“Going on?” I frowned,hoping that I appeared sincere. “I have no idea.” Suddenly, I wasinspired to say, “Why do you think everything’s aboutyou?”
“I don’t!” he protested,but then he gave me a rueful grin. “Not all the timeanyway.”
“Well, at least it’s overand we’re heading home,” I offered. Then, before I could stopmyself, to my horror, I heard words tumbling from my mouth as ifthey were coming from someone else. “But there’s something you needto know. Something about Septimus and Arelate.”
My anxiety at blurting this out changedinstantly to astonishment when I saw that Gnaeus did not seemsurprised.
“Septimus had to borrowmoney to pay my ransom, didn’t he?”
Part of me was relieved that he instantlygrasped the likely reason for my statement, but the manner in whichhe said it, and the expression on his face, I found quitedistressing.
“Yes, he did.”
“Any idea howmuch?”
He was not looking at me,instead leaning on the railing and looking at the sea around usthat was golden from the rays of the setting sun off to our left asthe Salacia had turned north,heading for Ubiorum.
“I’m not certain,” Ianswered, but I knew that, while Gnaeus did not have a deepunderstanding of his family’s holdings and wealth, he was far fromignorant about such matters. And, most importantly, I knew thatprevaricating was the wrong thing to do, which prompted me to goon, “but I know what he had to offer as security for theloan.”
I was watching him, and it felt as if I wasbeing punched in the stomach as I saw the expression on his facechanging from a frown as he tried to think what it might be, thenthe realization of what it was. Most alarming was how, with a lowmoan, his knees buckled, forcing him to reach out to grasp therailing.
“The villa,” he saidfinally. “He had to put up the villa.”
I could only nod, then we did not speak fora long time, until the last light of day was rapidly fading.
“So,” he finally spoke.“You must have known that Bronwen was on board.”
There was no point in denying it, so I toldhim about Ivomagus, and at this, he stood up suddenly, staring downat me before, to my intense relief, he began to laugh.
“I was wondering what hemeant about repaying his debt.”
I went on to tell him what Ivomagus had saidabout Cogidubnus and his plans for Bronwen, and while I was notsurprised to see this angered him, for a moment, I thought he wasabout to storm up to Squillus at the steering oar and demand weturn back around. The moment passed, signaled by his suddenexhalation, and while he spat over the side, his tone was moreresigned than anything else.
“I don’t know how, but I’mgoing to kill that cunnus before I step in Charon’s boat.”
Even if I had been disposed to, I was notabout to argue with him; the one time I opened my mouth the imageof Berdic leapt into my mind, and I realized that wagering againstanyone named Pullus was a risky proposition. I thought it would bea good idea to steer the conversation away from Cogidubnus and backto Bronwen.
“Did she tell you why shecame with us?”
I was surprised when he replied, “Notreally. At least we didn’t talk about it much.” Before I could sayanything, I saw a grin spread across his face, and he nudged me ashe added, “We didn’t really talk about anything.”
As I am sure he intended, this made melaugh, but when I asked him if he was heading below again, he shookhis head.
“I need to think,” hesaid. “But I do have a favor to ask.”
“Anything,” I assuredhim.
“Go down and keep Bronwencompany. Oh,” he sighed, “she’s trying to appear brave and thatshe’s not scared out of her wits and having second thoughts. But,”he shook his head, “I know how I’d be feeling if I was in herplace.”
“Of course,” I answered,but then a thought occurred to me. “But does she know?”
“Yes, I told her I wasgoing to have you sit with her.”
And with that, I left him alone to histhoughts as he remained in the same position, leaning on therailing, staring out to sea.
When I knocked on the cabin door, Bronwenimmediately called out for me to come in, and I could see by herdemeanor she had been expecting me.
“Salve,Bronwen,” I said, because I was unable to think of an appropriateway to begin.
“Salve,Alexandros,” she replied hesitantly, and I was certain that,despite her command of our tongue, she was unfamiliar with ourcustomary greeting. She did offer me a smile, however. “Thank youfor coming to sit with me.”
I realized that, even with the shuttersopen, the light in the cabin was failing quickly, so I went tolight the oil lamp that hung from one of the beams supporting thedeck above us as I said, “I can’t say that I know how you must befeeling right now, but I imagine that it’s…difficult.”
Even as I said it, I blushed at theunderstatement, and whether it was because she saw my embarrassmentor she appreciated the humor, she did laugh.
“That is one way to putit,” she agreed, but her smile faded quickly, and there was asilence between us. She broke it by asking suddenly, “You have thelast name as Gnaeus, but you said that you were not related. How isthis?”
Grateful for the opening,I sat on the stool next to her and explained not just how I came toshare the name, but the Roman system of slaves, freedmen, citizens,and their relative status. I could see she was a careful listener,but she is also very clever, asking few questions but those she diddisplayed a shrewd mind. I have no idea how long we spoke, but ithad to be at least a watch, then I saw her head beginning to droop.I had studiously ignored the makeshift bed on the deck, made withGnaeus’ sagum and his spare,knowing that they had not used it to sleep, so instead, I helpedher into Gnaeus’ hammock, and she was asleep within a matter ofheartbeats. I blew out
