I have no doubt he meant well, but I hadalready witnessed how sensitive Bronwen was, and still is, when itcomes to how we Romans view everyone who still identifiesthemselves by tribes, and when I gave her a sidelong glance, I sawthose nostrils flaring.
To forestall more unpleasantness, I spokeup, asking Septimus, “Did Aviola give you the location of hisfather’s home?”
Septimus’ eyes had been on Bronwen, and Icould tell he understood that he had said something to offend her,even if he did not know exactly why, so he looked relieved as heglanced down at the tablet to answer, “Yes, he did. But not justthe villa. He gave me the locations of four other houses, each ofthem in a different quarter of the city, which Aviola said hisfather bought as possible hideouts in the event things went badlyfor him. In fact,” he looked up with a grim smile, “that’s howAviola the Younger first discovered the truth about his father. Hefound the deeds to all four houses when he was searching for someother document.”
A silence descended around the table, eachof us momentarily absorbed in our own thoughts, but I sensed thateveryone there had accepted the inevitability that we would besailing for Alexandria.
This was confirmed when Miriam asked me,“How are you going to pay for all of this? I’m assuming that youdon’t have access to your Legion funds.”
Rather than answer her directly, it was myturn to lean forward, and with a grin, say to Alex, “Would you careto explain our financial situation? Since you’re responsible forit.”
As I hoped, I saw this both pleased andembarrassed him, but Alex explained what he had done, and this timewhen laughter erupted, it was for the same reason, our delight in amember of the Pullus family having duped the Parisii, even if itwas to a small degree. I experienced a pang of worry that Bronwenwould not appreciate this slur against her people, but when Iglanced down at her, she was as merry as the others.
It was growing late, so it was Birgit whorose from the table first, telling us that she would prepare ameal, which was met by protests from the others, more out ofpoliteness than any other reason if I am any judge.
“I’m going to make sure that Birgitknows that I’m the only one not complaining,” I said, patting mystomach as I grinned. “She knows how to feed a man.”
As the others laughed, Bronwen asked, “Doall of you eat as much as Gnaeus?”
This only increased the mirth, and it wasAlex who assured her, “By the gods, no, Bronwen. I’ve never seen ahuman being eat as much as Gnaeus, and certainly none of usdo.”
Bronwen chose this moment tocontribute to the highly exaggerated tales of my appetite, tellingthe others how I had an audience for the first few meals during mytime with the Parisii, and I was pleased to see the others’reaction to her; even Gisela was smiling. Regardless of thelightness of the moment, this was another time where I realized howmuch it would mean to them, and to me, to salvage something of ourfortune. Following hard behind that thought was the one that wasalways lurking in the back of my mind, that I was gamblingeverything that Germanicus would be a forgiving Legate andPropraetor. This was the one thingthat I tried to keep from escaping the tightly locked cupboard Ihad put this question into in my mind, and I was determined that Iwould not let it out with my family, or in front ofBronwen.
The meal was, as I had remembered, every bitas good, and plentiful, as it had been the year before. As we ate,we continued to discuss matters, and it was decided that we wouldbe down at the docks at dawn to hire a ship to take us to NarboMartius, a trip that several ships a week make between the twocities. It did not even occur to either Alex or me to inquire herein Arelate about any ship that was going to be making a crossing ofOur Sea at this time of year. As much time as we had spent aboardand around ships the previous months, neither of us were even closeto being experts in nautical matters. Fortunately, Septimusinformed us that he would be going with us.
“I have business down there anyway,”he told us. “We kept the wine shipping company that your fatherbought.” He was speaking to Alex when he said this, but it struckme as odd, and even worse, it made me wonder whether or not thevilla had to be put up as security.
I kept my tone from sounding like anaccusation, or that was my intention when I asked him, “Why didn’tyou sell it, Septimus?”
He was not fooled, I could tell that by themanner in which he looked me directly in the eye as he answeredflatly, “Because there were no takers, Gnaeus. It,” his expressionaltered, “was run by Gaius, and let’s just say that no reputablemerchants wanted the kind of customers Gaius dealt with.”
Even in the afterlife, thatcunnus is fucking this family; itwas a thought I managed to keep within my skull, but it was areminder of just how much damage Gaius Pullus had done to hisfamily. I was given the same room I used when I had been there theyear before, the only difference being that it was now a room fortwo. Aside from the obvious, the one reason I remember that nightis because it was the first time we had more than a modicum ofprivacy.
It was later, as we lay together on a bedthat was not made for someone my size, although I did not mindhaving Bronwen nestled against me, that seemingly out of nowhere,she asked me, “How many men have you killed, Gnaeus?”
I was too startled to be upset, at least atfirst, and I answered honestly, “I’ve never really thought aboutit.” Of course, I did then, which was when I felt a flicker ofsomething that, while it was not anger, was certainly irritation.Only later did I understand that it
