colleagues.”
Fronto smiled.
“Wine never did anyone real harm.”
“Perhaps.” She sighed. “No, father is actually in as good a health as I have seen him in years. He plans great works for the villa, but truly few of them are started as he seems to prefer to walk in the orchards and to pop down to the town to visit the markets.”
“Good,” Fronto said with a relieved sigh. “And your mother?”
“Mother is good. She will be busy finalising everything now that she knows you’re here.”
Once more, Fronto’s brow fell into his customary frown, but before he could say anything, there was a shout from the corridor.
“Marcus? By all the Gods it was about
Fronto stood as Balbus appeared, clad in his tunic and breeches and nothing more. He looked so out of place without the addition of sword and cuirass it took a moment to adjust. Balbus had thinned down considerably in the few months, though not unhealthily so. He appeared more lithe and muscular than he had when he had carried the extra meat required in the field.
“You look so much better than I feared, my friend.”
“It’s been months, Marcus. I’ve had time to recuperate. What kept you?”
Fronto rolled his eyes.
“Gaul, as usual, kept its claws in us until winter was threatening. Finally, I think we can say we have the whole damned place under control. Most of the officer corps is waiting on the hill above to come and check on you, but they deferred to me first.”
He felt something brush his wrist and shuddered involuntarily, turning to see that Lucilia had stood and crossed the room to his side.
“I must go and make sure that mother is being thorough. I will see you later, Marcus.”
He stuttered an affirmative noise as she raised herself on her toes and kissed his cheek before sweeping from the room as though she were floating.
“You’ve gone red” Balbus said with a smile.
“Lucilia’s changed. She’s quite… forward.”
Again the older man laughed.
“She knows what she’s doing. She is the shadow of her mother at that age.”
Fronto nodded and turned, his brow furrowing again.
“What was she saying about her mother finalising things? It sounded like you were expecting me for something.”
Balbus gestured to a seat and clapped his hands. Before they had fully relaxed onto the couches, Caro had reappeared with a tray, two goblets and a jar of wine.
“This would be your ‘wrong’ wine?”
Balbus smiled.
“Happily just mislabelled. I would hate to have had to send it back, given the costs of transporting anything back to Latium.”
The two men sipped and Fronto pursed his lips.
“You neatly avoided my question.”
“I would have preferred to have broached the matter later, at my own leisure.”
“And once I was up to the eyeballs in soothing wine?” Fronto relied astutely.
Balbus smiled.
“I have a favour to ask of you.”
“Go on…”
“Lucilia is to go to Rome. I am contemplating a match between her and a young man of the Caecilii, but I will not confirm anything until she has had the chance to approve or disapprove. I will not match her against her will.”
Fronto nodded, relieved for some unknown reason, by the news.
“Good family, the Caecilii. She could do well. Why with me, though? Would she not be better travelling with you?”
Balbus shrugged.
“The doctor has warned me against strenuous travel for some time yet, and you know the crossing from Massilia in the autumn and winter months. No, I must stay here until the winter is past, but Lucilia must go to Rome.”
Fronto nodded.
“I would be remiss in my duty to a friend if I refused, Quintus. Where will she be staying? With the Caecilii?”
“Hardly, Marcus. It would be rather unseemly, at least until a match is agreed, to land her upon their doorstep. I was hoping…” he smiled weakly. “Well your sister might take her under her wing and…”
Fronto blinked.
“Gods, you want to turn her into another Faleria? Are you mad? Rome trembles at the presence of just one!”
Balbus smiled uncomfortably.
“I was dreading asking you. I have a cousin who can look after her, of course.”
Fronto sat silently, his teeth grinding.
“No. Of
Balbus laughed.
“I have missed your companionship, Marcus. Will you have time to stay for a few days? Corvinia has everything packed and prepared, of course. She has had for months, in case you flew past in a hurry once again.”
Fronto grinned.
“I am in something of a hurry to get home, for certain, but a few days would hardly cost me the world. Of course, at least for a few hours you are going to have to play host to the general’s staff who are waiting on the hill, no doubt impatiently, to descend on you. There are friends among them, though: Crispus and Varus among others. It may be that Galronus will also arrive shortly. We had word that he and Crassus and a few others passed through Narbo several days ago to meet up with us before we take ship.”
Balbus smiled and leaned back with his goblet.
“Then we had best spend a private half hour in happy contemplation of the vine before we send out to them, eh? I’m sure you have much to tell me.”
Fronto leaned back, reached for the goblet on the table before him and sagged into the chair as the tension of months flooded out along with the easy conversation.
The party of officers had gathered on the roadway in front of the villa. Fronto frowned as he stepped out of the doorway. Caesar and several of the officers who had no connection to Balbus had made their excuses and left politely the day after they had first arrived, not wishing to put any pressure on the family to accommodate so many guests. The rest had respectfully left the villa then and found temporary lodgings in Massilia until Fronto was ready to sail.
He had expected Crispus, Brutus and Varus, and had hoped to see Galronus, since the officers from the Seventh had apparently arrived in Massilia late the previous evening, but the other four were more of a surprise. Roscius, the quiet and thoughtful legate of the Thirteenth, had separated from the other Illyrian officers who would be taking a different ship, and his presence was unexpected. More surprising was that of Crassus and two of his tribunes that Fronto didn’t know and particularly the fact that one of these tribunes stood in pleasant conversation with Galronus and the two were laughing. There would be time to ask questions on the voyage, of course.
Turning his back on the men, he stepped to one side to allow Lucilia room to pass, Caro, the house’s head slave walking patiently behind her with both arms straining under the weight of her travelling gear. Fronto shook
