips tip up in a crooked grin. “I remember when I was fifteen. It was a good year. Bithia came to us that year.” He glanced down and found her eyes lit dryly. “I think you do not care about that, though, do you? And I should try not to think of those things anyway, I know. I am in my twenty-eighth year. A few years older than Jason.”

“
But still younger than most centurions. I suppose the five of you all were. Put ahead by politics, and brought together by that circumstance.”

“
Indeed.” Titus sighed, resting his head against the wall. “The seas are calming.”

Abigail hummed her agreement, then let silence hold the room. Minutes later she asked, “Did you not like the military, Titus?”

He did not have to think through his answer. “No.”

“
Why not?” Exhaustion weighted her voice, and her head came to rest against his shoulder.

“
I did not like having to answer to somebody else for my every move.”

“
But we all have to answer to someone.” She yawned. “At least in the military, there are others that must also answer to you.”

Titus smiled at her logic and reached with his free hand to smooth a stray tendril of hair from her cheek. “And in Rome, I have servants that do the same.”

She blinked rapidly, much as her son had done earlier when fighting off sleep. “Surely not so many.”

“
Not so many fewer.”

Abigail hummed for a moment. “The wealthy Asiniuses. Your father was consul until recently. ‘A family destined for greatness.’” She chuckled to herself. “‘But the son is a bit intolerable sometimes. He thinks himself too good to serve as a soldier.’”

Titus did not know whether to be amused or amazed. “Where did you hear such gossip?”

Her eyes slid shut. “I read Jason’s letters to his mother sometimes.”

Her breathing was growing deeper, and Titus knew she would soon be asleep. “Abigail, did Jason not write his letters in Latin?”

“
Mm. I always thought it rather rude. He knew his mother could not read it.”

Titus just watched her for a moment, smiling softly as she drifted off. “Abigail,” he whispered, knowing she would not hear, “I have never met anyone quite like you.”

He watched her a moment longer, then lifted her gently and carried her to her own room, putting Benjamin beside her after a second short trip. Bidding the two sleeping beings a good night, he went back to his pallet. Slumber did not come so easily to him.

Thinking back on it now, he was sure Jason had mentioned his parents’ rather strange decision to educate their slaves, even the girl. Until this moment, though, he had given it no thought. It had been none of his concern that they could read or write. And when he had first seen Abigail, anything beyond the charms of her body simply did not interest him. Even that time when she had spoken with them of her one God, of what his Son would be like, it had been easy to put aside her wit and knowledge the moment she closed her mouth.

Weeks ago, when she had written that note to her fellow slaves, it had struck him as odd for only a moment; after all, it had been in Greek. But apparently she was also literate in Latin, and undoubtedly in Hebrew as well, if she had the other two.

It was no wonder Jason had ceased to see her as a slave after spending so much time with her. Most of the noble women he knew were not as learned as Abigail seemed to be. But whether or not her skills would endear her to Rome he could not tell. Because the point remained that she was a Jewess, had been a servant in a Roman’s house. The families he knew would not be so eager to welcome her into their circles.

But they would not have to, after all. They would have to welcome only her son; and he would make sure they did so. He would stay in communication with Abigail even after she went back to Israel, and he would see that the boy received the education he deserved; Samuel too. He had a sharp mind, and it should be hewn. Abigail would surely see the wisdom of sending them to Rome for their schooling, and when they came, he would gladly welcome them, take them under his wing.

It occurred to him as sleep finally came that he was looking quite far into the future all of a sudden. It was an unsettling realization, for he still was not so clear on what he would be doing with his life in the next year. But, he supposed, that was one curiosity easily satisfied. All he had to do was wait and see.

~*~

By the time the ship arrived in port at Ostia Antica, Abigail had once again decided she liked life on the sea. Looking out in all directions and seeing the vast world of water underneath her, the edge of land just within sight, the gulls flapping overhead and crying out their complaints. She liked the salty air and the shimmer of sun upon the swells.

They arrived early in the day, but they still had a bit of a journey before they reached Titus’s home. There was a veritable entourage awaiting them, which he pointed out from the rails before they were permitted to leave the ship.

She surveyed the collection of slaves, horses, and carts that stood inland a few hundred yards, amid the bustling of the small city.“Why are there so many?”

“
I am the son of the house. And a rather demanding one in the past. They would wish to anticipate my needs; and moreover, the larger the procession entering Rome, the more attention it gets. My father will wish my homecoming to be something that gains notice.”

“
Oh.” Abigail held Benjamin a little closer to her and pulled Samuel back against her legs.

Titus smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “You have nothing to fear, Abigail. You are my guest, and Jason’s widow. They may look at you with curiosity, but you will be treated with respect.” He laughed outright at the look she sent him. “You are a mistress now. You must grow accustomed to being held in respect.”

“
I was a slave for most of my memory, Titus. If not for Jason, I would be one still. I would have married a slave, I would have remained a slave.”

Titus snorted and looked out at Ostia again. “As Jason pointed out to me in one of our many conversation on the matter, you were born free. And you are far too good to be the wife of a slave.”

“
That slave was my first and dearest friend.”

Titus looked at her again. “Andrew? Are you in love with him, Abigail?”

Abigail sighed, not missing the censure in his voice. “No, Titus, I am not in love with Andrew. But he is my friend, and I love him. I will not endanger my son’s future standing by marrying a slave. Do not worry.”

A smile slipped onto Titus’s mouth. “Well, you cannot blame me. Your husband did it.”

Abigail rolled her eyes. “To ensure his son’s future standing. It was a very different situation.”

He granted that with a tilt of his head, then turned when the captain called out their permission to debark. He nodded his acknowledgment to the man, then smiled into Samuel’s grin when the boy took his hand excitedly. “Here we go. We shall be in Rome within the hour.”

Abigail had to stifle the urge to run back into her cabin and hide.

They left the ship, their luggage having already been taken to Titus’s slaves. As soon as they were on dry land again, one of the elder servants rushed forward, falling onto a knee with head bowed in front of Titus. “My lord and master. It is with deepest pleasure that I welcome you home.”

“
I have only been gone a year, Vinius,” Titus said with humor. “Do not injure your bad knee on my account.”

The man seemed taken aback by the show of concern.

Titus chuckled, motioning with a hand. “Rise, good servant.”

Abigail watched as the man obeyed, his face proving the discomfort caused by his knee. His gaze wandered to Abigail before he cast his eyes to the ground.

“
This is Abigail Visibullis,” Titus said by means of introduction. “You may remember my friend, Jason.”

“
Of course!” Vinius beamed a smile.

“
This is his widow, and their child.”

The servant’s smile vanished. “Widow? My lord, I had not heard of his death. My condolences. Mistress,” he then said, bowing to Abigail, “your husband had my deepest regard. I serve your pleasure with willingness.”

“
Thank you, Vinius.” She hoped he heard her genuine appreciation in her voice.

Titus’s brows were drawn. “The head servant in my father’s house has not heard of my best friend’s death? I have forgotten much about my father’s habits, it seems. I wonder if even my mother knows.”

“
Your father shares with us what we need to know.” Vinius studied the ground.

Titus grunted and nodded in the direction of their horses. “Let us be off, Vinius.”

The servant was quick to obey, leading them to their transportation and pointing them to where they could sit in most comfort and watch the scenery pass with the most luxury. Titus nodded his approval and held Benjamin while Abigail was helped into her place, then gave the child back and hoisted Samuel up, following him soon after.

They were all menservants who had come to greet their master, and Abigail felt their gazes on her more than once. If she happened to turn in their directions, though, they were always quick to look away. She found her spine straightening of its own accord and glanced down at her son for fortification.

“
Did Jason not tell you that nowhere in Rome was there to be found a beauty to compare to yours?” Titus asked with a smile, his words soft so that his slaves would not overhear.

“
Jason said many things to try to flatter my vanity.”

Titus chuckled. “Flattery it may have seemed, but it was probably all true.” He glanced briefly but sternly at one of his men who was looking their way. “It would take more control than most men have for them not to look at you, Abigail. You will have to be understanding.”

She lifted her chin. “From what I have heard, women are not lacking in your household, Titus. Perhaps you should remind your men that I am not a novelty, as I was aboard your ship.”

Before Titus could respond, Samuel began his customary catalogue of questions, asking about everything from the name of buildings they passed in Ostia to the kinds of plants growing alongside the road to Rome to who was who among his slaves. It kept the two adults occupied until they entered through the massive gates of the city Titus dared to call home.

Chapter Thirty-One

“
Mistress! The runner has arrived! Your son will be here in moments!”

Aquilia Asinius smiled. “Go see that cook has the meal prepared.” The servant hurried away, and Aquilia reached to smooth down a curl of her silver hair. She took a single glance in the mirror, long enough to verify that she looked her best. Each tress arranged. Paint carefully applied to her face. Stola draped just so. Jewels telling the world who she was. Satisfied, she headed for the door of her chamber.